Williamsburg Group Warns Against Selling to Chabad

A shadowy extremist group in Williamsburg calling themselves ‘The Committee to Protect Our City from the Klipah of Chabad’ has posted Pashkvils around the neighborhood, warning and threatening local residents not to sell any property to the ‘Lubavitcher Apikorsim.’

The letter claims that recently ‘Lubavitcher Soul-snatchers’ have been looking to ‘spread their net’ in Williamsburg, and are looking to purchase a house from which they will direct their nefarious activities.

The letter warns community members not to sell their property to Chabad, and threatens dire consequences – ‘with a sword and a spear’ – to those who do not heed to their warning.

The full text of the Pashkvill – written in Yiddish – can be seen below.

Click on image to enlarge

pashkvil

84 Comments

  • disappointing and sad

    We live in an era in which intermarriage and sectarianism threatens the Jewish people more than anti-antisemitism ever could or has. We need to work together and work through our differences of opinions. The main thing is that sinas chinum won’t bring moshiach any closer but ahavas chinum will.

  • hilarious!! T.K.

    My fellow lubavitchers instead of being negative about it and thinking this is really sad (which it definitely is), think positive..its Hilarious!!
    We don’t see these pathetic jokes anymore,
    So liven up here we go for round two!!

  • Inappropriate but....

    This is clearly an inappropriate way to refer to other jews, but in the past Chabad has been involved in attempting to spread our chassidus to satmar. Violence is never appropriate, but I don’t think Lubavitchers would be to happy if satmar yungeleit were sneaking into Chabad yeshivas and making secret shiurim. Satmar has been very extreme over the years, but Lubavitchers have not been totally innocent.

    • Shimon Shak

      I don’t think anyone would object to Lubavitcher Boichurim attending more shiurim on their own volition. As long as it’s outside of normal seder i’m sure the overwhelming majority will be all for it.

    • R U Kidding

      When anash attended on their own dime to “shiurim” given with growing popularity by Call of the Shofer, there was panic and a ban. There would be the same if ANY outside influence would become successfully popular.

    • Milhouse

      Of course we have attempted to spread chassidus there, and we will continue to do so. Moshiach told the Baal Shem Tov that he will come “lichsheyofutzu maynosecho chutzah”. Satmar does not have the Baal Shem Tov’s torah, and in fact explicitly denies that anyone has it, so Moshiach’s statement applies. The Rebbe, of course, was 100% in favor of these efforts, so how can any Lubavitcher object to them?

    • notice

      it says we are apikorsim . thats the point. not that we r trying to spread.

    • Oifen Hamiskabel

      To Milhouse: The Rebbe never advocated machlokes. Every act of mivtzoyim was introduced in a manner which is “oifen hamiskabel” – receptive. There are MANY poilishe and litvishe that would be and actually ARE receptive to learning chassidus, yet remain unserviced. Pirud halevovos and machlokes does NOT bring Moshiach – I think the Besht would agree to that.

    • Anonymous

      They are more than welcome they have nothing to offer that will come close to what we have.if I left chabad God for bid I would rather give it all up then joining those type of people

    • Milhouse

      “Oifen”, the Rebbe explicitly supported and endorsed hafotzo to Satmar yungeleit. Hafotzo is not “pirud halevovos” and it’s not “machlokes”. Those who protest against it are baalei machkokes.

      And the same applied to the Tanya shiurim in Litvishe yeshivos. When the roshei yeshiva complained to the Rebbe, he told them to stop making machlokes, and he told the shiurim to continue.

    • K

      If c”v my children would go off the derech of their forefathers Litvish) and adopt a new derech, I would be devastated!

      If they are single (bochurim or girls) they would be c”v ruined for shidduchim! Their name and reputation would be ruined!

      “Al titosh Toras imecha” – doesn’t that mean anything?! Is thee no value to “minhag avosaynu”?!

      We each MUST keep the derech of our holy ancestors, so do not try to be a “missionary” by snatching away the souls of other communities.

      This is so POSHUT I can’t believe it is being debated.

    • replying.. to K

      I have good news for u, how come SO many bais yaakov girls are marrying chassidishe (not lubavitch) boys? no one is taking anyone away from where they are coming from. its the soul yearning to come close to Hashem through chassidus- if its through lubavitchers or other chassidim.

