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From: zev@hou2a.UUCP (Z.FARKAS)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Problems finding privacy for "Mincha"
Message-ID: <289@hou2a.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-Mar-84 14:46:10 EST
Article-I.D.: hou2a.289
Posted: Mon Mar 12 14:46:10 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 13-Mar-84 08:49:54 EST
References: <1049@pegasus.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 51


I have davened mincha in some pretty weird places.  At work
here at holmdel, i have been extremely fortunate, since we have
a regular minyan in a conference room.  on those rare occassions when
i have had to daven in my office, my roommates were very understanding
(my current one is orthodox too, so it's really no problem).

At college, until i organized a minyan (an orthodox prof lent us his
office and his presence), i used any available classroom, or little
"cubbyhole" labs off the main physics lab, or the top or bottom of
a stairwell.  elevator equipment rooms are ok if you don't mind
the noise from the relays and motors.

Yes, i have occaisionally had people walk in on me.  I can feel my face
turn red, and my kavanah level drops to near zilch, but i just
finish up and walk out.  It helps to remember that you probably will
never have to deal with these people again.  If that is not the case, 
a simple explanation about the afternoon prayer will usually suffice
to convince them that you are not certifiably insane. They may
even respect you more for your courage.

I once davened at the head of a stairwell at madison square garden.
lots of noise, but no one disturbed me. one of the nice
things about elevators and escalators is that they really cut
down stairway traffic.

My really weird experiences, however, have been associated with 
dates, travelling, and job interviews.

Some of the better ones:
Parking lots in DC and Philadelphia.
Side of various roads.
Somewhere in the upper decks of the USS Intrepid memorial (the hard
   part was dead-reckoning to maintain a fix on mizrach (east)).
Various lightly traveled exhibits of various museums.
A construction site somewhere arount RT 128, Mass.

At at least two job interviews, i remember simply asking the interviewer
for a quiet room to say an afternoon prayer.  At Hazeltine, on long
island, and at hughes aircraft in Los Angeles, I got exactly that.
I also got job offers.

The point of this whole shpiel is that you can almost always
find a place to daven, and it won't cost you your job, your
friends, or your girlfriend/boyfriend (as the case may be-
i once went for a walk with a girl in new york's central park.
i had already davened, she hadn't.  we found a quiet spot and
she davened there.)

zev (i've got to come up for air sometime) farkas
hou2a!zev  201 949 3821