Shemtov Ousted – Yet Again – from Running Simchas Beis
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — History repeats itself, Yisroel Shemtov who has been organizing and running Simchas Beis Hashuaiva for 28 years, has been forced out once again from the show, courtesy of the new Vaad.
This development came after Shemtov initiated a conversation with members of the new Vaad; asking for a meeting about the Simchas Beis Hashuaiva so that there would be “no misunderstandings.”
Shemtov told CrownHeights.info that in the meeting the new Vaad told him he will have no say in organizing the event, nor will he have a say on who will perform or what songs will be played, all he will be allowed to do is emcee the event and should he interfere or overstep they will escort him away.
In a Sicha on the nights of Chol Hamoed in 5752 the Rebbe explicitly said that there shall be no Hasogos Gvul [intruding on another’s business] in the matter of who runs Simchas Beis Hashuaiva. The Rebbe used unusually harsh words saying that one “must be very careful” and “that it shouldn’t affect the spirit liveliness of the event.” [see attached images of the Sicha]
In an attempt to prevent what was happening Shemtov went to Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and asked him to intervene on his behalf, only to be turned away and told to got to Rabbi Schwei. Upon approaching Rabbi Aaron Yaakov Schwei he was told that they have to have this discussion together with the new Vaad and that he cannot do anything without them.
So they met once again all together in a conference call and after hearing the new Vaad lay out their plan to have Shemtov only as emcee Rabbi Schwei said that he cannot intervene since the [new Vaad] made a unanimous decision.
This is the second time that Shemtov has been ousted since starting the Kingston Avenue affair in 5742 [1982]. The first time he was violently thrown from the stage and suffered a number of injuries along with a broken arm. He has since made a second Simchas Beis Hashuaiva in front of 770, but later reconciled and returned to the original location on Kingston after Moshe Rubashkin, chairman of the old Vaad, worked out an agreement with him.
Reb Yisrolik Shemtov notified us that he will not go back to making a Simchas Beis Hashuaiva in front of 770 again, “they didn’t care not for what the Rebbe said and not for the work I put into starting this” he said.
me myself and i
Intresting.
Last few years I saw shemtov standing by stage and having the yellow flags in his face (it was disgusting) but he kept his cool and didn’t stop them. Then I also heard yechie being played again and again.
What is it that the new vaad feels they need to change?
Hey I wana discuss this thing with the new vaad weres those numbers?
happy
WHAT A SICK PLACE. IM SICK OF THE WHOLE VAAD THING
Al Eileh Ani Bochia
New Vaad, New Machlokes, New Year.
Those self serving individuals forced themselves on us with their farce elections, those that voted only did so out of spite for Rubashkin, and their right to feel like they made a difference. Look at the difference you all made, you took what little we had left and ripped it up in to tiny little pieces.
Sperlin, Kadaner, Bronstein, and Poltorak you all are running around spearing your propaganda letters taking credit for the ‘unification’ of the Rabbonim when you had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with it. Yet in the very same breath you spawned a whole new set of fights.
It is high time we as a community publicly shun these people from our midst, throw them out from their posts that they claimed like the leadership in Iran with their rigged elections. Throw their children out from our schools. Publicly shun them in our Shuls, and no longer count them as part of a Minyan.
This is the only way this holocaust will stop.
disgusted out of towner
in the 10 days of teshuva, atleast pretend to care for achdus.
Reb Yisroel has a heart of gold, and did more for this community than any vaad in history.
Al tiftach Peh, Chas vesholom, but the writing is on the wall, please don’t destroy what’s left of this community.
let the new vaad worry about the pritzus on kingston, rather then, how long yechi will be song.
