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Do Litvaks still hate Chabad? What’s it like being a Frum truck driver?
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Clappy and Moshe Frank interview Yitzy Shulevitz the trucker and food blogger. Instagram.com/yitzfood
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Hey guys, welcome to the fifth edition
of the Clappy and Frank. It's a little
crazy to say fifth already and
it's been a really amazing, incredible
journey. Fifth episode, uh the last
episode got almost 8,000 views. We're
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monetized and make the t-ching.
>> Today we have the great honor of having
Yitsy Shvitz
uh longtime truck driver in the food
business
and
our my other channel is ex everyday
people and we want to know what is a
good Jewish boy driving a truck?
What is a Jewish bookm?
It's a It's a honor to be here. It's an
honor to be here. But uh I I got uh this
all started during co I was working a
regular job
>> during what
>> for a company that sold nursing home
supplies and we got laid off everybody
and it just turned out that other doors
opened up. No one was willing to work at
that time and I said to myself, I cannot
sit at home all day and do nothing. It's
not possible. I said, "God, I'll try to
do the best that I can to help people."
And I got involved with desserts. I got
involved with catering, helping
everyone, doing these kasas in their
backyards. And that led to a whole
different uh avenue. And driving a truck
is one of them. And it's fun. I get to
go around places that I would never ever
go on a regular basis.
>> Y if you went on your first date and you
told your wife that you're gonna become
a truck driver, how would that uh play
itself out?
>> It'd be one and done.
>> One and done.
>> I just wanted to mention you mentioned
something interesting that a lot of your
success happened because of co.
>> Yes.
>> Which is something that happened in my
personal life. That's when I bumped into
Mishi Frank and I started my art career
and my Judeica career.
to him on co
>> and it's just very very interesting what
I'm finding out now from interviewing
many people is that Barak Hashem many
people that were laid off from their
jobs and they thought oh my god how am I
going to support my family a lot of my
friends went back to school they were in
their mid-30s they went back to school
they got their master's degree and
they're doing really well financially
now education accounting business one or
two in medicine but I'm finding that it
was a reset button on a lot of people
Hashem works in mysterious ways got laid
off from their job and their new careers
are way way better than they ever
imagined with what they worked in until
then. So, if you don't mind me asking,
how old are you?
>> I am 42.
>> 42 years old. And you worked different
jobs until CO happened. And then when CO
happened, you went into catering and to
trucking.
>> Yes.
>> Because you wanted to feed your family.
>> It wasn't just that. It also I cannot
sit at home. I was a a little bit of a
skeptic on CO to begin with. That's from
the beginning. And I'm not going to hide
that. I was very skeptical on it. And I
just couldn't sit at home. I couldn't be
locked up and not be outside, not not
going anywhere. It I had no direction. I
had nothing. It was just like get up and
like watch TV or sit on the computer and
watch YouTube all day. I can't do that.
And I just I couldn't and I people were
calling can you can you do this? Can you
do that? Can you do this?
>> So how did it go from sitting on the
couch not knowing where you're gonna get
your next $5 from to driving a truck?
>> So it went like this. I they were doing
in the backyards of people and a a
friend of mine who's a caterer called me
up. I need someone to do pickups in
Williamsburg for me and in Monroe.
Monroe.
I came for the first time there and it
was like I left New York. It was
>> picking up what?
>> Picking up kalas
food
trays of uh of of of sesame chicken chan
trays all these kind of things. And I
walked in and
>> you were never in the food business
until then.
>> I was in the food business. I grew up in
the food business. my p my my my my my
my my my uncle owned the bakery and I
grew up in it and I worked there in in
the bakery but after I got married I did
I was not in the food business and I
knew the people I knew all the the
caterers and I knew all these people but
it wasn't like my life my life was not I
worked for a company that did nursing
home supplies and we we did nothing to
do with food
>> but what was what was your job in the
nursing home Well, we did we sold
clothing to residents. Private residents
ordered clothing and uniforms for
staffing and we took the orders. We
packed it and we were running uh we were
running uh sales at facilities. That was
my job.
>> So Y as I start open the question,
what's a good Jewish boy driving a
truck?
Um, first of all, could driving
create a viable living for a front
person with a bunch of kids in uh
private school in in Yeshiva.
>> Uh, it's very difficult. You have to
have side hustle. You have to have I
have several side hustles and I got
involved in catering and and I consult
for them all the time and that really
without that I I couldn't survive. But
it can make a living. But obviously
there's limits because there's a lot of
guys who are doing now uh you know
random driving like car service type of
driving. And sometimes it's more
convenient to just send four or five
deliveries than paying a guy you know
full-time salary and then he's working
maybe only 30 hours a week. So people
end up hiring the guy for the day.
There's a lot of competition in that.
You you own a truck? No. So you drive a
truck for a food company?
>> For a food company.
>> And you get paid by the delivery route
or by a weekly salary.
>> I get paid a weekly salary and and I do
some sales so I get a little bit of
commission and I get and I get around
and I do also some catering so I get a
lot I I do a lot of consulting for that.
So I get a salary from that too. In 2011
17 I was looking for a career change and
I interviewed with like a lot of Jewish
companies.
>> Yeah. and two Hisha companies. One's a
salad company and one's like a dry good
nuts company. Nobody's getting any free
advertisements, so I'm not going to say
their name, but na names and brands that
everybody heard of. Okay. I sat down for
interviews and they were telling me
like, "If you drive one of our trucks
and you have a couple of guys that help
you on the truck, but you'll be the
driver." They wanted me to be the
driver. I guess the trucks are hundreds
of thousands of dollars. Yeah.
>> They said, "But you're not just a
driver." Like the Jackie Mason jokes,
you know, you're not a driver. You're a
producer. You're a mover. You're a
shaker. They basically they contract out
with the grocery stores that you come
and you take out the old supplies, you
put in the new supplies, and then you
manage the bookkeeping.
>> So salesish.
>> They said it's salesish. So let's say
they were offering between $800 to
$1,200 a week. I think these were real
numbers depending on the days and the
routes, but they said that if you're
aggressive and you really roll up your
sleeves, you could push new items into
the stores. And they made it sound like
you can make like a lot more of your
salary based on how hard you want to do
it. When the guys are loading and
unloading, if you're pushy and
conniving, you can make a lot more money
every week. Is that real?
>> Is that a real? So the numbers, can you
tell us some estimate numbers?
>> That is not 100% true because you have
to understand you have a company there
are there are there are certain salads
and type of things that move and that's
built in. It's guaranteed. You know,
tuna and salads. We'll use salads. Tuna,
a couple other things. How many new
items that you introducing that are not
out there already? And you know, based
on where you are in the neighborhood you
are, those items move and they're going
to move no matter what. But but I sorry
for interrupting but I think that's also
a little bit being close-minded because
if you would have told me growing up in
the 80s and 90s and the 2000s thousands
and thousands of Shabas meals always
having water and egg for $4 that it's
going to come a time in Claudius that if
you don't have a $21 sourdough bread
every single Shambas under your
>> happens to be I'm so not into that.
>> I'm crazy into the sourdough. I'm so not
>> I my Shambas meal is ruined without a
$20 sourdough. It's a staple. It's more
important than the steak and the gapilta
fish. I'll give I'll give up my gapilta
fish any day for a $20 sourdough.
>> I can't believe it.
>> But no, what I'm saying is that is the
idea that oh, I have to drive the truck.
I shouldn't be really be pushing because
everybody wants the on the egg salad and
I shouldn't be pushing the new frozen
lasagna that they're offering, let's
say, from one of these companies. I
don't want to say their names. Could it
be that a guy could drive a truck for
the highish companies? There's hundreds
of guys doing it, but instead of making
the 80,000 a year, he could be pushing
140 if he had a new change of heart and
change of mind on how to be more of
aggressive salesman. Well, I think to be
a a re to get real good money in sales,
especially in the food industry, you can
the truck takes up a lot of your time
and the guys who are really doing well
out in the industry are not on a truck.
That's a fact. So they were trying.
>> So the hybrid model is not a great
model.
>> Not a great model because you cannot
focus. You cannot build long-term
relationships. You're basically talking
to the people in the stock room and the
fridge guy and you're restocking shelves
and yeah, you could push in an item.
He'll say, "Listen, give me five cases."
You say, "Oh, here's six cases. Try this
new." But to get out there and be there
and to really move numbers, you have to
go
>> just on sales.
