Op-Ed: The Real Obstacle to Going on Shlichus
Here I am, a regular Lubavitcher Yungerman who grew up in a Chassidishe family, of which all members currently serve as Shluchim, facing the hard reality that I may never be like them. It’s not that I want to copy them that I am upset, and definitely not because I have nothing else to do; I really want to be a Shliach.
All my life I was taught to want that, and all my life I indeed wanted it. But that beautiful garden is guarded by numerous thorns, and it’s been that way for the past 18 months I sought to enter. Yes, I worked to get a Shlichus, but after all that work and time I must confess that I am nowhere closer now than when I started.
This is not a story about me, nor for that matter a few people like me, this is a story about everyone: every present and would-be-Yungerman (with a few easily-explained exceptions) tells the same story. If nothing changes soon, these hundreds of Yungerleit that are ready, willing and able to take upon themselves anything that the Rebbe’s name presides over will find other means of occupation.
It’s not that all Jews are now ‘Frum’ and ready to keep Torah and Mitzvos so that no places can be found—that would be wonderful! It’s is simply because of, and forgive me for saying this, the evil inclination.
We ought to realize this; we need not deny any and every flaw just because the Shluchim are holy. They are indeed holy, but they have flaws, and they are even holier when they face them. I strongly believe that the determination they have to keep up their difficult work is strong enough to withstand a good look at what is really going on.
Since every state or country currently has a head Shliach, the only possible way to get an area in which to do Shlichus is if a head Shliach chooses to give it to you. But in today’s environment, the chances of him giving you that potential financial resource are close to none. This is because in order to make that sacrifice, he either has to have sufficient resources for himself – which, sadly, most Shluchim do not, or he must have a strongly developed G-dly soul enabling him to give up something as vital as a financial resource for the sake of the cause of bringing Jews closer to G-d. At the very least, he must have an undistorted vision of reality, enabling him to realize that he can easily live without that town 30 miles away, in which he never did anything anyway. (In some cases, he needs to simply break out of his false delusion that he is indeed active there!)
Although most Shluchim do not intrinsically suffer from the above phenomenon, the lack of financial stability drives many to suffer from all three: it restrains them from giving up a resource they (or their children) might benefit from, it forces them to cling to farfetched areas which are highly unrealistic for them to ever be active in, and it disables their G-dly soul from giving it up regardless of that self-imposed need.
Thus, the sad crisis we are now in: the Rebbe’s mission is not being fulfilled, Yungerleit who were raised to become Shluchim must submit to finding a new passion, and the Jews who need Shluchim are losing out.
We must therefore develop fresh thinking; not to come up with new ideas, but to better understand what exactly it was that the Rebbe put in place, and what he did not.
Today’s monopoly-based system, empowered by heavy marketing via banquets and the media, is definitely not what the Rebbe put in place. It doesn’t take much to assume that our selfless Rebbe would quickly alter this abused system.
We are not talking about those Shluchim who live in tiny isolated cities, and who only want that the small community they worked so hard to create should remain whole – bravo to them for taking on that task! But we ought to reconsider a system which enables Shluchim to claim a city or town which he had never even stepped foot in as his own. We ought to reconsider a system in which one man can claim 100,000 Jews to himself – not allowing anyone else to bring the Yidden there closer to G-d. These Shluchim are doing the opposite of what the Rebbe wanted: the Rebbe wanted more Shluchim and more Mitzvos, and these Shluchim in effect want less.
A friend of mine was told by a Shliach that he can indeed move down to his flourishing Jewish community, only if he agrees that no matter how successful he is, he will commit to leave after two years. Is this not insanity?
The collective cloture of this “domain parking” further perpetuates this behavior, and decreases any chance of a guilty conscious bringing them into the right: “no one gives up their areas, no one gives up even distant areas, why should I give up mine?” they say. The figures of authority can’t override this culture, as they will gain nothing by burning bridges they might one day need.
We all know of the Rov in crown heights who encourages Yungerleit to go out without approval. How can we expect these young couples to ignore him and take the right path, when such options are not available?
We need to change the status quo; not just for our sake, but for the sake of our children who are taught to go out on Shlichus, for the sake of Yungerleit who are waiting to go out on Shlichus, and for the sake of the Jews who need people on Shlichus.
And last but not least, for the sake of the Rebbe who wanted all of the above.
Surprised
Encourages Yungerleit to “go out without approval”???
mmmm….How does that work?
