JERUSALEM, Israel — Chabad houses serve as a kind of Israeli embassies throughout the world and the government should allocate a budget for them accordingly and take responsibility for securing them, the Chief Rabbinate Council declared on Monday in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Council members meeting for the first time since being sworn in about a month ago, adopted the proposal of Rabbi Shimon Elitov of the Binyamin Regional Council who is associated with the Chabad movement, and urged the government to act on this matter.
Chief Rabbinate Urges Israel to Secure Chabad Houses
JERUSALEM, Israel — Chabad houses serve as a kind of Israeli embassies throughout the world and the government should allocate a budget for them accordingly and take responsibility for securing them, the Chief Rabbinate Council declared on Monday in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Council members meeting for the first time since being sworn in about a month ago, adopted the proposal of Rabbi Shimon Elitov of the Binyamin Regional Council who is associated with the Chabad movement, and urged the government to act on this matter.
Chabad houses serve as embassies for the State of Israel and atrract a great many Israelis,“ the rabbi said.
”A fraction of their activity can be seen during Jewish holidays, when thousands of Israelis dine there for free, he added.
The council urged the government to immediately act towards securing some 3,000 Chabad houses around the world and support them financially.
Council member Rabbi Yaakov Roje of the ZAKA rescue organization updated his fellow rabbis on the identification and rescue process of the bodies in Mumbai.
“The volunteers worked very hard to ensure that treatment of the deceased be carried out according to Halacha, despite various delays and obstacles that were put in our way by the authorities in India,” Rabbi Roje said.
Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman of Migdal Haemek spoke to the council members of his niece Rivka Holtzberg, who was killed in the attack, and Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar spoke of the warm friendship that grew between his daughter and the deceased, while the rest of the rabbis mourned the dead.
The Chief Rabbinate Council convened on Monday for the first time in over two months since elections, as the rabbis have not been able to reach an agreement on the division of heads for the council’s committees.
Betach Bashem
If the Israeli security wasn’t able to guard in Israel terror attacks, why should they be successful in India, or somewhere else?
Beside the point that this can irritate terrorist to do such acts at these locations.
DUH
To Betach Bashem.
Seriously, what is with your logic? Did you ever consider what the situation in israel would be without any security?
Obviously security helps, it just may not be foolproof.
And I don’t think is is a stretch to say that for every successful attack, there likely was one that was foiled, due to security. As evidenced by the many bombs/weapons found by border checkpoints.
The end
abe
If chabad houses need guards with AK-47’s to protect them then they better close them.
The original idea was good and worked for many years however in these terrible times with suicide bombers and suicide bloodthirsty gunmen running around the situation has changed.
Putting young innocent lives at risk in countries where they are exposed to these violent animals is not worth effort.
Before another family is murdered chabad should rethink where it is safe and where it is not and not wait for another tragedy.
shliach ny
Every country today is exposed. You are not more safe if you are on Shlichus in NY or India. Mumbai is a very peaceful place that was atacked just like NY was.
to abe
You are doing exactly what the terrorist (may their name be blotted) wanted. We will never cower to terrorism!
What makes you any safer in NY or anywhere else. I had a relative who was kill in 9/11 who was not a chabad member, not in India etc. G-d is the one who decides life and death.
We are no safer here than there. The holy work of shlichus cannot be stopped because of fear.
Moishie
“The holy work of shlichus cannot be stopped because of fear.”
Mothers, fathers and grandparents of shlichus may have a different opinion.
May G-d never let it happen again but if there is any new attacks to our innocent children in these remote areas then the “Holy work” in these obviously dangerous cities should be put on hold.
You are being very caviler. Are any of your children in a chabad??
Opening chabad’s in these dangerous cities that are so close to terrorists is like dangling children over a shark pool and praying they won’t bite.
TO ABE
HOW CAN YOU TALK LIKE THAT?????????? THATS WHAT THE TERRORIST WANT.
to moshe
Do you have family on shlichus? I actually have BH many cousins in the most far flung areas of the world – in India, Ukraine and others, countries with revolutions staking place at this very moments. you know what? we all believe that shllichus continues no matter what! I repeat again, A SHLIACH OF THE REBBE NEVER BOWS TO TERRORISM. my father was actually sent to the USSR under communism -by the Rebbe- to strengthen the yidden there. Do you think the rebbe would want anything different from us now!
to moshe
May we never be tested, but just so you know, the Frierdiker Rebbe sent chassidim – al mesiras nefesh- to keep yiddishkeit alive.
abe
HOW CAN YOU TALK LIKE THAT?????????? THATS WHAT THE TERRORIST WANT.
My hat is off to you sir you sound like a very brave man sitting in front of your computer.
Flooding the world with “Holy work” does not mean having to blindly sacrifice our young flesh and blood to say that we can always relace shlichus with more innocents no matter how many you may kill.
We laughed when the first suicide bomber blew himself up we thought it must be an exception he probably had cancer and was going to die anyway and then they said we have suicide bombers lined up for the next 50 years and they do!
armed and prepared
while I agree that in NY one is no safer than the poor folks in Mumbai (if you live there, your second amendment rights have been TAKEN AWAY), in other parts of the US in general, law-abiding citizens have the right to defend themselves. perhaps one of the classes at the next kinnus might be on ‘firearm training’?
remember, when seconds count…the police are just minutes away.