>> On sales. Yes. Y what does it from truck
driver it can make 60 70
>> about about 70
>> Y how does it socially feel you go to
shul one guy's an accountant one's a
lawyer one's a doctor one's kyo whatever
it is and then there's you're the truck
driver does that do you have a chip on
your shoulder because of that and
>> at the beginning yes but now no
I sort of at the beginning realized that
you know when this happened and COVID
came. I committed to
I will, you know, whatever happens
happens and I will make peace with
whatever happened because I I was left
basically fired, you know, I was out and
I was very upset and I was hurt and but
then they called back like a month
later, you know, because they got the PP
loans, so they wanted to take you back,
but we were already done. But uh then
they backed out from that. But I was a
little hurt. But I said I said, you
know, I'll be honest. I had like this
spiritual moment and I don't have too
many of them. But you know, I said,
"God, protect me." And I promise you,
I'm making peace with the world. And I
want to tell you, I never wore a mask. I
never got vaccinated. I never got sick.
I never ever got co. I'm telling you, I
made and since that time, I just don't
look at what other people are. Yes,
there are people are more successful,
lawyers, doctors, but in some ways I'm
I'm I'm very successful. I'm doing ways
I'm doing things that other people
haven't and I'm making money. And I see
the other side also. So many people who
are not making money who are who are
paying tremendous amount of taxes on
income and they're working very hard 80
90 hours a week and they're coming home
after their salary and their tuition.
What are they left with? So there
there's there's a certain uh side to it.
You have to look the other way also. You
have to look on the other side. Not
always do you have a guy who's an
accountant. He's making $80,000. He's
working a lot more hours than me.
Especially they're starting. They're
working taxis and these guys 11 12:00 at
night. I don't have to work.
>> At least you're around food all the day.
So it's not
>> around food.
But we're already on the topic and I'm
sure a lot of people are wondering when
you go into like a popular kosher
supermarket, the huge 10 aloe kosher
supermarkets and you see millions of
products. There's the sodas, there's the
seltzers, there's the the yiddisha
companies, all the all their stuff
>> of course.
>> Who how much of it are companies calling
up distributors by quality and saying
just give me this, this, and that. And
how much of it is reps, aggressive reps,
which I respect. I'm a hustling salesman
myself coming into the stores and
pushing products and getting high
margins and and commissions on those
products. What's the ratio?
>> Well, it it it works it's it works
different. Depends on what like like the
standard frozen items that you see in in
>> the bode frozen broccoli and all these
have reps.
>> It's it's not for a big company to have
a distributor is also it cuts them out.
So they hire their own trucks, their own
their own people, their own sales reps
to go in and aggressively push their
items.
>> But do they say the popular items that
stores are going to buy anyways, they're
going to buy our frozen French fries,
but if you could push some some niche
item, then we'll give you a higher sales
commission. How does that work?
>> Not always. They'll say to you like
this, we we're giving you guaranteed
money makers, so we'll pay a lower rate
of commission. And on the on the new
items and the items we want to push,
we'll pay a higher rate of commission.
For example, like, you know, let's say
grape juice. Grape juice is a staple in
every Jewish home. So, they're going to
not look at it as a way to pay a high
commission on grape juice because you
walk into any supermarket, whatever
brand it is, there's grape juice, and
that's that's a standard. They're not
going to pay that. But if you push the
new cranberry apple juice or whatever it
is, that's that they'll pay a higher
rate of commission.
>> You see, when people ask you, "What do
you do for a living?" What's your
response?
>> Well,
>> when someone asks, "What do you do for a
living?" What do you tell them?
>> Too many things.
>> I I tell them, "I do catering. I do
consulting. And I do I do I
>> like Jackie Mason, you see.
>> And I do sales. I do everything." Jesse,
did you lose any friends when you told
people started telling people you drive
a truck or was you didn't lose any
friends?
>> I didn't lose any friends.
>> You didn't lose. Clappy before you
became famous and rich and you told
people you do a customer service sales
on the phone job.
>> I I'm going to say,
>> did you lose or gain any more friends?
>> I'm going to I'm going to say it for the
record. I'm going to say it right now.
When I only had a 9 to5, which Havaii
was only 9 to5, it was a 9 to7 9 to6 10
to 7. And my only job was doing sales,
electronic sales.
>> Inbound, inbound,
>> inbound, whatever. It was it was
intimidating and I did have a little bit
of a discomfort, but I want to say
something.
>> When someone said, "What do you do for
them?" What do you tell them?
>> I said, "I'm a salesman."
>> I I I I I said it the way it was, but I
had a little bit of a chip on my
shoulder. But I'm looking at the
audience, everybody in the world from
all walks of life. There is nothing to
be embarrassed of. If you get up in the
morning, you put your right foot in
front of your left foot, and you go out
and have a job to support your family.
There's nothing wrong with it. I'm so
honored to have Yity on the show because
he went from sitting on the couch in CO,
not having a job to hustling on a truck,
delivering food products to doing many
things to support his family. I think
anybody that gets up in the morning and
works hard has something so much to be
proud of. So you have do you have I'm
sorry Izzy clappy do you have do you
feel more comfortable now telling people
oh I'm an art dealer
>> now that I have a marketing company I
have a I have a successful podcast and I
have
>> what's the pitch in that one so what do
you do for is it
>> so I'm a salesman and I want to say
something everybody in the world is
selling 24 hours a day you go into the
restaurant and you want the guy to
reheat the pizza and he says it's hot
you're like oh come on throw it back in
the oven you want the extra cup of ice
cubes you know you want your wife to go
on the vacation that you want. You want
your kids to go to bed on time and clean
the room. We're all selling 24 hours a
day and we all have to have a better
pitch and work on our sales skills.
>> So, you feel prouder now telling people
what you do now
>> pre art world podcaster celebrity. Now
I'm more in demand. Now I have more
people seeking me for my wisdom and my
specialty in fine arts in Judea and in
marketing. So I'm also but I'm again
there's nothing to be embarrassed of.
>> I understand. But you said, "Do you feel
prouder?" Someone says, "What do you
do?"
>> Of course I feel. Of course I feel. When
you have money in the bank and you you
get up in the morning, you're not
checking to move from the checking to
the saving from this card to that card.
It's a little bit easier. You're able to
feel a little bit better about
yourselves. But my point is is that I
want everybody to be very proud of what
you do. As long as you're putting in a
hard day's work and you're getting up
and you're doing the hustle, I'm super
proud. So I think we should get to
little know a little bit more about the
guest. What was his upbringing?
Oh,
>> go for it. And also, just want to make a
plug. Yitz is food Instagram. Check out
his great food reviews.
>> Um, I think there's maybe 50 food
reviews right now. It's
Instagram.com/yitz
food. He has great reviews. Since he
does drive around, one of the perks is
everyone likes him. Very lovable,
likable guy. So, everyone gives him
samples and he gets to travel tri-state
tasting every single food that you could
dream of. I do a lot of a lot of
catering and I work for caterers. I
consult to them and I get a chance to
taste a lot of unique foods and that's
something I enjoy also. It's a great
perk.
>> It's clear quite clear.
>> Quite clear. We met during co remember
>> buff bun. He came to the gallery.
>> Buff bun. Tell me a little bit about
this consulting for caterers. I'm a
caterer. I do bar mitzv a guy not me.
Somebody's a caterer. They do bar
mitzvah. They do kas. They do chevraas.
What can you offer? They do paper goods.
They do china. They work out of this
kitchen that kitchen. this hole, that
hole. How could you help caterers with
your background in food now?
>> So, I help people just getting the
purchasing of the items. I know the the
field very well. I know all the the so
to speak players on the market
>> and I help them and I help them try to
get
>> their cost down in a way that doesn't
look like they got the cost down. That's
what I come in. Guys, come help me out.
Let's take care of it. Let's get I have
to put a sweet table out there. $5,000.
That's what I'm charging. Let's get it
down that I can make money on it. I'm
using these numbers. They're not
>> easy. Where you Where you from?
>> I'm from Brooklyn, New York.
>> Where'd you go to Yeshiva?
>> I went to Yeshiva Elementary.
>> Kazde Torah
>> high school.
>> High school. I went to Kazde Torah for
two years.
>> Does that place still exist?
>> It does not exist.
>> Everyone I think everyone is not in this
world anymore. We're not going to speak
about them anymore.
>> Now we can say the truth though.
>> We don't want to speak of the dead, you
know, about them.
>> And uh we then I went to a place called
Mikdash Malik
that was a place, but they doesn't have
a reputation of kids that dropped out of
the system. They all ended up in
Mikdash. A bunch of kids in my grade.
