Chabad is good at many things. But accepting criticism is not one of them. Every column I publish praising Chabad is met with thousands of comments expressing mostly adulation. But offer a word of criticism and thousands of condemnatory posts ensue. No doubt this column will be greeted with the same. But when the New York Times publishes a major news item, the day before the second secular anniversary of the tragic murders in Mumbai, exposing a public and legal battle between Chabad and the Holtzberg family over Nariman house and the monies collected on behalf of Chabad of Mumbai, a wakeup is in order.
Op-Ed: Correcting the Mumbai Mess
Chabad is good at many things. But accepting criticism is not one of them. Every column I publish praising Chabad is met with thousands of comments expressing mostly adulation. But offer a word of criticism and thousands of condemnatory posts ensue. No doubt this column will be greeted with the same. But when the New York Times publishes a major news item, the day before the second secular anniversary of the tragic murders in Mumbai, exposing a public and legal battle between Chabad and the Holtzberg family over Nariman house and the monies collected on behalf of Chabad of Mumbai, a wakeup is in order.
The horrors of Mumbai and the deaths of Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg served to unite the world behind Chabad and its sacrificial work more than at any other time since its founding. That this too has now become controversial is highly unfortunate.
I have known Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg ever since he and his wife came to our home for Shabbos to address the community of Englewood, about 18 months ago. We quickly became friends and when he turned to me about concerns he had about feeling marginalized and sidelined by the Chabad authorities over the future of Mumbai, I approached the Chabad Mumbai decision-makers and some of its principal philanthropists to try and resolve the issues amicably and quietly. Both sides had a point. The Holtzbergs felt that their children had died in Mumbai and they wanted an important voice in its future. Chabad felt that while that was, of course, true, every Chabad House belongs to the organization rather than any individual. Surely, I thought, a compromise was possible. We are after all one organization, one community, one brotherhood. A part of all us died in Mumbai. A peaceful resolution was essential. But the family felt that the heads of Chabad were being intransigent. They felt they were being treated like a nuisance, while Chabad countered that the family was making unreasonable demands and were ignoring the security recommendations for future uses of Nariman house.
Given that the killings in Mumbai were so utterly tragic and the emotions so raw, it was inevitable that it would elicit strong reactions. Disagreements were inevitable. There have been many disputes among the families of 9/11 as to how Ground Zero ought to be commemorated. But the purpose of this column is not to choose between the two sides. Rather, it is to point out that one of the reasons the dispute was not resolved is that amid the staggering growth of Chabad-Lubavitch, there remains no impartial mechanism by which to settle arguments. So they fester until they erupt, as did this one, in unseemly public spectacles.
I would be less than honest if I did not confess a deep sympathy with the Holtzberg family, not only because I consider Rabbi Holtzberg a close friend but more importantly because the magnitude of his pain and loss is beyond our comprehension. Given what he and his family have endured, it is for us to try and accommodate him rather than the reverse. This is a man whose son and daughter-in-law were murdered before the entire world in the most monstrous fashion by cold-blooded killers. It is a tragedy that should not be compounded by misunderstandings in its aftermath. Any family who have suffered thus would want a permanent connection to the place where their children died and the Holtzbergs naturally want Nariman House to be put to a permanent and consecrated use.
True, a Chabad House belongs to the organization and not to any individual. But to throw that argument at the family when many head Shluchim feel that their sacrifice over decades entitles them to put sons and sons-in-law in positions of significant authority, regardless of qualifications, would seem to belie that premise. And I am highly sympathetic to Shluchim who want their children to work with them. Yes, a man who has toiled in obscurity in some corner of the world feeding thousands of Jewish travellers is going to feel a certain possessiveness of what he has built. He will want his offspring to be a part of it. But in that case we can understand, infinitely more so, why the Holtzbergs feel the same way.
An urgent remedy is needed. First, Chabad should establish a five-panel committee consisting of two leaders of the movement and two members of the family and a third, highly regarded and impartial board member, to make urgent decisions about Mumbai and resolve the impasse (and no, I am not in the running and would never accept the position). Second, Chabad must establish a five person, permanent board of personalities beyond reproach to hear arguments between Shluchim and resolve them with binding arbitration. Yes, head Shluchim are in charge. They went out first and their authority must be respected. But their power is not unlimited. It must be curtailed by an impartial body that protects the rights of subordinates when they have legitimate complaints. Third, a conference of leading Chabad activists and thinkers should be called to address the growing distance between official Chabad Houses and the growing number of what’s known as ‘mushrooms,’ organizations run by Chabad personnel but not under official sanction. Should this issue not be addressed it will lead to increasing fractures within Chabad because of all the young and talented Rabbis who want to go on Shlichus but do so outside official channels either because they feel they lack the proper connections or because they feel they’re being asked for an unreasonable degree of submission to the head Shliach in the area.