100%
AGREE
the absurd
in every jewish community, enyone and everyone may open a kiruv program. yidishkeit is not copyrighted. of course aish and or someach are in competition, but all are mature enough to realise that for the good of the broader jewish reality, competition is best.
so everyone could and should be active, that is unless you are chabad. if you are a lubavitcher, and you go to do outreach independently, you will be considerd an outcast, your children will suffer socialy, and it may damage shiduchim.
so this is the absurdity, that while in all circles kiruv is lauded, in chabad it is really risky, complex work. this is the reason chabad is becoming increasingly insignificant in great Jewish communities like Toronto, Manhattan, London and Melbourne – because we block ourselves from entry. and this is the reason we are losing our most talented to the business world, while incompetent family members are blocking Jews from their heritage.
but this is the good news: capitalistic democracy will prevail. the monopoly created by control minded jargon is cracking.
and who will be the first to gain? the millions of thirsty neshomos around the globe, impatiently awaiting the libertarian rebellion.
Amain!
Please do! We’re a young couple trying so hard to go out… but where? And all we want to do is the Rebbe’s mission!
no one special
Shlichus is like any other franchise. Someone owns the name in a particular location and can control the area. The shliach who controls the geography often has sons & sons-in-law who need a job. This how many businesses operate & nepotism prevails. I would prefer to see the best & the brightest going on shlichus, but that ended 18-20 years ago.
In the history of Lubavitch there have been business men who were able to influence many Jews. They were not “titled” and still accomplished the goal, while earning an honest living.
to 3
what fresh thinking! we need more like you
mendoza
another one who has no guts to put his name to a op-ed
shaina
So go out but not under the name of Chabad …for that it requires a special btochon that Hashem and the Rebbe will look after you and will provide for you and you dont have to rely on a head shaliach somewhere. Of course dont encroach on the actual territory a particular shaliach is in, but every other area is fair game and people need to mekarov yidden all over the world. It is absurd for a shaliach to consider a huge area and many cities to be his exclusive domain and yet he cannot bring down other shluchim to look after all the people there. And he refuses to allow anyone to enter his “territory”. that certainly is not what shlichus should be all about. But things should be done bshalom as much as possible. It requires thinking and consideration and true shlichus mindset from all sides. May we all merit to do what the Rebbe truly wants.
One who was on Shlichus
For someone who was out in the field. Most Shluchim that I saw live in communities that can not financially sustain additional Shluchim. I know a yungerman does not yet understand the cost of living, or the cost of running a chabad house, or the realities as how difficult it is to raise money.
I understand that a yungerman is so motivated and so pure that they can not yet appreciate the realities of trying to stay afloat in Olom Hazeh, but please don’t accuse of wrongdoing so many Shluchim who are operating with a Mesira Nefesh you will never understand unless you yourself are Zocheh to go on Shlichus – Al Tadin es Chavercha ad shetagia limkomo.
That being said there are Shluchim who are holding on to vasts amounts of Jews, but now they are a small minority not a majority.
Just like you find it hard to find a Shlichus due to lack of places, Shluchim are finding it hard to bring other Shluchim out due to financial hardships.
One day you will find out that money does not grow on trees, at least not in Olom Hazeh.
Chinuch
Chinuch New Teachers for our schools
Use it or lose it
I propose that any territory in which a shaliach has done any outreach during last 12 – 18 months should be ceded from his domain. Put every shaliach on notice with the following message: Use it (your ENTIRE territory) or lose it!
This reminds me of the “old days” when every inch of 770 was a “mokom kavuah” – you can’t learn here it’s my mokom kavuak, and you can’t stand here at farbrengens, maftir, davening, tekios, hakofos etc. – it’s my MK…well, if you don’t use your MK, you quickly lose it!
awacs
“Encourages Yungerleit to “go out without approval”???
mmmm….How does that work?”
Mushrooms.
Yossele
Well said.
But what prevents any yungerman from moving to any local and founding a nusach ari shul? There should be no conflict so long as the corporation is not named “Chabad”.
the ideas kollel yugerlight concoct
Yungerman, Please explain your logic. Shliach A can’t make ends meet with his tireless work in his area of x jews. He can barely feed his kids and not get thrown out of his foreclosed house but you bench kvecher, will definitely be able to make it and be able to feed your family because of a talent that only you have?
I believe that your true problem is how to make an honorable living without a shred of education or skill set that has been stolen from you and perpetuated by high level kolel analysis and rabbonim with ideas straight from the depths of a reality vacuum.
