Looking for a New Cleaning Lady

[onionsoupmix]

In this here article, some dude named Bentzion Elisha from Crown Heights tells us his very sad and woeful tale of how the Evil Spanish-Speaking Cleaning Lady robbed his family of their precious jewelry. Their items were returned to them, but it was still quite traumatic for the poor dears.

After the heart-wrenching story, Bentzion asks his readers

Comments

[tesyaa]

1) Has Bentzion's wife weighed in? It's easy for a man to worry about the cleaning lady's morals.

2) I have a Chabad neighbor who recommended her cleaning lady, who stole from me (I let her go, obviously). The Chabad lady continued to employ her despite my warnings, and a year later the cleaning lady stole from her. But my neighbor CONTINUES to employ her because she does such a good cleaning job!!

3) For the past 18 months we have been cleaning our own house. We are not concerned about morals (all our other household helpers have been 100% honest), but I got ticked off at the terrible job they all do cleaning. Like, "I paid you $60? For WHAT??" I will admit - having 3 teenage daughters makes it easier to clean our own house. But having 3 special needs boys makes it more difficult. At least we're saving $60 per week.

4) In local frum publications I have seen special cloaks advertised for sale. They are meant for you to give your cleaning lady to wear while she cleans your house, to cover up her nakedness because she has the chutzpa to come to your house in a tank top in summmer. Or maybe she wears jeans. Either way, I'm sure she's thrilled to wear a uniform like a French maid, just sloppier. THE CLEANING LADY BURKA.

5) Finally - until I moved to a frummy neighborhood, I found that my neighbors mostly treated their cleaning ladies with respect and paid them on time. Not here. For some reason, my cleaning ladies, when I had them, felt comfortable talking to me and telling me their stories. Getting paid late. Getting paid in ShopRite scrip (all the better for their employers to satisfy their school obligations). Being forced to wash floors on their hands and knees, because a mop isn't good enough. And not just for Pesach. Every week, hands and knees. I've even seen frum people advertising for cleaning ladies, "must be willing to scrub floors on hands and knees." In a burka.

[sethg_prime]

The Chabad lady continued to employ her despite my warnings, and a year later the cleaning lady stole from her. But my neighbor CONTINUES to employ her because she does such a good cleaning job!!

See, that’s not theft.

That’s unilateral salary renegotiation.

Why doesn't steal...

[barilanisher]

Why of us never steal pens from work, never used office fax/mail/printer/copy machine/internet for private needs? Normal boss never punish his employees for such small violations; so why to cleaning ladies should be forbidden to steal old plastic earnings of you daughter cost 5$? Be a mantch ant treat people like you want be treated.

Re: Why doesn't steal...

[sethg_prime]

http://www.amazon.com/Build-Better-Stealing-Office-Supplies/dp/1857880153

[onionsoupmix]

That is part of what really bothers me. It's not only that * everyone* is expected to have a cleaning lady and if you don't, there is something wrong with you, but also there are so many frum people who treat their employees like dirt. There was recently a thread on this on a woman's forum in which people discussed whether cleaning ladies should be scrubbing on their hands and knees. The excuses people gave for their horrible behavior were unbelievable- as in, well, this is her job, let her scrub my toilets, she could have been a doctor if she didn't want to clean toilets. And I give her a good lunch. I give her a good lunch so she can scrub the crap off my floor for 8 hours a day. Ugh. I would be so antisemitic if I was a cleaning lady.

[livelife73]

I agree with the expectation that *everyone* should have a cleaning lady.
If I am feeling overwhelmed and don't want to have shabbat guests because I work 2 jobs and have 3 children and commute 1.5 hours a day, the simple answer from some people "hire a cleaning lady", well I am not working 2 jobs to have a cleaning lady, I am working 2 jobs to pay the bills I already have. which they responded "You can't afford NOT to have a one" UGGGHHHHH, ok do YOU want to pay that bill for me then?

Let's start a forum for frum women without cleaning ladies LOL :)

[hamaskil]

We do have a cleaning lady though. She comes once per two weeks. There is nothing wrong with me, I am so happy !!!
Our neighborhood rabbi has a full time maid, though. His wife makes babies like a сonveyor belt.

[hamaskil]

Ja ja ! diz iz her job. My toilets are dirty, why am I, bas melech, expected to scrub them ! Obviously shiksas were created to serve us, if you know what I mean. Unfortunately we also have to pay them for that, for the time being.

Unfortunately we also have to pay them

[barilanisher]

It's only till Rebbe-Moshiach will be revealed. In Moshiach Time Goim will pay themselves for the honor to clean after Jewish men keeping this universe by their Toireh learning and of course after their spouses giving regular births to the Jewish kids. Yehi Ha Melech!

[onionsoupmix]

It is scary how close your comment is to some people's real way of thinking.

[tesyaa]

I have had conversations with people who were telling me how much debt they were in, and in the next sentence were talking about the cleaning lady. Having a cleaning lady is more important than being solvent.

[onionsoupmix]

I've even seen frum people advertising for cleaning ladies, "must be willing to scrub floors on hands and knees."

Those are not frum people. Those are sadists.