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Lubavitch Formally Invited to Citi Field Gathering

The Skulener Rebbe, one of the chief organizers of the Citi Field gathering to curb the influence of the internet, has formally invited the Lubavitch community to participate, and urged all to attend the event.

A delegation of Lubavitch Rabbonim and leaders – including: Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba of Crown Heights, Rabbi Leibel Altein of Boro Park and Rabbi Gedalia Oberlander of Monsey – was invited today to the Skulener Rabbe’s home for a meeting regarding the Lubavitch community’s participation in the gathering.

The Admur praised the Lubavitcher Rebbe for the way he taught his Chassidim to always be active for the sake of others. He said that it’s only natural for Lubavitch to participate in the gathering, which will take place in a week and a half in Queens. The Rabbonim pointed out that Lubavitch was already working on solving this issue for a number of years, and that previous efforts have already lead to positive results, but improvement is still necessary.

The Skulener Rebbe quoted from a Rashi in this week’s parsha to emphasize that it is the responsibility of the parents and educators to supervise the young ‘sheep.’ The Rabbonim then quoted the words of the Rebbe on the subject: that it is not enough to steer them away from evil, but to bring positivity and light to the youngsters as well.

The Skulener Rebbe finished by saying that through joint effort we can achieve such positive results.

Photos by Boruch Ezagui

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37 Comments

  • Rabbi Altein

    Rabbi Altein of “Heichal Menachem” uses the internet to it’s fullest by puting on line all Shiurum on Chassidus for everyone to listen.

    Please to not “Ban” this graet accomplishment.

  • Confused

    Chabad went to be invited? These people came to the Satmar to invite him. Not he went to them to get invited. .

    What, are we begging to get invited?

  • Who-s going?

    All those that are going please post so we can get a nice count. Don’t all shout at once.

  • Oscar the Grouch

    This was silly… We made a fuss about Lubavitch not being invited, and now, I am willing to bet, very, very few Lubavitchers will go.

  • M Fendel

    why was not rabbi? Braun there?

    He understands the dangers of the internet?

  • misunderstanding

    THIS EVENT IS NOT LOOKING TO BAN THE INTERNET, ALL THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS BRING AWARENESS OF THE EVIL THE INTERNET HAS AND HOW WE SHOULD TRY TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE THOSE EVIL PLACES

    WE SHOULD ALL GO.

  • yidel

    When we’ll be busy doing what the Rebbe told us to do, we won’t have time to know who’s doing what asifas and if we are included or not. We have a job to do, who has spare time for this stuff anyway? Moshiach NOW

  • Mendel

    #2 what is your point? That the organizers should go to the Ohel to invite Lubavitch?

    Or that the Skulene Rebbe (who is a real thing by the way) should come to Kingston and give out flyers?

    Get a clue and get a ticket.

  • Mystified

    So who “represents” “Lubavitch” nowadays?
    This one was “so-so-OK”. But next time? Who will grovel to whom, in the name of “Lubavitch”?

  • Skulener Rebbeh invited us, (was invol.)

    We did not go there asking to be invited, just the opposite, the Skulener Rebbeh who is very weak (as you see in all pics) asked us to please come to him bc its very hard for him to go anywhere.

  • Mechila by the Rebbe

    The Alter Rebbe says in the first Perek of Tanya “even one who had the opportunity to protest and he didn’t is called a Rasha [Gemara Shavuos, perek 6]”.

    The Skulener was present when the Rebbe and Lubavitch was maligned and excluded from Klal Yisroel (yes, there is a tape, nobody can deny it anymore [don’t worry it will come out soon]), and he didn’t protest, and now we go kiss his feet and beg for an invitation?

    Sad joke, but it seems that a few ignorant young activists decided to make their mark, and naively they entrapped some good older Rabbis who are not fully versed in this subject, and they fell into this trap.

    The first demand from them, before any meeting, should have been, first all of you go to the Ohel, take off your shoes and cry your heart out to ask Mechila by the Rebbe, make sure that a thousand pictures are taken, write a letter of Mechila to Chasidei Lubavitch, then you can come to us and we’ll listen to you.

    Anything short of that, is a disgrace and an outrageous Chilul Hashem. And if I don’t protest this stupidity then I’m a Rasha!

  • To #2

    You are absolutely correct. Vanihu be’ainanu kachagovim!

    First a “clarification” is issued on plain stationery with no signature and we claim a great victory!

    Now Chabad is the only ones who went on their knees begging to be invited. Enough of this inferiority complex!

  • CH Lubavitcher

    First of all, after Rabbi Kotler’s words, he should have had the grace to invite us personally. That didn’t happen.