Let’s blame shluchim/shlichus/the system for this problem and continue sticking our heads in the sand as to how you will be gainfully employed.
The ideas that these yungerlight come up with while spending every moment learning B’hasmoda U’shkida in kollel could save the world. Just ask one for contract advice (that he heard from this “rav” and save yourself any lawyer fee’s.
They’ll save the world yet!
Yungerman
While you are pretty eloquent in your words, you are not being honest with yourself. If you truly cared about Shlichus and about the “thousands of neshamos” you would go out on a Shlichus that would be 1000% more effective (albeit less dignified).
Go and work in a pre-existing Chabad House. There are hundreds of Shluchim looking for teachers, directors, administrators, to work with Cteen, youth, Adult Ed, etc.
If you open a new Chabad House, you will be spending 85% of your time fundraising for bread for your family, and electric for your CH. If you’re working in a pre-existing CH, you will spend 85% being mekarev yidden.
Granted, you won’t have your “own” Chabad House, but that need is just your “evil inclination” talking, and unlike the thousands of Shluchim, you are in control of yours.
Do what has to be done for the Neshamos, for the other yungeleit that are waiting to go out, and “last but not least, for the sake of the Rebbe who wanted all of the above,” there are many Shlichus positions waiting for you!
Newly Married and Looking to Go Out
“We all know of the Rov in crown heights who encourages Yungerleit to go out without approval. How can we expect these young couples to ignore him and take the right path, when such options are not available?”
Ignoring a Rov? That is your first mistake. But the rest was pretty well said.
#3 is correct: There will be ultimately a “libertarian rebellion”… why?
1) Every family will have – shluchim, “mushrooms”, those that were hurt by the system, those that were hurt by Shluchim
2) Nothing can stop the NUMBERS of yungeleit
3) Nothing can stop the TALENT of yungeleit
4) Nothing can stop the NEFESH ELOKIS of yungeleit
5) Nothing can stop the REBBE’s Vision, or lay claim to it, exclusive of others.
6) Nothing can stop MOSHIACH from coming
7) The SYSTEM is an invention post 3 Tammuz. (evidenced by the 5749 European Kinus HaShluchim etc. vedal)
8) The system is BROKEN, as the majority of those who are in it would even admit.
9) Nepotism is a failure in every soceity. This will rot the infrastructure.
10) There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with starting up a mosad chinuch, hafotzta, kiruv al pi Torah, within the framework of the Rebbe’s vision, but NOT in the framework of the SYSTEM.
No one will ostracize you, or your children, if they do – it’s their fault, and it might be illegal in beis din and goyishe courts. Also, the level of ostracizing people has diminished tremendously in Lubavitch, based on the variety of people, mosdos and philosophies. So the chances of being ostracized are diminshed by the fact that most people will end up being disillusioned by the so called “system”.
The more yunderleit are told this, educated on this matter and want to use their kochos to serve the Aibishter and remain mekusher to the Rebbe, they will bust out on their own and bring Moshiach. Not only do the laws of the Torah permit this, but it is encouraged! This is a FREE country to carry out this mission, and goyishe courts support free enterprise.
It is our responsibility to go out!
useed to think like you
I used to think like you as well. However, I have come to recognize the reality. Shluchim are concerned what happens if you are successfuland decide to run them out of town or what happens if you are not successful and try to do things contrary to the way they have been doing things either way you put them in a very dfficult position thats why they prefer their kids.
Another reason is because 20 yrs ago when they moved out they had no one. just the shliach and his wife. now they want their kids near them and afther so much mesiras nefesh they deserve that right.
As for your argument about doing shlichus just for the sake of shlichus then #1 there are few shluchim and yungerleit who have that level of bittul and ifthose few happen to meet in a perfect shidduch then they create the formula you dream of.
#2 if you really want to do shlicuh then follow what the rebbes says and be a shliach no matter what you do. wherever you go and to whom ever you meet you try to bring the rebbe’s message to improve and make this world a better [lact to bring Moshiach. The Rebbe says that a lot of times when you meet a jew not as a “Rabbi” but as a fello laymen you can have a bigger effect.
following this way will not get you inveited to conferences or put your name on chabad websites etc. but it is fulfilling th Rebbe’s shlichus 100%.
Good luck in your life’s ambitions
time for change
the terms “mushrooms” &“system” should be stricken from our vocabulary. they both do not exist
28 years on Shlichus
The problems on Shlichus are way greater and deeper than this well intentioned kollel yungerman can imagine.