    • Milhouse

      K, lo oleinu tlunoseichem. This is what the holy Baal Shem Tov did, and this is what the Maggid and the Alter Rebbe did, they went around recruiting talmidei chachomim to chassidus,and they sent chassidim out to do the same. And yes, their parents were devastated, and THEY WERE WRONG. And none of this prevented the rabbeim from actively recruiting and encouraging their chassidim to actively recruit. Yofutzu maynoisecho chutzoh, whether the chutzoh likes it or not.

      K, if your children become chassidim they will find shiduchim among chassidim, and they’ll be a lot better than the farchnyokte shidduchim you would have found them. I “curse” you that all your grandchildren should be chassidim and you will have no choice but to accept it.

    • K

      The Besht, Magid of Mezritch and Rav of Ladi did indeed spread their derech BUT it was to to mature OLDER developed talmidei chachomim who were able to make an INFORMED CHOICE to abandon the derech hamussar and join the “kat”.

      To target bochurim and young people who have not matured neither in age or in knowledge and who don’t fully appreciate the ramifications of choosing to leave their community’s derech – is really robbing the cradle. It is a form of kidnapping the minds and souls of those who are unaware and uninformed.

      I would have no objection if Lubavitchers would try to get Satmar, Litvish, YU Rabbonim and Roshei Yeshivos to learn chassidus.
      They are mature, developed and can take a stand on whatever derech they choose.

      That is what the Besht and the “hafotzas hamayonos” of yesteryear did – they spread chassidus to talmidei chachomim and mature adults.

      But to target bochurim (teenagers!) or yungerleit (married but in their twenties) who are still forming their hashkofas is simply taking advantage of the vulnerable by enticing them to outside and foreign influences.

      Imagine the difference of a missionary trying to influence the Rov or Rosh Kollel vs. trying to influence a newly arrived immigrant from the former-USSR. Imagine the vile reaction the community would have against a drug dealer who is peddling to teenagers.

      So please do not fool yourself by thinking you are walking in the path of the Besht and his talmidim. By all means offer Tanya shiurim to the talmidei chachomim in our communities but don’t take advantage of the vulnerable!

      And please do not give us agmas nefesh and tzar by trying to take our children off the derech of our forefathers.

      “What you would hate to happen to yourself, do not do to others” – Hillel.

    • replying.. to K

      When litvish adults marry their children to chassidim, so nu? once again no one is taking anyone away from their community. our Rebbe was doing all he can to even give positive influence to CHILDREN! so when lubavitchers try to influence young adults, they still have their choice to choose! btw were u at the times of the besht that ONLY older adults went into chassidus? the maggid of mezritch influenced the rav of liadi when he was pretty young. and btw what is oorah all about? lubavitchers influence pple who don’t know yiddishkeit at all as well as pple who want to build their connection to Hashem. by no means r they aiming on young bochurim.

    • K

      “Replying to …K” wrote: When litvish adults marry their children to chassidim, so nu?

      Whom are you kidding?! If your daughter would marry a clean shaven BMG / Brisker Mir bochur – you would be okay with that?

      You don’t know what you are talking about! The married couple will go to Eretz Yisroel and learn there in kollel for a few years, 5 years minimum (of course you would be paying support!). The only gedolim pictures allowed on the walls would be those from the Litvish community! The grandchildren would later go to the Lakewood Cheder and daven ashkenaz.

      “So nu?” you are okay with that, and that is just the beginning!

    • K

      Another point regarding “outside” influences:

      Rav Shurkin relates that Reb Chaim Brisker was offered and accepted a teaching position in the Chabad yeshiva in Minsk by the Lubavticher Rebbe.

      His chasidim came to him very upset and said that because Reb Chaim is such a tzadik and is a fascinating teacher – the young chasidim in yeshiva are in danger of losing interest in chassidus.

      The Rebbe agreed and withdrew the offer.

      Point being: Outside influences are dangerous.