>> Rabbi Shalom.
>> Rabbi Shalom. Very good. This is Mikdash
still exists. No, it's long gone.
>> Let's Let's be honest. What type of kid
were you growing up?
>> I was like I I didn't know. I was naive
in some way, but I was always looking to
find something that was not there.
>> You were behaving in Yeshiva.
>> Wasn't it wasn't not behaving, but I
never followed the rules.
>> It wasn't I wasn't loud about it. Like I
can relate. I can relate. People said
you have to do this. Why?
I remember I that they made a rule you
had to clean up the room and and after
school we made a mess or something and
uh and it was in the winter and it was a
Sunday and I you cannot go home until
you clean the room. I sat there for
three hours.
>> You didn't clean it.
>> I didn't clean it but I knew the rebi
had to go because it was and he was a
real litakia.
So I knew that I was going to be out no
matter what. that I'm not cleaning the
room. And I never ever like he just
didn't talk to me. He didn't didn't
acknowledge my existence because I
already I I uh broke the bubble, so to
speak.
>> You beat him at his own game.
>> Yeah. So, that that was that was it.
>> I was I never I didn't come out of my
shell till much into my early 20s.
>> So, you were quieter when you were
younger.
>> I was quieter. I didn't make trouble
like like
>> cuz now you're pretty popular, you see.
>> Yes. But this is a new this is
>> so after two years they kicked you out
and then you went to Mikdash
>> and they were closing and then I had
like nowhere to go. So we went there
because if you were you didn't have a
place to go that was the only place that
>> is that the reputation till today?
>> I think so. There were a bunch of
>> Syrians.
>> It wasn't Syrians. It was like random
people
>> in Flapush.
>> In Flapush Rabbi Shalom is Syrian
>> Kabad. He was a Syrian guy. He had a
partner, Rabbi Wallerstein.
>> Zakaria Wallerstein,
>> his uncle.
>> Is he alive?
>> He's still around. His uncle's still
around.
>> Zakaria was a good guy.
>> Zakario was my substitute
>> for his uncle for one week and he took
us to a Yankee game.
>> See, when you went to Yeshiva, what was
your vision of what Yity Shitz is going
to be? You had what was your
>> When I was in like 17, 18, I was going
to be a stock broker. That was the
>> You were passing high school like
secular studies. You were getting good
grades.
>> I was I was making it, you know.
>> You got a high school diploma.
>> I got a high school diploma.
>> And then you were you finished high
school mash at 18 years old.
>> At 18 years old. And then I was like I
didn't know what I was going to do. So I
ended up in yeshiva my
>> post post high school.
>> Post high school. I ended up in Shiva
Muny, which I did. I I sat and listened
to the Yankee game and Mike and the Mad
Dog the whole day instead of being
anything to do with
>> You were in the dorm instead of being in
the yeshiva.
>> I wasn't even in the dorm. I was outside
with the Radio Shack radio listening to
Mike and the Mad Dog.
>> Your family's from Burough Park.
>> My family's from Flatbush.
>> Flatbush. You were in Muny sitting
outside the yeshiva listening to Mike
and the Mad Dog all day.
>> Mike and the Mad Dog.
>> And where was the Rashiva?
>> He would come remind me that it's
yeshiva. I would come in for a few
minutes, learn a few words, walk back
out.
>> And this went on to what age?
>> This went on till I went to Israel,
which is a year later.
>> You're 19.
>> I was 19. I went to Israel. I didn't
know where I was going. I went to
Yeshiva Medish. I went there. I did very
well there. I learned and I developed I
sort of came out in that in that those
three years there.
>> Was Pasha no good radio shows to listen
to in
>> There was there was no good radio shows.
Don't forget 911 happened when I was
there. I had just gotten there and all
these things were happening. So like the
world was changing and I met new people.
I was very insulated being from Flappish
or everyone I knew was like within a
couple blocks of my house and we went to
the same shoo and we just So you grew up
litfish would be the right
>> I'm litfish. I grew up in
like like a lot of Flappish. Yeah, a lot
of Flatbush.
In my in my days, it was a lot of
litfish, but I only came out and I met
people from outside of my
circle and outside my bubble only when I
got to Israel. And that also changed a
lot of how I understood life and how I
understood people and helped me come
out. And I was I I met people who I
would never have ever met had I not been
there. people from South Africa. I
didn't even know where South Africa was.
If you would have
>> So, until you went to Eritrol at 19
years old, you never traveled out of the
country.
>> I never traveled.
>> So, where'd you go? You got family never
went to Israel. Never went to
California, Florida.
>> When I was 17 to Israel with my
grandparents for like a week and we like
never left like the old city and and and
the shook
>> as someone who grew up in Flappish and I
grew up in Flappish actually as well.
Clap clap you not. and we're kabad. What
is the before? You know, I grew up in a
very yeshivish block like H&H like Mir
and borderline Kensington like
>> Avenue H.
>> I didn't know about the fancy 20s and
you know that
>> wasn't around back then.
>> The 20s.
>> It was just starting.
>> The teens was No,
>> the teens.
>> The teens. I'm sorry. The 20.
>> What's the
>> What's the Kabad? I don't know 40 years
ago versus the litfish the lit of kabad
40 years ago verse litfishabad view
today has it changed has it not changing
what did what didn't change
>> let's be real when you were growing up
in bar park in this terrade
what was the opinion of kabad and the
rebabad
strafe
>> wow you never came for dollars
>> never it was unheard of they would you
see a kabad guy kabadsker that was the
>> they let them speak in your sho when you
were growing up
>> never never so
>> it's a completely different world now so
what was what happened I first of all
people started to use kabad because they
were traveling
and you were going to middle of nowhere
and what can you get in the middle of
nowhere we we just people started to
have more money they start to travel
going to Florida, going to all these
places. Kabad was much more pronounced
in Florida than it was in Flapush where
I grew up in my uh Dalamas. There was
there was no Kabad
>> quite quite a few kabad rabbis now in
Flapush.
>> Now it's it's like really uh there's a
bunch of them, you know, in my
neighborhood alone. I live in in the
30s. There's two Kabad rabbis and then
there's Rabbi Vigler has a shul and and
there's uh I think Rabbi Roak is a
little bit on the you know borderline
Kabad his wife is I I know she is
>> drizzen where did become the rabbi
>> in Avenue no for me personally gam kabad
in a very yeshivish block when they grew
up with them they sort of knew I was
normal but then suddenly got old like oh
my revi said kaban's this kaban's that
what about this whatever that I was I
was heavily questions and question and
analyze cuz it's hard to not like
someone that you know too well. It's
easy like that guy and that you know but
when you know the guy and you play
basketball on the block you can't re
it's you know it gets very confusing for
the for the kids at my age growing up in
Flapish but I knew there was this there
was this unspoken animosity I don't know
where it is you're crazy you're weird
you're out of the box this is premish
era you know what I'm saying
>> so I would say that the the when I grew
up how I understood it is that uh This
is a very uh like you know when I asked
the rebi years ago I got to be maybe I
was eight nine years old they told me
they take these boys who are great minds
and they take them away from yeshiva and
they send them to Dutill in the middle
of time square that was the line that I
got and that was I think it was in the
subconscious of people they they saw
that as an issue I don't know if that
mindset exists today as it did then.
>> And then what about the Mish the
Messiah? Uh how did that play a role
today? I mean because it's you know
>> today is it it's something that I
remember first of all I remember when
the Reb was nifa I was there. I remember
the funeral I remember see
>> I did not go my father went.
>> Um
>> and your father never went to the Reb
before that. No, but he felt that he was
a he w my father never spoke about him.
But my father, I think, felt that he was
a that he was a special person. As my
father once told me years ago, the man
never took a vacation. Every Reb travels
to wherever Switzerland's
>> Palm Springs fly private jet. The man
never took a vacation. The guy left
Brooklyn besides going to to the to the
to the cemetery to his father-in-law. He
left Brooklyn I think three times
>> in 50 years. He was there every day. And
my father said, "Man,
dedication
can't be beat."
>> Kabad today.
>> That's what my father My father said to
me when 1994.
That's what he told me. can't man
because every other leader takes a week
off to go to you said Palm Springs
private jets.
>> It's a lot longer. It's a lot longer
than one week.
