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Living thru Hell Week Aruba right now

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billymach4 said:
Bingo!!! Great!

Do a reverse look up on 718-627-5300.
This is the number to the Sephardic Lebanese Congregation. The phone number is in the sehpardicaruba.com site.

Here is the link. http://slcsynagogue.org/

Rabbi Elbaz is mentioned in the sephardicaruba.com, and the synagogue site.

Sue we can take this offline if you would like? I am of the opinion that the leaders of this community should be aware of the "perceived" behavior of this group. How would should we proceed. I am willing to help but I don't want to offend anyone in the group. I need the support of the TUG community, if I am going to represent TUG.
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I really think when talking to the rabbi its just as important HOW you say things as well as WHAT you say. I would make sure I completely understood what is religious right(piles of clean toilet paper, elevator operator, private chef) and what is unacceptable( children threatening guests, quiet hours not being respected, dangers of false fire alarms)
 
Ridewithme38 said:
I really think when talking to the rabbi its just as important HOW you say things as well as WHAT you say. I would make sure I completely understood what is religious right(piles of clean toilet paper, elevator operator, private chef) and what is unacceptable( children threatening guests, quiet hours not being respected, dangers of false fire alarms)
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The elevator operator is for the Sabbath, Chef to prepare kosher meals..... Everyone needs clean toilet paper... (What do mean by the "piles of clean toilet paper?)

None of the above is part of the problem. Maybe that is what a lot of the offended guests just don't understand. They won't eat at the onsite restaurants since the food in not certified kosher. Everyone needs to understand these are religious observances that all observant and very Religious Jewish people practice.
 
Ripping toilet paper on the sabbath is considered work. The very observant prerip toilet paper and set it aside so that they have something to use on the sabbath.
 
Ridewithme38 said:
I really think when talking to the rabbi its just as important HOW you say things as well as WHAT you say. I would make sure I completely understood what is religious right(piles of clean toilet paper, elevator operator, private chef) and what is unacceptable( children threatening guests, quiet hours not being respected, dangers of false fire alarms)
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Ride....

Lets take a ride to Brooklyn and have a sit down with the Rabbi. You can be my wingman!
 
billymach4 said:
Ride....

Lets take a ride to Brooklyn and have a sit down with the Rabbi. You can be my wingman!
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I have a phobia of religious buildings, the odds are good it will get struck by lightning or some kind of plague will be sent down as soon as I walk through the door. I try to stay out of the houses that i know i don't belong in, no matter which sign is on the door.

(no offense to the religious out there, i have a storied history with religion that, no matter who is looking down, wouldn't be happy about)
 
HatTrick said:
BUMP

It's been over an hour since the last post. :eek:
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billymach4 said:
Why so quiet? Sue must be off shift?
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I'm trying to get my house cleaned and my packing done; we're off to Barony tomorrow! It's going to feel like springtime there after these frigid temps in the Boston area. Can't wait. :)
 
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People in the majority sometimes lose their knowledge of proper behavior which upsets the minority. In 2007 we went on a small ship cruise ( 100 passengers) and most of the passengers, except for 6 of us, were Denver trophy wives, some with their "new" husbands The good points were we got to sit at the Captain's table every night.
(no insult intended, Denver) and they never went on any shore excusions because they were too cool for that. Ethnicity and religion have nothing to do with good behavior. Bottom line, you either have class or you don't.
 
Maybe using a code number for the group will work (rather than a name). I propose numbers that they are familiar with: 718-516-212-914-201.
 
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billymach4 said:
Bingo!!! Great!

Do a reverse look up on 718-627-5300.
This is the number to the Sephardic Lebanese Congregation. The phone number is in the sehpardicaruba.com site.

Here is the link. http://slcsynagogue.org/

Rabbi Elbaz is mentioned in the sephardicaruba.com, and the synagogue site.

Sue we can take this offline if you would like? I am of the opinion that the leaders of this community should be aware of the "perceived" behavior of this group. How would should we proceed. I am willing to help but I don't want to offend anyone in the group. I need the support of the TUG community, if I am going to represent TUG.
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Great sleuthing, Billy.

First, I wouldn't tell anyone I was "representing TUG" unless Brian gave his consent - not for any discussion including this one.

Second, I've been interested in this topic since the very first time I read about it here - even knowing that with human nature being what it is, probably some of what's been reported over the years has been embellished. But I've never had any doubt that enough owners/guests onsite in Aruba have had their vacations negatively affected by what happens there, and that Marriott owes something (at the very least, an acknowledgement that there's a problem) to those owners/guests.

My opinion is that speaking with the group leaders shouldn't be done by anyone except whichever Marriott officials are responsible for contracting with them, and maybe anybody who is personally connected with the group and concerned enough to approach them. Anyone who hasn't been an eyewitness isn't credible enough, I don't think, to put her/himself in the type of position you're talking about.