    • replying.. to K

      Then u just answered your own question. why are litvish girls taking chassidishe bochurim at such a young age to “convert” them to litvish? isn’t it the HUSBANDS role that we follow? but because he took a litvish girl who is PAYING so he can’t say Anything?! i am very much aware and kidding no one. another point Reb chaim ozer wanted so much the Rebbe to take him over and that the Rebbe would be the next gadol hador. what would have happened if the Rebbe would have agreed?!my main point is the lubavitchers dont pinpoint anyone they do all that they can to influence, as the Rebbe has instucted them to, other yidden and those yidden haved the choice to chose. when a yid doesnt choose the lubavvitcher path U wont tell me that anyone is giving them a hard time bbecause they didnt become lubavitcher chassidim!

    • K

      To “Replying to K” – I am sorry but I don’t understand what you are trying to say.

    • yehuda

      when you want to teach Chasidus there is nothing wong with it. just lik in russia they tried to learn in cellers etc. no was o r is tring to convert anyone to chabad, just that they learn chasidus which is the teaching of the Baal Shem tov.

  • Nice.

    My fellow lubavitchers, instead of being so negative about it and thinking its sad (which it definitely is), be positive about it..its Hilarious!!,
    Not every day we get to see such pathetic jokes about us..and although its total anti lubavitcherism c’mon get ready for round 2.

  • Lubav

    So sad, I thought those days were history. So hipsters are fine ($$$), but other Jews not.
    Wonder how many of them have children, health, parnosso, etc thanks to the Rebbe’s brocha
    Terribly sad

  • Hilarious!!

    The wording makes it sound so villainous it just makes me laugh. I honestly found this amazingly entertaining. Thank you!!

  • Yosef

    I wonder why articles of this nature need to be published. They just breed hate amongst fellow Jews.

    • a yid

      you are so right!
      who is this coming from?
      it could be one individual doing this..
      Why take this to heart.
      Look at the big picture.
      so many Satmar have helped and continue to help Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin.. and let’s not forget that for even a second. They also teach his teachings in their Yeshiva. He writes and they translate it into Yiddish..
      This is why I question where it’s coming from.
      It’s so easy to get caught up in hate and war mongering.
      Our job is to resist’

    • Not so fast

      We have a Rabbi in our community who tells his followers that they must not eat CHK meat but instead they should eat Satmar meat no less.

  • Hmmm

    Just when we thought it was becoming OK to eat Satmar Hechsheirim we get a reminder that some things just don’t change…

    • Milhouse

      You don’t know that this has anything to do with Satmar. It could be anyone. Maybe some malochim.

    • Yehudis

      Ugh are attacking the malochim??!!! They come from Lubavitchers and even further so ARE lubavitchers for your information thank you very much.

    • Milhouse

      Malochim are *not* Lubavitchers! They are the biggest son’im to Lubavitch, worse than the Kopusters of old (and they were very bad).

  • we need to send 2 more shulchim

    We need to send 2 new shulchim to them…build a new hachal menchem abd a mushroom shulchim…

  • dovid

    Satmer has moved on – even their Rebbes are tolerant. There are about 5 people in all of williamsburg that are behind this trouble.

  • bgerard

    Why post this and perpetuate the negativity. Would have been better to just keep on walking and ignore it entirely. Only kelipa is this bit making the “news”, I’m commenting should help bring about it’s removal, along with the other voices against posting this kind of rubbish.

  • Anonymous

    A satmar will always stay a hater until moshiach comes. This is for all those that don’t care about the charem. They still hate us!

    • a yid

      STOP!!!!!
      did you go talk to them?
      to see if this is in fact authentic?

      I bet you will find it’s not coming from the official anything or anyone.

      it;s probably one or two very sad individuals.

      Official Satmar is most definitely NOT part of this.

      Do you recall Mumbai?
      there was no difference when that happened.. there was one of each group in that horrific tragedy…..
      Why are we even giving this an ounce of credence. ???

  • ridicolous

    I wanna see those in Williamsburg living in Nepal and helping thousands without food and homeless!!!

  • Fringe few

    This Pashkvil does not reflect the sentiment today of Satmar about Chabad, this sad piece of used toilet paper comes from the bottoms of a select few ill individuals known as Neturei Karta, who hate anything that moves and then some, ask anyone in Williamsburg, they will attest to this.

  • just me

    oh stop the nonsense.

    The average satmar Joe Shmo on the street is totally tolerant of Chabad and admires us for who we are.