Of course we can ignore criticisms and pretend that everything’s great. But that will not work for the world’s media who are increasingly scrutinizing Judaism’s largest and most successful movement. Much more importantly, it will not work for an outstanding organization like Chabad whose very core is justice, righteousness, and G-dliness.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
Whenever there is a problem, Schmendrick has to rear his scrawny little head and make things worse.
Agree 100%
100% on the money. couldn’t have been said better.
CA fan
One of Rabbi Shmuly’s best written pieces ever. He resisted doing what I would have done by not naming names etc. Kol HaKavod.
SHUT HIM UP !!!
Who is HE to tell Chabad what to do? “First, Chabad should….” Since when does he have the right to speak up on these matters, with such false authority? He’s a defrocked Shliach, the one we didn’t want, the one who disgraced himself, Chabad, & most importantly, the Rebbe! Has everyone forgotten his behaviors? Because he writes well,(not in my opinion, but we’ll let that pass) everyone believes he’s intelligent? And worse, that he’s correct?
Are you all so stupid? Webby, I am still shocked that you give this charlatan a voice. As soon as any issue crops up, he writes, you post: sort of like Pavlov’s dogs. By so doing, you give him credibility that he doesn’t deserve.
Boteach needs to face reality. He is not respected, he is a fraud and his only talent lies in having an eye to the main chance. He exploits us with every stroke of a key. It’s about time his self-aggrandizing essays (that he peddles to non-Lubavitch & unfriendly websites & blogs) are ignored.
emeti
lets be eidel when responding, please I beg
Keep talk Shmuly...
It says, a fool is someone that does not know when to keep his mouth (or pen) shut. Even if, you were right on Mumbai, are you not by your own admission a person who has taken a side? Furthermore, as your life has been affected by the Chabad establishment you can never take an honest side when it comes to anything Vs chabad.
To make my point, if this was about Mumbai and not your own personal issues you would not have brought up the mushrooms in this rant of yours. So Shmuly, I say keep talking (writing), as no one is listening, (because of the messenger) and the sad part is whatever comes out of your pen even if there was something worth looking at, because it came from you it automatically becomes poison, since it has to be said, that anything said by a fool must be foolish!
ceo
thankyou Shmuley. Very insightful and sensitive, thoughtful.
we must daven for derech noam u derech yashar, derech HaShem and with the Rebbe’s ways.
A Yid
Rabbi Boteach —
I’ve never been your biggest fan and have disagreed with you on many topics. However, in this case, you hit the nail on the head.
I can tell you from personal experience that Chabad “Leadership” has no clue on how to deal with their dead patrons. They tend to swoop in and try to capitalize on the event(s) to best suit themselves. The argument that somehow Chabad houses belong collectively to the movement is so far from the reality its quite shocking. Each Chabad house represents the Rebbe and the movement and that is quite very different from the movement “owning” them in any way.
All in all, I commend you on this piece. You’ve said it straight to the point with the needle through the heart. It stings but its the stark truth you can’t get away from.
a shliach on shlichus
Very well said.
Sruli Schochet
Yet more machloikes. AD MOHSAI! MOSHIACH MOMISH!
Elki
Dear Shmulie, Maybe we should become pen pals by now. Please reread the following quote from your article:
“Chabad is good …. But accepting criticism is not one of them…”
Your op-eds are always erudite, and במחילת בכוד other writers on this site, a breath of fresh air, BUT.. that BUT is only a visual aid. Surely it would seem that I now that I threw you a compliment, the ‘but’ going to be a doozy. It mitigates the praise of what came before. “I have a great used car to sell you, BUT, the transmission died.” When “but” follows positive words, I know trouble is coming.
And no offense, you seem quite miffed when others critize you.
Secondly…“exposing a public and legal battle…”
I don’t think a Crown Heights/Chabad website has to expose something the NY Times found fit to print. I doubt if most readers were aware of this story and I’m sorry that I now do. I wish I didn’t. It’s not happy or pretty. Of course, there is a lot that needs to be corrected in Chabad (many are major problesms).But I think what ruffles people’s feathers is that you seem to enjoy pointing out all those problems, as if you had an ax to grind.
Of course, I might be wrong, but that ax always has a major role in your writings, which I still enjoy reading.
