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Who Is Behind Mysterious Lag Ba’omer Parade?

Residents of Crown Heights awoke this morning to find the neighborhood covered with flyers advertising a children’s Lag Ba’omer parade. The flyers look very mysterious; they do not say who or which organization is behind the parade. They claim to have the encouragement of Rabbonim and Mashpi’im, but do not give any names. They almost look like an anonymous “Pashkvil.”

Another source of much confusion to parents was that this “parade” is happening on the eve of Lag Ba’omer, a time traditionally reserved for bonfires – while the parades would take place the following day.

After numerous inquiries by confused parents, we decided to investigate.

Since the “Pashkvil” was anonymous, we didn’t know who to contact for a direct comment. However, a short trip down to the Wingate High School area and back up Kingston Avenue – where this ‘parade’ is scheduled to take place – pretty much cleared up the mystery over who is behind it.

This is what we saw:

Please note: the Lag Ba’omer bonfire which usually takes place in front of the Wingate high school is arranged by Rabbi Zalman Liberow, who has taken this project upon himself, in memory of his son Saadiya Shmuel OBM, for quite a number of years – with much success.

It appears this “Pashkvil parade” is attempting to hijack this legitimate function, but according to Liberow there is no formal connection between the two events.

Additionally, the annual rally which takes place on the day of Lag Ba’omer in front of 770, and the one that the Rebbe attended, will be organized this year by the NCFJE and the Hecht family.

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38 Comments

  • 1bigcholent

    Game Over!!! Three years ago, the above poster would have had a huge Yechi and Moshiach flags plastered all over it, now the yechi hides it in a corner.

    On a more serious note:

    Details Matter

    1) The Meshichist web-site owned and operated by Mendel Hendel posted the following when advertising the poster above.

    Although a Lag Ba’omer Parade is an event reserved for Sundays, this year a group of Yungeleit are planning a Parade for local Crown Heights children, which will take place on Wednesday night at 7:00pm starting from the Jewish Children’s Museum and ending in the Wingate Highschool at 600 Kingston Avenue, where the annual bonfire takes place.

    Here Hendel attempts to make it seem like this event is grassroots (like many large events held in the past by grassroots Chabadniks), when in fact it’s just Hendel trying to make the meshichist movement stay relevant (by making you think theres a strong grassroots meshichist movement in Crown Heights) .

    2) You’ll notice that on the bottom right side of the poster it says the following:

    With permission and encouragement of the Rabbonim and Mashpi’im of Crown Heights.

    Why would they write such a thing? Why is it relevant?

    The answer is simple. This is propaganda. They are trying to create the premise that to hold such an event one must have permission from (their) “Rabbonim and Mashpi’im”. This way they can claim to be of higher standards then those they fight against and next time Chabadniks want to hold an event they will attempt to hold their feet to the fire by claiming “where is your permission from Rabbonim and Mashpi’im?” (although I must note that besides claiming they have permission -whatever that means or matters- they show no evidence of such a thing).

  • Article seems a non-story to me

    What is your problem? Are you afraid your kids might see a picture of the Rebbe and go Lubavitch?

  • resident

    you obviously have a bias opinion – this is not stam journalism
    I am no tzfati, but any additional activity for our kids that encourage them to be excited about Yiddishkeit is positive
    they took this project upon themselves,made all the arrangements, why the negativity? If you dont like the color of the flags, dont send your children

  • Yeder Kakaer...

    This is the ultimate slap in the face. Forget the whole mishechist/non-mishechist garbage… Who gave these people the backing to go ahead and do this, shut down Kingston Avenue, when no organization or known person is behind it?!

    I saw a picture of two Tsfati bochurim pose for a picture with the police chief and another cop and it is obvious it is in Chanina Sperlins house. Who is he to decided such matters that affect the entire community?! As I recall he wasn’t even elected!!!

    Its high time we take away the power from just any joe schmoe, or better ‘yeder kaker’ from being able to disrupt our lives like this! Be it the ‘second’ tank parade that leaves a few hours after the first one, or two sets of kapores.

