R’ Hecht: MicDrop 10 Times Worse than Call of the Shofar

On the heels of a recent controversy involving a Rabbinic prohibition on attending an event titled “MicDrop,” in a recorded interview Rabbi Shea Hecht likened the phenomenon to the Call of the Shofar, a cult-like therapy program. R’ Hecht has now doubled down on his claims saying, “not only is it another Call of the Shofar, it is ten times worse.”

by CrownHeights.info

A new phenomenon called “MicDrop” has been gaining interest in Chabad community’s and ahead of a recent event which took place in New York City and geared towards members of the Crown Heights community, prompted local Rabbonim to speak out against it.

From the issues of women speaking about sensitive topics in front of a mixed crowd, to concerns over Loshon Hara being related about third parties, prompting Rabbis Osdoba and Segal to issue a letter prohibiting the attendance at the event. Later, in response to a question on his own website, Rabbi Braun noted his own concerns and recommended against attending the event as well.

In an interview ahead of the event, Rabbi Shea Hecht, author of Confessions of a Jewish Cultbuster, likened MicDrop to Call of the Shofar – a controversial “therapy” program that was branded a cult. “In my personal opinion this is another Call of the Shofar,” he said, adding “the Call of the Shofar had a run in our community [for] one and a half years, there are people [still] today who suffer from Call of the Shofar [and it’s bad effects] to this day.”

Flouting those concerns, Mica Soffer editor and publisher of news website collive delivered a speech titled “I am the Man…” at the event, prompting outrage and a groundswell or communal backlash.

Days later Soffer’s website published an article purportedly quoting Rabbi Hecht as saying that he never said MicDrop was Call of the Shofar. “Is MicDrop the same as the ‘Call of the Shofar’? Absolutely not. I never used those words. My words were taken out of context by the writer of that article” he is quoted as saying. Soffer went as far as saying that this site, CrownHeights.info, is fake news.

Incidentally buried just a few short paragraphs later Soffer quotes Hecht as saying that MicDrop “can be 10 times worse,” leaving this reporter to wonder, 10 times worse then what?

We reached out to Rabbi Hecht for a follow-up interview and when asked for clarification of his position he said “not only do I stand by my original concerns, MicDrop is not only like Call of the Shofar it is ten times worse.”

When we pointed out a quote in his name saying it was taken out of context he doubled down and said “of course it’s not Call of the Shofar, it is ten times worse.”

Rabbi Hecht said that after speaking with Eli Nash, a financial supporter and co-founder of MicDrop, and with Rush Lowe, the founder of MicDrop they insisted he watch recordings of the many speakers and that, “I would be impressed and I unfortunately was not impressed and I hold very very strongly that it is dangerous.”

The article also attempted to address the issue of the Rabinic ban on the event, quoting co-founder of MicDrop Eli Nash as saying that the Rabonim will soon release a letter stating that “the previous letter from the Rabbonim does not apply,” after addressing issues of women speaking in front of men. As of yet, no statements of such have been released by any Rabonim, yet the article ends with an advertisement for a MicDrop planned at the Aliyah Youth Center in Crown Heights.

58 Comments

    • יודע

      מה אתה רוצה מסופר כשהרב סגל
      עצמו תחת סירוב ומזלזל באנשים

    • Soffer is a

      Mica Soffer is a nice girl and you should have Rachmonus on her.
      she works so hard to write so many comments every day. and she will never get recognition as community leader or be considered as THE Lubavitcher Woman Leader.
      she can be a Respected News Reporter BUT she wants to be the News-maker. stir the world her way.
      however the world is not Stupid.
      reality is Mrs Soffer is a Clown and she can be good and use her tallent but onstage she com across as a BAD CLOWN.

  • Kevin

    Its simple if MicDrop wants to be accepted in the orthodox Jewish community than they need to play ball with us even if they don’t end up following every single requirement. Our community is pretty open minded (shock, shock) we put up with a lot of gray area probably more than we should. MicDrop really did not need to host a mixed event that seems to be the straw that broke that camels back 95% of the attendees were female so for the 5% of men who really wanted to come they had to antagonize the community and ruin their name ? The posting videos online is another whole discussion but I really don’t see why MicDrop couldn’t respect that very basic request?

    • Our Community

      Our Community is Jewish and follow Jewish Law not Mica Law and Not Flatbush girl law and not any other Media “leaders” . last i checked Hecht is a RABBI.