There is absolute anarchy on shlichus and it’s each for his own. The head shluchim (many of them) are basically kings who are the witness, judge, and executioner all in one, and law or halocho is of no relevance to them.
Most shluchim have difficulty making ends meet and there is no one to support them psychologically or financially and worse yet, they have to deal with competition from close by Shluchim, or total apathy from anyone around them.
The fault is in the (lack of) leadership at at all levels. What you read about the #1 Rabbi or the other one who flies all over the world and always has his face in every picture is a mirage and illusion to the eye. In the parlance of Chassidus – it’s part of the oilom Hasheker. I can go on but suffice it to say, we are, in some deep …trouble only getting worse.
And to Mendoza above #7 comment, why didn’t YOU put in your name so you can be responded to???
Because, the situation is full of reprisals and no one, in truth no one, wants to see improvement bad enough.
A Chasid of the Rebbe
why does it have to be with” approval? I personally am doing shlichus p/t in a are that needs a f/t & is being ignored by the hierarchy The Rebbe said everyone is a shliach.Yes Money is a obstacle but if someone is committed & willing The Aibishter will provide.In my case the nearby shluchim one is only for the medical school in the area & the other has is place set in the neighborhood he is in & has no interest. I know of others who styarted on their own & are successful & recognized some many yrs later.In one case it took the hierarchy over 20 yrs to recognize the need & who was elected? The real Shliach’s son in law who was already there helping.Yogati V’lo matsasi Al Taamin! Yogati U Matsasi Taamin!!
East Coast Shliach
I feel for you very much.
Possible proposal:
Make a website that yungerleit can register the town they were declined from moving to. Once a request is made, if the shliach responsible for that area fails to bring down a shliach within 50 months, his rights over that area gets forfeited and Merkos gets back the authority over that town to bring down a shliach there irrespective of how that Shliach or head shliach feels. That way you won’t have Shluchim saving the city for when his 7 year old gets married…. So as soon as someone gets his act together, make a website where yungerleit can register a towns name when they are declined by the shliach over that area.
This way it’s fair to all. The shliach has 50 months to find an appointee, which is a very reasonable amount of time, and the Yungerleit of the coming years know that when the 50 months pass, there will be more options that weren’t available earlier that would suddenly become available.
If indeed after merkos retains the towns (that failed to appoint new shliach within 50 months), they truly distribute appointments to the yungerleit without prejudice, then that would end the mushroom problem (as all yungerleit will see a way of going it the “legal way”). But if after it goes to merkos, they are selective as well in distributing those newly retained areas only to their own friends and family, then mushrooms will just explode. So merkos can deal with the problem now as it’s still manageable, or wait till the problem grows exponentially.
P.S. I agree with the above commenter that one can be a businessman and still be a shliach. If you influence your surroundings in a positive way towards yiddishkeit, that itself is being a lamplighter, just like shluchim are tasked to be.
Anon
It all comes down to money!!! This person is talking about shluchim in very wealthy areas, with huge potentials and lots of Jews that one shliach can’t serve alone but still won’t bring another family so that they don’t take a future??? rich guy from him.
Bottom line, today you only get a shlichus if you have a conections.
#19 & #15 are so right
#15 & #19 are right on the money.
False False False
In this discussion everyone talks about all the cities that are being blocked out from people.
I did research on that. there are very few cities left that can sustain a shliach without another source of shlichus work. hundreds of people are pointing at the same dozen cities and blaming that on them not finidng a shlichus.
I am actually a shliach that is looking to hire people to come to my moisad. yes there are hundreds of yungerlait “looking for shlichus” the problem is that even if they say that they are ready to work for someone else, they are only paying lip service to that. Because from my expereince and the expereience of many friends who are in the same situation as me, when we finally get a yungerman to agree to an interview, they self distruct in the interview by placing insanly unreasonable demands on the hirring shliach. The only conclusion that you can have from the interview is that they never want to work under anyone else.
I want to ask this yungerman, how many shluchim he reached out to asking them if they are looking to expand their moisdois? How many interviews did he get? Any offers? why didnt he accept the offers.
When it comes to shiduchim you can find any excuse of why you cant get married,( not gezah, no money, not this or not that, maariage sometimes doesnt work out, so many people are misareble etc.) but what does everyone do? you realise that you have no choice and you work day and night and you find your basherte shiduch. Those who approuch shlichus the same way ALL find shlichus.
To continue the analogy, there are also rabbonim who want to be mevatel the cherem rabainu gershom to solve the shidduch crises — would you consider that?????