Just an anonymous friend
Al Eileh…
I used to live in Crown Heights, and moved b’h. My life has been happy and fulfilled ever since. I do think though that with it being yom Kippur next week, you should choose your words wisely. Even when you are angry (and you sure have a right to be), Ha$hem is up there watching and hearing how you speak of another Jew. So even though in this forum you are anonymous, the Big Guy up there knows exactly who you are. Please don’t be angry with me for saying this to you as this is just a friendly reminder. Wishing you and all klal Yisroel a happy new year filled with excellent health, wealth and bracha in all that you do, ksiva vechasima tova.
Something missing?
Vhaikar chaser: the vaad didn’t “throw him out.” he approached them with demands, which they refused (they pay for it!). As you yourself write, he initiated the discussion… The vaad would be glad leaving him in charge….
DISGUSTED IN-TOWNER!
Rabbi Shemtov has always put himself above the garbage that went on year after year. I look forward to a nice, Tznius, balabatishe Simchas Beis UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP & my family will boycott (as always) the insane stuff that goes on on Kingston.
So much for Achdus. And so much for these two Rabbis. Spineless.
Happy New Year! Bah, humbug!
MCA
It’s clear from the quote in the sicha that the Vaad should be giving more “baalus” to Yisroel Shemtov, and that at the same time Shemtov should never make an alternative SBH…
Avremi Gourarie
There are two sides to every story, and I’m sure this story is no exception.
A couple of years back I was the band at Simchas Beis Hashoeiva. That was the year the Va’ad Hakohol and Rabbi Shemtov came together to create a unity Simchas Beis Hashoeiva. It was the first time in some years that there weren’t 2 events. Achdus prevailed for the most part. Moshe Rubashkin and Yisroel Shemtov both compromised on many details and I was moved by the efforts on both sides to keep the peace. One of the rules they agreed on – and I know it may seem petty to some – was an agreement that for at least for 10 minutes of every hour Y’chi would be played. Now here’s the detail that I want everyone to know. Rabbi Shemtov would constantly remind me of this. He would make sure that every hour his part of the bargain to play Y’chi would be kept. He was meticulous about this. I know Rabbi Shemtov as someone who has firm political beliefs, but is above all, a man of peace. I think the new Va’ad needs to explain how it is they were not able to resolve this peacefully.
What is the Vaad-s side of the story
Why doesn’t this article mention whether they even tried to contact the new vad for their comment? It seems the vad didn’t throw him out, he could still be MC and who knows what else. Get the other side’s story.
MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chevra come on, we have to realize the choice of words we use, if we aren’t changing anything, then don’t say them, it just fuels machlokes, and if if will change, well Shulchan Aruch, our guide for life, explains how we’re supposed to go about that, by speaking to a person privately. when people leave comments like this…i wonder where is that gadlus of chabad, where is that vinNiflinu, that YES, despite all the day to day problems which ALL communities have, we handle them in a whole different manner… viniflinu.
ojmuhbvl
does that mean lipa wont sing there?
(if you went to the soul to soul concert you would knew what im talking about.)
So...?
What does any of this (Vaad, Guest, Etc.) have to do with the Rebbe?!
Crown Heights is the new uman, and they want to dance their way.
Why do the Lubavitchers want to mix their Rebbe in to everything?
CHT
As far as pritzus, I would like to remind when Shemtov was directly involved against it, these were best years of Simchas Beis Hashoiva in this regards. However, then he got into center stage and started doing more MC rather than patrolling around, it gone really bad as far as pritzus. I care nothing about politics, but I would rather have Shemtov back into having role in this policing – it really makes no difference to me who choose artists, collect funds, MC and etc.
nb
emcee?
Do you mean MC — Master of Ceremonies?
Come on guys!!!
Shem Tov-s Style Still Lives
Rabbi Shem Tov …. Crown Heights is not the same Crown Heights you and grew up in. You create as wonderful atmosphere …. you brought K’dusha… you patrolled the street to make sure all stayed KOSHER.
When you took care of it … you made sure the Rebbe had Nachas … there was NO AGENDA. Now SB“H has become Agenda filled. Please know … your spirit lives on all over the world … we brought YOUR STYLE of SB”H to cities world-wide. The CH style of today is hunned everywhere.