>> Six I would say six weeks but you're
being okay. We'll give them a week in
the Palm Springs with the private jet or
Florida or you know it's cold you know
uh a break you know slow time uh visit
you he the man that's was my father's
message. A there was a video going
around last summer. This like
70-year-old guy in bar park in a hot
August day. It's like 108 degrees
schmvitzing putting his stuff into the
bicycle wagon. There's like a wagon in
front of his bike. He said all the debas
are going to come back from it and swan
and from the mountains and they're going
to say and they're going to
they're going to give usme
suffering a whole summer in Brooklyn.
They're going to give us about doing
chuba soon. Says you guys are on
vacation having a good time. Be nice to
us. be nice to us. So you see currently
today litfish let's say liquid what
percent is still does not love the kabad
what what what's your guesstimate
because I know
>> first of all the this is an an opinion
that's held by people who are much older
and were around saying the animosity
>> the animosity dies because the these are
political issues and and arguments that
are going back into the 60s and the 50s
and how many people really understand
them I don't even understand a lot of it
I understand a little bit of it, you
know, with Shak and all that. Those
arguments I understand a little bit, but
this is going back to the 1970s, 50
years ago.
Today, Kabad is so intertwined in our
culture. First of all, if a guy lives in
Flapish, the first place he's going is
where am I going to a restaurant? I'm
going to the Cran Heights. And it it
became also I think uh there's a lot of
people have told me they've gone to the
oil and seen tremendous schoolers. My
wife during a lot of times has always
asked to go. I've gone matzah shabas
many times and every time I go on matzah
shabas sometimes 11 12 o'clock at night
and I'm always shocked to see sometimes
I could see 50 80 people from like but
not just 80 people like okay I was
expecting 20 20 kabadkas and and 20 not
religious right I'm talking about I'm
talking about I've seen yeshivish I've
seen completely secular completely uh
not religious
And I've seen very firm people and I've
seen a very wide gamut. So people have
come they've they found connection to it
and I personally
have have you have enjoyed Kabad's
hospitality in many places and I've
never had a anti-abad feeling. I didn't
grow up on it. My parents never spoke
about it. As I said, the message that
resonated to me was in 1994 was a man
never took a vacation in 50 years.
Imagine every single day this was there.
You wanted to see him. You knew where to
find him. You made an appointment. Men
never took a day off. Think
>> it's very interesting. There's a very
wealthy guy from the Midwest. I'm gonna
say his name
in his town. He's officially anti-abad.
when he goes to his his villa in the
Caribbean, the Kabad rabbi is the
official vacation planner, gets him a
minion, everything.
>> Okay.
>> And this same guy, this liter
uh wealthy, well known on every board on
the planet when he comes to the
Caribbean, he fully ser not by his
fundraising ky whatever rashiva, you
know, fundraiser, but it's fully
serviced. It's just very funny. So I
think in general I always see that
people on vacation are more open and
it's two different things and uh you
know and it's interesting to see people
open up their minds. Do you think people
like Wii Jacobson Shalom Matashkin Chase
Tab do you think they help bridge the
gap between Kabad and even these singers
like Aban Freed Benny Freeden Ellie
Marcus normalize Kabad to some degree
with social media?
>> They make Kabad cool. They not only make
kabat cool, but they've bridged the gap.
One thing about uh about a lot of these
speakers is they know how to connect
nonabatarim.
They always bring it up. It's like they
go many different he's very diverse.
>> They make it entertaining.
>> They why is very entertaining. I
personally I like his brother. I think
he has
>> sim or bur
>> simmon. He has very deep content and
very I enjoy him. He's very good, but
he's completely different style than Y.
He's very different. I don't think he
opens every Thor story with 10 jokes
about the sat and this and that and and
all that, but he does he always has the
joke, you know, uh that uh that what
does why always have a joke? He always
has a good joke about the you know about
the old Jew and the jeul and you know
all these things that people can relate
to and it brings down connects people. I
just want to focus as someone grew up in
Flappish seeing how the big gap of and
especially was you know you've seen you
always
but litish and kabad was like the most
you know orthodox whatever the litish
kabad and I would say the most per the
person that made the gap the most who
made impact who was validated so to say
was y jacobson rabbi y jacobson just
like you know the fundraiser I and tells
in Cleveland brought him as a speaker
the good convention or CMH
>> I think he was in that good convention
>> yeah so and he he had a prestigious
position like that's how much it came so
I really see y as you know as as the
biggest person that was able to go
across aisle or normalize kabad what do
you think about that
>> there is something to that I think y why
Jacobson has a a unique ability because
he brings many other swarm he's always
quotes the he quotes otherwar
>> quotes firms still
>> yeah he quotes but he he knows how he
also I think he's very aware of which
audience he speaks to and how to speak
to them and that's a talent within
itself speaking of people who bridge the
gaps I've never seen someone like Louis
Shiner besides his financial success
bring all these different you go to his
shaw and he has a kabad rabbi shiner
shaw for forche road
>> forch he's such a crazy
>> intense
>> mix of people I mean I I think it
obviously comes from his his influence
but his nambra is just so open and he
brings so many different people rabbi so
many different walks of life and he
normalizes everything
>> well I I think I think he's bringing the
message that we're all one nation we're
being persecuted and the anti-semitism
no one says say says oh he's kabad and
he's sat we'll leave him alone and we'll
leave the bells, the guy will only
attack the litfac. It doesn't work like
that. And I think we see it in that time
period in our time period right now.
That that that makes uh unity together.
And I think that helps. I also you know
the concept of minion factories is not a
literature thing. It it is completely
and the fact that you go to a place that
you could grab a grab a m at any time
has changed the lit literature
perspective used to be you had a shuling
was 6:15 mil was whatever time 15
minutes before there was a at 8:15 and
the commercial from the rabbi that was
it today we've become a culture we're
always on the go people are running and
you depend hand on having a minion in a
in a place and to find a minion if in my
I think you go into shul it's
unbelievable what he's done the that he
has but the fact is that you could get a
minion at any time of day I'm talking
about you could sh 15 minutes later go
to the next and probably if you wait an
hour he could hit the plate very nice I
want to I want to use you as the litmus
test how affected or how personally
affected did you feel when Charlie Kirk
was assassinated did.
>> I felt very like like I I couldn't
believe it when I heard about it. I
didn't believe I thought it was like a
little bit of a scam.
>> But when you realized that he's not with
>> he's not with us. He was a a very very
good speaker about Israel. He was a a
messenger. And the fact that he had the
courage to go to these places is an
unbelievable thing.
>> Stood on campus with the table. Go on
campus.
>> Got a table on campus.
>> You think he's kabad?
>> He must be.
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this friend is your friend? I just I
want to say a few stories that I still
see today where the litad as as close as
it came and validation and recognition.
I just want to say a few things. I
recently went on a vacation. I went
somewhere and the kabad rabbi told me
this particular city it's like a very
yeshiva there. He told me he will not
give aliyah to any kabad guy unless it's
me because he knows me you know he knows
I'm not a picar so he gives me he says
other kabad guy will never ever get
aliyah. Second story, this is all when
this happened mamish summer. Second
thing, I was once in an art show in a
hotel
and Benny Freedom was there and Benny's
like, "By the way, Mishi, um, you're not
in friendly territory." I like, "What do
you mean?" He's like, "Friday night the
caterer put out some
wine and the rasha ordered all the to be
removed from the tables
completely."
some Russas,
>> some Russas, you know.
>> So, I know there's
>> I want to say something about
>> Pas and if you could
>> as much as things got a lot better, I
know these two are two recent stories
that are very real. I'm going to say
this about Kasherus that without
in far-flung countries the uh products
that are available to the Jewish
population would not be on in the
market. So if the rash knew all the
stuff he had there were
>> no one knows because no one understands
it but if you ask anybody in the OU
they'll tell you that the people who are
the yots of all these factories are 90%
of them and and a lot of people are out
of town who are out of town a lot of
their panosa comes from being a mashiach
in factories that no one would ever go
to. We're talking about going into
Thailand and all these places and during
China was closed. We're not talking
about products and when when China was
closed during CO the were the only
people who were in there going in there
to turn on the ovens or or change the
temperatures or run the clean cycle in
these factories. Who who was doing that?
>> We we still got stuck in 2001. You were
in Aritus and 911 happened. We're going
back and you felt and you felt safer
being an air.
>> You want to talk about the lit command
thing or it's not so interesting for
you?
>> It's not interesting or not interesting.
I thought that boat sailed a while ago.
I didn't it didn't come up.