    I am curious to see how many people will turn out to this nameless event.

    What happened to the days of the Rally’s and Parades in front of 770?? What seems to have changed?

  • concerned

    To #2.
    In rsponse: I am afraid of my children becoming meshicist/Tzfasnics/chamasnics!!!

  • concerned mom

    why cant the bonfire be earlier? my kids are asleep by 7pm!

  • to #8 (control freak)

    if u r that kind of parent that ur kid has to be asleep at 7pm with no exceptions it will come back to bite you in the lower back.

  • weird...

    i was walking home from school and this israeli jumped out of his car and wanted to give my friends and i this exact paper :P

  • From one mother to the next

    Number8!
    Surely Lag be’omer, is one night , your kids could be allowed to break the “7o’clock rule”!
    Have a heart!
    From another mother!

  • CHT

    It appears to be well scheduled not to conflict with bonfire and on the contrary, make two events logically convenient one to another.

    Comment that someone stepping over their responsibility is ridiculously stupid. By celebrating Lag Ba Omer more? Police does not report to the community.

  • A mother

    Each mother should be in tuned with their children and realize if this would be appropriate for them to break the 7oclcok bedtime. For a 20 month old that wont know the difference and will just be kvetchy the entire next day, I see no point but for a 7 year old who will get from this a chayis towards yiddishkiet I say break it! But each mother must decide for themselves and know their children!

  • to #9

    what a silly thing to say. I’m sure you know that some kids must have their (full) sleep in order to function properly the next day. maybe you’re the kind of parent who lets your kid go to sleep whenever… and lets everyone else (teacher?) get bit in the back the next day.

  • CHT

    How is it hijacking bonfire then it drives people right there just in time. It seems as it was organized well to cooperate with it

  • what in the world is wrong

    they arent hijacking anything
    they are actually walking to the bonfire
    a Jewish pride parade
    Yey
    perhaps you should instead post about how come there is no program for our children here in CH in the afternoon?

  • A sad to miss the fun Mommy

    To Those who think that 9 pm is normal and we parents who put our kids to sleep are crazy…please read.. Imagine how excited a 2 and 3 year old would be to be a part of this amazing bonfire…imagine we as parents decide to allow for these kids to join the festivity? If your child is anything like mine..they NEED their sleep..they don’t function well without it! Now imagine the teachers of these children the next day when the poor kid is FALLING APART with exhaustion from this late night out? Why should they have to deal with kids who are crazy from lack of sleep?
    Call it for 7 pm so that kids can have their fun and STILL get a good night sleep!! Calling it for 9 means that kids will not be in bed until at least 10 pm!!!

  • Tracht Gut. Let-s be +ive

    Thanks for reporting this beautiful event (unfortunately in such a dirty negative way).

  • LM

    PARADES AND EVENTS ARE BEING HELD IN ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS; BORO [ARK, FLATBUSH ETC. oUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO HAVE EXTRA SPECIAL EVENTS JUST FOR THEM! WITHOUT ALL THE POLITICS. SEEMS TO ME THAT THE ORGANIZERS ARE ENCOURAGING JOINING THE BONFIRE.NO CONFLICT THERE. WHY THE NEED TO EVEN POST COMMENTS?

  • To #14

    Didn’t know that kids go to school the next day. Even so, this is much more important than another day in yeshiva. I guess you were never in Meron. Most people, including the pitzalach stay up all night. I can’t imagine placing sitting in yeshiva above celebrating Lag B’Omer.

  • Thanks for the beautiful decoration

    I am so proud to wake up and see our neighborhood covered with positivity and beautiful colors , I thought to go somewhere else to feel Lag Baomer ,but B“H my kids came home with so enthusiasm .
    Thank you for who ever bothered for all of us.
    Let’s all remember what was all the ”Machloket“ of Rabbi Akiva’ talmidim which end up today B”h
    Do you really want the Geula?

  • traditions??

