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Photos: CAY Style Havdalah in Evergreen

Residents in Evergreen were treated to a special and Chevra Ahavas Yisroel-unique Havdalah ceremony with Rabbi Chezzi Denenbeim, the congregation’s spiritual leader, complete with impassioned singing, guitars and drums to the delight and enjoyment of many.

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99 Comments

  • Mizrachi?

    Is this a modern-orthodox or mizrachi colony? Women with legs and elbows showing? hair from under tichels? and a rabbi making havdalah without hat and jacket??
    Gevald gevald!

  • mendel

    whats happening here in lubavitch first u sing shlomo carlbach nu.ok but to make havdalah without hat jacket etc.maybe next is shorts etc. is this what lubavitch is. modern orthodox good i have no problem with modern orthodox let everyone know that lubavitch is modern orthodox and stop telling us that we are chassidim and we have a rebba etc. stop mixing us up. u cant have both .

  • unbelievable

    Don’t these women believe in wearing skirts that actually cover their knees? And when my husband makes Havdalah he wears his hat, kapoteh & gartel. Guess we are just too frum and old fashioned for this crowd, which is why we don’t have a place there. Good news for everyone!

  • Since you-re posting this...

    Where’s the Rabbi’s hat?
    As well, some pictures here should not be posted for tznius purposes as liberal as we like to pretend we should be.

  • CHEZZY

    Beautiful, well done.
    Havdala SEPERATES from shabbos to weekday,
    but your havdala brings people together.
    Thank you, Thank you

  • A Lubavitcher lady

    It looks like everyone enjoyed the event,however Tzniyus has to be everywhere in Crown Heights or in the Bungalow Colony.
    If you forgot, Head coverings have to cover all your hair-if those type of Tichels slip back, wear your wig or find one that stays on your head. Tights have to be worn and your skirt covering when sitting. Necklines have to be around your neck and not hanging low, and if your T-shirt is very fitted, simple its small on you, buy a new one, or wear something over it. Girls over three have to cover the elbow and legs.
    Ladies check yourself before stepping out your door,husbunds wake up too, remind your neighbor of the same, and Hashem should protect all of us to have a healthy summer and a healthy year with all the Brochos we all need!
    Col-check photos before posting, Lubavitch has to be Lubavitch where ever you are!!

  • Curious

    Gut Voch to all!

    This looks like it was very nice and uplifting. Just one comment: Can’t the Rabbi be bothered to don a hat, kapota and gartel for this service?

  • sarahle

    it was the best night ever! Thanks Rabbi Chezy & Seema for coming to evergreen!

  • beis shmul

    beis shmul not only the men& women are theres a m’chitza not the rabbi & every body else were hats & kapotis

  • going off the rode

    where is your hat and jacket is that how you get your crowd
    shuild i do that in my chabad and i will get pepeil to come and its fine come dress how you want
    ps shworts i see you

  • A frum person

    A REAL chossid has GOOD middos…& isnt always negative. I was there. It was beautiful.

    To All you nasty posters: Most people were taught in kindergarden….If you have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all! Guess many of you never made it out of preschool.

    Thanks Chezy & evergreen for an uplifting & special Motzei shabbos!

  • ???

    First they infect CH with desegregation know
    Upstate

    This is not CHabad — where r the rabbonim???

  • GO ZECHARYA!!!

    Zecharya rocked…he can fit in everywhere!!! Best counselor/tutor/chassidishe boy around! Evergreen is so lucky to have him!

    Whoever made the grey suit comment…I am sure you dont come anywher close to his level of adelkiet/sincerity/chasiddishkeit….you must be a very jealous person

    Zecharya….you are awesome!

  • CONTESSA

    USUALLY PEOPLE THAT MAKE NASTY COMMENTS, HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE…GUYS, NO ONE OF YOU IS G-D’S POLICEMAN…….INSTEAD OF CRITICIZING, SUPPORT HIM IN HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE…….