Maybe the ba’al hakerem is bringing these niyoinois to weed out people like you who are looking for shlichus for all the wrong reasons.
Shliach of 20 plus years
Suffice it to say “official” shlichus isn’t the only area where well-intentioned, bright bochurim are now being excluded. We used to send ba’lei teshuva students to Morristown (Tifferes) on a regular basis until their “funding” issues began to overwhelm us. The powers that be in that dungeon (I used the term to describe the management, not the zaal itself, chas v’shalom). have lost virtually all sight of the Rebbe’s directives and have abused their power to the point where top notch students from Ivy League tier schools are now being turned away because they can’t afford 10K per year! I know personally of at least a dozen such cases where future “shluchim” as it were went to learn at Aish and like, never to be heard or seen in our campus Chabad again. 23 years ago when we started out, this would have never happended, especially not because of ineffective fundraising and a mindset corrupted by greed. It’s hard to believe that anyone would manipulate the Rebbe in that manner before Gimmel Tamuz. Had the outdated management style being used there been revamped when the need arose two decades ago, you’d have fresh, energetic faces running the place and most certainly less of a need to rely on nepotism to enforce shluchus in N.J. on the whole. if you want to criticize the current state of shluchus, go ahead, but don’t forget that education begins in the home. If we can’t instill Torah values in our leaders, at least make sure our children and students learn what’s right from the right people.
shliach trying to hire!
I have to be honest. Our chabad house has stopped placing ads and working with kollel yungerleit and rather find other “less holy” frumer yidden who are willing to do the honorable hafatza required with real mesiras nefesh.
Kollel chevreh are in general a very difficult bunch to work with and have a skewed version of reality far from what it takes to be a reasonably productive employee in any organization. They’re trained and inculcated with the horror stories of what happened to this guy and to the other and willing to do very little. Their “rov” gives them brilliant advice and then they can’t figure out why the relationship didn’t go well. As a shliach we see too many proud baalei baatim down on thier luck and who need our assistance. Many of these once proud people are willing to do anything that it takes to earn a living. Some how the lessons of hard work and team work were not taught in kolel.
Altz by yenem nisht by kainem is understood but these guys are so far from the pale that its not even worth it any more.
Srulik from Troy
Let’s face it. Chabad Lubavitch needs to find another business model. The thousands of young Jewish men who call themselves “Yungerleit” will need to find other skills. Go out into the work force. Find jobs. The franchise is saturated – pure and simple. Sure, one will hear of a couple who move to some far off land, almost devoid of Jewish life and open a “Chabad” House. These will be few and far between. And do not think of taking over a successful “franchise” – a brother, son, cousin will always be waiting.
Chaim
What you are writing about is something that the Rebbe spoke about by if I remember correctly at the Kinnus Hashluchim 5751 and the Rebbe said that the only way that we will reach every Jew is either by chavra dichavra ais lah that every person that you reach will affect his friend who will then affect his friend and/ or by Shliach Osah Shliach ad Meah shluchim that every shliach should make it a point to bring down 100 shluchim.
Another point that you have to remember I am a shliach and I am writing this from expereiace. Is that it is poshut mesiros nefesh for a shliach to bring down more shluchim because 1 he will take away balei batim who are your fans and supporters 2 your local balei battim will now compare you to him 3 the more shluchim = more toes being stepped on 4 many head shluchim are not liked by the shluchim that they brought down and those are the same people who just 2 years ago were saying in the name of shlichus everyone is on the same team and when reality sets in for what ever the reason you now dont get along so from the head shliach’s point of view what happened is that he worked very hard to bring you down on shlichus on all he got from it was more problems on top of what he had before.
me
it boils down to 3 things
1. money – shluchim dont have money to pay you, even if they do have now in 5-6 years they wont, count how many non-family members are still under a shliach…. unfortunately not many at all, except in india (and thier kids will be married and also need a shlichus)
2. Family – the world isn’t so big and so shluchim have kids that are married or soon will be and need a place too.
3. Shluchim have many flaws, most of the times are horrible with money and aren’t the best bosses… no one ever trained them to do this and so just because they are shluchim doesn’t give them all these abilities
if not all these 3 then at least 2 of them are true for MOST (YES MOST) shluchim…
ANYONE ARGUES?? please let me know
CP
Growing up I’ve learned to want shlichus and baruch Hashem still do. But it’s tragic and so discouraging looking around and seeing all the- corruption, how those who have more yichus or money go out first.
It’s really gotten out of hand.