    Just learned about 2 new traditions in LUBAVITCH. Bonfires and a rally in front of 770. Bonfired started many years after gimmel tamuz and the Rebbe gave a hora’a to take kids to the park. not to the service lane. that’s why before gimmel tamuzthere was no rally in front of 770 but the kids went to the park

  • Slow news day?????

    What groundbreaking, shrewd investigative journalism of the first order!
    GIVE THIS GUY A PULITZER PRIZE!!!!!!

  • I feel sorry for #7: Refuah Sheleimah!

    To #7 from #2:

    Don’t shoot the messenger, but (if you live in C.H.) unless you send your kids to public school or a non-Lubavitch school, they’re going to chant “Yechi” at least once in a while.

    EVERY C.H. Lubavitch school is at least somewhat Meshichist, to that extent.

    And I guarantee you that if you’re as paranoid as you sound, your kids will RUN to check out life with the Tzfasnikim as soon as they can escape your little suffocating cocoon of sinas chinam and breathe some fresh air. The forbidden fruit, you know….

  • Inquiring minds want to know!!!!!

    OMG!

    First, the “anonymous Pashkvil”!

    THEN, an ANONYMOUS news article in crownheights.info about the “anonymous Pashkvil”!

    What’s next? An anonymous follow-up story about the anonymous news article about the “anonymous Pashkvil”?????

    Inquiring minds want to know!!!!!

  • Oy va-avoy!

    I heard from my shver’s shvigger’s son-in-law’s daughter-in-law that after this event one 5-year-old went home and asked their Tatty whether the name is “Safed” or “Tsfat” or “Tzfas”.

    This is only the beginning! Round up all the anonymous organizers now: 30 lashes with a lokshin from the kugel served at 770!

    Oy va’avoy!

  • It was great

    Thank u crown heights info for your “Invistigation”!
    Thank to u the parade was great.
    Lot of children came thanks to your advertisment.
    It worth it!
    The parade was unbeliveble!

  • CH mom

    Thank you to all the organizers for arranging such a beautiful FREE parade for our children with FREE raffles (bikes, sets of sforim) ,nosh and entertainment.
    C
    Why is NCFJE always charging the parents $$$ for theirs? They might think it’s ONLY $ 3. If you have 5 kids in school it adds up.(to $ 15 ) ! And we all know that these events are already sponsored by various generous people. DO WE HAVE A CHOICE ? NO! Can I tell my child(ten) not to go with school but go with mommy instead for free?

  • Dr. Holmes

    I took my kids there last night and it was a great time! Go Sparks choir! THe bochurim were up at 5am putting up balloons for a lag b omer event when they were attacked with a gun pointed to their heads. Where were you at 5am????!!!!

  • CHUTZPAH

    HOW DARE THEY?
    Coming to the Chasidic SOHO with all THIS! and even trying to Kasher it by saying that it was done with the permission of Rabonim and Mashpiyim! The Chutzpah and shame!
    Thank you Crown Heights Info. for reporting news of our dear Schchunah in the right and respectable way. Always keeping editorial equilibrium, and on track to bring pride and nachas to the Rebbe who called it the shchunah of Kan Tzivo Hashem Es Habrocho. Veyehi Rotzon that we should indeed see the Brochos of Hashem betoyv Hnir’o Vehaniglo.

  • unbelievable show of Ahavas Yisroel

    I really enjoyed the parade! There was nothing happening in CH and then this beautiful flyer came home with my son. I loved the exciting way that Kingston was decorated!
    As for those complaining about blocking Kingston- know your facts before you shoot off your mouth. We marched down Brooklyn and Rutland Rd. enjoying the Jewish presence all the way to the bonfire. Indeed Southern Crown Heights has expanded Boruch Hashem recognizing the Rebbe’s vision that Maple Street shul will be central.
    Also, “gold” was referring to FREE chocolate coins and gold wrapped candies which the kids loved.
    The mitzva tank “mechitza” is in memory of Avrohom Dovid a“H Lieberow who was the cousin of Saadya Shmuel A”H Lieberow who the bonfire is in memory of so there is no machlokes between the two programs just pure logic (logical route and timing) and Ahavas Yisrael!