>> So that's why
that's why I wanted to bring up because
of recent developments
>> because because one guy was a hater so
he wanted to like probably didn't like
the taste of that wine.
>> There's always going to be one or two
out there. That that's a fact. What do
you think about what people think about
the kabad people sing and all and the
rebas you know all those that that topic
how do they feel about
>> it's been a sore subject that will never
ever that's never going to die and I
think
>> it's never going to die right
>> that that that's always a sore subject
and and the ones who who who go out
there and and are out there and all the
singers or you'll never hear that song
in any wedding. It's not good for
business. It's not good for for for
time. It's not good for anything. It's
controversial. It's it's always going to
be a sore subject. But I think the the
bridge is
>> I'm sorry we're throwing these. You're
the first lit in our show. So, we're
just, you know,
>> he's taking one for the team.
>> I'm taking I'm taking
>> And you're not a rabbi, so you could see
that.
>> I'm not a rabbi. I can get away with
anything. Did you have Did you Did
people mention it to you? Did you have
guilt that we all took Charlie Kirk's
death so so to heart and people were
saying that two days before six people
were killed in the bus in the in the
Jerusalem bus junction and there wasn't
such a big outcry like we had for
Charlie like everybody's been sh every
single shul they were talking about it
why were we all going so wild and so
depressed that Charlie was killed but 48
hours before six yidden were killed in a
terrorist attack in Jerusalem and it
didn't get enough media attention or we
weren't so siss about it and there was
so many different opinions about But I'm
wondering what what was the opinion and
what do you feel and what what
>> I felt that the minute Israel attacked
Qatar and tried to take out those
terrorists like we forgot about those
six people.
I literally when I heard the story of
the six people I was I was in tears when
I woke up in the morning. I couldn't
believe it because I know exactly where
that place is. I was watching on camera.
I know exactly you know the videos of
it. There was this video with the guy at
the taxi was helping the old woman.
Yeah.
>> And a bullet went right over his head.
You saw that video.
>> Heard about it.
>> It was like I was like shaken by it.
>> I think we we just we live in a society
that we're we're so you know they say in
Yiddish
what's good by the gun eventually gets
into the Jewish culture. So he was such
the media took it so hard especially the
right wing and most a lot of the front
people are very dependent on all the
podcasts from the right on the right
side you know I I don't know a guy in my
shoe who's not listening to uh um
Charlie Ben Shapiro and uh what's the
the woman uh I forgot her name uh
>> well she the blonde one
>> the blonde uh
>> me Kelly, Megan Kelly, you know, I don't
think anybody
>> used to be used to be Candace
>> Tucker also, but uh my cousin every
night Tucker was
>> another like Trump would say another
beauty.
>> Another beauty. So, we're so integrated
by him and he was so out there and he
always spoke about Israel. We have this
connection to him and the fact is that
he was killed. He's young, 31 years old.
He he has a family, a young wife. It's a
very big it's a very big tragedy. He was
forgiving his opinion on something that
most people agree with him especially in
the Orthodox community. Most people
agreed with him and and sided with him.
They felt it was a big blow. So that's
why I think it just it just we also also
terrorist attack in Israel.
It's
unfortunately
>> it's almost like you're immune to it.
>> We're a little bit immune to it. It's
been going around since, you know,
October 7th. When October 7th happened,
>> October 7th, when I was a kid in the 93,
94, they were blowing up buses. I mean,
what?
>> I was I when I first got to Israel,
there was a I was there when Sabaros
happened. I was a few blocks away and I
had just got to Israel and I fell to the
floor. I was six blocks away. I was on
King George Street and Raov Ben Mman,
not Ben Mman. Um, Ben Yehuda.
>> What were you doing there?
>> I was going to get food. What else?
And And I And that's two blocks away.
And I was
>> Were you consulting without food then?
>> No, I was just looking for food.
>> I had my measly to be $20.
>> To be a consultant, you have to first
taste all the goods.
>> Yes. So I had to learn about also when I
got to Israel.
>> Let me ask you a question. There's a It
says in the Kish that when you're when
you're working with food, you're allowed
to eat the food. So you're not allowed
to tell the workers or whatever.
>> Picking fruit.
>> Yeah. Picking fruit. When you deliver
the food all day, do you taste?
>> I never I never taste the food that I'm
delivering. I'm always looking or I'm or
I'm dealing with any food that I'm
involved in. I'm always looking for the
other what's by the other guy.
>> So you do trades. So you're delivering a
few hundred apple strudles and a few
eccl
Noair ever goes missing.
>> No egg.
>> You could say under oath. No eclair ever
went missing.
>> I don't I don't know about that.
>> I don't know about that.
>> I'm always looking I'm always looking
for the new item and what's doing by
someone else. I've never my own my own I
know already. I'm looking for new items.
I constantly I'll go into cater. I'll
sit down with them. They telling me I
just came up with this new idea. Oh,
I'll take let me taste it. I always like
to see something new, something
different. I'm willing to try almost
anything. Some things are, you know, not
my taste.
>> You eat pa.
>> I have every shop is
>> one thing I I tasted every single kosher
food in the world as one thing I never
had the guts to taste. Does it taste?
>> I was in a customer's house last
Thursday night. He asked me if I want to
taste pchai. I just I gagged. I wanted
to throw up.
>> Delicious. Hearing the word pacha.
>> Delicious. I have a neighbor who calls
me up when his father-in-law makes it.
We could knock out a whole thin pan.
>> So after Yeshiva there 911 then.
>> So I was there again after I came back
here to America. I worked a couple of
odd jobs. I I
>> used to be a store. Odd Job.
>> What?
>> Remember Odd Job?
>> Yeah.
>> What happened? Amazing Savings Cousins.
What was it?
>> Yeah. Amazing Savings. There's also Jean
Sons. Remember Ganric
Jean.
>> Do you trick the best?
>> That's where I got That's where I got my
school supplies.
>> That's where I got Mechanica gifts. I
remember such good memories upstairs.
They had a Game Boy Display. You
>> to buy Toro cards. Toro cards.
>> Toro cards.
>> Shampoo for camp. It was It was a big
thing there.
>> Jean Sons.
>> Jean. Wow. That's where we used to get
the luggage and all that kind of stuff.
>> Got my sister's dollhouse when she
turned five. It was a big thing. Jean
Sons.
>> Jean Sons. Uh, but after when I got back
from Israel, I was here in America for
about two or three years. I worked a
bunch of odd jobs. I tried yeshiva in
the morning. I did some college courses.
I didn't have what I wanted to do at the
time. And then I, you know, people were
pressuring me. So I took a job that and
I was miserable there.
>> Doing what?
>> I worked in electronic company. I worked
there in electronics store on the low
side. Remember the low side?
>> My grandfather had a huge store on the
lower side an hour and broom.
>> So I was on Essex and I think uh Hester
>> could be.
>> Okay. If I remember it's a long time
ago. Remember the there was a pickle
guy.
>> Goss. Yeah. I was getting pickles. I I
became friendly with him and I bought
him coffee. I used to get unlimited
pickles
>> for $1 coffee. You could get unlimited
pickles.
>> Oh, a business.
>> Bring him a coffee in the morning. I
used to get myself a coffee. I used to
bring him a coffee.
>> So, you're always around Fujetti.
>> Yes. I I grew up
>> electronic store in the lower side. And
then
>> and then once I got I I was there for a
while. I happened to have left because I
just had enough. And I was looking for
something. I started to help a friend of
mine who had a jewelry company and we
were making some deals and I was
>> deals on 47th Street.
>> No, we were selling watches.
>> What type of watches?
>> So that that was that we he was selling
high-end watches.
>> Rolex Pate Phips.
>> No, not that high. A little bit lower.
>> Raymond.
>> No. Bam. Masier.
>> Basine.
He had a deal on them. he could get he
and he would he would get built in I
think a commission was if we would push
these design these toanim that were
getting married. So I was in yeshiva
like half a day and I would push all the
to go to the guy and every time I would
get I would get a commission off the guy
who pushed for these watches and he had
a he had some sort of deal with that and
uh ebel
was the companies he was pushing. So I
was doing that and then I went on
vacation to Israel and I said you know
what I'm going to sit and learn for a
month and I'm going to take it easy. I
was dating. I stopped and then I some
randomly eating by by a friend of mine
for Shabas and they said, "Oh, I have
this girl. She's uh American Israeli,
but she's from America. Should get
married to her." And I said, "You're
crazy. Leave me alone." And uh I said,
"I'm retired and I'm I'm content with
where I am right now." And he pushed and
pushed and pushed and barash we got
engaged. And
>> how old were you when you got when you
got engaged?