Thank You for all you do.
PS ….. The VAAD … The Rabbonim … are all a MELECH with out an AM. How sad!
Sholom H.
If the old Rebbe was around this would not be happening! New Rebbe Now! Hashem will send Moshiah when we are ready. New Rebbe Now!
Yoroelik G
I, personally, am turned off from the simchas beis hashoeva arguments and politics. Rabbi shemtov does a great job and if he isn’t in charge I will not be there to dance!!!
Here We Go Again
Avremi Gourarie, A groise yasher coach on two counts; for what you said, and for informing us who said it
.
As for you, Ms.“disgusted in-towner”, don’t blame Rav Osdoba for turning Yisroel away. How can you expect him to influence “people” who ran in an election he opposed. These are Rabbi Schwei’s boys, hook, line, and sinker.
tzvi
You guys twiated the sichoh! It’s the other way around! The baalabatim are the Vaad Hakohol that will be funding the event. When you pay for it you are the boss. “Der vos hot dee mayeh hot dee deyeh”.
A MISHACHIST
AL EILEH, IT IS SO GOOD THAT YOU DON ‘T LIVE IN THE REBBE’S SHCHUNA ANYMORE AND YOU LIVE SUCH A WONDERFUL LIFE, I’M SURE THE REBBE MUST BE SOOOOO VERY PROUD OF YOU!….
AS FAR AS SHEM TOV GOES, THERE’S GOT TO BE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY. I REMEMBER A YEAR WHEN SHEM TOV WOULD FORCIBLY NOT ALLOW YECHI TO BE PLAYED BUT YOU WERE ABLE TO CONVINCE HIM TO CHANGE HIS MIND. I DON’T THINK HE STARTED THE SIMCHAS BAIS HASHOEIVA PROGRAM, BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, HE DID A FAIRLY GOOD JOB OF IT AND THE VAAD SHOULDN’T BE SO FOOLISH AS TO TRY TO RULE WITH AN IRON HAND, IT’S ALWAYS BETTER TO TRY TO WORK TOGETHER. WHO KNOWS MAYBE THAT WOULD HELP BRING MOSHIACH.SO HOW ABOUT IT VAAD, GIVE IT A SECOND THOUGHT.
GM
the brilliant Chanina is always saying that “this isnt the middle east..”
well, this isnt communist Russia either.
We are seriously letting these people change what the Rebbe put in place? and, no need to mix the Rebbe in, being as they seem to be mixing him out: What crime did Yisroel Shemtov commit? is it being harassed by the shameful flags and stomaching it? is it allowing a song which is sung out of context and taken as such as well, to be played as to appease the dancing mob?
emcee vs. MC
They are both correct btw…
BM training lol
Mrs Chaya Leah Greengarten
Yes the time has arrived for us to say we must appoint a new Rebbe.
We cannot replace the Rebbe zy”a of the same stature; but we need a person of flesh and blood to speak with and hear hadrocho from, in the here and now
This in no way denergrates the enormous achievements over 42 years it shows and understanding of the world around us.
No man has lived forever, Not Moshe Rabbenu not Rashi not the Maharal of Prague and not the Rebbe.
We thought that he was going to be Moshiach in his lifetime but G-d chose differently.
We have grave problems to address, without distractions:
Tznius is at an alltime low, women in short skirt who do not cover their hair and wear uper garments with very low necklines.
Men who in ever increasing numbers cutting their
beards.
Children on the streets, with no or little interest in Torah and Mitzvos
etc etc etc.
We need to reach in, NOW
DallasJew
yisroel shemtov is indeed a gem.
most will still come by to dance and gawk..including shemtov folks n all – its one of those things. Just be happy!
too bad singing yechi makes so much nonsense blabber overall as in who cares.?…all that come ignore it as rabble and idiocity. The tzvatim will dance to it over and over to ad naseaum until they drop under the weight of those yellow banners. So be it, we’re not gonna change it..not when so many holy (sic) names affixed their signature to that stupid paper called a declaration…..blablabla…as they did many years ago, infamously. A broch!