  • thoughts

    the emotion and / or kavonah in the Rabbi’s face does not make it more holy. shlomo carlebach did mixed crowds and what did the Rebbe tell him. We have to love all yidden, but this is really pretentious. They are davka making a mixed crowd, what does it do for them.

  • Upset

    This looks more like a Shlomo CARLEBACH havdala, why doesn’t he name his Shul the Carlbach Shul

  • Kol Yisrael Arevim Ze Laze

    #18 Admirer, beware of such comparisons: bal shm’ske yidden didn’t have any other choice than to be what/where they were, let alone, the privilege of a compromise…

    True we aren’t all that perfect, and we got a lot to work on (I’d be a great example), but we can tune our ears to the Rebbe’s words and our minds to the book of Tanya.

    May we all be matzliach.

  • to number 8

    havdala always brings everyone together btw, if you didnt notice, not just this type

  • a happy evergreen homeowner

    the achdus and ahavas yisroel in Evergreen is beautiful and those are definitely basic fundamentals which everyone else should learn from us and emulate!! Tznius is important but so are other basics which many are forgetting!! We hope the Rabbi and his wife come back again next week for a beautiful havdalah!
    Let’s all try to focus on the positive and then I believe we might be more successful in inspiring others to do better

  • Living in CH

    Since when did he become a Rabbi, secondly our Robonim of CH obviouslly approve of his being a so called Rabbi by letting have a shul in CH and making Havdolah without a hat, Kapoteh or gartel and then we scratch our head asking what happened to our kids.

    The whole system is in the toilet!

  • londonlad

    and then you crownheights.info criticise meshichistim…….. bloody cheek

  • i-m a mom and a morah.

    dear sisters,surely you want the best for your children.that all starts with the brachas from tzneeus.

  • Evergreen member

    For all u people with complaints:
    If you don’t like what you see:
    DON’T LOOK! And don’t join the program.
    We live in America where we ALL have freedom of choice.
    No one is forcing you or your family to join or watch.
    So stay away, don’t watch, don’t join.
    But live and let live.
    Each to their own.
    Or move to Kiryas Joel/Monroe where everyone must follow the same way of life or risk expulsion. Or maybe even Saudi Arabia, where the religious police beat everyone who doesn’t conform.
    Live your own life, not everyone else’s life!!!!

  • Love it

    I actually think this looks awesome
    Take it outside under stars, in the summer
    It’s way too hot for a jacket
    People this is 2012 — time to evolve
    I gonna this myself

  • wishing they got this upset at molesters

    Oy vai, a “Rabbi” that doesn’t touch little children and loves all Jews! Where is Chabad headed?!

  • to # 39

    u leave lubavitch alone .do what u want but dont call urself lubavitch or chasidim .LEAVE US ALONE .LEVE CH MOVE TO SUBARBIA and do what u want.

  • Beis Menachem Davener

    Looks like not it’s not only Los Angeles that has it’s own SOLA!! For Shame!

  • Disappointed

    I looked again and again, can’t seem to find the knees everyone is talking about :-P

  • this is good

    this picture is good. you had to see what was going on in evergreen shul on Shvuos! The tznius was appalling (not by all,but enough to have Mrs. Ella Lerman be the tznius lady at the gate of evergreen!). why do these women even wear a shaitel while the rest of their bodies are uncovered?

  • shocking

    this is modern orthodox! and this couple is putting a hechsher on it- and its not ok!!!! they just ligitmize the fraying out! Its the amalek Yetzer hara that creeps in and makes things look kosher. they are bringing people together yeh right check out the mixing and all the singles that go on fri night! if there werent boys and girls together none would be at athat shul! its terrible what they are doing! nobody in our community stands up and says it wrong and foes something aboutit!!!!

  • to number 39

    Thats the problem you liberal! it doesnt matter where you live- america is nisht andereshed! you cant do whatever you want! a jew needs to follow the torah!

