Chaptzem Blog!      

Where are you supposed to go to help? Please provide a way to donate or however....

 

Refuah shelaymah

 

Is he Jewish? Dosnt seem like it from the pictures? Why dosnt neginah have health insurance. These guys get paid very good money ,Nebach

 

I wish anybody a refuah shelemah.
I think everybody, one way or another, should have health insurance. I am assuming the work they do is very freelance, in such a case they are often working as an independent contractor. There is a long debate and stuff about when this is appropriate.
As an independent contractor there are usually no benefits, no witholding, no to everything except a slip trlling the IRS how much was paid. It is up to the independent to arrange all insurance and it is tempting to forget about it when you are young.

 

Hey carl. Are you Jewish? Doesn't seem like it from the name.

 

Matt miller should have a speedy recovery. he brought joy to many weddings and parties and he should merit seeing joy brought to him and his family. why does it matter whether or not he is religious, or even jewish? he is a person just like everyone else and is someone who is known to many religious people because of his jobs. its heartbraking when you hear of someone who is sick and has young family but is more sad when you actually see the family. he should get well soon and his family should live a long and happy life together.

 

Of course he is Jewish. He also played by my wedding - as I specifically requested him. He was damn good. May he have a speedy recovery.

 

A HUGE THANK YOU to whomever added this topic to this Blog -- Matt definitely needs help...

DONATIONS WEBPAGE:

http://arkady.com/mattdonate.html

Please stay tuned, cause I'd like to address a few themes that were touched upon in the Comments here... There are some obvious misperceptions people have about musicians and the music business!

 

Matt was the drummer at my wedding. I always loved hearing him play at simchas and requested him for my wedding. Boy was he good that night. The drummer drives the band, and matt is one great driver! I remember shaking his hand once and thinking what a strong grip he has. It is so sad to think of someone who was so strong and well and energetic getting sick and weak. Not to mention that he can no longer bring joy to jewish simchas and his family. the video posted here brings tears to my eyes. let us all daven for matt that he should have a refuah and that the joy that he brought to so many people at all the simchas should be a merit for his recovery and to bring joy back to him and his family.

 

Carl Said: "Is he Jewish? Dosnt seem like it from the pictures?"

Carl,

Uh excuse me, but please tell where in the bible it says that Jews should only show kindness to Jews. Shame on you!! Please tell me what a Jew should look like, so I'll be sure that everyone I know passes your test.

I have no idea whether Matt is Jewish or not, but that won't stop me from contributing to help him and his family. It's divisive, racist people like you that have helped to make this world the pathetic place that it is.

 

WHAT IS HIS HEBREW NAME? SO WE CAN PRAY FOR HIM

 

Carl,

Thank you for proving my point for me. I suggest you humble yourself in prayer over what you've been so freely willing to admit here. I'm truly amazed that you have no qualms about displaying your hypocritical racist feelings toward mankind here for all to see.

With regards to your comments about Christians; you couldn't be more wrong. My Christian friends are some of the kindest, giving and loving people that I know. Our religious differences are respected, and they are truly good people, with very charitable hearts; regardless of the race or religion of the recipient. But then, with an attitude like yours, how could you ever allow yourself to get close enough to a Christian to know that?

In your most recent post you said, "Everyone is important bc they are created by g-d." How can you not see how completely hypocritical it is to then follow it up with, "I just give my hard earned money to my people first." My brother, you need to spend some serious time in prayer. Seek out a Rabbi and your bible and discover what true love and altruism is.

I only hope that one day you aren't similarly in desperate need of assistance. While you're laying there in pain, a Christian would most likely do whatever needs to be done, while someone like you will stand around waiting for someone to verify your heritage, not truly helping in any way. Of the two in this scenario, whom do you think that g-d would deem more worthy of His blessings? And you're actually PROUD to admit this in a public forum? You should be ashamed.

 

I agree with Mordechai's comments on Carl's posts... Any one else? Or maybe hardly anyone reads this page? Or maybe people do post comments and they get censored? To whomever runs this blog, I'd say let everyone speak their mind, as long as people are civil and don't call each other names etc. How else do we find out what others are thinking? And it also keeps Matt Miller's cause alive -- let's not forget about that! Again thanks to whomever posted it here in the first place!

 

doesn't the Torah say we should give tzedaka to "the brother within our gates" first, before giving to others? "the brother"--i.e, family member = fellow Jew; "within our gates" = community member. so asking if mr. miller is Jewish doesn't seem racist, it seems pretty pertinent. but really, his Hebrew name should be given out, as tefillos could really help.