The dude croaking about he moved OUT,and now is fulfilled – yup, sure, nice try….keep trying to believe that….
You know where it all is, and thats CH! With or without the machlokes, every hood’s got ’em. Thats’s life until Moshiach shows up on our doorstep.
I hope the door didn’t hurt your behind….
and a happy new year to all!
michol wiess
this is so sad if we really care we as crown hights pepole that care have to stick up for rabbi shemtov who is up nights helping pepole from this com-unity so lets all gather in front of the vaads office tommorow to show support for rabbi shemtov how about 6:00 tommorow nights tuesday 9-22-09
send it out by text email and spread the word i will be there …… 6:00
The Day is here!!!
You know, there’s gonna come a day in our community not to distant, people are going to say, “Why didn’t somebody tell us? Why didn’t somebody warn us what was happening in our community?” Well, I’m the guy telling you. You have been warned. You are being told. You know of all the other times in history where people said, “Gee, they took this away and I didn’t say anything, took that away and didn’t say anything. Finally came for me and there was nobody left to defend me.” I (and some others) have been letting you all know exactly what’s happening in this community and will happen. There will not be an excuse down the road for somebody to say, “Nobody told me. Why didn’t somebody tell us this? I just didn’t know,” because you are being told, I’m the guy telling you!. You have been warned!
Great!!
This is great. Now everyone can come out halb-naket and the boys and girls can hang around together under the hashgocha of Rabbi Schwei and the new vaad. B”H we can bring the Rebbe much nachas again with more machloikes in our community.
disgruntled
how sad that the rabbis are scared of the vaad and that daas torah is not running crown heights………shem tov has done many beneficial things for crown heights and the rabbis should have not just sat by and watched this injustice happen……..i blame the rabbis its their job to lead the community and not let the political vaads rule……..step up rabbi osdoba and speak out against wrongs in our community…….
hy
you know i would be very happy making a second simchas bais hashiava, where normal people can attend, no pushing no machlokas no tzfas wakos, just pure chaisdieshe joy! i would be happy to sponsor lipa for the kids….maybe this is the best remedy. ain mul fahr eleh
A former CHer
To A MISHACHIST
After growing up in Kan Tzivah in the lameds, mems and nun’s, I too left with my family two years ago. I posit the Rebbe has much nachas from our decision. My wife and I were slowly but surly distencing ourselves from the nonsense until we realized we have no community, no chizuk, and no longer had any richniuos inspiration to speak of. We were raising children in this environment and realized that for the sake of our kids we had to get out.
BH this RH was the most eleveting I had since I saw the Rebbe blow tikioys beinei bosor. I don’t preach leaving CH b/c I think for many it is the best place they can be. But for those that relate to my above comments, it is time to consider an alternitive. Every time I read a post like this I realize there is no peaceful end in sight for the Rebbe’s shchuna. Sad, very sad.
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.....
Now you are yelling HASOGAS GEVUL!?!? Why doesn’t shemtov ask his son-in-law and his mechuton about HASOGAS GEVUL?
Now the Rebbe’s sichos are magically “holy” – that you quote and show how the Rebbe’s holy words really mean YOU?!?
What about the injustices that were and are directed at people who gave thier whole nefesh and guf for the Rebbe’s enyonim? What about them?
Enough Already
We have to wait until Shevat when the Rabbonim will sit down and make peace. Until then, Mendy Hendel will run the place and just continue making more and more machlokes amongst our community. Time to get rid of him and his people.
to Mrs Chaya Leah Greengarten
We can’t set up a stage and keyboard withhout fighting. We can’t make a farbrengen without fighting. Or a Kinus Hashluchim…
How do you propose we agree on who this new “rebbe” will be?