    Like someone wrote above – this is probably just a handful of people.

    We also have our “handful” of people that need a refua.

    • so true!!..

      I taught in Satmar Girls HS & every day I made a kiddush Chabad – I wore the full gear etc etc. They not only respected me, they thanked me for keeping to their standards & were very respectful of our minhagim. It was a great place to work & the Satmar ladies I taught with were really nice (even the one who told me that since I understand Yiddish they can’t talk about me!!) They had those signs up not so long ago telling women to walk on the other side of the street – every community has their wackos. These are probably too extreme for Neturei Karta!

  • to 20

    to compare Jews to Isis is far worse than what
    they are doing- even if it is crazy

  • Trying my hardest

    It’s crazy to think that the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed due to Sinas Chinam and still, we haven’t learnt our lesson.

  • Yad Hachasidim al haelyona

    Send in more Lubavitchers to Williamsburg to be mekarev the Satmar and other Chasidim there to Chabad Chasidus and the Rebbe.

    Uforatzta!

  • I used to work there

    Working for 2 years in Willi has shown me how most are very respectful to Chabad, some even trying to show me how they had a connection to it.

  • Good for Millhouse!

    Sometimes we need to be reminded of who we are and what we are doing here (Olam Hazeh, not CHI). We have an agenda and we have to stick to it. (I happen to be a descendant of prominent Satmar Chassidim some generations ago).
    Why should anyone think that the ban on Satmar hechsherim is over? Maybe because their leaders vacation near Chabad Houses? Could someone put a list of banned hechsherim up?

  • another meshichist attack

    Here we go.

    Another attack on Chabad as a whole due to the fact that people are afraid that we will spread the meshichist disease in their neighborhood.

    We should be open to people and explain that they are not part of chabad and have nothing to do with us maybe people will accept chabad amongst them again.

    Yes, we should practice live and let live like we do with our gentile neighbors however the world must know that we are not associated with people who act like this.

    • Shimon Shak

      Did you sign the Duch? You know the one where we said we weren’t going to judge and attack each other like the students of the Rashbi? No?? Ohh that’s what i thought!!

    • chassid

      for your info you need to learn the rebbes sichos of 1990-1992 before you say that meshichisten arent lubavitch the rebbe is the one who determines what lubavitch holods not apologetic moderates

  • BP Satmar

    I am a Satmar chosid and have business that brings me to Crown Heights often. I consider myself somewhat right-wing in my own yiddishkeit standards but try not to be judgmental.

    I have to say that when normal outsiders see Lubavitch people there is much that is off-putting and concerning. I would not want to live near many of the people in Crown Heights or want my children influenced by them. Moshiachist wackos, militant missionary style kiruv workers, majority of women with terrible tznius standards etc. The whole idea that you are coming to my neighborhood because you are better than me and want to teach my children different then i want to teach them is offensive!

    The pervasive attitude that only Chabad have the derech baal shem, only your rebbe was choshuv, never learn other chasidishe seforim that is pirud halevovos and what you see as an attack is actually only backlash.

    • Shimon Shak

      So if the satmar don’t want us maybe we should not renew the leases to any of the satmar owned businesses in our neighborhood and not patronize any businesses that are partially owned or managed by satmar chassidim! Also perhaps we should let go any of our satmar employees…after all they don’t want to be mingling with us to begin with..so in reality we’ll be doing them a favor. Right?!?!

    • BP Satmar

      Shimon Shak, you miss the point. You are bringing it down to the level of a personal war. My perspective was of a serious and personal nature.

      By the way, my business in Crown Heights is to buy from two suppliers / wholesalers items that i could easily buy elsewhere, but i like these people. I come to their simchas, they come to mine.

      I am not a hater.

    • @ shimon shak

      @shimon shak, bp satmer is talking about yiddishkeit and you answering him about business.

    • Milhouse

      BP, the Satmer Rebbe ztz”l wrote that the Toras HaBaal Shem Tov has been forgotten. So Satmar does not have it. Boruch Hashem we have not forgotten it, and we do have it, so come and learn it! It won’t hurt you.

      As for the flaws you see in Crown Heights, unfortunately every community has its flaws, and has to work on them. We know very well that we have to work on some of the things you mentioned. Just as we have things to teach you, you have things to teach us. Your community has wonderful maalos as well as some chesronos, and we should all learn from each other’s maalos and not from each other’s chesronos.