  • from L A

    First of all, Those pictures a quite blurry and I don’t know how one can see legs and elbows. But to number 39….don’t ignore people’s comments or tell them it’s not their business, It is everyone’s business. I live in Los Angeles and sent my kids to Gan Izzy, I was so worried when another 10 year old came to camp without socks. How is my daughtrer going to react? B”H she didn’t come home saying she wants to do the same, but that could happen. Everything yur children do, impresses on other children. Especially when every mother wants their kid to be a leader, and not a follower…..your leader child is causing my child to be untznius.

  • Number39

    To number 39
    Unfortunately we care because chassidim en mishpacha! You are our sister/brother. It’s not we decide it is what the aibishter asked and we as a nation (and your neshama Ma was there to) said naase vinishma. We have a Torah we are lucky enough that we have a rebbe and we do what we do bc we are yidden/Lubavitch.
    Wake up from this bitter Golus. We need moshiach now

  • Middot Man

    Wake up all you boneheads that are hating. You stand 18 years after Gimmel Tammuz with your heads in the sand.

    Geulah could’ve come if you had listened to the Rebbe. Instead, you decided it was a better idea to ignore him and turn him into an avodah zarah.

    Middot matter..Start cleaning out your spiritual closets. Middot matter, not yichus, not money.

  • Long time guest at evergreen

    With all due respect, evergreen is far from a normal place. Come for one shabbos and you will see a different chabad world. Peace? I’m sorry, just a bunch of maglomaniacs who have only one thing in common: to boost their social status. To name everyone won’t serve a purpose. Time for evergreen to wake up.

  • to #32 Tzlil v-zemer

    why are yousowillingto leave G-d and the Torah out of this? Imean,comeon,Havdallah is a religious act. Must be you are a reform Jew? In any case,
    Please return to Yiddishkeit
    Your way of living is just not right.
    With open arms we all will welcome you.
    It’s never too late for a fresh start
    Just find a feeling in your heart
    Please come back to HaKodosh Baruch Hu!

    Tzlil v’zemer It’s never too late

  • Seriously Sick and tired of the crap!

    These comment make me so frustrated but only make me understand how messed up the system really is….Since when did CHABAD LUBAVITCH become a religion of the hat, jacket and gartel????? My husband tells me all the things that went on in Yeshivah with guys hiding behind hats and jackets! This makes me so sick! This is why my husband resents the system so much! Put on a hat and jacket and your a chassidishe bochur who can go to a club at night and show up late for devening, ahhhh because your “chassidish”. Don’t get me wrong I have a brother who wears the hat and jacket and is true to the garb. But levushim aren’t the only important thing. When will the system wake up and realize they are stressing the WRONG FREAKIN THING!!! UHHHHHH I am so angry at this! You people slander good people for the sake of “Chassidishkeit” I would challenge to see what you do behind closed doors or what goes on in your head. Your negativity is hiding something you yourself can’t face. I know Chezzy and Sima personally and they are the most honest integral people I know. Wake up and start smelling you’re own dirty laundry for a change.

  • to: #45 and #49

    To #45 and #49
    The picture of the female with exposed knees and elbows was removed just a few hours ago.

  • the hat man

    #39 YOU come to our community and pour mud everywhere and tell us not to look? I thought the reason you dress the way you do is so that we should look at you. No other reason. Clearly you don’t have a very happy marriage trying to attract other men’s attention all day.

  • everyone can always improve!

    If everyone would only know about the shiurim we have continuously with Rabbi Yossi Jacobson and the Chasidishe warmth our children are imbued, from our camp director and mashpia Rabbi Dovid Levin, and for the girld by Mrs Faygie Raksin!
    This Shaboos, the Farbrengen we had with Rabbi Yossi Jacobson and Rabbi Efraim Piekarsky until 5:30 pm, which culminated the telling of the story, regarding the greatness of our Rebbe. That by the Rebbe, when he was yet a child he cared for everyone and to the Rebbe there was no difference which yid is not able to fulfill a mitzvah or C’V suffer because another yid can’t fulfill a mitzvah. Please everyone ask yourself have you fulfilled your obligatory mitzvos , today or yesterday. Think positive Tu b’Av we see a full moon it is what you see… bring Moshiach at least by tomorrow, if C’V not now!