Hatzlachah and please keep writing.
just thinking out loud
I think you are off the mark on this one. Although Chabad may not be good at accepting criticisem your case in point hardly does justice to your sentiment. to break it down very simply the understandable emtional feelings of the holtzberg family does not change the facts on the ground which is that Gabi and Rivki were shluchim and therfor are part of the Shlichus framework the fact that this tragic event happend has absolutly no barings on the fact of who owns chabad propety and who gets to make decisions of chabad policy in the future. As tough of an emotional situation as this must be for the holtzberg family the bottom line is it is their son that was a shliach not them and and there for have no final say in dicisions that are made. suggesting otherwise is equivelent to saying if a fellow by the name Menachem Mendel works for a major bank and gets killed in a hold up his parents should have a say in the investments and future dircetion on the bank which is obviosly ludicrus. apply the same to any other company like google or the like. even being a shliach does not give you any automatic dicsion power in shlichus policys you join the ranks to follow the orders all the more so being a reletive of a shliach does not give you any official decision power over shlichus policys. of coures it would be nice if Chabad would hear the suggestions of the family but ultimatly the final say remains within the powers of the orgenization. of course if Gabi parents wanted to take up the shlichus postion in Nariman house that would be a lot diffrent.
ps it is intersting that the Rozenbergs name does not apear in any of this. where do they stand?
my view should not be missundertood as less sympathetic to the pain and suffering of the holtzberg family.
Shamed.
Sadly, though I count myself as a person who, like Shmuely says, absolutely cringes when he criticizes Chabad in public (not because I think Chabad is beyond reproach, but because I think public criticism brings dishonor to the Rebbe – and would better be addressed privately) I must -in deep pain- agree with him here.
Surely, surely, surely, the great minds in Merkos etc, could have seen to avoid this Chillul Hashem.Pointing fingers at grieving parents just doesn’t work for me.
Surely, surely, I did not have to read and find out from my secular friends, that Chabad went to the courts in India (pure avodei kachovim ve-ililim) to resolve this issue.
Surely, surely, surely, Merkos et al. could have seen to it that this story did NOT land up in the New York Times.
For Shame. For Shame. For Shame.
The first two sentences
I think that Shmuley Boteach is the epitome of someone who accepts criticism.
Could someone please highlight an instance when Shmuley was willing and ready to accept another point of view or criticism?
stop the sinas chinum
Shmuely mix out of this. You came close to being acceted again but just cant reject your urge for recognition. You will play whatever card you have for fame. You admit this.
stop mixing in
ylw
well said.
agreed
actually – this time i think hes right!
Bais din
We do have a bais din or pick a zablah. This is assuming that we are yerai shomayim.
R. Bogomilsky wanted to do this for free! Now we are stuck with paying $150k plus house and schooling 11 kids.
A fan of Shmuely (with reservations)
Before all the comments come rolling about what right Shmuely has to say how things ought to be, let’s take a moment to consider this idea and other ideas. For the sake of the world, Chabad must succeed. There are no two ways about it. There will always be those who don’t agree with the policies that come down from the higher-ups, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have those policies. If there are flaws in Shmuely’s argument, please expose them and suggest an alternative. It’s high time that htis conversation gets started and taken seriously by Merkos.
100% correct
Beautiful article and I agree 100% what Shmuely says. For all those that are just cursing him why don’t you say why he’s wrong? no big deal to just call him names.
to #9
on shlichus? Then let go of crownheights.info and go do your shlichus
Reuven
The fact that Rabbi Boteach’s articles evoke such a vigorous response indicates that he is right on, poking where it hurts, repeatedly. If he weren’t speaking emes, it wouldn’t hurt so much. We ignore his comments at out own peril.
law
So if I want to open up a McDonnald’s accross the street from another McDonnald’s, who do I ask: McDonnald Headquarters? or the guy accross the street?
Well that depends weather or not you are mishichist..
Laaniyas Dayti BeDaavon
To Rabbi Shmuley,
Your comments ring very reasonable and evenhanded.
Your observations about Shluchim placing their children in important positions is also very pertinent. (Although my son in law does for his father what no one else would do. Think about that.)
It may haave added some perspective had you noted that Reb Nachman has already approached impartial authorities and received their approval, supposedly for taking over the building (one wonders whether they were told that this was done by changing the locks.)
Your impartial comments (accompanied by full and honest disclosure of your relationship with Reb Nachman since the tragedy) serve as yet another bolster to his position (apparently the Rosenbergs do not subscribe to his position and claim of yerusha. At least not actively.)
Perhaps if you were acquainted with him before this tragedy, and also fully informed about the initial structure of Chabad in Mumbai, the persopective you shared would have resopnated a much clearer even handedness.
It is ubfortunate that this has happened the way it has, because the structure of Mumbai Chabad included, from the very outset (as a trustee) the very shliach who has the greatest reputation for treating everyone, including his subordinates, in an extremely mentshliche manner. In fact it was he who trained Gabi, and flew in on occasions to Mumbai from Thailand to maintain a mentoring role, by more than email and telephone. It was he, I believe, who discovered the changed locks. His response? Lie low, allow the man his grieving… He did not imagine that he would be draggesd into Indian court. (US filings against Pakistan are 1/3 of the story.)