      Jewish Laws

  • Very confused

    Did he says this or in a few days he going to say someone took him out of context like the other articles few days ago

  • video?

    This is getting interesting.. collive vs crownheights.info? Maybe a video of Rabbi hecht is in order. hard to argue with video evidence.

  • #TheRealFakeNews

    The other website is EXTREMELY disingenuous is their blocking of comments that are negative to MicDrop. They try to shut down any real dialogue on matters that get in the way of their own agenda.

    I posted the following comment more than 24 hours ago in response to the article about Shea Hecht’s supposed “clarification”. My comment was blocked but I knew better and saved a draft in anticipation of their censorship.

    Please note these are direct quote from the other website’s article that I commented on.

    Comment:

    Headline:
    “MicDrop Is Not Call of the Shofar”

    Article:
    Shea Hecht: “can be 10 times worse,”
    Eli Nash: “there is no approval from the Rabbonim”
    Rabbonim: “this event involves numerous halachic prohibitions”

    Bottom Line:
    “For more information and to purchase tickets, click here”

  • Hecht is 100% correct

    Hecht is totally right. It’s poison!! Why would we air dirty laundry on YouTube. Save it for ur mashpia. This is not insult the speakers, I do believe they are brave but they have been hoodwinked by Lowe and used as emotional pawns to get ratings and clicks. It’s not Collive fault … they have been used.
    Shea is saving us fro ourself!!

  • Ummmmm

    Did Shea just set the man up for failure or did the dude try ripping CHI and failed. Miserably!

    • ahavasyisroel

      you know you are not allowed to assume if someone is a man or not these days….

  • New Comer

    I stopped going on collive due to their lack of respect for rabonim and Halacha and and MANY friends of mine told me the same.

    Crownheights.info is the website we are turning for news and updates.

    Please keep us in the loop.

    Bahatzlacha!

  • COL gets what they deserve

    A few short years ago, COL hosted the grand lynching of two amazing mechanchim. All of the community leaders that opposed Shofar (Rabbonim, Shea Hecht, Mr. Aron etc.) maintained that while the COTS organization is no good, no one should be fired because of their involvement.

    Now COL has been exposed as being self-serving hypocrites.

    #COLofTheShofar

  • Yeshuda

    There is a saying in American we forget quickly. For those of us old enough to remember when collive began ask “the man behind it “ what was their connection to col.org.il. And maybe we can find out who and how collive was started.

  • Transparency is needed

    Time to remove the “C” from COL.

    They don’t represent Chabad values.

    • Dear Shluchim:

      I have resolved to no longer visit or utilize the site called COL.

      My unease with the site has existed for a long time but I never decided that the time had come to completely avoid it. Now I have concluded that the site has a clear editorial agenda that is not consistent with Chabad Lubavitch ideology and is indeed inimical to the Rebbe’s goals. I suppose that the Mic Drop issue finally crystallized the matter for me and became the final straw.

      It is not only that they presented the issue dishonestly, acting as if there was no hidden agenda; and it is not only that they abused the Rabbonim in the process, it is that they have demonstrated that they do not understand what Lubavitch is really about and what the Rebbe’s carefully crafted and nuanced positions with regard to our interaction with the modern world were.

      This site is a michshol d’rabim (public danger) and needs to be responded to as such.

      I urge anyone who feels likewise to follow suit, if you have not already done so, and to prevail upon anyone that you can influence, to do the same.

    • NOW YOU'RE TALKIN

      How did they get away with using the Chabad name?
      I think that a group, say 100, chabadniks should sue the “man” or is it “wonder womMAN” for using our name.. I think better yet it should be a group of shluchim who are surely the reps of Chabad it would be a worthwhile endeavor.

  • Tea calling kettle black

    So let me get this straight, collies says that chi is fake news while they themselves thread the finest of needles through hechts words?

    Tea… meet kettle…

    #dumpcollive #realfakenews

  • reporters becoming the story

    mica sofer lost the last shred of credibility when she inserted herself into this story. now anything she writes is all about self preservation and doesnt even have the veneer of impartiality. not that anyone with a brain ever thought she did… what a man!

  • #ColliveLovesCults

    Lets not forget who was the first to promote Call of the Shofar…

    Now who is promoting this new newage newageness in MicDrop…

    Anyone seeing a theme here?