  • Happy but worried

    I really like the idea of cay and wat it does. Its something which has done and continually does a lot of good. However it really needs somebody with direction because it’s really worrying the more articles we see about it

  • inspired jew

    wowow i was soooo inspired!! wen i see women’s hair flowing out of tichels i really feel like i wish i cud fly up with chezzy up to heaven! ahhhhh bliss

  • Simple Jew

    Hi I’m an entrepreneur living in Long Island looking for an appropriate synagogue to pray in. I don’t know too much about Judaism but this environment looks perfectly suited for my family’s tastes, with non-existent skirts and lovely napkins on the ladies’ hair. I always assumed Jewish Law dictates a certain code of dress, but seeing as this doesn’t apply, I will be happy to tell my wife that the Gucci miniskirt she bought is perfectly fine to be worn.

  • ALWAYS REMEMBER

    ONE OF THE REBBE’S SPECIAL CHASSIDIM, A BRILLIANT MAN BY THE NAME OF URIEL ZIMMER ONCE SAID TO ME “ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE A LUBAVITCHER YOU HAVE TO BE BETTER!” I REST MY CASE. (I DO BELIEVE THE REBBE CUT SHLOIMA CARLEBACH OUT COMPLETELY FOR THE PRITZUS HE PRACTICED. SO MUCH SO THAT WHEN
    MBD SANG ANI MAAMIN AT A LAG B’OMER PARADE WITH A TUNE OF CARLEBACHS THE REBBE TOTALLY TUNED HIM OUT)

  • TO EVERGREEN MEMBER

    WHY THE HECK DON’T YOU JUST CALL YOURSELF AN EVERGREEN CHASID OR BETTER YET. FORGET THE CHOSSID PART ALL TOGETHER. AND DON’T USE YOUR STUPID LINE DON’T LOOK. IF YOUR HOUSE WERE ON FIRE AND YOU WERE TRAPPED IN IT, WOULD YOU TELL ME A PASSERBY “DON’T LOOK JUST MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS” OR WOULD YOU WANT ME TO RISK MY LIFE TO SAVE YOURS????BY YOU TEARING DOWN LUBAVITCH AND SOMEONE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME THING. I AM A WITH IT WELL DRESSED WOMAN AND AM APPALED AT THE WAY SOME WOMEN (UN)DRESS! THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF REMOVING THE SHAITEL AND COVERING THEIR BODDIES PROPERLY. WHAT REALL BOGGLES MY MIND IS HOW THE HUSBANDS WALK AROUND WITH BLACK HATS, KAPOTES AND GARTEL AND ARE NOT DEATHLY EMBARRASSED TO BE SEEN WALKING IN THE STREETS WITH WIVES THAT LOOK LIKE HOOKERS.

  • LOOK WITHIN A LITTLE

    When i hear many of these CAY/SOLA women speaking about their children’s chinuch,they’re very concerned about their children getting the right teacher.First things first.We each have to be the right kind of parent.The rebbe has told us over and over again about the brachas tzneeus brings to our children.The gratest school/teacher in the world can’t accomplish what tzneeus,al pi halacha, can.If we REALLY care we each need to our part.

  • IS THIS AMERICA?

    This Tisha B’av could and should have been spent bemoaning the churban of Crown Heights by the likes of evergreen. THE TORAH NEVER CHANGES NOT WITH TIME AND NOT WITH THE PLACE. That was precisely the frierdike Rebbe’s proclomation on entering “this America”. If you people want to insist on acting like goyim find yourselves another neighborhood where you don’t have to tell anyone you come from a Lubavitch background and you can just fit in with the in crowd and have your mixed couples parties and all the other shvarts yohr things that go on there. and no. I’m not any of the fancy titles you gave above just to pacify your concience. And when your children grow up being totally not frum and come home with babies without being married or decide to move out and shak up with someone try to remember that you were their teacher by example!!!!!!!