Who do you nominate? Yudel Krinsky? Shlomo Cunin? Yoel Kahn? An outsider from Williamsburg?
Moishe
This is all very simple. Reb Sperlin does not like the Shemtovs. The nephew in DC, Levi, denied Sperlin the ability to see the great President Bush for 8 years. Now it is payback, no Shemtov power in Crown Heights. Simple.
Also, this street dancing violates the civil laws- the late hours, discriminating against women by making them stand on the sidewalks. That is illegal.
If I were a nonJew in magic land, Crown Heights, I could easily close down this silliness by invoking the law. Where else by in Chelm, I mean Crown Heights, can women be sent to the sidelines, music till 6 am?
Unless, a ha! unless you know Reb Sperlin, endorse Blumberg, and get what you want. Vos noch, amigo?
To mrs chaya....
To mrs.chaya leah whatever…how do you have the chutspa to even think of souch a thing!if you truly do care maybe you’ll actually do what the rebbe said to do to hasten the geula !and as for the garbege that goes on in ch ever thoght about the other side of the coin ?like how much chesed ch has like hosting all the Orchim which isn’t cheap and the kids ofering their rooms for a month which other community does stuff like that?!
mushka
Reading this article, I cant say that there is a ‘side’ we should be taking, especially in Aseres Yemei Teshuva. Its ridiculous how there can never just be peace in CH. But there was one shocking comment here- Mrs C.L. Greengarten, with all due respect, have you learned the Rebbe’s sichos? Your comment is shocking. I can hardly believe you proclaim yourself to be a Lubavitcher who has learnt what your Rebbe has to teach, and then can go say something that is so blatantly against everything the Rebbe ever taught! I cant believe I just read that on this website.
Mendel
The Rebbe also said that Moshiach is coming any day now. so what?
say yechi charlie:
i nominate charlie buttons to be the new rebbe. we can call him “the buttoner rebbe.”
annonymus
To mrs chaya lea greengarten.
if after all the rebbes sichos about the chashivus of this dor ‘ ikvesa demeshicha ‘ and that we are the last gnr of galus and the first generation of geula, and as the rebbe said on yud shevat that his mission in this world is to bring moshiach – – – if after all that and much more you can even think about a ‘new rebbe’!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????
maybe thats why there are crazy mishechists in this world – to make even with the crazy antis!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe it you pepele are like kids always arguing why don’t you STOP
CH Hater
If a Simchas Beis Hashoeiva, a farbengen or a kinnus cannot be organised without machloikes, what makes you think that appointing a new Rebbe will not be met with machloikes.
My vote goes for the Liozner Rebbe, he is already a Rebbe, so his pay doesn’t need increasing when he gets promoted to be the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He already has his own Rebbishe Shitck, he doesn’t have much of a following, it is all perfect.
There could be a slight problem in that he doesn’t beleive in the same chassidus as we do, but at least his pareve in terms of yechi or not- in fact i’m sure he could write a historical book on Yechi and solve all of our problems.
I am so glad I don’t live in Crown Heights, I am so glad I never return back to Crown Heights, and I will only let my kids go to the Ohel, you’re all a bunch of crazies!
t s
sounds like purim year round in crown heights
To Mrs Chaya Leah Greengarten
Thank You Mrs Chaya Leah Greengarten there are many people that agree with your line of thinking but don’t have the guts to put in writing like you heroically did. The infighting we have witnessed since Gimmel Tammuz, is in part, a result of a global organization, like Chabad, being run without a leader and that’s just one of the reasons myself and many others agree with you.
It-s over
Time to close down the whole thing and then we can get rid of the pritzus, drugs and the rest of the garbage that it comes with today.
Anyways, this fight is just another nail in the Rebbe’s coffin for all those that shout we are doing this in the name of the Rebbe.
