Sunday Dollars Continues

On Sunday 23 Adar II, April 3, 2005, dollars were once again distributed in 770.

According to reports, Gabbai Zalman Lipsker had hired a few Yungerleit to chase away the people in charge of the Dollars. At first, the two doors leading into the front hallway were locked and no one could enter it, so no one arrived to give out any dollars.

In order to prevent altercations, the Sefadi students had decided to hand out the dollars on the front lawn of 770.

However, an unforeseen development arose: The students wrote to the igros, which directed them in no uncertain terms, not to alter the place of the dollar distribution under any circumstances. With such a clear and definitive directive, the stalwart soldiers had no choice but to stand up to the powers-that-be and act.

At 2:50 PM, with the other students at lunch break, the Sefadi contingent managed to break through the door between the upstairs Shul and the front hallway. They placed a table with a blue cushion, sang yechi, and gave out dollars for a few minutes. About 10 Sefadi students participated.

After some requisite fistfighting and after being banished from the interior front hallway of 770, a small group of men women and children today planted themselves on the front lawn of 770 Eastern Parkway, arranged themselves in a circle around a cushioned table, singing various songs such as Yechi Adoneni.

Participants in the charade walked away from the table clutching crisp dollar bills.

Around the small group at the center stood a larger group looking on incredulously.

Perhaps most pitiful about this whole thing is that the group of people at the center of this circus seem to be able to somehow, retroactively, in some funny way, project some of the cynicism and sarcasm with which people view their craziness onto the Rebbe’s own revered custom of Sunday dollars.

Almost to the day, 13 years after the Rebbe ceased distributing dollars on Sunday afternoons, the Sefadi students at 770 today began filling his role.

This afternoon, a table was set up in the front hallway of 770 – the famed vestibule where the Rebbe would spend countless hours counseling, guiding and disbursing blessings. The table, manned by a group of Sefadis armed with a pack of crisp, brand new, dollar bills – was placed on the same place the Rebbe’s table stood as he would receive thousands on Sunday afternoons.

Deciding that a minor annoyance – the lack of the Rebbe’s physical presence – would not deter them from their business, the individuals decided re-institute the custom, announcing that in fact, the Rebbe was handing out the dollar bills. They filed by and took dollar bills off the table. A student promptly replaced every dollar removed from the table with another one for the next in line.

The Sefadis, many of whom have never seen the Rebbe on their own, have determined that they are empowered to take the Rebbe’s exalted place. Apparently, they will also be disbursing blessing, counsel and guidance, along with the dollar bills.

After some strong words from some American students at 770, which went unheeded, Rabbi Kuti Feldman, a mentor in 770, arrived and instructed the students to stop. When they ignored him, he began physically taking the table out of the hallway, and a scuffle broke out.

Following that, the Sefadis continued to distribute dollars outside 770.

After a short while, they moved downstairs into the main Shul of 770, where a number of congregants began shouting at them.

In a departure for the Gabbais, who have by-in-large aligned themselves with the Sefadis, Gabbai Rabbi Holtzberg told the students they had no permission to do this.

Before 27 Adar I, 5752, Jew and Gentile would wait patiently in line for their moment with the Rebbe. The Rebbe would hand them a dollar bill to give to charity. Most individuals would retain the dollar which the Rebbe handed to them as a precious keepsake, instead redeeming it and giving another dollar to charity in its place.

It is unknown whether the individuals who received dollars today – which included several nonreligious Jews who also kissed the table where they were told the Rebbe was standing – will be keeping the dollars they received and offering other ones to charity in exchange, or whether they will be giving the originals to charity.

At publication time, it is also unknown whether the Sefadis have secured professional liability insurance in case anyone follows their “Sunday advice” with ill consequence.