  • Instigater at eg

    Who ever sent this to ch.info is a bal machlocas and is looking to sture up trouble. This wasn’t an evergreen event as I was in eg for shabbos and I didn’t know about this. Eg is a place chasishkit and learning and is the only place that has a rabbi giving shiurim all weekend. This is just a few friends getting together for havdala. God has a special place for these instigators that make their neighbors look back. I urge you not to judge and come to the Sunday morning shiur and see the true eg.

  • Rock on!

    I love seema!
    You are the best. keep on doing what you are doing, YOU are making this world a better place!!

  • Evergreen homeowner

    all these negative comments are from jealous ignorant repressed nasty people. No better that the Jews who just filed a lawsuit against the erev in westhampton. I didn’t go to the havdalah but I’m sorry I missed it and I hope they come back. What’s with this sock hang up life is too short people lighten up and love one another

  • ???

    Your beliefs don’t make you a better person. Your behavior does. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to stop, or bother many commentators here from judging and trashing others who choose to serve G-d in their own form and fashion, while conforming to Halacha.

    The Economist recently had a feel-good piece about Chabad that many would no doubt feel proud. Putting into practice seems to be a completely different story (http://www.economist.com/no…).

    The Shluchim convention is coming up in a few short months. Lets see how many of you take issue with or personal offense at the many G’virim (some of whom may not even be religious) that the Shluchim bring to New York, who choose to identify themselves as “Chabad Chassidim”

  • CONTESSA

    THE LASHON HORAH, AND NASTY COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE MADE ON THIS, IS WORSE THEN MAKING HAVDALAH WITHOUT HAT AND KAPOTE……
    AND THIS IS FOR SURE NOT THE WAY THE REBBE WOULD HAVE APPROACHED THE ISSUE……

  • To #39 Kiryas Joel

    To#39 the complaints are not that he is not wearing a hot an jacket it s that he presents himself as a CHABAD rabbi so he has a responsibility to look like one i.e. wear a hat and jacket especially when making havdallah, just like a cohen had a responsibility to wear his levushim and lehavdil a police/fireman

  • To#70

    To#70 you are missing the point, no one is telling how they should live, the point s that if you present yourself as a Lubavicher Rov then you have a responsibility to look like one. If you can’t keep up then call yourself Carlbach or whatever, don’t drag the Rebbe down.

  • i have a question to eg members

    the worst part is all these comments saying mind ur own busniess lighten up be cool etc .i have one simple question would u have told the rebba to lighten up calm down and that shlomo carlbach is mekarav alot of jews and is more frum then some of ur other chassidim so rebba lighten up and let shlomo carlbach stay?????think about it

  • Twisted minds

    People from “Shpitz Chabad” demolish a Shul on erev Shabbos with a sledgehammer and Oholei Torah Crown Heights cheers. A few people make havdalah without a hat and Oholei Torah is up in arms. This is one messed up school and messed up set of priorities. EG are mostly Oholei Torah too -THE NORMAL ONES- no wonder they’re doing their own thing.

  • The Truth

    Lets set the record straight:
    Some friends got together for havdala, just as you would for a friday night meal or a seudas shabbos. There was nothing against halacha or even against the ways of Chabad.
    To all the haters: ask yourselves do you get together with friends & family on shabbos? if you do, is the meal filled with niggunim and varmkiet as was this havdala, or do you speak lashon harah about fellow yidden as you are doing with your comments?
    In reference to CAY, look around the communitees of the world and tell me where do you need a “chabad house” more then crown heights? CAY is not the cause but it might be the savior. R”L when your child is turned off from yiddishkiet and I promise you, with your close minded, rigid behavior & attitude they will get turned off… you will beg for them to at least go to CAY and hopefully you will have the decency thank RABBI CHEZZY & SEEMA for saving your child as he has done for so many.

    You have taken innocent pictures of an informal gathering of family & friends & created an embarrassing scene of filth & loshon hara. You were not there & you are judging? Do not be surprised when the tables are turned & you are being judged by your own kind.

