Police Force Shliach to Cancel Geller Event
TORONTO, Ontario — York Regional Police threatened to remove a Shliach as one of the force’s chaplains if he hosted a controversial anti-Islamist speaker at his Thornhill, Ont., synagogue and Chabad House.
Insp. Ricky Veerappan of the force’s diversity, equity and inclusion bureau, confirmed he and officers from the force’s hate crimes unit met with Rabbi Mendel Kaplan of the Chabad Flamingo Synagogue on Tuesday.
They expressed concern about an upcoming talk to be given by Pamela Geller, a vocal critic of radical Islam. She’s protested past plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City, and has posted anti-jihad messages in that city’s subway system.
Subsequent to his meeting with police, Kaplan cancelled Geller’s May 13 talk, which was sponsored by the Jewish Defence League (JDL) — a hard-line advocacy group which had rented space in Kaplan’s synagogue for the event.
“I think the police are turning a blind eye to who they should be keeping an eye on,” said the JDL’s Meir Weinstein, referring to radical Islamists. Weinstein said another location will be chosen for Geller’s appearance.
Veerappan said he told Kaplan that Geller’s speech “would not be endorsed by York Regional Police” and that the rabbi’s role as a force chaplain would be thrown into question if he were to allow the event.
“If he did (host Geller), then we’d have to reassess our relationship with (Kaplan),” Veerappan said. “We serve the needs of the entire community. Some of the stuff that Ms. Geller speaks about runs contrary to the values of York Regional Police and the work we do in engaging our communities.”
Veerappan said a member of York’s Muslim community, whom he wouldn’t identify, brought Geller’s scheduled talk to the attention of police.
York police enlist eight chaplains of different faiths to counsel police officers and their families. Among them is a Muslim chaplain, Imam Abdul Hai Patel.
A Geller speech scheduled for early April at the Great Neck Synagogue in Long Island, N.Y., was also cancelled. Only to be later hosted by Rabbi Yoseph Geisinsky of Chabad of Great Neck with over 600 in attendance.
In March, the University of Toronto hosted controversial Muslim lecturer Tariq Ramadan, who has also spoken in Toronto at the annual Islamic faith conference, Reviving the Islamic Spirit. In October, Pakistani politician Imran Khan, a controversial critic of the U.S. war on terror, spoke in Brampton, Ont. Leila Khaled, a Palestinian revolutionary from the 1970s, is set speak at University of British Columbia on May 4.
Chabad's Job
I don’t understand something here, who made it this or any other Shliach’s mission to host lectures on radical Islam?
Is this what the Rebbe sent out Shluchim for?
Radical Islam is a threat, but it’s not Chabad’s mission to educate the public about it.
Stick to doing what the Rebbe sent you to do. Period.
Yossi
Um, and who made YOU the one to decide what Shluchim should do shouldn’t do? And who says you’re correct. Stick to fixing your own problems, and let shluchim do what they do best.
Nobody
Pamela Geller is as radioactive as Meir Kahane was in his day.
Meir Kahane, despite being frum, was never invited to any Chabad House or Chabad event, despite many people’s personal sympathies with his positions, and general agreement with his ends, if not his means.
How much more so this lady, who is all political activism and very little yiddishkeit.
Milhouse
R Meir HYD was persona non grata in Chabad, not because of his activities in EY with which we agreed, but because of his campaign against the USSR, which the Rebbe strongly opposed, and his refusal to accept the Rebbe’s advice to cancel it.
Detroiter
In fact, R’ Kahane spoke at many Chabad Houses over the years. Two that I can recall offhand are the Chabad House at the University of Buffalo (c. 1979) and Bais Chabad of West Bloomfield, Michigan (c. 1982). Also, he was one o te earliest activists in spreading Sheva Mitzvos to Gentiles, and in the late 80’s collaborated with Chabad Shluchim in several Sheva Mitzvos-related events.
Free Choice
They didn’t force him. They pressured him and he chose to cancel it.
GO ZAG!
It comes with the territory. If you want to waltz around in their uniform you have to play by their rules.
Mendel
A disgrace.
Sandy Elzabe, Thornhill
Of course Rabbi Kaplan will acquiese to York Regional Police… In my opinion, Mendel Kaplan should have asked his father in law, Zalman Aaron Grossbaum of Central Lubavitch Headquarters of Southern Ontario, if inviting Geller is the right thing to do… I’m sure Rabbi Grossbaum would never have let her speak in his own chabad house, knowing the repercussions from community leaders. Unfortunately though, on the flip side of the coin, York Regional Police should also monitor and prevent Islamic radical speakers stepping into other community centres in Vaughan/Concord/Brampton Township!!!
Yossi
Why do you think your opinion belong on a website called CROWN HEIGHTS? Shouldn’t you leave your opinion in Thornhill and discuss it there??
