Reader-submitted: Landlord, Please Cancel your Magazine Subscriptions

reader submitted Dear TLS, I’m writing this in hopes of my landlord reading this, and perhaps other landlords and tenants as well.

The type of magaznines you subscribe to is not necessarily my business, but I do believe that you have an Achrayus somewhat.

Over the past few months, I’ve had to make sure my children are no longer sent to go gather the mail from the joint mailbox because of the type of content coming to your home.

Ordering magazines, even ‘just’ from clothing companies, that contain very inappropriate material on the cover, is just not right. There’s no reason my young children have to be exposed to this type of content when sifting through the mail. And to be frank, my husband should not be exposed to this type of content either.

I implore you to use better judgment and show some sensitivity to the Kedusha of a Frum household.

Thank you,

Rivka.
Lakewood, NJ.

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30 COMMENTS

  1. you have to be dan lkaf zechus…..sometimes these places just keep sending catalogs when u buy one thing from them. its not that ppl order these catalogs. i know cuz ive had it….

  2. sorry to say this, but you have no right to kvetch.
    Be an eishes chayil and project your husband and kids
    from this. and consider yourself a big mitzva girl.

  3. FYI, I have received some unsolicited catalogs that I have zero interest in, and don’t even want brought in my home. So I called the toll free number and kindly informed them that their magazine is going straight into the garbage bin, and I would appreciate if they can remove my name from their mailing list. This way, I also explained, they will be saving money and trees from unnecessary waste.

    Guess what happened? They stopped sending the material. It was that simple. No big deal at all.

  4. I get random catalogs constantly. I never ordered any of them but there always seems to be a new one in the mail every now and then. I even get some addressed to names of people I never heard of. I doubt anyone orders catalogs these days. it’s just marketing.

  5. Why does the convenience of having your husband a day kids getting the mail come before your landlords convenience of getting these catalogs?

    You should be ashamed of your selfishness!

  6. she is 100 percent right , I am a working man and my landlord with whom I share a mailbox actually orderes these magazines . (Moderated) and others . besides the free catalogs that he gets . I don’t appreciate seeing these types of magazines when i have to sort between my mail and his .

  7. Rivka
    1 – This has nothing to do with a LANDLORD, Tenants get these magazines as well. They are usually unsolicited. Thank you “Common Decency” for your idea of calling these companies!
    2 – Talk to Mrs Landlord and suggest she call them and cancel the ones she does not want. Unfortunately, if she wants a certain catalog or magazine, you will just need to try your best.
    Hatzlacha!

  8. I understand your frustration. It is the same frustration i have when i get magazines and catalogs that i NEVER ordered. I went on a campaign to call every magazine to get myself taken off their lists, even though it’s useless, today you cannot look at a Walmart circular without advertisements that are not objectionable. Some were very cooperative but most of them said that it is part of lists that are out of their control and i even complained to the big advertisers, that their advertisements are in horrible magazines. Unfortunately, we live in a world where there is little that is not considered totally acceptable. Modesty is a bit of a lost trait. Daven.

  9. Dear Rivka,
    Go speak to your landlord and if it bother you so much why don’t you do it on your own. It really not your business about your landlord mail. I think you should do mail on your own.

  10. How hard is it to get a seperate mailbox, I’m sure that doesn’t work well if it’s an illegal rental. If that’s the case rent a POB and MYOB.

  11. Rivka I agree with you . We are yidden and are responsible to each other. I dont think rivka is talking about regular circulars that may bequestionable. I think she may be talking about catalogs from (moderated) or (moderated) bathing suits etc. You have all been unfair to her. She has a legitimate concern. We must all protect each other. And yes if you buy in a store do not give a home address it is simple. If it would be your teenager found with these magazines would you still feel the same way. Posted from someone who has been there. Please klal yisroel lets look out for each other. It is not rivks who is being selfish but those who dont consider others. Kol hakavod to rivka for bringing up this very important issue.

  12. Dovid is right. R’ Matisyahu, may he be gezunt uhn Shtark, years and years ago said the circulars coming from the dept stores etc are terrible and the wife wife should get the mail & discard the inappropriate stuff. He’s 100% right, of course. Rivka, when u have a minute, plz go get the mail.

  13. Rivka,

    The religious standards you keep in your home is not any responsibility of your landlord. You chose to rent an apartment with a shared mailbox, asking that the person you share a mailbox with change what mail they get because their personal choices of catalogs offends some kind of religious sensitivities that you chose for yourself is the height of arrogance and self centerdness.

  14. Rivka. When you have a message for your husband, do you take out an ad in a newspaper, or do you talk to him about it? Consider talking to your landlord. This “communication thing” has a very high probability of success.

  15. How about a frank non-confrontational conversation with the landlord. If that does not work you may just have to get the mail yourself. I wish I got such a zechus every time I collect the mail! Please don’t be condescending toward this woman who cares and is sensitive about her family’s kedusha. I am proud to live in a town where there are still people like this.

  16. we live in a world now that this is the way it is and you have no control over, this is OUR test how we don’t let our yetzer haroah get to us in this case your husband so there are two options. one: GET THE MAIL YOURSELF and two: if your husband has an issue in this area where he cant control himself then he needs to find away to go around it ..
    sorry to say but this is the life you cant shelter your self rather challenge your self on how to work thru it
    i walk in the street and see half dressed woman.. so i shouldn’t leave my house?!?!?
    grow up

  17. You should move out of there asap, being in the vicinity of a rasha like your landlord is dangerous both to your physical and spiritual health. Chances are your rov will allow you to break your lease at your landlords expense. Sit down and have a serious conversation with your husband about the terrible siviva you are allowing yourselves to live in, and take the necessary action immediately.

  18. I agree with those who mention what happens in a shared mailbox is none of your business…I have a shared mailbox even tho the basement is completely legal and separate… The mailman does not seperate the mail for us so I do it. I am concerned however, that my neighbors wife is allowed to leave her house in a shaitel that is longer than her skirt. It is the mode of dress in our town that has plummeted in standards which is a much stronger problem than a catalog that can be intercepted and thrown away before the men can see it.

  19. lakewood i mourn what has happened to the kedusha of our community. What happened to our torah. we were a city that lived by the highest standards and truly cared about the kedusha of our home and the chinuch of our children. now we have grown and the more weve grown the more the outside influences have fogged our judgement. so sad to hear peoples views and comments.

  20. The landlord should not give the key to his tenant from the join mailbox.
    Sometimes we get very sensitive male like paychecks, social securities, credit cards and many more stuff.
    Just put the tenant’s mail into the bag or let the tenant get a separate mailbox or p.o.box!

Comments are closed.