  • Left the bldg

    Amazing how different the comments would have been had this rabbi donated a 5 million $ chabad house, HE OPENED A SHUL, GOD FORBID!!!!!!
    LOL

    Sorry to burst your bubble but the essence of what you believe has escaped you so long ago LOL

  • Nutz

    To #66

    Are you evangelical?

    Comparing havdalah to the destruction of the beis hamikidash?

    Seek help, your current actions are what caused tisha ba’av, or is that what you believe when it suits you?

    Your better off shutting up and leaving religion behind you and be a good person, a million miles farther than your ‘frum’ life now, you sound like a crazy Muslim preaching why britian needs shariah law

    LOL

    call the cult busters buster

  • Reply #66

    It seems like ch and chabad have not had much in common in close to 20 years…… Your intolerance towards you brothers and sisters sound like a tune from the taliiiiiiBAN

    if you call yourself a chosid of my rebbe you gotta take a class in ahavas yisroel, otherwise please stop dirtying chabads name with your retarded position

    Shame on you

  • american dream

    Evergreen.. the land of the wanna be rich…
    I never in my life was exposed to such a sheer awareness of how much I dont have…..

  • peace

    People need to stop being haters, and start doing you like his havdalah services make havdalah your way and post pictures.

  • #39......I am shocked!

    #39 Sorry, if you like to compare ‘sharia muslim law’ to our, l’havdil, Holy Torah. But news flash: it’s not a “free world” & we have laws, Mitzvos & Minhagim to guide us & keep us conformed wether u want to admit that or like it. So, sadly while your life style preference may be more fun & appealing, unless you are not Jewish u actually MUST follow rules & commandments. As a Chossid (if you are, I am just assuming so as you are at a colony which is officially Chabad I think)in fact, you have further directives. No, I am NOT perfect & of course can work on myself a lot, but the wrong I do I don’t claim is right!
    And to those who commented the Ahavas Yisroel is exemplary…I’m sure it is & that we can learn from u!! However, the exterior of a Jew & Chosid MUST be always present & just by the way…there are non-religious Jews that may be the ultimate of “Pritzus” who have a lot of love & care for others…we are FRUM & CHASSIDIM!!

  • #70

    #70 The Shluchim do not bring NON-religious gvirim who call themselves Chabad Chassidim, sorry, they call themselves “supporters of Chabad”. They know they are not yet Chassidim.

    As well, I do know all Evergreen may not be like this & reflected here but this is the Rabbi @ CAY, that’s the problem.

  • Beautiful and inspiring

    All the negative commentators are just venting their frustration over their own petty boring lives

  • Devorah Leah

    to # 87
    WELL SAID
    TO ALL THE NEGATIVE Comment
    you are a bunch of baaley gavah and full of S- HINAM

  • GOLF CART IN MOUTAIN LODGE

    Who ever sent this to ch.info is a bal machlocas and is looking to sture up trouble.

    THE SAME TROUBLE MAKER WHO FIGHTS WITH OTHERS.
    NUMBER 2, WHY DONT ALL THE PEOPLE MAKING COMMENTS SIGN THEIR LAST NAME,

    A HAPPY AND PROUD EVERGREENER

  • Crown Height bungalows

    To #89.
    Why was the person who sent the picture trying to start trouble?
    The pictures are nice and maybe he thought that there is nothing wrong with them.
    The way it seems is that Evergreen is full of girls in short skirts and wannabe rich people. Maybe he’s one of you!
    How can you be a “proud evergreener”? The place sounds like gihenim!!

  • Anon

    how’s about if you don’t like what’s going on in evergreen don’t go. I promise we won’t miss you at all. Written while chilling……

  • LIFESHOCKER

    A TRULLY BEUTIFULL HAVDALA CONSERVATIVE HAVDALAH SERVICE.
    LOOK AT THE UTTER “KELOS HANEFESH” BEING EXPIERIENCED BY THE RABBI. AMAZING. I GOOTA BRING THIS RITUAL TO MY TEMPLE. ABOUT TIME TO START REVAMPING JUDAISM TO FIT OUR TAAVOS. LOOK AT THEIR PURE NESHAMOS AND HOLY INTENTIONS. I’M SURE THE REBBE WOULD OF LOVED IT (R”L).
    LOOK HOW LOW WE HAVE FALLEN. YECHI HAMELECH HAMOSHIACH!!!!!!