I have known Reb Nachman for some time, and we are close. To the extent that when he returned from the levaya and shiva etc, and saw me in the street he came running and we hugged. (I told him then, that people consider the last week of his son’s life as filled with mesiras nefesh. My view is, that every day that he inhaled the foul Mumbai air, was the ultimate mesiras nefesh. The step by step, day by day plodding in that steamy town.)
Reb Nachman has changed since then, Slowly at first, but with greater accelaration of late. He is a man in torment.We know that. We understand that. He found a purpose in life, a natural and positive obsession with his son, his grandson and the financial future of all. He has raised huge sums of money in all corners of the world (no doubt you gave him some introductions also), and he has gained himself a celebrity status. (This he confided in me, not quite in those words. He was uncomfortable that I did not take it too seriously. That is because my nature is to be sceptical of celebrity. Shmuley, you hear me?)
Reb Nachman, celebrity and all (three public controversies in one week – even if correct – enhance celebrity. No?) He is suffering a mental torment, the study of which can never fully grasp.
Chabad Lubavitch has lived through tragedy (in the Nokolai years, the Stalin years) and continued its progress in this world.
Outsiders may give advice (by definition your link to your web site with the other “celebrity” on front page, is not conducive to considering you other than an outsider.)
Oh, so who were the other partial authorities Reb Nachman consulted? Hagaon R.Elyashiv; Chacham Ovadia; the Gavad of Yerushalayim. His comment to the press: I wanted to hear what true Gedolei Yisroel have to say (about his flying to India the next day. One wonder how much they were told.)
Read about it:
http://www.bhol.co.il/Artic…
http://www.indianexpress.co…
an actual heretic in our times....?
Please check out this man’s last two articles in the Jerusalem Post. The one literallly declares yushke and his buddies (y’mach shmam) prophets and tapped into the true message of Yiddishkeit. I have always tried to reserve judgement on this individual, but what I have read lately is mamash cofer al haikar. Check it out: http://www.jpost.com/Opinio…
BCH
Does the unbearably sanctimonious “America’s Rabbi” even pretend to know the facts from both sides of the argument?
Eyd naaseh Dayan.
Ben Brafman, the famous (frum) and successful criminal lawyer, once opened his closing remarks to the jury with the following story.
A horse and wagon were hurtling through a street in town, when another suddenly appeared at the cross roads. There was a great melee as the 4 horses and the two carriages collided. One of the passengers who was injured, sued for insurance payment. The insurance company brought a police officer to testify.
“When you first saw this man, at the scene of the crash, what did you say?”
“I asked him whether he was alright.”
“What did he answer?”
“He answered that he is OK. hje said it twice.”
“That’s all. Gentlemen of the jury, remember those words.”
Later, the injured’s attorney asked him, on the witness stand, what happened.
“Well I saw police officers arrive, and the horses were writhing and kicking. No one noticed that I was pinned under the wagon.”
“What happened then?”
“Well I heard someone saying to an officer ‘That horse is in a bad way.” The I heard a gunshot.“
”And then?“
”Well the same thin happened to two more horses, but with those horses I saw them being shot.“
”Were you still pinned under the wagon?“
Yes.”
“No one came to see if you were alright?”
“Well yes, that officer who just testified came around the wagon and saw me. He still had his gun in his hand.”
“Did he try to help you?”
“Oh no. He looked like a wild man with that gun. You know, like a wild cowboy on a rampage.”
“But he ignored you?”
“No. He came around at gave a startled yell, and asked me, in the wildest of voices, ‘Are you OK?’”
“What happened then?”
“I told him. I screamed ‘I’m OK. I am OK’”
“So you see, gentlemen of the jury,” the little powerhouse Brafman said, “until you hear all the facts, you can be mistaken.”
Brafman won that case.
head shliach
Shmuley is not 100% correct
Every Beis Chabad belong to the shliach, not to the head shliach Head shliach is only for the appointment ,not for ownership of the Chabad house or the institutions built by the shliach
In this case, if Rabbi Holtzberg would have asked before to become the shliach, we were not going to have this problem
In the beginning it supose to go a relative,a cousin from Rivka, from Tzfas, and did not happen
The Truth About Mumbai
Sadly Shmuly does not get his facts correct.
The Holzberg family has been manipulated by Eliran Russo in Mumbai. He is an Israeli businessman who is trying to take control of Chabad in Mumbai. He is not a Shliach or a rabbi. He is preying on a family who has suffered a terrible loss. He is using them to take over Chabad.
Chabad has established a trust fund for the boy Moshele, kept programs going with bachurim and now a permanent shliach. A committee of including family representatives administrates the fund for Moshele.
There are major concerns for security in Mumbai. Russo is not taking them into consideration. He is pushing is own agenda.
