Aish Kodesh: Shteeble or Not? You Decide

In response to recent post, DovBear was surprised that the gabbai of my shul actually scheduled the ba'alei tefilah more than a few minutes before the actual tefilah. "Very unusual for a shteeble", said the bear. I explained that Aish Kodesh was not a shteeble; rather, the second largest shul in Woodmere. He responded that "if a Hasidic guy sits up front, it's a shteeble".

As a public service, I have assembled a checklist of a few of the characteristics of a shteeble and compared it against Aish Kodesh. (I am open to suggestions from readers regarding characteristics I may have overlooked).

Here Goes:

1. Constant talking is required in Shteebles. There is no talking at Aish.

2. There are tables in shteebles with men sitting with their backs to the aron. There are no tables in the main sanctuary of Aish. Even in the bais medrash, no one sits with his back to the Aron.

3. The rabbi in a shteeble is Chassidic. The rabbi at Aish is chassidic.

4. The rabbi in a shteeble usually speaks with a Yiddish accent and never goes to college. The rabbi at Aish speaks perfect English and has a master's degree from Colombia.

5. The rabbi in a shteeble is usually a musmach of ABYU (Anywhere But YU). The rabbi of Aish is a musmach of YU.

6. The rabbi in a shteeble has usually never heard of Rav Avraham Yitchak Hakohen Kook. The rabbi of Aish gives a shiur in Oros Hateshuva.

7. Shteebles begin kiddush in the shul during chazoras hashat'z of musaf, have six-week-old herring and lot's of hard liquor. Aish begins kiddushes downstairs in the socail hall after davening, has fresh herring and does not permit any hard liquor in the building.

8. The ezras nashim of a shteeble is usually a 4' X 4' space cordoned off by a shmata for a mechitza. Aish has a large women's section with a state-of-the-art one-way glass mechitza.

9. Aliyos are sold in a shteeble, they make multiple 'mishabeirachs' and there are a minimum of ten hosafos. Aliyos are not sold at Aish, there are no multiple 'mishabeirachs' and there are no hosafos.

We report. You decide.