    #ColliveLovesCults so much they decided to join it themselves this time…

  • Anonymous

    I never felt ‘Kosher’ going on col.. I guess now it’s time to just look at this amazing website. Thank you crownheights.info!

  • does anyone know the rest of the story

    In order to have the privilege of standing up on stage making an utter fool of yourself and your families
    you pay Mr Rush Lowe $1800.
    You read that right!

    He is cleaning up big time while he is dirtying us big time..
    Why is Nash an authority? If he did not have money he would not be looked at.. money comes and money goes… so if Nash’s money goes he will too??
    So there’s hope.

  • loshon horah

    Yes, col is causing much strife and is full of loshon horo and rechilus.She bashes the Moisdos – do our children need that???It’s so detrimental to them causing them to lose respect of the school they are in. She only lets comments which agree with her agenda; thru her site, she gets back at people, at schools, moisdess with whom she’s upset. The rabbonim should ban this site, should not allow anyone to advertise on it, shluchim should not be allowed to post anything on it… etc…

    • ahavasyisroel

      Nobody needs to ban anything. People can just ignore without creating extra publicity and that will be the end of that

  • Thank you

    Thank you for defending torah values that are being trashed by a site claiming to represent lubavitch

  • Go ch.info

    I’ve always preferred your site over collive because when there is a controversial article you always put up both sides of comments with no hidden agenda or financial gain like collive.

    Ch.info if you were to develop your site a little more you will fast become the #1 preferred Chabad website globally

  • anonymous

    Has anyone considered how painful and embarrassing it could be to reveal personal details that malign parents, teachers, etc? Isn’t it insensitive that for the sake of a catharsis other’s are exposed and humiliated?

  • plea

    Plea to crownnheights.info

    Now that people are finally recognizing the dangerous of collive (something that was evident to many for many years already), please work on becoming a TRUE kosher alternative.
    Meaning, please work on uping your standers, so the distinction between you and others is even more clear.
    A couple of suggestions:
    1) a transparent list of rules approved for rabonim about comments, such as no loshon horo comments posted etc.
    2) Tznius standards – be more careful about only showing absolutely tzniusdike pictures (or perhaps no pictures of women at all, as is the case by the israeli chabad) sites.

    • PLEAse don't go too far...

      It’s not impossible to be objective about a tznius standard for anyone who appears in a photograph, male or female. Please do not deprive girls of tznius role models and get into the objectification of women that arises from erasing them. This is a relatively new chumra that has no place in Chabad. Plus it is a MASSIVE chillul Hashem…

  • Time to Shine

    I, too, have become disgusted with COL’s subjective and biased reporting. Their (her…..) “grand party” got to their (her…..) head(s) and — POP!

    CH.info, seize this opportunity to shine. Hire more staff and capture the newly available market share.

  • it been so long

    i have always cringed at the fact that collive is called chabad on line, i never understood how she was allowed to misrepresent chabad , how no one intervened at her using this name. HOW come she is allowed to do that. so so wrong!!
    i commented this issue so many times however of course it didnt get printed, but i nonetheless wanted her to get that message.

  • I see much improvement here

    Please be careful not to allow yourself to become a lashon hasha site or vindicative of the competition. Even if you have to avoid placing a comment because its too harsh on the competition it would be worth doing that. This way you can maintain a certain class and not be lowered like other trashy sites.
    You have now a big responsibility to fill the void and provide fresh constant news in a manner that is chasidish , tsnius without Lashon Harah and with class..
    People are looking to make the switch from the “other site” so please allow us to do that.

  • To the editors

    For the longest time, the other website has made me uncomfortable. Not that I’m hung up on some of the religious issues, but every article posted has an agenda. I’ve wanted to cut the cord for years, but the reality is that this site isn’t as real alternative. The content posted here is a fraction of the news they provide.

    Here’s my challenge to you. If you can provide as much news as they do, and without an agenda, I will use your site exclusively as my CH/Chabad news source. I may be mistaken, but I think there are many others in the same boat. Here’s your chance to make a difference.

    Get some funding, hire another writer or two, take over the world.

  • Anonymous

    Col is like a chazir, using the Rebbe’s weekly pictures and chassidishe yomim tovim to try fool everyone they are kosher. What they really are is absolutely trief, slowly infiltrating ideas of apikorsos and kefirah into Lubavitch, by portraying themselves as standard Lubavitchers.