Boteach has no knowledge about the internal issues in Mumbai. He is shooting from the hip. A reliable and reputable Shliach, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor has been dealing with this complicated situation. Sadly Russo went to court in India claiming to represent Holzberg. Russo has made the harsh statements about funds etc. in the court pushing this to the media and creating a Chillul Hashem.
It seems that the Rosenbergs, parents of Rivki want to no part of this circus that Russo is orchestrating. They are sitting on the side.
No one should judge the Holzbergs. They have suffered a tremendous loss. However they are the victims of of Russo. He is playing them, he has created this terrible maklokes and chillul Hashem
avrohom
He hit the nail on the head. Shmully Boteach wrote an article based on a report in the NY times. He was writing based on information that is out there, based on what outsiders see. If there is indeed justification to this mess, then let the powers to be (“Chabad”), let the world know what is going on.
As a side, i have first hand experience of Head Shluchim capitalising on headlines for PR purposes, when they did not really do much.
As to his comments about Head Shluchim put sons into positions that they are not qualified to do, as to his comments about not being able to go out on Shlichus because of family connection “or the lack Thereof”, and about “Mushrooms”, he couldn’t have said it any better.
These issues are real (apparent from the emotions of the comments), and just brushing them up under the carpet wont make them go away.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
This is worse than I thought.
Holtzberg was raising funds for HIMSELF and his SCAM and not for the official Chabad efforts when he visited Schmendrick.
Schmendrick, the scamming son of a dirty arms dealer from California who sells guns and knives in the East LA ghetto and defective ammo to the US Army through his grandson’s shell company, never misses an opportunity to make money and hurt official Chabad at the same time.
Schmendrick and Holtzberg belong in CHEREM (although I believe that Holtzberg is being used by Russo for a few per cent of the take).
chana
If I’d looked at who wrote this, I never would have read it. Yet, after reading it, I have to say that no matter what I think of the author himself, this article is 100% on target.
I hope that others, even those who don’t respect the author, will take to heart, “kabel et ha’emet mi’mi she’omro”.
I sincerely hope that the suggestions given here will be acted on.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
We do not respond to him because he has even an iota of emes.
We respond to him because people mistakenly fall for his act and believe he is emes when he is pure BS.
Like Michael Jackson whose very face and voice were artificial, Schmendrick Boteach, a scammer who launders his father’s destruction generated and very ill gotten gains, is totally false and speaks only to get attention.
The problem is that in these dark days of golus, where a fifth column was elected to lead the entire free world on showmanship, people are misled by showmen into believing that BS is emmes.
When this jealous charlatan vomits his nonsense into the Jewish community to the detriment of the Rebbe and his shluchim, we want to ignore him so that he does not get the attention he craves. However, we cannot, because just as people fall for Nigerian 419 scams, MLM and the like, they also fall for the well hidden lies of this showman. His father is a merchant of physical death, and he, who launders his father’s money, spews spiritual death.
Cindy Sheehan
You people don’t know what it is to have a son killed in action.
I was turned completely inside out by the event.
Making it worse for me werre all the do-good-ers who egged me on into demonstrating at Bushes farm in Crawford TX and made sure I got loads of press coverage.
The whole world then had a view of my nervous breakdown.
Leave this Rabbi alone. He needs his space. If the NYT has raised it you can be sure thay are aiming at making another “Celebrity for this year.” By next year he willed be dumped out on the street with more emptiness.
Doesn-t Look Good
I am one of those who also takes issue with Shmuely trying to deal with Chabad internal issues in public, and I can understand the anger and frustration of an insider when he does so, but let me tell you folks, you arent looking good right now. And its not because of Shmuely.
Several comments ago, a comment called The Truth About Mumbai claimed that the Holtzbergs are being manipulated by a person named Eliran Russo in Mumbai.
If true, why hasn’t this aspect of the story been told? It is an excellent argument. A grieving parent is being manipulated by a scheming person. From a PR point a view itself, why has that message not been disseminated from Chabad Headquarters, instead of the lame press releases which sound hollow and false? To the amcha – this sounds and smells that Chabad (the Goliath) is persecuting the David.
Doesnt Merkos understand that the public sympathies will be with a grieving father? Do they really think that vilifying Rabbi Holtberg works? Do they really believe after tearfully telling the whole world: Not with AK47 but with adding light, and ACTS OF GOOD DEEDS, that people will buy seemingly ACTS OF NOT-GOOD DEEDS? Or will they smell hypocrisy?
Furthermore, the fact that Chabad used Indian Courts, which unlike the US, are comprised of pure ovdei zarah, is a disgrace. So, please, if there is a real story, get out an tell it, because right now, we are not looking very good at all.
agreed
To Ani Lo Boteach Bo
I like, I like!