    Although I think we should go, sadly, we have been made to feel so unwelcome, I doubt after the whole fiasco many Lubavitchers will attend. I also doubt their intentions (in Lakewood) were 100% pure, for I’m willing to assume that they have many empty seats they want to fill, and if Lubavitchers will be the ones to help them fill some, they’ll take it. Regardless, for whatever it’s worth, I [though anonymous and a pushiter yid] would encourage all Lubavitchers able to attend to go. If nothing else, perhaps it would make a klee for Hashem to see that we are making hishtadlus (a klee) to overcome our nisyonos, so Hashem would reciprocate that hishtadlus by helping to guide us in the proper path. Perhaps we should also bring our kuntres umaayon along. A proper forum to study that maamar.

  • happy

    to#4 i think the fuss was made on what was said that we are not part of klal israel

  • shlomo as always with bad English

    what about shvey, braun. we have enough our own reason to mahlokes. isn’t so?

  • Photo has Smatphone user

    Someone using a smartphone, Is that not the Internet ?

  • im sitting on a cucumber

    Dear fellow Anash,

    If you understand the whole story , isnt it painfully obvious?

    1) They need our support ( they use us when they need us) How many chabad instutions around the globe feed these people on shabbos when they have buisness to conduct in bombay, or chile? How many minyanim do they need us for when they are stuck in alaska and need a minyan.?

    2) When its good for them they need us.. when its not they dont.. so this is the way its been for over 30 years .
    3) The issue is the internet.. its the same with t.v. cellphones and microwaves… either you are smart enough to control yourself and make sure parents are involved with what their kids have access to, or not. Are the gdolei hador trying to be the first ones here and Rabbi Kotler trying to earn brownie points..

    4) They laughed and cursed us for years about mivtzoim.. all of the sudden KIRUV is the next hot thing…
    They cursed us about chanuka and our menorahs on the cars.. suddenly it wasnt such a bad idea
    and now they want to ban the internet all together ..
    but it seems that this whole argument and apology is on the net… so genius… whats the point.

    i need to get a heter from them to learn online?
    or check the news?
    or give a donation?

    what about oorah? how are they gonna do online auctions to pay by credit card…. i know were getting shafted for a cucumber.. yep that famous cucumber slogan call cucumber so we can rip you off and pocket the money for KIRUV…

    the whole thing is baloney

    Have a great day

    New Haven Cheering Squad for the NET!

  • Yossel Ferd

    They are so desperate to sell tickets that they will soon invite deformed, preservative, deconstructionist, denewal and the Kabbalah Centre.

    In fact, if they invited the Kabbalah Centre and had Madonna sing, it would be the only way they could recoup their costs!

  • Yossel Ferd

    these people?!?!

    They are JEWS, just like all of us. The very purpose of a Chabad House in Maryland or Mumbai is to welcome JEWS!

    You go lower than they supposedly did (and the whole RMK story is a misunderstanding at best and a lie by a scurrilous blogger at worst) by referring to our brothers in this derogatory manner.

    The asifa itself is a mistake that is costing the planners money, because the Internet cat is already out of the bag and the days for this type of asifa are over. They would be better off spending $5000 for an interactive site explaining how to avoid schmutz than having this asifa.

    The Skulener Rebbe never had any arguments with Chabad.

  • Just me

    Lots of us need to learn how to read and grow up. Things happen so how do we respond. How would the Rebbe react to our reaction now?

  • To # 12

    Interesting when it came to the Satmar all the way in Monroe no one was too weak to go there. They even knocked on his door at 12:10 am!

    Only when it comes to Chabad we have to come begging for an invitation. Someone is too weak too make it to Crown Heights!

    I hear Rabbi Heller was the only one who really understood the situation. He is reputed to have said it doesn’t merit our attention.

    Why don’t we have the same self respect the Rebbe Zatzal had?

  • Jews better than Jews?

    I’ve heard of Jews better than goyim. How does one have the audacity to say that one Jew is better than another?

    Okay, maybe, some time ago, the non-Lubavitch Frum world were critical of some of the things we do. But, if now, they came to their senses and recognize it as a good thing after all, why can’t we accept their doing t’shuvah? Doesn’t Ahavas Yisreol apply to Frum Yidden too?

  • What would the Rebbe do?

    The Rebbe would condemn them in the strongest terms. When our Mosdos innocently went to get money from those who associated with Bnei Brak (the guy who R’ Kotler said was his mentor), the Rebbe demanded that they remove his name from the stationary of those Mosdos without exception, and at that time nobody uttered a word against Lubavitch, they were even ready to give money, but since they were that kind of people, the Rebbe didn’t want any of his Chasidim to have anything to do with them.