>> I was 25.
>> 25.
>> 25. Yeah.
>> And she thought she thought I was 22 and
she was like 19. So
>> it was like we we both we knew we knew
nothing about each other. And and and
>> now now you do
>> now.
>> And you got married in Brooklyn. And you
>> I got married in our show
>> and then you were there for a while or
>> I was there for a little bit and then we
came back. We moved there.
>> Yeah. Do you want your kid to drive a
truck or No,
>> no.
>> What do you want him to do?
>> I want to do something that's
productive.
>> Driving a truck is not productive.
>> Not saying not. I just I want him to uh
>> What's your dream? Your dream vision for
your kids.
>> I want my children that I have four
children in Canada and I want them all
to do something that'll bring good
things to the Jewish people. whatever it
is,
>> truck driver can bring good.
>> I'm not I'm not saying that, but uh I
think I think my my children are uh
not that they could do better, but I
think they
not not do better. I think they're I
don't know if one of my sons is for sure
not cut out for driving a truck. And the
other one I I I think he's a little too
lazy. I he likes to sleep in. And one
thing about all these things, catering,
you have to and and truck and all these
things, you have to be up early, you
have to be constantly uh
>> you're on the go,
>> on the go. And uh the the generation
today, they're on their phones all the
time. And there's and when you deal with
a lot of these people, you have to be
very personalized and hands-on. You have
to be able to answer calls. You have to
be able to talk on the phone. And you
have to be able to even use uh
oldfashioned
and pen and paper to write down things
>> and not set reminders on phones and
actually be organized and uh so that
that takes work that you never know
maybe in future they would go to it. You
never know.
>> One of them is trying to get a license.
We'll see.
>> Yes. What's the current status relation
between nonad and world? Where does it
stand now? There's respect, no respect.
They love hate. What's that? What's that
dynamic right now?
>> Well, certainly I think
>> and I would say litfish to them. They
don't you know
>> have litfish to what's their perspective
like? I know all the theidum moving into
Lakewood. How do the litfish people feel
about that?
>> You know what?
>> And what do they feel about them in
general? in general there used to be a
very big separation and I think now
first of all in general they all work
it's a misnomer to say that oh they
don't work they just sit you know that's
for the New York Times
>> but or uh MSNBC you know
the fake news
>> it's not true most of them are out
working and we in business and 90% of
the industries are involved. So our
relationship has grown as as two.
There's no like separate camp.
Everyone's doing business.
>> What was it before and was it now?
That's my question.
>> It was the litfish community was a small
community and and the were always
separate. But now in today's world,
especially I'll give you an example. If
you have a kid who who needs special ed
and and and and things like that, the
have have made it possible for you to
get all these services taken care of
from start to finish. The Ezra Medical
Center, all these things that are done
have done it. They've worked the system
better than anybody else.
>> Fantastic. Compliments to LDL and all
these organizations. They're doing a
great job.
>> Do a fantastic job. We're talking about
you you you need a kid who needs speech
ch a child from a small age. You call up
one of these agencies. They take care of
all the paperwork for you. You don't
have to know nothing. Somebody shows up,
they write the reports and the are
running these organizations. They know
how to bill it. They're great. They are
they're great.
>> They're great at it. And and that has
integrated them into in general into
society. And also when come they don't
just come with 20 families and they pop
in. They move in 200 families, a grocery
store that's cheaper than whatever
grocery store that you had before, a
takeout food store, at least three
restaurants, and two pizza stores.
>> But Mir Yeshiva always had recently more
and more and more because don't have
this uh chip on their shoulder that they
really want to learn, they have to go to
litish and therefore Mir and has a lot
of
>> that that chipped because there's a
different derk and limud by the litfish.
you know the brisker der that's always
going to be by the litfish and bakim
more and more are going towards that and
you know you know when I was in there
were bakim in in mir there's always been
there's going to be by brisk also uh
still literally she was the only ones
that speak yiddesh they give shir in
yiddesh and that allows a to come in and
and and acclimate to the yeshiva
>> easy. What's the current status with
Syrians in Flapush and do they what's
their interaction with the general from
world?
>> Well, it's a funny thing about Syrians
because
>> they they they still stick to
themselves, right?
>> They still stick to themselves, but
their Raim
>> they think they're better. They think
they're better.
>> I don't know. I I don't know. I think
they they they're very like if if you're
a Syrian and you need to buy something,
you'll only shop in a Syrian store.
>> Two of my cousins married Syrians.
>> Top top top families. Top s the real
deal.
>> The real the real deal. The real deal.
No, no, no. They allowed it.
>> They let intermarriage. They let they
were very nice to us at the wedding at
all theas. The old serious people. Yeah.
>> It's funny. 30 years ago when I was a
kid the you never ever saw a from
yeshiva Syrian now there's communities
all over in Lakewood is from Syrians a
lot of them go to Ashkenazi yeshivas and
a lot of them at one point
>> hold on one second theim if they want to
really know how to learn they have to go
to the to the litish and if the Syrians
want to know how to learn they have to
go to the
>> yeah same thing
>> it's like there's like
>> no it was Syrians
>> Syrians don't have big Man Siri big was
not like Syrian Moro Egyptian what was
>> Egyptian
>> Egyptian I think
>> Egyptian Syrian different thing
>> but they're more and more they have
their own Russian
>> they more by the way the all but most of
the Rabonim that are the Syrian raon
today the the the people who are the
respected members of the community are
all not educated only it's now that and
all these schools are starting to grow
but at one point it was very small and
if
>> no big wish coming out Shiva.
>> No, you mean
>> is the least orthodox. But if you were
from and you wanted you were a Syrian,
you wanted to be more on the right side.
You sent to Ashkanazhas.
You know, in my daughter's class, she
goes to regular Bakush.
We have three, four Syrian girls there.
>> They end up marrying Syrian or will they
marry out?
>> Some will marry out. Some will marry
Syrian. But when I was when I was a kid,
there were at least two of the Syrian
rabbi sons were in Kimbalan. They were
in my grade. I was playing ball with
them and uh what's his name? Rabbi Habra
was a big rabbi. He learned in Stan
Island.
>> What's the current status of Litish
people? Flatbush verse Lakewood. Is
everyone moving to Lakewood? Are people
staying? People going Marine Park?
What's the deal?
>> Well, Flatbush is is definitely slowed
down. Uh the schools are having hard
time. Some of them are not fielding.
They used to have two classes. They
shrink down to one class.
>> Wow. They're downsizing.
>> Yeah. Mere Mirisha went down uh to from
first grade I think is only one class.
For years it was two tracks. So there
are there is things there are schools
who are doing very well and and are
doing are still doing well.
>> Terodas is doing well.
>> Terodas is doing well. I think the is
doing well and uh that's what I hear. I
hear is packed. No, wellin they're they
feed their own. They encourage their
their
own little club.
>> Yeah,
>> I'm just going to call it club.
>> Oh, they're rashiva as party.
>> Half now quarter.
>> He's half. He's a son.
>> Hawa Moroccan.
>> It's a huge deal. But he's half because
his mother is not sorry.
>> His mother's not
>> right. But I'm I'm saying like like the
thing is Lakewood you get you get first
of all you get much more bang for your
buck as they say.
>> Are your neighbors all following hold
let's are your neighbors and flappers
all following their kids in Lakewood or
like a typical family flappers now what
percent of the kids are moving to
Lakewood? What percent are staying in
Brooklyn and what percent are the
parents following their kids to
Lakewood?
>> Well there's a lot those three
questions.
>> There's a lot of people the young
couples are all moving to Lakewood.
That's That's clear. You get a You get a
>> When we say Lakewood, we mean like
Jackson, Tom's River. It's all Lakewood.
Don't Don't Don't It's all Lakewood.
Your Krenites is Brooklyn. So Lakewood's
Lakewood. It's a neighborhood. The
difference between Tom's River and
Lakewood is like you cross the street,
you're in Tom's River. It's not and and
you cannot exist just being in the
bubble in Jackson or whatever. You have
to go into Lakewood. Your kids go to
school in Lakewood. It's all one big
>> area. You mentioned Lakewood. We said
like stories of kabad the kabad in Tom's
River. There's a guy who asari.
>> Yeah. There's a guy who dins there.