Lubavitch Statement
Statement by Lubavitch World Headquarters
Allegations against Chabad-Lubavitch Headquarters as regards funds raised for Moshe Holtzberg and the rebuilding of Chabad of Mumbai, are outrageous and absolutely false.
To date, Chabad raised funds earmarked for Moshe Holtzberg, the young orphan of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg. In January of 2010 The Orphan Moshe Holtzberg Trust was established in Israel with oversight by a committee of five, among them two individuals chosen by Moshe Holtzberg’s legal guardians. The funds were transferred to the trust in Israel, and monthly expenses for Moshe’s upkeep are paid from this account.
With respect to Nariman House: Decisions regarding rebuilding these premises have been under discussion for a long time pending recommendations by security experts. Concern for the security and safety of Chabad representatives and visitors to Chabad is a first priority, and we will therefore proceed accordingly.
Since the massacre two years ago, Chabad has continued to offer its programs and services to the Mumbai community and Jewish travelers without lapse, operating out of a different location in accordance with high-level security guidelines. We are gratified that the work of Rabbi Gabriel and Rivka Holtzberg continues now, under the leadership of Rabbi Chanoch and Leah Gechtman.
Not So Simple
I do urge Shmuely to read some of the links in the comments.
It seems quite clear that there is much more than meets the eye, though I have to say the powers-that-be were quite slow, unfortunately, to get their side out, there seems to be much more at play here.
TRUE
IN RECENT NEWS FROM DECCAN HERALD\
Jewish factions spar over holding service at Chabad House
Mumbai, Nov 25, PTI:
Two years after the 26/11 terror attack, two factions of the Jewish community today disputed over conducting memorial service at Chabad House, one of sites attacked by the terrorists.
Chabad House (popularly known as Nariman House) is in the possession of a Bombay High Court receiver following a dispute between Rabbi Yosef Kantor and slain Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg’s parents over rights to rebuild the house.
Kantor claims that he is responsible for rebuilding and raising funds for the Jewish Centre as he was appointed by the Lubavitch movement soon after the carnage. According to him, he had given funds for the rebuilding work.
However, Gavriel’s parents – Nachman and Freida Holtzberg opposed this claim stating that they are the ones who are actively involved in reviving the house and that they have not received any funds from Kantor.
In a local court, Kantor’s lawyer D S Parikh took objection to the memorial service held by the Holtzbergs in the Chabad House this morning.
“The property is in possession of a court receiver. How can they (Holtzbergs) hold services there without informing the authorities,” Parikh argued.
Additional sessions Judge S P Deshmukh however, permitted the Holtzbergs to hold the memorial service in the evening and tomorrow afternoon after observing that they are only paying tribute to their dead son and daughter-in-law and are not indulging in any construction activity.
“The court receiver has to be however informed about the service and should also be present,” the judge said.
Holtzberg Family
After reading some of the comments on this article I felt it was appropriate that a member of the Holtzberg family dispell any rumors.
1. The Holtzberg family had absolutley no intention to air this dirty laundry in public. Merkos took Eliran Russo to court and requested a stay of all construction activity on the Chabad House. members of the Indian press obtained the public court records and were able to easily deduce there is a property ownership dispute ongoing.
2. Eliran Russo is not a brainwashing, manipulating businessman with his own agenda as some posts falsely claim. Eliran mind you was not only a chief supporter of Gabi’s Chabad House prior to the tragedy but was also appointed by Merkos to direct the rebuilding efforts on the ground in Mumbai. Only after questioning Merkos’ intentions and witnessing first hand how the rebuilding of the Chabad House was not on Merkos’ priority list did he disengage from his working relationship with Merkos.
Given his relationship with Gabi, his allegiances were to him and his family and only has those intentions in mind. He has nothing to gain financially or politically from this situation. he has personally sunk thousands of dollars into the rebuilding campaign.
3. Whoever wrote the above comment stating Rabbi Holtzberg is fundraising money for himself and has some sort of scam going on should be completely ashamed of himself. Rabbi Holtzberg not only was appointed to the Mumbai Rebuilding Commitee but at one point was working directly through Merkos fundraising for them.
Our family has not pocketted a dime as a result of this tragedy nor is that any of our intentions. To insinuate otherwise is not only incredibly insensitive but is an absolute and complete lie.
It was only after a fallout with Merkos leadership that Rabbi Holtzberg took it upon himself to fund raise for the rebuilding of Gabi’s Chabad house himself. As of July of this past year there was still blood on the Chabad House walls. To the Holtzberg family, and to the Chabad family at large that shouldnt be acceptable.
There are other elemets to this situation that I will not mention here as it is not the correct place or time to address them.