FRIEND OF JDL
Kol HaKavod to Meir Weinstein again and again… The voice of Jewish Defence (proven organization that is non violent, only through peaceful demonstration)……………. Meir deserves more platforms and more media coverage to speak out against Islamic Jihadism and extremism… let him put Geller in another venue, no problem. And Kol HaKavod to Mrs. Geller. For sure we need more people like this. There is strength in numbers.
free er choice
it wasnt a chabad event.
#1
It’s called blackmail.
To #9
Blackmail or not, a Shliach should not be hosting a political event.
A Shliach’s mission is to be Mekarev all types of Jews, plain and simple.
Islamic fundamentalism is a dangerous movement, and awareness should be made to the public. But this is a job for a political movement or committee, not a Chabad House.
Yossi
to #12: How do you know what a Shliach’s mission is? And why are you bringing it up here??
they also
go to the subway see how many anti semetic messages than count how many anti jihad
FYI sandy Elzabe
He did ask rabbi Grossbaum and he got the ok.
Before u post make sure I know your facts.
I agree with Number 1...
WELL SAID RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
It looks like Rabbi Kaplan, for all his fanfare, TV Appearances, Radio Broadcasts, has hit Hollywood Canadian fame… Having said that, it looks like the rabbi had the confidence to go to the next level of getting in a “controversial female speaker” to chalk one up for commercialism and put his shul in the forefront of publicity. The Rebbe didn’t hold by it, that I’m sure of. The Rebbe did for sure encourage mass exposure to inyonim of Mashiach, Geula, Torah, Mitzvos b’derech klalli as per Lubavitch tradition. Let Bnai Brith handle these kinds of speakers. A Chabad Shul should serve its congregants within a rigid framework of what Rebbe handed down.
Yossi
And you are whom? And your opinion is worth what? What have you accomplished in your life for you to be throwing your own opinions about a Shliach??
Read the article
It wasn’t a CHABAD event. JDL was renting out the hall for a personal function
Get a grip
To all the do gooders commenting here, this was not a Chabad event or an event at which Rabbi Kaplan was to make an appearance, it was an event by an independent Jewish organization which wanted to rent space in Rabbi Kaplan’s Shul, other than getting paid for the evening, and perhaps attending as a member of the audience, he had no role to play in this event.
So whats this nonsense about Chabad should or shouldn’t get involved in anti-Jihadi events? Is Rabbi Kaplan forbidden from renting out his hall to Jews who are advocating a just cause?
Unless you are a Jihadist yourself or a politically-correct-numb-minded-brain-dead-non-thinker, the answer should be obvious, we live in a free country and everybody should be afforded the ability to speak out, especially in the defense of freedom and preventing Jewish blood from being spilled. Other than supporters of terrorism, blackmail or sick political correctness no decent moral person should ever entertain the thought of objecting to such an event.
Secondly, I’m terribly shocked as I am impressed by the news reporters who are taking a calm level headed approach to this story, and in this case actually supporting a just cause.
Shocking!!!
I never knew that there is still some REAL reporting going on in this world.
Bravo SUN news!
To #15
Your statement is irrelevant and does not vindicate Rabbi Kaplan
Holding any type of political event on your property is a sign that you support that event. If you did not want to be involved politically, you would not rent your space for the event. Plain and simple.
What the hell do you mean by “just cause”? “Just cause” is defined and shaped by your political stance. Liberals believe that Occupy Wall Street is just cause, and the Westboro Baptist Church believes that crashing funerals with offensive picket signs are just cause.
Quit your BS. Let Shluchim stick to their line of work and stay out of politics.
To #16
The city rents out schools for religious events,does that mean they support it?In some cities it is the other way around,the city will rent a yeshiva for an election of some sort,does that mean they support it.
It’scalled business,as long as its not against the torah,there is nothing wrong.
Milhouse
A just cause is a cause that is actually just, not just in someone’s opinion. Or do you believe that there is no actual right and wrong, and everyone’s opinion is equally valid? There is right and wrong in the world, and some people’s opinions are right and others are wrong. Islamism is a terrible danger, and the very incident that we’re discussing, where a police force officially used such tactics to suppress a message that the Islamists don’t like, proves how dangerous it is. Therefore this was a just cause.
WHOOOWWW HORSES>>>
rov kaplin had the final say as to who was renting his hall out and to who. how could the good rabbi know before hand that the cops were notified it was a muslim umam that snitched. ok simple as that and anyhow anyhow, i to sandy ebaneezer or whatever your stage name is — rabbi grossbaum DID allow JDL and Meirhalevi to use their main hall for a similar event years ago, no one said a word. Haha
gettin on bandwagon too
In this day and age – precarious times we live in – it is a mitzvah for harav kaplan to have invited JDL for an open speaking arrangement. Read this from Arutz Sheva who spoke to Ann Salpeter Schockett, president of the Nassau County Federation of Republican Women.
One of the speakers at the conference was Greg Buckley Sr., whose son, a United States soldier, was murdered by an Afghan police officer at his Marine base in Afghanistan.
Another was Pamela Geller, an author and political activist known for her vocal criticism of radical Islam.