    • K

      To remove his chassidim from the Cherem HaGRA ztz”l, “the Satmer Rebbe ztz”l wrote that the Toras HaBaal Shem Tov has been forgotten”.

    • Milhouse

      Chas vesholom he did not mean to “remove” his chassidim from that infamous purported cherem, that terrible sin that the GRA was misled into, and which he surely regretted the moment he came to the World of Truth. You and your fellow sinners are the only ones who still take it seriously.

      Reb Chaim Brisker said over 100 years ago that the misnagdim lesheim shomayim have realised their error and have stopped being misnagdim, and the only ones who continue are those who were never lesheim shomayim in the first place. That means you and your rebbes.

  • Zalmy Schapiro

    there’s only one answer I could tell you that we want Moshiach now

  • @ BP Satmar

    “Moshiachist wackos, militant missionary style kiruv workers, majority of women with terrible tznius standards etc.”

    Harsh, but true.

  • why did no one point his out

    when many lubavitchers not act like real lubavitchers, rather they do not dress tzniusdigly, go to college, trim beards, sign modern orthodox prenups etc. etc. – then it will be easier for these groups to explain why they have a problem with lubavitch.
    if we all acted like REAL Lubavitchers – then the spreading of chasiddus would be allot easier.

  • A Chabad Crown Heightser and a landlord in Williamsburg

    I was born in Williamsburg and even though I am a
    proud Lubavitcher who lives in Crown Heights, I still
    have a four family house in the best section of the
    Williamsburg neighborhood. I would love to sell it to
    a Lubavitcher for the right price. Williamsburg needs A Chabad House more then anywhere In the world!
    I know first hand! Half the people in beards and streimels, are masquarding like chasidem, but they
    are hardly frum! The problem is they all look frum
    and you do not know who is real and who is not!
    At least in our community you can see with your
    own eyes who is truly Chassidish and who are lacking!
    If you want to speak to me about the house leave a message on the comment page. I will get back with you.

  • Citzen Berel

    See Mr. BP Satmar above and note well.

    Happens all the time:

    1. Group has extremists.
    2. Group has non-extremists.
    3. Not clear the nature to which extremist’s views represent or reflect those of non-extremists.
    4. Outsiders insist insist insist that the said nature is insignificant.
    5. Careful examination of group’s more mainstream expressions makes claim suspect
    6. Outsiders insist a bit more insistently
    7. Go to 5

    I love the Satmar Yidden.

    I love most Yidden even those with whom I have far less in common.

    Do I believe they respect Lubavitch?

    Do we respect Satmar as Satmar (as opposed to as Yidden).

    Not really.

    Who cares.

  • Listen to the message

    The Rambam said kabel es hoemes mimi sheomro.

    Even if a Williamsburger says it.

    It is time for Lubavitch to make a cheshbon hanefesh why people say such things about them.

  • Dee

    This soul snatching Lubavitcher married a Satmar boy.. do I win a prize?

  • Other

    Why would they write this chabad are people to this is not chasidus it’s just extreme

  • Ufaratzta

    Unfortunately for us Lubavitchers, there’s some misconceived truth in that letter.
    Helping idol worshippers in Nepal aside, Chabad really needs to to get its Judaism act together.
    Toras HaNistar aside, even the Litvishe Yidelech behave more Frum then most Lubavitchers.
    Beards aside, how many Lubavitch men look like Chassidim? Not many.
    Shaitels aside, how many Lubavitch women dress Jewish? Not many.
    How many Lubavitcher Bachurim speak/understand Yiddish? Not many.
    As the years go by, how much longer until we don’t have the big brains and mighty Chassidim to inspire us, amongst us anymore? What then, videos of the Rebbe? How long do you think that will last?
    Time to wake up my brothers and sisters.
    With love and concern.

  • A. Nuran

    Threatening anyone who sells a house to the wrong person “with sword and spear”? Religious terrorism is religious terrorism.

  • Lakewood resident

    Rav Zalman Leibs Satmar Chasidim are moving into Lakewood on the corner of Route 9 and cross street next to the Belzer development on Harmony court