Chabad’s Message of Love: A Response to Eric Yoffie
Elazar Gabay, a self described unorthodox Chabad Hassid and Internet Entrepreneur, took to the Times of Israel to take issue with Rabbi Eric Yoffie’s Op-Ed, entitled “Chabad’s Dangerous Message of Love Without Commitment“. Gabay calls Yoffie out on the issue of paid memberships versus Chabad’s free services, and Reform’s dwindling membership.
I was bewildered to read Rabbi Eric Yoffie’s Op-Ed in Haaretz, “Chabad’s Dangerous Message of Love Without Commitment.”
Rabbi Yoffie goes from praising Chabad to undermining its founding principles by insinuating they are materialistic bottom feeders.
I particularly have an issue with these two statements: Firstly, when Rabbi Yoffie says:
Chabad Rabbis who come into their communities and spend most of their time cultivating a handful of very wealthy people.
Second, when he writes:
[T]he personal approach of Chabad to Jewish outreach—often combined with glitzy, high-profile, one-time events—has a major negative: It is built on absolutely minimal expectations. Its message seems to be: We will love you, but we won’t require anything of you.
Nothing could be further from the truth. As a non-religious, unorthodox Chabad Chassid I embrace the “unconditional love” approach myself.
Chabad (founded in the late 18th century) predates the Reform and Conservative Jewish movements. Chabad’s roots lie in an approach to Judaism and philosophy emphasized by the words the acronym its name creates are devised from, Chochma (wisdom), Binah (understanding) and Daat (knowledge).
Chabad follows the Chassidic approach of positivity and encouragement as opposed to the “Jewish modernization” movements (Conservative and Reconstructionist but Reform in particular) which, in its early forms rejected almost all central tenets of Judaic practice, including circumcision.
Chabad Shluchim (emissaries) have been deployed to some of the most remote locations on earth (over 3,600 of them, in over 70 countries), establishing community centers in countries ranging from Norway to Nigeria. Moreover, many of these remote Chabad locations serve Jewish tourists almost exclusively, such as the Chabad in Katmandu, Nepal which hosted the world’s largest Passover Seder earlier this year. These centers, like all Chabad centers, require no entrance or annual memberships fees.
Some Chabad Rabbis share members and philanthropists with their Reform brethren but to imply that Chabad Rabbis “spend most of their time cultivating the wealthy” is an insult.
Perhaps it’s the Reform Temple’s revenue model that Rabbi Yoffie should worry about. Philanthropists and donors are free to choose whom they support. If they feel their funds are best served by Chabad, then so be it.
Dwindling revenue model aside, Rabbi Yoffie ought to better concern himself with his own Reform congregations, which have been losing members in droves (to intermarriage and assimilation among other things).
In a recent article published in The Forward by Dana Evan Kaplan, she brought to light a new point of contention in Reform Judaism: Can an applicant to Rabbinical School be married to a non-Jewish partner? She then notes that “the Reform movement is losing its Religious focus”.
Rabbi Norman Lamm, Chancellor of Yeshiva University supported this notion in 2009 when he said “We will soon say Kaddish on the Reform and Conservative movements.”
As for Chabad’s Message of Love Without Commitment, Rabbi Yoffie is correct.
“Judaism is about commitment” and Chabad embodies that commitment to Jewish life and values and leads by example.
Chabad encourages you to participate in Judaism, at your own pace, in your own way and at your convenience.
You need not pay your way through seat memberships and the ritzy galas Rabbi Yoffie would have you believe sustains the Chabad movement.
It is precisely because of this loving approach (think Luba-Vitch, the city where the movement originated, which means, “Village of Love”) that Chabad attracts and retains Jews from all backgrounds and denominations, regardless of affiliation.
While the Reform movement continues to lose its footing within Judaism as a whole, strictly serving its card-carrying, membership paying, Reform congregants – Chabad continues to serve all Jews regardless of location, affiliation, or commitment levels.
While I am not a Chabad Shliach (emissary) I would certainly recommend that Rabbi Yoffie visit my local Chabad house to experience the message of ‘Love Without Commitment’. I believe he would be inspired by the authentically joyous and loving atmosphere Chabad offers, and heck, perhaps even export some of that philosophy to the Reform movement…maybe it would help.
Dovid R
Kol Hakavod!
YOUR PROUD SISTER
GO AT IT LAZ! WE’RE PROUD OF YOU!
Beautifully written and so True!
Want to compliment the writer as he is so spot on with all that Chabad does around the world. They sacrifice family life with extended family to go far away, or even closeby where there are no jewish schools for their kids and create them. They help build communities, and if they had the Bill Gates Foundation money for Education, you would be amazed at how much more these young dedicated couples would accomplish.
Just to add one point. Besides all the good work, they are raising large families and contributing to the future leaders of the Jewish World. Kol Hakovod!
MENDOZA
was this writen by Dr laz from fla. ?
Milhouse
Why would you think that? The author’s name is given in the very first line, how could you miss it?
huh?
Unorthodox Chabad Hassid?
Yossi
Well Written!
good
i hope this gets around as much or more then rabbi yaffe’s did
Rav Yosef
Dana Evan Kaplan’s article is about the internal debate within Reform, not about its relationship to other Jewish groups. And, btw, Rabbi Kaplan is a “he”, not a “she”, and very well known, leading one to conclude that Mr. Gabay knows little or nothing about Reform history or theology, to say nothing of Experience in a Refrorm setting.
"Rav" Yosef
How does mistaking his gender invalidate his argument? Regardless of gender and whether the debate is within the reform or conservative movements, gabay’s point remains valid in that reform is loosing its footing in yiddishkeit. Also reform theology is virtually non-existent…just sayin..
Daniel Kaye, Sydney
Rabbi Leibel Raskin ZATZ”L would be very proud of you! Good article! Yishar Koach!
Thewr is a reason.
There is a reason Reform membership is dwindling. I think there is a call for a new day in that movement. I believe it is missing something, and I think if they look into it and take notes from other factions, they will find out why the dwindling is taking place. On the other hand, that movement has something very valuable of its own to offer. I just think somewhere along the way some got carried away and swayed too far away from a depth of human need , to practice a more superficial style of worship. I would add a less interpersonal style to the problem, as well. That’s my take. I’m sure Reform proponents will have another view. If egos get in the way of positive change, then doomed are we.