Flatbush Dad
to CH Hater
I am so happy you are never coming back and sooo happy that your happy and suffice is it to just go to the Ohel. Like someone else said above don’t let the door hit your backside.
Folks like you we surely don’t need. So you fall for all this tumult because of such situations? Is the answer to run away? You actually think the grass is greener somewhere else? If you are real, you know well the grass ain’t greener no way on no other side…unless all you want is an empty 1/2 acre yard to show for.
The Rebbe is in hiding and until he/Hashem/whoever decides that we’ve had enough…this is what we need to deal with. Its called LIFE! Life brings on all sorts of challenges. The weak gather there tails and run.
Mrs greenglow above or whatever her name is, is likely just a disgruntled blogger..a true lubab of course has no such thought.
That said, there are a heck of alot of families living and thriving in CH. There are 35 shuls that are full and if you don’t want to go to 770 just don’t. If you don’t want to dance at SB just don’t…no one is forcing you . Yup its tough out there….make the best of it.
CH Hater
Spoken like a true Crown Heightser Flatbush Dad, it’s just ironic that your name is ‘Flatbush Dad’, maybe you’ve found greener grass somewhere??
What-s the fuss?
It’s funny that everyone is going on and on about this “fight,” and what not, adding it to the list of serious machlokisin that have been plaguing the community.
But if you read this article, it actually sounds pretty normal and healthily political. In fact, it’s a happy story: Yisrolik conditioned his running the SBH; the Vaad, who pays for the SBH denied the condition, but allowed him to stay under current terms; they went to a Rov (like Yidden do!), and the Rov ruled (agree with the ruling or not). So Yisrolik resigned.
This is actually serious progress for CH. No one punched anyone in the face, no one shouted, no one even personally attacked anyone. Just competing visions for the SBH, worked out like adults, with the help of a Rov. Beautiful, actually.
Money Money Money
To all those of you saying that the Vaad pays for it, I dont know what you are basing those statements on but I know that Reb Yisrolik collects money for this even with appeals in shuls along with flyers posted on these very websites.
So, no they dont pay for it, maybe they contribute, but trust me I highly doubt it is of any significance. I mean they are crying that they money is all tied up and that the Rubashkin Vaad stole MILLIONS, afterall I think I even have some sympathy for this Vaad taking on such a great financial burden! Maybe we should all give them our money too!
Clean up CH
We should’nt be blaming Mrs. Greenglass for her thoughts; it’s a direct result of enabling the extremists instead of marginalizing them.
If you want to look for the cause of why some are suggesting a “new Rebbe”, look no further than the yellow revolitionists that can be found smack in the midlle of 770.
Is 5770 the year we clean up 770? I hope so.
me
ch hater ..seems flatbush dad is his screen name?? regardless it is irrelevant as he speaks as a true ch’er so u must be in denial. ;)
kinda lame if you’re pickin on his screen name lol now is it?? time to admit he has a point or two ehh?
will everyone just get along?
yossele
HaTerem teyda ki avda mitzrayim?!
not wright!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i do not get you people evryone you say that the new vaad does this they do that i know that it would not be easy but if half of c.h. does not like them then get rid of them for evry little thing that happens here they need to wrong this is not fair rabbi shem tov was doing a good job and now he is out and no one is ging to say something?
this is realy not wright!!!!!!!!!
yoni
we don’t need a new rebbe. We can’t replace our rebbeim with anything else, and sadly, most who would replace him would cause more harm than good.
A rebbe needs to know how to lead, and to have the courage to stand up and do differently when necessery.
What we need is to establish leadership, however. i suggest that we turn to the rebbe’s closest shluchim. (and his will.)
… there are times that i wished the rebbe was still here because i knew for certain that he would help me, noone else seemed willing, or indeed to understand the problem.