It is our feelings that it is extremely unfortunate it had to come to this. We are all hoping for a timely resolution to this mess and are always and have always been commited to working with the powers that be to facilitate this.
Thank You.
Unfortunate reality
Your article makes full sense, I don’t think it is written disrespectful in anyway as other have commented. It is simply the unfortunate reality. In the post Gimmol Tammoz era that we in Chabad live in this is unfortunately very true.
There are many told and untold forms of power abuse by head Shluchim of their fellow Shluchim working in their state, and there isn’t any higher authority which they feel they need to answer or be accountable to.
Something needs to done about it fast.
JUDY
to # 1 and # 2:
GET A DAY JOB.
to#31!!!
you should be ashamed of yourself to talk about these people in such manner!
we have to learn not to judge people, we are so bussy judjing that we dont even realise what these people have gone through and are still going through!
we would never wantto be in their place!
and if they have done something that in ure eyes is wrong its btwn them and gd and not our place to judje (and 4sure not publisize) and def not pple who all they need from us is chizzuk and not the opossite which everyone is bussy doing!
WERE IS OUR AHAVAS YISROEL???
WERE IS OUR SUPPORT TO A FAMILY WHO SO BADLY NEEDS IT???
MOSHAICH NOW!!!!!!
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
the fact that Chabad used Indian Courts…
That would be the fact that Holtzberg/Russo used Indian courts. Chabad simply had to deal with what was done to them by the schemers.
Holtzberg went to 2 Litvishe rabbonim (one of whom is very old and does not understand much anymore) and Rav Ovadia Yosef (also not 100% due to age) to get “permission” to go to Mumbai.
This is what the real heirs to Gabi and Rivky HYD’s ultimate mesirus nefesh, the Gekhtmans and their sponsors, are up against. The yetzer is working overtime …and as always Schmendrick Boteach is the squawk box for the “anshei domim vemirma” who are the shluchim of the yetzer.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
I stand by my comments against those that were clearly written for the Holtzberg family by someone whose English is far better than either of the E”Y born Holtzbergs.
I hope that indeed they are the victims of a sociopath as I suspect, and not guilty of turning the achdus of Mumbai into this miserable Chilul Hashem on their own.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
And I want to end by pointing out that George Rohr paid for the Nariman House on behalf of Chabad and not as a gift to the Holtzbergs HYD let alone to their parents. There may have been some legal fiction to deal with the Indian bureaucracy which shows ownership or trusteeship by the Holtzbergs but this means nothing as to the intent of the major donor and the rules of Merkos under whom the Holtzbergs HYD ostensibly worked.
If a verifiable representative of George Rohr were to post here that he gave it to the Holtzbergs, I would retract and apologize. I do not think that will happen any more than I think there is a farbrengen at Rav Ovadia Yosef’s home tonight (or in Ponevezh).
Whatever Eliran Russo may have contributed, and I suspect that he was taking advantage of the shluchim HYD as many sociopathic “businessmen” from EY often do with shluchim in Asia and the FSU, he is not the one who has the right to decide what happens.
Hopefully the Gekhtmans will be able to work unimpeded by this chilul Hashem and hopefully it will end very soon in favor of the organization which the Meshaleach founded for these purposes.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
to 43:
Pleeze lern sum inglish befoore yoo kritisize someun hoo understandz and noez moor with hiz litle feengr then yoo doo wiz yoor hole hed.
Language
To Mr.Ani Lo Boteach Bo,
I will admit upfront, I know nothing of this story and am not privy to any inside information. That being said, the language you use is beyond not nice.
To me, the Holtbergs are on the level of Avraham Avinu, sending their child as they did to the wilderness of Mumbai, and ultimately paying the highest price that any person could pay on earth.
For that reason alone, please watch your language.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
to 42:
It is you who needs to get a day job with a training program that instructs you on how to avoid the claims of showmen like Boteach. Either that or I can hire you to sort through my 100’s of scam investment and medical offers in my spam boxe so you can tell me which ones I should fall for.
Holtzberg for President!
#31 – SHAME ON YOU! May you never have to go thru anything like what the Holtzberg’s had to go thru! You are obviously a very bitter person and need to do alot of cheshbon hanefesh.
To HOLTZBERG FAMILY
We love you and are here for you. You are doing the right thing, fighting for Gabi and Rivky’s legacy. Good Luck!
Moshe Holtzberg
to ANI LO BOTEACH BO
Maybe you are part of this? Why don’t you put you name down and your mothers so i can say tehillim for you?
Will Pics. of dry blood of my brother 18 month after, change anything in you undeveloped brain?
What would be the rebbe’s response?
Do we have to get punished for taking off the blood on the walls?
Are you off the walls?
Moshe Holtzberg
to Ani Lo Botach
The writer is Gaby’s Sister,
I’M Moshe i am sure we met in the past, you know when money for you was good.