So I guess what I'm saying is, TUG doesn't have the right or the responsibility to act as a liaison, not unless Brian wants to take up that umbrella himself. What TUG can do, and I think has done very well, is educate anyone who comes looking for info. If anyone from the group wants to use TUG contact info to ask my opinion further I'll be happy to share it, but the chance of that happening is zero - they don't owe me the time of day. Same thing for any Marriott eyes watching this - I'd be very happy to put together a history of links from over the years but pretty sure they're not going to ask. Besides, I'd bet the farm that they've already collected them.
 
Ridewithme38 said:
Can you pack me in one of your suitcases? I need a vacation!
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Not a chance - it's already overstuffed. One of these years I'm going to have to knuckle down and learn how to pack just enough. :D
 
Sue: Are you putting in for OT while you keep this thread on the straight and narrow?
 
Mr. Vker said:
Sue: Are you putting in for OT while you keep this thread on the straight and narrow?
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Yes, and maybe adding the packing time to my billable hours as well. Ssshhhh, don't tell.
 
SueDonJ said:
Not a chance - it's already overstuffed. One of these years I'm going to have to knuckle down and learn how to pack just enough. :D
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Haha- completely off topic...but I secretly think my DH celebrated when the airlines adopted that 50 lb. wt. limit. I always get teased about having the heaviest bag; on the other hand, whenever anyone forgets anything, I'm the one they ask " do you have any ---?" And no one seems to mind my overpacking when they need something they forgot.:eek:

Have a great trip! Sounds like the weather next week portends to be cold and colder, so I'm sure it will be a welcome break.
 
TUGBrian said:
I personally could care less what "group" they are a part of...other than being a group of people who appear to have no consideration of others.

I have read nearly every post, and have yet to see someone claim that every other person of the same ANYTHING other than this specific group of organized folk....are to blame for any of this.

If you are offended by a group of folks who go by a specific name themselves, being called that specific name...well then stop opening this post.

noone here will put down the jewish religion, or even this particular sect of it (if im even saying that right)....nor have I seen that happen to date in this thread.
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Thank you, Brian, you took the words right out of my mouth.
 
SueDonJ said:
I'm trying to get my house cleaned and my packing done; we're off to Barony tomorrow! It's going to feel like springtime there after these frigid temps in the Boston area. Can't wait. :)
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It's not all that warm down this way, but it's certainly better than up there. Temp is 16 outside right now here in Columbia. Supposed to warm up to the 60s on Monday at HHI and then back to low 40s and upper 30s. At least we don't have any of that white stuff on the ground...
 
topmom101 said:
Thank you, Brian, you took the words right out of my mouth.
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Well then let's unwrap 6+ years of this discussion... unedited. There'll be plenty to see.

I think the problem here is perspective. If you aren't part of the offended group, while you have a right to an opinion, you do not get to decide for them what is offensive or where the line is for oversensitivity. For example, I don't have kids, but I think most parents, particularly mothers are incredibly oversensitive with respect to a whole host of issues. Regardless of my right to that opinion, not being a mother or a father, my opinion is meaningless and maybe offensive to them.
 
It would be interesting to put together a list of the offending behavior so we can go through it and see what is religious tradition or kids being kids vs what is actually dangerous and wrong.

For example, i was a SBP last summer and there were a host(about a dozen) of pre-teens that sort of built a 'wall' of themselves in the lazy river, they were also playing catch and jumping in and out of it(trying to jump into tubes). TO ME, that's just kids being kids, i can see how it can be obnoxious to those without kids, or, the older generation who just came to chillax, but in general, that's normal fun kid behavior.
 
EducatedConsumer said:
Maybe using a code number for the group will work (rather than a name). I propose numbers that they are familiar with: 718-561-212-914-201.
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Hey... I live in two of those area codes. I've very offended by your comments :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

All kidding aside, I'm just very grateful that I now know about hell week. I'm wondering if there are any other areas/resorts to avoid during "special" weeks?

I was in Anaheim last summer for a conference at the same time as VidCon http://vidcon.com/ and it was not a good experience. About 10,000 kids from the ages of 10 - 18 in the same hotel. I ended up getting 1/2 my stay comped and the manager let me use the service elevators for the week. It was a crazy week.
 
Joe33426 said:
All kidding aside, I'm just very grateful that I now know about hell week. I'm wondering if there are any other areas/resorts to avoid during "special" weeks? .
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I have a daughter who i travel with, i will not go to either of the 'bike weeks', there is a 'fantasy fest' in Key West that isn't kid friendly and IMO, any trip to Boston during baseball season, if you're from NY isn't a good idea.
 
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Ridewithme38 said:
I have a daughter who i travel with, i will not go to either of the 'bike weeks', there is a 'fantasy fest' in Key West that isn't kid friendly and IMO, any trip to Boston during baseball season, if you're from NY isn't a good idea.
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,,.,,,, or "Orangemen" to South Boston on St. Paddy's Day.
 
Ridewithme38 said:
I have a daughter who i travel with, i will not go to either of the 'bike weeks', there is a 'fantasy fest' in Key West that isn't kid friendly and IMO, any trip to Boston during baseball season, if you're from NY isn't a good idea.
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Just wear Red Sox apparel.
 
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