>> I heard this recently who asked is he
allowed a diamond in the kabad in Tom's
River? He says, "You're allowed to do
when it comes to the druss or you have
to walk out." So this guy I asked her,
"All right, why don't you throw the guy
out?" He comes this he's like, "Oh, cuz
he thought like the community is going
to grow quicker in that area." So he
didn't realize he's going to have to
rely on. He asked Russa. You could do in
there. It's you have to leave for the
Dash. Anyway,
>> to be that that guy's a big
>> Oh, you know what I'm talking?
>> Yeah. He's missing out on a good No.
>> Oh, you remember a big He's missing out
on a good smoo.
>> I thought you were going to say that he
left to the Dasha to go to the Kdish
Club.
>> No, this guy is like a dieard cuz I I
know a guy
>> that's where I would be during the dr.
>> I'm sorry. Back to cuz I grew up in
Flappers for 28 years. So for me the
whole drama and the trauma of litish
kabad is like very real to me. He never
heard
>> trauma
>> beside now clappy does so he knows he's
became worldrenowned well versed in all
the ask any who's a rasha in lakewood he
was like he won't know he might know
what lake he might not know what
lakewood is and he for sure doesn't know
who rash is
>> I always knew this I always knew okay
but most my father went my father went
to marry yesa
>> clappy most guys in cranets know who
rash is
>> I had to tell them about all the stuff
going on yes or no
>> I had to tell them So then none of them
know. Clueless.
>> Clueless. 100.
>> So back to Lakewood. What percent is
moving to Lakewood and what percent are
following their kids and what percent
are people staying? If they're the ones
are leaving, who's are buying the
houses? Are the Syrians buying it or
other litish people buying it?
>> Well, the if you put a house for sale in
in our neighborhood, I think you're
going to get the 20s and 30s, you're
either going to get a Syrian or a
Kimberliner to buy it. You're not
getting a regular guy. First of all, for
the money that you want, you could get a
much better quality or more property.
You could get a pool for the same money
in Lakewood. And And let me tell you,
you go to some of these houses in
Lakewood, you you can't believe what
you're seeing. It's like not normal. And
>> it's a real house.
>> No, I'm talking about massive acre and a
half.
>> It's an estate. It's an estate.
>> Estate. The guy been to Lakewood and
little here and there. Not enough.
>> When was the last time you're in
Lakewood?
>> I went to at the Fish Grill on a wedding
a few months ago, but I didn't go to
somebody's house. Okay.
>> Well, my father had me dropped.
>> You never been to house in Lakewood. No,
hold on. You never been?
>> I didn't go inside, but you ever go into
the house in Lakewood?
>> I don't know. But I was I went to drop a
package at a mega man. I went to drop a
package at a mega mansion there.
>> Didn't let you in.
>> No, the guy wasn't there. I left it on
the door.
>> Okay. So, you select my point. Kabad
people even clap is very worldly. He's
worldrenowned. He's soon going to be the
voice for Lakewood News and he's never
been into the house in Lakewood. Anyway,
continue the irony.
>> Have you I was two nights ago I was in
Lakewood for a bar mitzvah. My cousin
made a bar mitzvah and I happened to be
next door to the new takana hall in
Lakewood and I walked in there and I was
blown away how beautiful it is. People
can make I know so many people are make
are not making in Brooklyn. I make kas
in Lakewood 15$20,000 for a wedding. It
ends up eight $9,000 each side. It's
unbelievable. But I'm we're talking
about the nicest room.
>> Is it a race to the bottom? You're in
the catering industry and we're talking
about the kind of weddings and the
weddings are getting cheaper and cheaper
and cheaper. I feel like we're going to
have a drive by weddings. $27.
>> $27 a
chicken nugget. There's always going to
be high-end weddings just by the fact
that you have somebody who has a lot of
money and they're going to make a
wedding because they want to tell
everybody that they have a lot of money
or they want to make a wedding just
because they want to make a party. And
the Syrians make it always make high-end
weddings. It's part of their culture.
They believe in it, you know, and and
and a lot of people have also that also
by the yeshivish, they have bigger
families and they're making eight
weddings versus a guy who has three kids
and lives in Englewood. He's making
three weddings. So, this is the
>> Is there still pressure to do Kyle Kyle
in the litfish world? What's it like
today? Is it like 10, 20 years ago? Has
it changed now? Are you looked down upon
if you're not learning? What's the
current social waves and pushes? I think
nowadays
the culture is that most young couples
who went to yeshiva even if they're in
college or that they're expected at
least the first year to be in colo that
they believe that it cements the
relationship that you know it's it's
it's like looked out about that oh he
went to work right away he didn't you
know
>> but the 5 years 10 years is is a thing
how strong
>> 5 10 years is still a thing but it's on
a more yesish crowd
and and they're still doing it and they
they their goal is to get into and get
into what they call clay kesh not
necessarily they're not going to
obviously some go into business but
there is that that that pressure a guy
says it's expected a year maybe two with
usually even if he's going to school
he's studying to be something he's
studying to do this studying to be an
accountant it's expected that they
they're doing it plus they they've
streamlined these programs, PCS. Uh, God
has streamlined that you could get a
degree in six uh, what is it a year, a
year and a half, a year and six months,
something like that with all your
yeshiva credits and they streamlined
that into and getting people and they
get people jobs, high quality jobs.
>> Is he wealthy people? What are they
usually looking for
or another rich family?
>> Depends how wealthy you are.
>> Explain. If you're if you're very
wealthy, you want to marry someone who
else who's very wealthy.
>> You don't care about the Tomak thing.
It's not a thing.
>> It depends on the crowd, you know,
because you could have a very sheish
crowd and they want their son.
>> What's considered the prize son-in-law
at Kakim or another rich family
>> to go on the Pesak hotel together with?
>> Depends on the crowd. There's so many
different crowds. I think in Lakewood
the the very hardcore yeshivish crowd
they want to sudden
and if he has a couple dollars that's a
great plus but it's not the most
important thing
>> but a typical flap push I don't know
family what are they going for what's
the prize for a wealthy family what else
what do they want to bring in or another
rich family
>> I think they want both and if it's not
you know you can't have uh it should be
able to find both.
>> Both. But if not, what's the priority?
>> Both.
>> Of course.
>> And wealthy.
>> That's the That's the top. You want the
top?
>> One more thing. No. Well, a lot. We'll
see how this goes. What percent of the
inapp are
percentwise versus
>> most of the shs in in their neighborhood
areas.
like 80%.
>> I don't know about
>> my grandfather. My grand
>> 70 for sure.
>> And how did that come to be if it's a
lit neighborhood?
>> Well, how many shores can you have in
Burough Park? They all have children.
What are they going to do? They got they
got to get into the
>> My grandfather lived on East 15th and he
died by Tidal Bomb, which is a Saturn
family or some
>> tidle tidle ble
East 13. I never understood it. It's a
flappish crown. He used to be in Crown
Heights years ago. He had a on uh on
Sterling Street. I knew him. I knew I
knew the old rabbi title.
>> So he went from from Crown Heights to
Flatbush.
>> Well, Crown Heights was a neighborhood
in the in this in the 60s and 70s,
right? Bob was there.
>> Everybody was there at one point. Yeah,
>> at one point. Bab was there. Navam Minsk
was there. All these guys. See who's
doing this k of coloss which part of the
litish world are opening coloss in St.
Louis and Denver which part of that
world
>> has a little
exclusively
thing.
>> Okay.
>> But I think now the community call is
a way of getting people who are in
yeshiva who need to get paid and have
salaries. I think lakewood caught on and
all these yeshivas and communities
caught on. It helps a grow a community
bringing in 10 young families who will
stay there. A lot of times they they
have rules like we're bringing you in,
we're paying you, we're giving you a
helping you buy a house on the condition
you're going to be here for 5 10 years
and that helps grow a community. One of
the easiest ways to grow a community,
especially out of town, is to open a
colo. That's easily 10 15 families
>> because that for for us kabat people,
that's our main competitors in the cur
world where they plop down with
>> my brother-in-law lived in Cincinnati
and I've been to Cincinnati and
Cincinnati was an example. I the shul
the kabad and the and the and the and
the and the and the rash cuddle they
lived next door to each other and they
their wives were best friends.
It was it was an unusual thing and the
rabbis got the rabbis ago rabbis got
along.
>> They were best friends.
>> Not the rabbits the rabbis
>> the rabbis got along great. In fact, the
rash used to say the pavas in the kabad
jeul and and you should know I my wife's
grandparents live in silver spring. I've
been to silver spring many times and the
the the speaker on uh on Shabas
afternoon. He always gave us was the
rabbi of what we would say a competing.
