Posted to Chabad News on

Misnagdim Attempt to Burn Down Chabad House

Kikar Hashabat

Rabbi Motti Kenig, director of Chabad of Modi’in Ilit, is not easily shocked by threats and harassment. These are things he has gotten used to over the past few years, ever since he opened a Chabad House in the middle of a Litvak-Charedi town, and began to teach Chassidus to Yiden who were thirsting for the knowledge.

However, the terrible incident which took place last night did succeed in shocking him. In the middle of the night, some unidentified perpetrators tried to burn down his Chabad House.

In the early hours of Monday morning, when Rabbi Kenig arrived at the building to conduct his usual activities of giving Shiurim and spreading Chassidus, he was shocked to find the outer wall completely black as coal, with the strong smell of burnt material in the air.

The building was surrounded with graffiti, denouncing Chabad and the Lag Ba’omer parade which will take place in the city this Thursday.

“I am Shocked at the attempt to ignite a house of Torah on fire,” Rabbi Kenig said. “We aren’t talking about Children or seculars, these are people who refer to themselves as “Avrechim” and “B’nei Torah; how can they desecrate a holy place!?”

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12 Comments

  • ????

    Can’t crownheight.info verify sources before posting. There is no evidence it was a snag crime-it could have been anyone. What happened-after the SMR case, there was actual healing amongst Jews happening, and now you want to fan the flames again, in Sefira? This is the second unverified case in a week! I hope you enjoy the traffic this site gets!

  • Shliach

    Shturem: Rabbi Kenig said that yungeleit participated in a shiur Chassidus until one am. At 5 am the crowd started to arrive for Chassidus and davening. It was between these hours that the vandals did their work. This is not the work of hooligans, and not of kids. This is surely some ‘ben Torah’ who has some issues.

  • Chasidishe Mama

    Havent we all learned that its time to be b’achdus from all of the terrible tragedies that have affected klal yisroel over the past few years??? (The Holtzberg murders, the Fogels, Leiby Kletzky, the deaths caused by the hurricane, Rubashkin etc…)

    I think Hashem is trying to teach us a lesson- EVERY SINGLE SPECTRUM OF YIDDISHKEIT HAS BEEN HIT WITH TRAGEDY, from the Mizrachi, to the Chasidishe and everything in between. Perhaps if we are more b’achdus these horrors would discontinue!

    Its VERY sad and shocking to see a “litvish/charedi community” called “misnagdim.” There are no more misnagdim in this day and age. Every one practices Yiddishkeit differently, as per their minhagim- and yes, some litvish and other forms of Chasidim may think the Meshichists are on the wrong track- it says NOTHING about their views of what the Baal Shem Tov has taught.

    Chasidus has been 100% accepted by the ENTIRE Jewish world- even by those who do no delve into its works.

    The article above relates the the perpatrators were “unidentified”, yet goes on to assume that they were “misnagdim” aka Litvish. *sigh* its so sad, the lack of achdus, the lack of dan l’kaf z’chus…

    Even if the perpatrators WERE Litvish- it means NOTHING, except that a small group of people in the litvish community are unhealthy and feel the need to take out their frustration on someone. It does NOT reflect the Chinuch, or the viewpoints of the standard Jew in the greater Litvish community.

    Its high time that Crown Heights-ers put the “Chasidim vs Misnagdim” issue behind them, because the rest of the Orthodox world already has.

    Time to grow up dear friends and embrace your fellow Jew with ahava.

    Especially in this time of Sefirah.

  • acr470........

    ANYONE WHO USES VIOLENCE AGAINST ANOTHER YID: THEIR TORAH AND THEY THEMSELVES ARE POSUL, POSUL, POSUL.
    THIS GOES FOR EVERYWHERE.
    However, HaShem Yeracheim that Crown Heights has this violence right in 770, so we sort of attract it. Very upsetting.

  • Go-ds right hand man

    Uh go to Phoenix, directly to Phoenix, do not pass go, do not collect $200 !
    It’s almost understandable, yet criminal !
    I’m sure it was chilonim from Alot/Eilat !
    I find it hilarious !
    Sorry for building some many stone houses !

  • Reality Check for the Chassidish Mama (2

    Are you kidding? Do you really feel that in this day and age, the average “Litvak” is not ANTI-chabad? Indeed, is NOT misnaged the work of Chabad and the Rebbe? Welcome to the real world. Shluchim in every community are suffering from the “work” of the “Litvaks” (yes, misnagdim who hate them and do everything they can to undermine them.)

  • Assumptions

    I saw the guy he had a yellow shirt it was obviously a tzafti that did it!

  • Stop the Lubavitcher hate to Misnagdim

    Stop the Lubavitcher hate, trying to slander Misnagdim as a whole here, as with the Rav Kotler story. If missionaries would set up a base in Crown Heights next to 770 I bet they would have opposition too.

    Stop the Lubavitcher hate and missionizing!

  • Azrael

    Can someone please explain why that minhag would oppose a Lag b’Omer parade? Thank you.

  • chill out!

    GUYS!- NO ONE ACUSSED LITVAKS OF ANYTHING!
    the fact that someone burns down a chabad house kinda makes the a misnaged.
    remember misnahed means opposer not litvak.

    This shows us how much we really NEED moshiach we need to do more now!!!