Conference taveng::bagels

    Since many of us don't read the "NHSN", could you provide a few
    fer'instances.
    
    There was an uncomplementary piece done in the Globe a number of years
    back.  It spoke about "clannishness" and "standoffishness" of these
    "tourists".  It portrayed some of the rituals in a rather condescending
    manner.  It sounded xenophobic (DS--this means fear or dislike of foreign
    people/ or influences).
    
    ---Av 

    Re .1:
    
    Hi Av:
    
    Basically the article mentioned that Hasidic Jews had been vacationing
    in Bethlehem since the 1920's.
    
    However, according to the article, some of the locals aren't too
    excited about the appearance of the Alpine and the other hotel
    (supposedly run down looking) which are owned by a Jolan Strulovic.
    Also, that the Hasidim are supposedly standoffish and don't patronize
    local shops and restaurants because they aren't kosher.
    
    On the other hand, Mrs. Strulovic complained that the local residents
    aren't especially friendly either, that there have been some
    anti-semitic incidents (swastikas, etc.), and that the Chamber of
    Commerce is more oriented to Yuppie-type condo complexes than old
    established businesses (like hers).
    
    My own personal opinion? What we have here I think is a clash of
    cultures - one, rural Yankee and the other, Eastern European. The
    question is how to bridge the gap......
    
    That's a capsule summary anyway.
    
    Hope that helps.
    
    Mark
    

    Mark,
    
    I'm not surprised.  Those hotels were "shabby looking" when I saw them
    15 years ago.  Elegance is not what these "tourists" are looking for. 
    They want a cool, secluded place where they can be themselves and not
    be disturbed.  
    
    I doubt that gap bridging will be high on their priority list.
    
    ---Av

    This sounds like "Novak's" which used to be in Millis.  My grandparents
    went there every year for a "little vacation".  It was rustic and
    very quiet. They enjoyed it.  I hated visiting them there.  I thought
    it was cattle car like and dirty looking. BTW, I also refused to
    go to summer camp as a kid.  But they liked it and that is what was
    important.
    
    Several years later, I met a person who lives in the town. For a
    special occasion, she needed to give me directions.  When I asked
    her if the area we were going was near the old "Novaks", she replied
    you mean "Jewtown". I was highly insulted by her tone of voice and
    her elaboration of how local residents felt about the people who
    went there.  So much so, that she announced how happy people were
    that Novaks was the victim of arson.  After that conversation, I
    didn't go to her party, and had minimal conversation with this coworker
    who was obviously slightly antisemitic. (When I was out for the
    high holidays, she made a real fuss about me being paid for the
    days shouting I didn't deserve the extra time off.)  
    
    In my opinion, the local N.H. townspeople fall into her category.
    They are not worth a fuss.  If the Hasidic people enjoy this time
    then they should be allowed to enjoy in peace.  As far as I know,
    aren't Hasidic Jews accustomed to simple conditions?  Shabby, like
    beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder.  Seems to me if they wanted
    the Ritz, they could go to the Ritz.  
    
    I'd hate to see what would happen if a Menonite or Amish person
    crossed over their sainted borders. 
    
    Just one persons opinion, which with 45 cents, you could get a large
    cup of coffee at a DEC facility cafeteria.
                                              
    Adriane

    Re .4:
    
    I agree - beauty is in the eye of the beholder. *Perhaps* the two
    hotels in Bethlehem, NH needed some paint. But they certainly
    weren't falling apart (actually I like that style of hotel rather
    the plastic, antiseptic Holiday Inn-type). It kind of reminds me
    of the bed-and-breakfast my wife and I honeymooned in.
    
    As somebody else pointed out, the Hasidic Jews who vacation in
    Bethlehem obviously have higher priorities than concerning themselves
    with whether the hotel they're staying in has all the modern amenities!
    
    Although I'm not very knowledgable about the Amish/Mennonites, from
    what I know I tend to agree that the average New Hampshire Yankee would
    find adjusting to their lifestyle something of a challenge as well.
    
    Mark

    Thanks, Mark, for agreeing with me.  I was afraid I got verbose
    and people with more knowledge would blast me.  I appreciate my
    views being recognized as viable.
    
    It is my wish the people, in my very poor Yiddish, a'gae in shalom.
    
    Adriane 

    RE:  New Hampshire Yankees and Jews.
    
    If I may, I would like to pass on to you what happened to us many,many
    years ago, and how we decided to handle it.
    
    There was the "then" version of Bed & Breakfast called 'Farm Vacations
    and Families'.  The intent was for a city family to spend a week
    or more living on an active farm, with a farm family, for nominal
    fee per adult and per child.  The fees included ALL meals, and packing
    a picnic for the family if they wanted to go sight seeing.  At the
    time we had three children, and this was the only way we could even
    hope to afford a vacation.  Oh yes, not all farms were willing to
    take children.  We finally located one north or Pike, N.H., near
    the Conn. River.
    
    We arrived (after a series of misadventures, but those are other
    stories) in time for dinner, unpacked and settled in.  The next
    morning we experienced a 'farm' breakfast....complete with bacon,
    and ham--on separate plates, to be served.  Being kosher, my children
    were shocked.  We whispered to them that we had forgotten to mention
    that to the farmer.  (At home we had not need to mention beint kosher
    to anyone, since all placeswe went-friends and family also were
    observant.)  Since they were ignorant of the facts, we should just
    leave the bacon and ham on the serving plates and eat breakfast.
    
    This continued on through the week.  We learned just how antisemitic
    these folks were when they ponted out the Jew-camp, the Jew-resort.
    It was then we decided what we would do.  As our vacation came to
    a close, we spent an evening in the kitchen with the farmer and
    his wife.  She was recounting how terrible, dirty, these
    Jews-from-New-York were,and told us she was concerned about finding
    herself in the position of renting to Jews.  She asked our opinion.
    Well, we asked her what whe was worried about...she has just had
    an entire Jewish family for a week, adored the three children, and
    asked if we would leave the two older ones , without fee, to spend
    the  rest of the summer.  They were dumbfounded! At firse did not
    believe us.  Then we explained about kosher meat, etc., why we did
    not say anything earlier,etc.  She suddenly understood why our children
    said they had never eaten ham or bacon, and wouldn't.
    
    This family decided Jews wern't so bad---and they had their winter's
    conversation made to order.  While I would not expect Hassidim to
    go to these lengths, I think the rest of us could.
    
    Thanks for letting me entertain you--with a true story.
    

	So is there anywhere in Bethlehem where we might get a kosher
	meal?
	We might be spending a few days in Waterville Valley later this
	summer, and taking a trip up to Bethelehem for a good pastrami
	on rye wouldn't be out of the question...

	-Zaitch

    
    When I was fifteen (about 33 years ago) I spent the summer working as a
    busboy at one of the hotels in question - The Arlington. At that time
    it was called the Gross Arlington after the then owners the Gross
    family. At that time it was the only Hasidic hotel in Bethlehem.
    Most of the other hotels catered to a predominately Jewish tho
    non-religious crowd. Three years later I spent the summer as a bellboy
    at the Alpine Hotel which ,at that time, was not Hasidic oriented.
    
    Two years ago, while vacationing in the White mountains, I took my
    family to see Bethlehem. A number of the older hotels had burnt and
    the Alpine had gone Hasidic but it still brought back vivid memories
    of my youth. 
    
    Certainly, the Hasidic community there has every right to stay by
    themselves but if I were a business owner in town I would not be
    particularly happy about it especially if I thought that other hotels
    were to go Hasidic and reduce my potential customer base.  		
    
David