Schockett paraphrased Geller’s message, “Wake up, America! Wake up and see what’s happening.”
“It’s good to be a humanitarian, but that doesn’t mean you should be blind,” she added.
The issue of radical Islam is relevant to Israel, she noted, but, she said, is also relevant to “what’s happening now on our shores.”
— if your synagogue hasn’t already jumped on the bandwagon to get JDL to speak now is a good time.
EXCUSE ME???
why does chabad always line the front pages of controversy? why? why cannot the 905 toronto community be low key like the 416 kollel – bobov – agudat yisrael – all those southern institutions – do not forget, we are in golus – we have to abide by the strict rules – just be lucky people for a clean – air conditioned beit medrash to walk into. that alone will suffice it. I don’t want to hear any more fanfare – it is butel torah time. the rest is nonsense.
Nobody
Don’t confusing being popular with being effective. Being popular means you are liked, being effective means you mattered.
Chabad seeks to make a difference.
Finally
Glad to see the oilom rallying around the Rebbe’s message and causes, focused on the right things. A Bais Chabad is not an event hall. Most were built with public tzedoko funds for Lubavitcher functions and the rebbe’s Shlichus. Yeah, it’s hard to keep on track these days, but that’s why we learn Chassidus. “When your connected above, you don’t fall down below”
to EXCUSE ME???
First of all, you shouldn’t be so zionistic to believe Moshiach came already. Geller realizes moshiach has yet to arrive so she doesn’t want korbanos. You want karbanos, but why volunteer [through your inaction] that the korbanos be your fellow? Let it be an animal.
You sound like a moron. It says the smart don’t make mistakes, the common learn from other’s mistakes and morons never learn from others mistakes. Your attitude was also heard in the batei medrashim in Warsaw and Cracow. Instead of confronting the threat they “realized that they were in golus” so they complied and marched into the ovens. Learn from their mistakes, idiot!
My prediction
My prediction is that they will find another venue to host Geller and now will all the media attention of the Ban, it will triple the audience that would have been at the original venue. Their is a price to pay for bullying. The victim comes roaring back stronger.
Get a grip
Sick & getting sicker, some people here care more about political correctness than about Jewish blood, and some are worried about the preservation of the Golus and the Golus mentality.
Well my dear friends, if that’s what you care for, what are you doing reading the internet, go back to your stable and hand suction the goat and hide under your bed behind your own shadow, a Poritz of the next shtetl may sneeze sometime in the next three months.
And yes, Lubavitch always allowed Jews to use their facilities to further the cause of justice and the protection of Jews wherever they are, and the Rebbe never tolerated censoring other Jews unless they went openly against Torah c”v, while in this case it is a Torah supported just cause.
I do however agree that Ms. Geller should be explained to be sensitive to Tznius laws and when she appears in a Chabad location or in front of any Jewish audience she should be dressed appropriately (if she’s Jewish than she should do it for herself as well).
And controversy? When was Chabad afraid of controversy? Isn’t this one of our trademarks, especially for Jewish causes?
to #19
reading a news site on your computer and complaining about bitel torah?
I wonder if Rabbi Kaplan is doing the same.
The truth is Rabbi Kaplan does more in one day to bring us closer to Moshiach then most of you will do in your life time.
He is a brilliant Rabbi who has inspired hundreds to do chuva.
Have you done the same from your air conditioned beit medrash?
sorry that was for #25
# 19 your cool
Yomin
Rabbi Kaplan is a very nice man and a very hard working shliach. I’m sure he had no option and had to think of the Jewish police who need his advice and services first and foremost. Of course the police admin have a problem with it – that’s Canada for you. Rabbi Kaplan deserves tremendous credit for trying to bring Geller out in the first place, and for the dialogue that this will cause in Toronto and he deserves further credit for putting the people he serves first and choosing to do what’s right for his community. Haven’t seen him in well over a decade and hope he’s doing well – but this shows his dedication to his community.
LB
can he sue them for wrongful pressure tactics or something? That is really incredible that this happened. And the PM there is pro-Israel……
Shimon Shak
Pamela Geller is a bigot on a witch hunt!! She makes very radical blanket statements that marginalize and vilinize a whole community of people with little proof for her rhetoric or any remorse for some of the false defaming statements she has made!! Anyone hosting her should be ashamed of themselves!!!
CH
You’re insane. everything I needed to learn about Islam, I learned on 9/11.
Not all shluchim were created equal
The shaliach in Long Island was able to stand up to pressure and allowed Geller to speak in Great Neck, as reported on Crown Heights.Info. Rabbi Geisinskie made a huge kiddush Hashem!
In contrast this shaliach caved in to pressure, as reported here and on VIN.
Goes to show that not all shluchim were created equal.
Not true
Let’s call a spade a spade, the shliach chickened out. He was strong armed by police and blackmailed but not forced. It’s not like the shliach’s parnosso depended on that position, it’s just he’d lose some ‘stature’. I’m not judging him as i don’t know how I’d handle intense pressure but let’s not make it more than it was.