    The Rebbe loved every Jew with the last fiber of his soul, but when you tread on Lubavitch, you’re off the chart. As the Rebbe once said with a tune “Di Vos Zeinen Fun Di Vos V’Hivdilanu Meihem” (those who are from those from those whom Hashem separated us from them), and whom he called an Uma Shfeila (low people), referring to Misnagdim of this sort who sorrily hate us and would rather Daven privately than to Daven with a Chabad Minyan.

    And I witnessed it with my own eyes when I was in a Chabad House for a Shabbos and next door was a certain Misnagdisher Godol, who stood on the porch watching us Daven with a Minyan, but he himself wouldn’t come even to hear Krias Hatorah, even when his host did come to Daven with our Minyan.

    R’ Kotler told the truth the way they really feel, except he thought he was talking to the old Satmar, but he forgot that today Satmar changed dramatically, as the Rebbe once said about Satmar even when they did terrible things to us, that after all they are Talmidei Habaal Shem Tov. But never would the Rebbe say anything of this sort about Misnagdim. Like when the Rebbe screamed (yes screamed) on R’ Kahane, “ba mir iz a vunder vos hot ir tzu ton mit em” (I am bewildered at what business do you have with this guy – from Bnei Brak-). The stories about the Rebbe’s opinion of real Misnagdim are too numerous to list here.

    In our case its much worse. R’ Kotler’s statement boomeranged in such a way that all Chasidishe groups were sticking up for Lubavitch, and they started canceling their participation. The Misnagdim realized that they’re in trouble and the whole Citifest will bomb out, so they went into panic mode, and they threw us a few dry bones: 1) fake retraction/denial/apology/misunderstanding blablabla. 2) mobilize the Skulener who last week when he was asked to invite Lubavitch, said I have no say, I’m only an old man and I go where they drag me, now he became a main player. 3) they found some of our Kanoim (Neturei Karta of Lubavitch) who are interested in turning us into Satmar/Kanoim/Misnagdim to drag our Rabbonim into a mess. 4) Lubavitch became the laughing stock of the entire Jewish world that we’re saving the Misnagdim. 5) the Chasidim will never trust us again, after we undermine their efforts to stick up for us and we stab them in the back by playing like fools into the hands of our haters.

    Shame, Shame, Shame, we owe the Rebbe a big apology.

  • litmus test

    I think a litmus-test, to clarify their true intensions would be if they ask a Lubavitcher Moireh Hoiro’oh to speak at the event.

  • they mingled among the nations

    Psalms Chapter 106

    But they mingled among the nations, and learned to do what they did;
    36. And they served their idols; which became a snare to them!
    37. And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to idols,
    38. And shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood!
    39. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and played the harlot in their doings!
    40. And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he loathed his own heritage!
    41. And he gave them into the hand of the nations; and those who hated them ruled over them!
    42. And their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand!
    43. Many times he saved them; but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity!
    44. Nevertheless, when he heard their cry, he regarded their affliction;
    45. And he remembered for them his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his loving kindness!
    46. And he caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive!
    47. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and to triumph in your praise!
    48. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting; and let all the people say, Amen. Hallelujah!

  • umm

    tTHANX BUT NO THANKS, EVER HEARD OF SELF CONTROL?! SO HAPPY MISNAGDIM HAVE TO RALLY TO ABSTAIN OF THE INTERENT. WHAT A BUNCH OF BOZOS!!

  • Another positive step toward achdus

    A beautiful opportunity to CHOOSE achdus versus pirud. Let’s dan l’chof zechus everyone involved and bring light to the situation with our ahavas Yisroel. Even if they erred slightly in the beginning, the fact that they want to rectify it is a cause for celebration. May all of our egos be m’vateled for the good forever!

  • meyer vait fun baal hanes

    is all this worth the bital zman, loshon gass, loshon hora.
    go or dont go vzehu

  • Chaim at Facebook.com

    Can Beis Rivkah send out a Facebook invite to all the students? That way I know my daughter will go.

  • Wake up and smell the coffee

    There is no doubt that the Rebbe will not be there. Chabad is Tachas Hounan. No real chassid has anything to do there. At this gathering the words from the 12 pesukim that every little child lives with v’hinay Hashem nitzov olove u’mloiy choll hoaoretz kevoidoy umabit ulove uboichen kloyois volev eem oivdoiy kerouy will not even be thought of or mentioned. Definitely klall Yisoel knows better.