>> But yet he told me himself that when he
started going to Silver Springs, his
brother-in-law refused to go to the
kabach. I was in the kabash. He's a top
guy.
>> His brother originally refused to come.
I'm not going to say his name. And after
a while, maybe got old and lazy cuz he
told me to eat some of the kabasuals
closer. He started eventually coming
too. Right. True story.
>> True story.
>> So that this transition,
>> you know why I was there?
>> I was by Rabbi Vowvski in Silver Springs
because Trump's first inauguration was
Chavez Friday afternoon and I was not
going to miss that for anything in the
world. There was no way to get back to
New York. So I went to Silver Springs
for Chavez. Would you recommend
listeners people moving to B or Kabad
people moving to Baltimore? Yes or no?
Why is Brooklyn better or worse?
>> Baltimore is a wonderful community.
Beautiful.
>> Just a few shootings here and there.
>> That that's true. But that's not the
Jews don't live in that that part of the
area.
>> They say they hear the shots at night.
>> That's a little bit exaggerated.
>> It's also which part?
>> It's which part? Baltimore. Listen, I
you can buy a house for tell you to go
to that that Chinese place in Baltimore.
His brother chased the guy out. The guy
pulled out a gun.
>> Really?
>> He didn't think there was a guy in the
shoe. He came to steal a bush. He got so
scared he chased the guy out.
>> Didn't I tell you to go get that Chinese
place in Baltimore?
>> Why is Baltimore underrated? Overrated?
Is it underrated or overrated?
>> It's underrated.
>> Why?
>> Baltimore's got a lot to offer. It's got
It's got a nice community, friendly
people. It I always look down upon it as
Brooklyn, Baltimore, Baltimore.
>> How much How much is the house in
Baltimore? Reasonable prices in mid-4s,
mid fives. You get a very nice house.
It's a nice community. Listen, some
things are more expensive there. I'm not
going to say I'm not that you need two
cars. There are things, but there's some
wonderful quality of life is excellent.
Um,
>> but the people the people there are very
cheap on food. My sister has three
sister-in-laws that live there, and the
biggest talk on Shabas Khan there was
one of the stores went up a quarter on a
donut. I think it went up to like a
$1.75. There was about to be a riot.
$10 donuts never came to Baltimore.
>> The best butcher in in the kosher world.
One of the best is Lmberg. They make
unbelievable stuff. It's in Baltimore.
>> It's probably cheap.
>> Is that the second biggest expensive?
>> It is expensive.
>> Is that the second biggest Lith
community outside of Brooklyn, Lakewood?
>> Uh, no. I think Chicago is bigger than
they both they hate Kabad. There you
hate I know you're SW. They hate they
hate Kabad there.
>> And it
they hate it. I had a whole story with
them.
>> What do you mean?
>> They had like a whole puppet show
against Kabad one year.
>> Yeah, but they have a they have
>> they wouldn't apologize. They said that
they're going to have the Russa put out
an apology letter. Never happened.
>> They have a lot of families.
>> They guys sent me videos a few years
ago. They made a whole permik, a whole
mock thing about against kabad.
>> And I called them up and I made them a
lot of terrorists. They said they're
going to put out an apology in which you
called who the Russia
>> I called the office and I called the
principal and I called a few years ago.
Big guys big guys there.
>> But now you're you're doing Lakewood
news clapper. You come a long way.
>> No, I'm saying that that particular
yeshiva needs to do a little chuva.
>> I have some family in Lakewood. I once
sent him some ad for one of my projects
and my cousin politely did not post it
cuz he was afraid.
Anyway, it's yet you're the first
nonabad guy on our podcast. Honor.
>> So you So we're dumping everything on
you. We're dumping all on you.
>> Honored to be here.
>> I happen to just throw Baltimore one
thing. They have a nice community. It's
a very it it listen getting jobs may be
a little bit difficult. There is there
is a lot of help there, but it
definitely has its mileas. And first of
all, it's you know close enough that
it's not far.
So in closing thoughts,
>> right? Um,
you still didn't tell us what do you
want your kids to be? You didn't give me
your final answer.
>> I always say not a truck driver.
>> Whatever they want to do, I want them to
want to do it. I want them to do it. I
want them to to do it in the right
honest way, sincerely with honest and
put in effort and do what it is to do
good for someone. I don't want them to
be, you know, just sitting around uh uh
YouTube surfing and Netflix. I want them
to be accomplishing.
>> Unless they're watching our show, then
they can stay on YouTube all day.
>> After after that's at night when, you
know, at the end of the day,
>> follow Yity Yitz food on Instagram. Soon
more follow, subscribe to Clappy and
Frank. This is our fifth episode. Can't
believe it. Y
>> Yeah, fifth episode.
>> It's insane. I thought this would just
warming up. Warming up. Give me these
new names. I thought this would last
maybe one or two.
>> Just getting started.
>> I told Zev Brener, I said, "Zev, you
know where this I don't number." 90% of
podcasts don't get more than 20 listens.
And Barack Hashem, thanks to the great
support of our our followers and CO, I
want to do a shout out to C.
>> C's been a great help. Crown Heights
Butcher has been a great help.
>> Posted our our episode twice already.
our friend friend from security
>> friend corporate sponsor
>> and many more coming fresh fizz our
newest sponsor
>> all thank you all for your support
subscribe like now so we could actually
start making money so far we're just in
the in the minus so please help us and
uh I want to thank my brother Manakim
who's behind the cameras producing
tonight's show he did such a great job
earlier this week with one of my newer
channels so I said we have to bring him
into the studio Thank you to Greg, our
engineer. We do miss I don't know if we
miss Arthur. We'll see a little bit.
>> We prefer I think we prefer Greg. He's
younger.
>> Yeah,
>> he looks more like he's earning his
money.
>> New energy.
>> New young energy.
>> And thank you for show. And last but not
least, our great guest Zit Levitz um for
coming on to our pod. Our first shaved
our shave our first shaved litak.
>> You know, it's good. We made a little
diversity. You know, people thought it
was just a Kabad podcast. I was getting
nervous. Initially, I wasn't sure if the
podcast would be Jewish altogether. It
happens to be that the podcast evolved
into what is the Kabad voice on the
current events.
>> We're going to have everybody on the
show
>> and so YT is our first lit. So, you
know,
>> honored to be here.
>> Hopefully, you made you lit look good
with Yity. If not, I'm sorry. I do hear
he's pretty popular and flappish. So,
>> we'll see how many views he brings in.
>> Well, we'll Y how many views you
predicting?
>> I predictions is not a good game to be
in.
>> And I hope your wife hopefully your wife
will let you back in the house after
this.
>> He didn't say a word. He didn't say a
word about her.
>> About that's a good thing, right?
>> My wife is Azer connectto. You know what
that means? She's Asa Kto. She's the
most important part.
>> Without her,
>> nothing happens.
>> Thank you so much, Yity, our truck
driver, food specialist, Yitz food on
Instagram. Thank you all for listening,
supporting. I just want to say on behalf
of me and Clappy, the support and views
we're getting is unheard of. We're
shocked. Are we shocked, Clappy?
>> We're very, very humbled.
>> Humbled how well we're being received. I
mean, podcast is a commitment.
>> If one more person asks to take a selfie
with me,
>> I I'm not getting the selfie action. I
am a little jealous, but hopefully
things will come around.
>> Is what it is. But uh
>> maybe he's better looking
>> clearly and better and well more well
spoken
>> 100%.
>> Thank you so much for listening and
following and supporting Clappy and
Frank. If you want to sponsor our
podcast, please send us a message
>> uh on YouTube or what
>> your comment whatever
>> comment something private message us. We
need your support. We love your support
and thank you so much for your feedback
seeing people on the street. You know
what I just want to say?
My Instagram Baram gets 10 to 40 million
views a month. X everyday people. I here
and there I get comments. This podcast
is only getting
four to 7,000 views so far. I'm getting
crazy comments. So for some reason the
podcast has like a deeper
>> the deeper meaning. The thing is people
are spending a few hours watching our
podcast and every day people getting
rational is an hour and 40 minutes.
>> I know. I don't know why they're
listening so much.
>> They love it.
>> So it's a much deeper
>> once you pop you can't stop. happen.
It's like a Pringle.
>> And I want to thank Clappy for pushing
this podcast. It would not happen if not
for him. So, I want to thank you all.
And please, when you see me, please ask
for a selfie. I'm getting jealous.