Ani lo boteach bo
It is because they are on a high level and have either been used or have fallen low that I am speaking as I am. And Boteach is on a level as low as an open sewer in a Mumbai slum.
No, I am not involved. But I’ve been around.
Over and out.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo - Finally the Last Pos
I have never met any member of the Holtzberg family and I am not a representative of any organization.
So, if this is the real Moshe Holtzberg, I never met you and probably never will – and I don’t think you’d want to meet me if you are a fake.
Anyway, enough of this. The important points are that Boteach has no right to mix in, and that a Chabad House is not family private property when it is donated by a major donor UNLESS he donated it as such.
And most importantly, having seen the best of shluchim and Chassidim suckered by the worst Israeli sociopaths, I believe that is what is going on here. I am a chossid of the Rebbe and not of Chabad, Inc., but I also know that Chabad Houses are not private property to be toyed with by Israeli sociopaths with criminal records.
Gut Yom Tov, Gut Yom Tov to all and may it be Yad Chassidim al ha’Elyona (and sorry, but those who go to Rav Elyashiv and Rav Yosef are not those referred to by that phrase).
stop him now
I wish this hadn’t disintegrated into an attack/support of the Holtzbergs: this isn’t the issue. Everyone agrees that their pain is colossal & no one has the right to judge them. The fight between they & Merkos isn’t really any of our business, except insofar as we have to once again defend our Rebbe & his Chassidim from public scorn & negativity.
These comments should be about “Schmendrick” Boteach (I really like this title) & his arrogance in once more sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. His immense ego & his outrageous arrogance cause more of a Chillul Hashem & Chillul Lubavitch than any in-fighting over who controls what.
Can we please get back to the issue: this publicity-seeking egomaniac spews his hatred & disdain for all things Chabad. Because no matter what he may profess, he never misses an opportunity to criticize. Now he’s using the holy souls & the blood of the Holtzbergs HYD to promote his twisted, sick “image.”
Shmuely Boteach is beneath contempt.
Ani Lo Boteach Bo
Oops – one last point.
This issue and the publicity is now being used by every sonei Chabad, to bash us. That includes the thinly disguised Boteach and the frum ones who were with us during the tragedy but do not support us in general, to say nothing of the infamous Failed Mess and his rotten ilk.
It is therefore a huge chilul Hashem. If it does not stop, it won’t matter who gets Nariman House, because those who follow Rav Elyashiv and especially Rav Yosef will walk into Mumbai as they did in other places where we set things up and then messed up, and they will take over and throw Chabad out. Of course they’ll then fail, and the end result will be no Yiddishkeit in Mumbai in due time.
Now, the Rebbe made it clear who sends shluchim and how – and no, it is not a perfect system but we are in deep golus and that is what we have.
Can we have the Israeli version here?
To #40 Member of the Holzberg family:
a) Which family? Gaby’s siblings or R.Nachman’s siblings? Yes it does make a difference.
b) So R.Nachman was collecting for Merkos until he had a fallout. Fallout? So that was the beginning of this whole episode. What was the“fallout” about? Moshy the yossom wasn’t gatting enough money or care? Merkos was not moving fast enough on rebuilding? So R.Nachman (the experienced?) left Merkos (the ineffective)?
c) Did R.Nach,an just leave Merkos, or has he gone over to the Gadol Hador, as his approach to him was public, and it is openly discussed in Israel?
d) Who is hiding what “facts on the ground” here?
Yay! Up in Arms!
1) Boteach’s article is sort of all over the map. A bit more focus on one issue specifically usually goes a long way to credibility. Are we discussing the NYT article? Merkos’s hierarchy? The excuses people use when opening non-official Chabad-style houses? Each of those is more than enough for one article.
2) http://www.nytimes.com/2010…
http://online.wsj.com/artic…
A careful reading of these two articles seem to be pretty straightforward about the dispute. Money aside, it seems clear that Chabad has the legal rights and Holtzbergs want them, and also that there is a conflict about the best way to proceed in the wake of such horror. Perhaps one side is acting too much out of grief, perhaps the other too much out of caution. It does seem clear that SOMETHING has been happening, and that there has been an official appointment of new Shluchim to Mumbai who are operating with a consciousness to safety that I find admirable.
I find it hard to believe that we, who are not even privy to the many discussions, details, & communications that have obviously transpired between the parties, to know who is right. Objective doesn’t exist.
3)Once a member my family experienced a pretty rough go of things on the wrong end of a “slander” campaign. Denials that address each sordid detail of accusations usually are less than plausible to the truly honest. A succinct statement without descending into salacious & petty details speaks volumes, I think.
4) Public discussions full of hyperbole and high emotions seldom tend to effect change. This discussion is a self-perpetuating one (my own comments included!)