I agree with # 24
I am a shliach looking for two shluchim. I went to NY especially to meet yungerlait and a couldn’t get someone to return a call. I happen to be someone who has a reputation of working well with shluchim in my moisad. I have been hirring and interviewing for close to 20 years and the yungerlait have never been as bad as today.
In the first meeting they are already discussing how din toiras would work (i am totally serious). They want to know if after a few years of me paying them they decide to go independent (and take a piece of my moisad with them) would they be able to do it? A guarantee that i will pay for all their chinuch and simchas etc.
There was no feeling of them having to sell themeslves. They made no effort to make a good impression on how much they will be able to accomplish, how they will work hard, be a team player etc.
Their concerns for those expenses are actually legitimate, butthey have to earn that through hard work and dedication. No moisad can survive by signing away an all expense paid life contract to someone who has such a sense of entitlement.
People are saying that yungerlait are now going into buissness. Let the yungerlait that are still waiting ask the yungerlait in buissness how hard they work etc.
Milhouse
The problem boils down to two fallacies:
1. It is a fundamental belief of Judaism that it is impossible for one person to reduce another person’s parnossoh. Parnossoh comes from Hashem, “poseiach es yodecho umasbia lechol chai rotzon”, and whatever one person gets from Hashem doesn’t come from another person’s portion. The Rebbe said repeatedly that it’s a fallacy to imagine that having more children causes poverty, because each child comes with his or her own tzinor from Hashem. For the exact same reason, it’s a fallacy to imagine that another shliach in town (or another grocer, plumber, or whatever you do for a living) can reduce your parnossoh.
My parents taught me nisht kukn ba yenem in teller arain; what’s in his bowl is from his portion and what’s in your bowl is from yours, and how much or how little he has doesn’t affect what you have. If you think you should have more, apply to the Accountant for a bigger budget; or work on bringing down more of what’s already in your budget, as we are taught in chassidus that after Hashem allocates our parnossoh from Above we have to bring it down to gashmius with our avodah, or else it stays Above.
2. Yidden are not avodim kenaanim. They are not chattels, belonging to one person or another. The whole “system” depends on a shliach regarding the yidden who live in a particular area as his property, which another shliach may not poach. But they are not property. They do not belong to you. They are independent people, benei Avrohom Yitzchok veYaakov just like you, and they belong to themselves and are entitled to learn Torah from whomever they like.
Nor are you a “supplier” of Torah to them, who can therefore have some sort of exclusive franchise. The Torah already belongs to them, “moirosho kehilas Yaakov”, *including* Toras Hachassidus, and if you stand in the way of their learning it then you are chas vesholom “moineia bar”; if you are unfamiliar with that term go look it up and see what is written about it. If you are not willing or able to teach them then you have no right to prevent another from doing so; but *even if you are* willing and able, you *still* have no right to prevent them from going to someone else if they prefer it. Some people are able to learn from one person and not from another, whether because of their different styles, or simply because that is what was decreed from Above.
There is no such thing as “hasogas gevul” in Torah. A melamed cannot prevent another melamed from setting up next door, even though he is providing not just Torah but also babysitting services. Kal vochomer a teacher of Torah sheb’al Peh to adults has no claim of “hasogas gevul”, and asserting one amounts almost to kefirah, as I explained above.
So if there’s a rov who advises going out without “permission”, why do you hesitate to take that advice? Is his psak halocho not sufficient for you? Do you not ask him shaylos that are nogeia to issurei kores, and rely on him to pasken correctly? Then why don’t you accept his psak, issued with the koach of Torah, that you should go out and be matzliach, and not to worry about the opposition of the existing shluchim or their friends? If they make trouble for you, refer them to the rov who sent you.
As for the name Chabad or Lubavitch, it is not private property, and if it comes to a din torah you will surely find a beis din willing to rule that the Rabbeim and their legacy are nachlas haklal.
no one special
TO: #24 & #31, it seems, from your words, that the concept of mesiras nefesh that has been required of any Chassidisher shliach, from the time of The Besht, has turned into a sense of one being entitled to be a shliach, entitled to a salary, benefit packages etc.. Younger people might do well to spend some time studying what “exile” in Russia meant. What hiding from the kgb meant. what spending 20 years in jail for helping Jews meant. Learning about how to live in the imaginary economy of “head checks” and putting your paycheck into the bank on “collection” and waiting for it to become real money.