 

Anonymous said, "doesn't the Torah say we should give tzedaka to "the brother within our gates" first, before giving to others?"

Please point me to the specific verse in the Torah. I'd like to examine the context...

 

I've found it; it's in Devarim 15:7-11. I'm not sure what translation you're quoting, but while it does refer to "a brother within your gates", I see no mention of prioritizing him first, before giving to others. Nor do I see any mention of when NOT to give Tzedakah. All I see on this blog are a couple of you looking for scriptural support for NOT GIVING. What do you think G-d thinks of that; corrupting His Word to your benefit?

Look, I don't want to start getting into minutiae here. Matthew is a child of G-D and a fellow musician, and as such he IS a member of my community. For what it's worth, I don't define "my community" within geographic or religious boundaries; but rather by my relationships. Matt received my contribution a month ago, when I first read of his situation here on this very page. (Blessings to the person who thought to publicize this here.) Meanwhile some of you prefer to be argumentative, twisting scripture to assuage your guilt about being too cheap to help.

Look, if you don't want to help Matt, that's your prerogative. But don't for one minute think that your legalistic, self-serving rendition of the Torah is getting you any of His blessings.

 

That Mordechai guy really touched my heart in his comments: "This article posted by Mordechai : July 31, 2007 2:44 PM"...

Deep thinking, great delivery!

What a great discussion here! It looks like this blog is not afraid to let people speak out! I have been telling all my friends about it! This is one of the better examples of today's Jewish media! I agree with what it says at the top of this page:

The Official Chaptzem WebLog -- The One and Only Heimishe News Center...

Matt Miller is blessed with a great friend like Mordechai who has been expressing himself so well... That Arkady YouTube video is amazing too! I have been forwarding it to everyone I know, goyim too:)! I hope everyone does! Obviously that video was done from the heart, and it touched many! And the music is so sweet too!

And here we are -- people searching their guts! I check this page almost daily. Several of my non Jewish friends told me that they were amazed with the Community Spirit of this discussion... Such reaction made me feel very proud! I suspect there are many more people watching this discussion than the number of comments. Please people, let's continue to speak out, and ask your friends to do the same! It's not how big your words are, it's how big your hearts are!

And of course, we must continue praying for Matt and his family. That's how I feel as a Jew!

 

" I suspect there are many more people watching this discussion than the number of comments. Please people, let's continue to speak out, and ask your friends to do the same!

Comment Credit ---This article posted by Yitz, Five Towns : August 01, 2007 1:59 AM "

Hi Yitz, Five Towns!

I hope you are right, and that many people read this page. But as far as speaking out, I have a friend who told me that his post was rejected, censored! He tried to post it more than once, on separate days. He doesn't think it was a technical glitch. He thinks it's because he was talking about the hard reality of the simcha bands business, and how hard it is for the musicians to survive, and feed their families. He knows about it, because he has Jewish musicians friends. I would hate to see that my friend's comments were censored, cause this seems to be a pretty open discussion here... Or maybe there are some politics going on with this blog, and the editors don't want to step on anyone's toes:)!? I hope that's not the case...

I just know that my friend writes no worse than this Mordechai guy, who expresses himself really well. The more we know about musicians' lives the more we'll understand Matt Miller's situation. So I think it all should be allowed into this discussion, as long as it's heimishe, and people don't insult each other etc...

I'd surely like to see the Moderator, editor to address this topic of what is or not allowed here, unless they don't care how many people come to this page? Or maybe not many, so they don't care? Anyone there? Can you hear me now?:)

I think I am being respectful now, but if this comment is not posted, rejected etc., it's like it didn't happen. Nobody here will even know....

" It's not how big your words are, it's how big your hearts are!"

I just love that line! It's stuff like that which makes me want to keep checking this webpage!

 

WOW MATT I CANT BELIVE IT. MAY YOU HAVE A REFUHA SHELYMA (AND BY THE WAY I HAVE SPOKEN TO HIM ABT THE JEWISH TOPIC AND MATT IS JEWISH) BUT ANY WAY HE WAS MY TEACHER AND A GREAT SUPER STAR AND A SUPER HUMEN BEING. HE MADE SO MANY PPL JUMP AT CHASSUNAS MAY HASHEM SEND HIM MAY MANY HAPPY YRS, WITH HIS FAMILY AND MATT GET BACK ON STAGE WITH UR DOUBLE PEDDLE AND UR PREIMER SET!!!!! (AND YES MATTY WAS STRONG AS A LION)

FROM UR FAN. STUDENT WHO PRAYS FOR YOU!!