    They always had a poisoness agenda and would promote it in a shuttle way. Now they have gotten so bad, it’s clear to all. Better for everyone to see how awful and off kilter they are.

    Very scary is how they are shaping the attitudes and perspectives of the youth who read it. Completely erodes the yiras shomayim that parents and mechanchim are working hard to instill. All under the name “chabad”.

  • Jax

    Folks get so nervous when women speak their minds. This is nothing new. Listen to what we have to say and you won’t be so afraid. And as for the insulting comments about Mica- hang strong! Don’t listen to narrow minded anonymous commenters. It takes a lot of guts to get up and speak from the heart. I admire her.

    • Women speaking their minds

      Why are you distorting what’s going on here and attacking people who think differently than you?

      Nobody said anything about women being on micdrop, this all applies to men as well. Also, are you saying that any standard of modesty for women is coming from fear? That sounds totally wrong.

      And finally, her presentation was full of projections. Instead of sharing how she has issues with self esteem and how she overcame them, she shared about how other people didn’t believe in her and all based on projections of what people thought about her. She could’ve (though shouldn’t have) shared about her own distorted beliefs about herself based on her childhood and how she overcame it.

      I heard someone that’s still lacking in self awareness.

    • ahavasyisroel

      One big problem with micdrop is that it’s not the MIND that is doing the speaking. It’s all about having the emotions ruling over the person and that is never good…makes no difference if it is by a man or woman

  • 37

    Someone who speaks from the heart doesn’t need to pay money to an individual se spork from Rosh Lowe heart
    He trained her he has an agenda!!!!! That simple
    Otherwise she would get up and talk from her heart

  • no one special

    If your Rabbis made it off limits for you and you believe them to knowledgeable & wise why do you spend so much time & energy listening to and quoting those without comparable knowledge & wisdom?

  • Professor Gross JD MD LLM PhD

    Besides for the fact that Mrs sofer tries to create the news rather than report it, what she is doing is despicable to her family. She is putting herself at the center of politics for an end game which is obsolete: the acceptance of micdrop. Is that agenda worth compromising the marriage possibilities for her children? Of course not! She does it to satisfy her craving for attention at the expense of her family. Gross.
    Ultimately, I’m glad micdrop exists. It is just about the most boring event possible, so the only reason anyone would go is to be anti establishment. Now with mic drop we know which people to avoid.

    • Shiduchim will be fine

      no need to fear,

      let up on all the frum stuff, Halakha is not a guide to life, it was 300 years ago

  • Just wondering

    How do we know this site does not have an agenda and they are writing all these collive bashing comments?

  • ahavasyisroel

    Sad how someone creates a website with great reach and potential but decided to make it more like buzzfeed than a serious news site

  • Anonymous

    I was at the mic drop. While it was very inspiring and entertaining it seems like these women are being brainwashed by Rosh Lowe to do this as he is coaching them along. So if this was kept within the crowd that was there, is one thing. But to have it go on you tube for the world to see just cheapens the whole thing. Keep it a secluded and private event.

    • Anon

      Agree 100%!!
      It’s one thing for a group of people who want to share and work on self development. But once it’s public…the depth gets cheapened. Some things are not for public consumption.

  • Dovid Glover

    These comments here are depressing. Enough with the bashing. Take the time to present how you feel like a mentch, and allow for some good discussion. One after another, more disparaging and negative downplay. It feels like one big brainwash. I’d like to try and blur it out and just appreciate what is positive, but it’s challenging. As a whole we look like a degrading, finger pointing bunch.

    Does it not leave one with distaste?

    Love your fellow as you do yourself. That has the potential to keep us busy in a just way.

    Moshiach now.

  • Kn

    Can someone explain what the problem is with these Mic Drop events? It sounds like it’s jusy people getting together and talking? What is it about these events that make them worse than a cult?

  • A Gordon

    The Loshon Hora being permitted to be posted here is vile. To use this site to bash a human being is what is really a chillul HaShem and the Rebbe. Don’t hold yourselves higher than other human beings. Look at yourselves. Be tough on your selves, not on others. Have Chessed. You are Chassidim.

  • shry

    what tool is used to measure that 10x?
    it sounds a bit unprofessional and not thought out so well. it needs to be men only and women only. its that simple.
    it seems that people are trying to be open in public forums when they could use a support group or group therapy, or any kind of therapy. however, there is an issue that there are very few good therapists, which does complicate things