  • Elesoy

    Chezzie and CAY stand for something different. And anything that’s different is a welcome refresher for our dysfunctional community, and the flawed philosophy behind it. Chezzie and CAY are a departure from the mainstream toward a more spiritual (or for some a more progressive) form of community and religion that they’d like to see. There is clearly an audience for this sort of thing, and so there’s clearly a need that this sort of thing fills.
    Still, Chezzie bases himself largely on Chabad teachings–maybe to too great an extent–in my view. He’s not articulate or an intellectual, but he knows how to handle a large group of people and he can hit perfect notes.
    To all the haters and detractors: don’t stand in the doorway. or block up the hall. Because he or she that gets hurt will be he or she who has stalled. There’s a battle outside that’s raging. It’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. Because the times are changing. Mothers and fathers throughout the land, don’t criticize what you can’t understand. Your sons and daughters are beyond your command. Your old road is rapidly aging. Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand. Because the times are changing.

  • chabad

    its very sad but we are now 18 years after gimmel tamuz and we here in ch hade sufferd more then anyone with the rebbes passing now we have new shuls here like ahavas ysrael that cater to the yung adulth here so as long as they are not doing anything aginst halacha i think its fine and bh we have alot of good going on here so i guess we all should have a good year and a sweet year with only simchos

  • A middle-aged grateful yid of CAY

    I’ve been davening in CAY for over a year. I love the shul because the Rabbi-Chazan CARES: About the members of the shul. He and his Rebbitzin extend themselves to welcome and chat with all the people who walk in. On a human level, the smiles and coffee (separate for men and women) motivate me to come on time.
    (2) CAY cares about davening. Slow and melodious prayers that elicite intellectual and emotional involvment with the prayers. (Men cannot hear kol isha, because the men sing LOUDLY and the women pray in softer tones. The Rabbi reminds the congregants to talk outside, and (exclusively) daven while in shul. If we need ‘reminding’ that conversation is unwelcome during davening time, he’ll interupt the prayers, saying ‘There are no ‘rules’ in this shul, but, we do have one rule: no talking inside during davening time. Please feel free to step outside to converse with your friend.’ Ditto for respecting the sanctity of Krias HaTorah. This behavior is highly unconventional. If there is any other shul that is as impassioned about Avodah SheB’Lev and respectful about ‘no talking’ and I’ll visit davening there as well. Of course, the yetzer harah (obviously dressed in a silk kapote, hat-and-jacket-and-gartel is furious about this shul. About the lapses in Tznius. Each individual is responsible for their own choices. Not the Rabbi. Not the Rebbetzin. Not the congregation as a whole. Think about this. Assuming your eyes’ are focused in the siddur (or Chumash) Which distraction is more difficult to ignore – a fellow-worshippers wardrobe malfunctions, OR conversations that are swirling around me?
    No shul experience is perfect. The mechitza extends almost to the ceiling. All I can do is dress impeccably tzniusdik (no sarcasm here) feeling proud of my devotion to Hashem and influence my neighbors through example. My tolerance for associating with rebelliously dressed women got stretched this year, but free-will is essential componet of Yiddishkeit, and I’m a better person for cultivating more personal Ahavas Yisroel through the shul ‘Chevra Ahavas Yisroel’.

  • sad man

    If the Rebbe was alive begashmius and would see what has become of HIS Chabad he would die again…

  • the-times-they-are-achangin-

    From all the negative remarks its so apparent to see that CH community is more dysfunctional than ever and so is its flawed philosophy.

  • Freindship circle parent

    To the editor, #78, please remove the offensive term “retarted”, this is insensitive to us parents with special needs children