We have forgotten how to struggle.
chaim
to comment 31
please call me i want a job
to #24 & 31
It is true what you say. But… Many bochurim & yungerleit have been abused by shluchim over the years, so now it is coming back around again. That doesn’t make it right, but now we are in this viscous cycle.
Also, very, very well said Milhouse.
att Shluchim
it is true that many yungerleit are looking for an empire of their own and that is a little out of reach these days. However Shluchim that are posting. Please post contact information so those who are looking and willing to work under someone are able to make contact with you
Shluchim want you the old fashion way..
The yungerleit that want Shlichus the old fashion way find it etc..the ones who come with an attitude the Shalich looking to hire is turned off and on top of it they make it clear they want a new car a paid vacation how much money goes into 401K a salary that Doctors dont make for the first 3 years of their profession etc.. Ive heard it all etc..they scare the Shluchim with this new material attitude etc.. don’t get me wrong they deserve it all but heck no way to start off Shlichus.. dedication for the cause is what we look for..and we can smell it in one interview where this persons head is etc..
Gary (Gershon)
To #11 who coined the abreviation “Makom Kavua=MK,” it happens to be that MK is the source of the problem being addressed.
MK, who has put the mark of Shlichus-Success on whether you have a large building, got money from Rohr, have your picture flash on the screen very brightly at the banquet,able to snag a table for you and your baalei battim right next to MK’s table, thanked MK a thousand times for getting some money for your Chabad House. If you did all this and more, then you are a successful shliach.
Woe is to us!
Shaliach
“We ought to reconsider a system in which one man can claim 100,000 Jews to himself ”
Show me what city has 100K Yidden to himself. Cities with 100K yidden are few and far between; you can count them, and they all have many many Shluchim. Chicago, LA, Toronto come to mind, each with dozens of shluchim.
Let’s get your opinion; how many yidden should be able to suppport a shaliach? I am in a shlichus of approx 8000-10,000 Yidden, which supports 3 shluchim – not all from fundraising. If only fundraising, i think one would need at least 1000 families (approx 3000 Yidden), and this would be a financially tight situation, barring any miracle happenings.
chaim
I was burnt bad and shlichus was a dream not a reality. Went to college and earn a decent living. I never looked back.
get a job and live near a chabad house!
Get a profession/ business/ job in small communities with Chabad Houses! Work during the day! Learn/ have shabbos meals/ and other Shlichus type work in the evenings and on the weekends.
La La Land
The Shluchim are in La La land. It doesn’t work that way in business. Either you are your own boss and financials become your own repsonsibility or your work is for someone else but you get paid for the job that you do. There is no sense of dedication that the shluchim claim they are looking for unless the yungerman will feel that it is his own moissad.
For a shliach to think that the yungerman will help build up his moissad,calling it ‘team player’, but in reality it’s not his (the yungerman’s) moissad, and technichaly the yungerman could get fired, can only work if the yungerman is getting paid for it. To expect dedication to someone else’s cause without paying accordingly is illogical, irrational, and makes no sense whatsoever.
I hate to say it, but the shluchim are living in a socialist russian mentality which was a total flop. In the real world, successful companies have workers who are dedicated because of their salaries.
Mushrooms are delicious
Forget about small cities. Break down the large US cities which don’t have enough shluchim to cover the Jewish population.
New York
2 million Jews
100 chabad houses
Los Angeles
660,000 Jews
35 chabad houses
Miami
530,000 Jews
60 chabad houses
Philadelphia
275,000 Jews
50 chabad houses
Chicago
250,000 Jews
25 chabad houses
Boston
225,000 Jews
25 chabad houses
S Francisco
200,000 Jews
15 chabad houses
Baltimore
95,000 Jews
20 chabad houses
Detroit
95,000 Jews
15 chabad houses
S Diego
90,000 Jews
13 chabad houses
Cleveland
85,000 Jews
10 chabad houses
Denver
85,000 Jews
7 chabad houses
Phoenix
80,000 Jews
10 chabad houses
Las Vegas
80,000 Jews
5 chabad houses
S Louis
60,000 Jews
3 chabad houses
Dallas
55,000 Jews
5 chabad houses
Houston
50,000 Jews
7 chabad houses
Portland
40,000 Jews
5 chabad houses
Minneapolis
40,000 Jews
9 chabad houses
Seattle
35,000 Jews
9 chabad houses
1 chabad house can’t cater to 20,000 people. 1 chabad house can’t cater to 4000 people. 1 shliach can’t cater to 1000 people. Make this the Mushroom Proclamation and nail it to the door of Merkos.
to 33/no one special
(First of all, #41 has a great point.)