I also think that the nature of a highly dense jewish neighborhood is having a corosive influence on CHers, but at least i can say that many CH’ers have their middos intact, as well as a comprehension of he basics of tznius, more so than most other NYers who dress the dress but their tzniut stops there.
yoni
and i should mention that the rebbe is only as “Dead” as we let him be. It isn’t through yechi that we continue the rebbe’s life, but through furthering his shlichus, as it says in regards to sara imeinu. The portion (which isn’t too far away now) called “chayyei sara” is strange because it does not deal with her life, but with her death. Rather the answer (and i think i read it in the rebbe’s writings) is that when we fulfill someone’s legacy, their life’s mission, then they continue to be present in the world.
If we wish for the rebbe’s bracha to be upon us that means actualy practicing his shlichut. It seems to me that yechi is nothing but a comfort and distraction. If we want to be close to the rebbe, to be good shluchim, then we need to focus on what he told us to do. To spread achdus, ahavas yisroel, mitzvos, and to try to be “lamp lighters” spreading torah and mitzvos where ever we go, raising the fallen, and inspiring the uninspired.
and that means not trying to mekarev people so that we can add another “soul” saved, because that is an anathama to the “saved” but rather caring about their welfare, happiness, wellbeing, and lives. If we care about their lives, then they will feel that care and attempt to emulate us. We Mekarev people by our example. Better than protesting the rebbe’s dignity, we should be living examples of the life that he wanted his chassidim to lead. Protesting like that only leads to machlokes, which would certainly make the rebbe feel sad.
Leadership Solutions
‘What we need is to establish leadership, however. i suggest that we turn to the rebbe’s closest shluchim. (and his will.)’
Yoni – you write tzom zach but you bought into Rebbe = Shlichus lock, stock and barrel. Lubavitch being a shlichus movement is only one aspect of the Rebbe’s life, mission, and vision. Learn the Sichos, Learn the maamorim, and you will see that Shlichus is not emphasized as much one would think (kind of like how extreme mashichisten have taken Rebbe = Moshiach way out of context).
I would suggest the leadership must be comprised of a) Mashpiim 2) Rabonim/Poskim and 3) Shluchim (in no particular order).
Yoel Kahn/R’ Sholom Chartonov/other heavy hitter and Rabbi Heller/R Shusterman/other heavy hitter need to influance the direction of lubavitch/anash at least as much as R’ Yudel Krinsky/ R’ Avremel Shemtov.
The problem is getting all these people in a room is hard enough, let alone have them try and form a “leadership committee”
yoni
Shlichus takes many forms, one can do shlichus towards the inside, outside, formaly or informaly. Every chabadnik is a shliach, every interaction you make is shlichus.
but i think you are right, the rabbanim need to be involved with things.
Its unlikely, but perhaps they can be prevailed upon to work together. However, i’m not sure that the rebbe wanted chabad to stay centralized. With an organization as big as chabad, that can be very hard. Personaly i think that he intended to turn things over to local leadership, in every area.
in CH that would probably be the rabbanim and roshei yeshivot.
There does need to be local unified leadership. (and probably some loose collaberation of efforts, campaigns, etc. amoungst leaders of different communities.)
Leadership Solutions
‘Personaly i think that he intended to turn things over to local leadership, in every area.’
Interesting thought (and one which I relate to conceptually). Very messy in implementation though. As broad a tent as Chabad promotes there still needs to be a line in the sand somewhere. Whether the line is Shlomo Carlbach, Shmuli Boteach, The mishichist school in Chicago (can’t remember her name at the moment) Wolpe, or the marginal but radical elokistin, there needs to be someone or group that sets a limit of what chabad stands for and its direction/focus. The nepotism and lack of meritocracy inherent in a local leadership model is another downside in the approach.
In any case, you seem like a well thought out guy and hope you have some influence with the powers that be to influence future decisions. There’s a lot of room for communal improvement and not many that are stepping up to the plate.
Gmar Chasima Tova.
ATT CH HATER
You are a hateful person.
Thanks for dissing our community, I hope your kids grow to be better than you are.