Mesiras nefesh is something that you do when you are in extenuating circumstances, not as plan A. For that we say “al tivieini lidei nisayon, that we don’t want to be in a msiras nefesh demanding situation, but of course when you are in such a situation, hopefully we should with G-d’s help rise to the occasion.
What really bothers people is when there are two groups of people, with two different realities. One class being head shluchim’s children and the other being everyone else. So when some head shluchim afford their children real estate that others can only dream of, and everyone else is declined when they request a town of a few hundred Jews… that causes rage.
I think every rational individual wouldn’t be offended if a head shliach chooses to hire his own son over someone else. That is a rational/healthy nepotism. What is offensive is when they hoard and lock down areas that have multitudes of yidden for when they eventually get married, years down the line…
bunch of malarkey
There is no 60 chabad houses in Miami. If anything can use another shliach in miami its the position of head shliach.
A shliach
In many urban areas there are Chabad Houses at every 2-3 mile radious, that is true in Southern California, Miami and many other areas. There is a real issue of sustainability. How many mosdos are viable?
As a shliach I get calls at times asking from yungerleit who look at a map see an empty area and think “why can’t I open there? They dont realize there are few Jews or they are full of ethnic groups. You can’t run a center for Spanish speaking immigrants.
There are areas in the country that can still absorb growth, but for that to be done in a way that will not cannibalize existing mosdos it needs to be thought out. Newly arriving Shluchim need to work along with those already in place. A shliach told me last week about the new guy on the block who is aggressively chasing his biggest supporter. He refuses to back off creating much local politics.
Somebody sitting in New York who unilaterally decides what is needed in some far off community is making risky decisions. Shluchim need to foster growth it must be done so each new mosod succeeds. Just opening breeds maklokes and politics.
It would be much wiser to explore options of working in existing mosdos, seeking partnership and achdus. Yungerleit who really want positions can find them. What happens many times that with time local opportunities develop and the number two moves out a few miles and develops a new neighborhood after a few years.
The challenges of growth have been severely impacted by the economy. Many other ares of the jewish community have been experiencing limited growth driven by financial limitations. Many existing Shluchim have serious financial challenges.
Our system is not perfect. There are abuses. By and large it works.
reality
gave up long time ago
go get a job
reality
gave up long time ago shluchim need more emunah
Exponential growth? Yesh gvul in this .
#43.
Very effective research and data.
However, 20,000 Jews in a town does not make them all approachable potential. 2,000,000 in New York? Citizen #1 is Jewish. Wealthy as Korach. So? Is he to be counted as someone’s potential ‘client’? And the thousands of Upper East Side older people? Are they considered approachable? Of course everyone is approachable, but not for money, and how do you compare their attitude to, say, a successful professional in Jackson Mississippi. (Why doesn’t any Kollel Yngmn jump to take that city? The whole state is available, and happens to be a state with hidden potential. Ask Toyota.) Nth Dakota is now the most vibrant economy in the country, with its new oil and gas. Head for those hills -not the part called ‘badlands’- and be in on the ground floor. Don’t disturb the shliach. Help him. Start a business and catch the fish as they come streaming in to boom-town. Your children will grow up pure as the driven snow (plenty there) with the kedusha permeating the whole household.)
At the end of the day: with a kinnus of 2,000+ bochurim today, this will all hit the wall of exponential conundrums
BTW: The much maligned ‘system’, complete with empowered ‘heads of state’, was started by the Rebbe, protected by the Rebbe, and enshrined in his corporate documents for Merkos and Machane. Iknow from first hand. I spent a lifetime stepping aside in order not to ‘eclipse’ incompetence. A number of times at the express horaa of the Rebbe. I changed hundreds of lives (a town or two to boot) and remain an old man without a visible niche in the Chabad-Lubavitch heirarchy. As a reward, my children are prominent shluchim (without a taint of nepotism.)
I agree with 44
I agree with #44 they are playing with the spiritual well being of the world by dividing real-estate that’s not their’s in the first place. Where is the Idealism when did the shloochim start selling their souls ?
Sydney
Coming from Sydney we also have a huge nepotism problem. Worse is that many of the shluchim scarcely represent chabad values and the Rebbe’s horaos. The ladies go with short skirts, no socks and with a tichel in public covering half of their hair.
These are the one’s who get the positions because of family connections. They make a chillul lubavitch and do not serve as living role models of the torah and way of life that we are trying to bring people to. the am-haratzus too is very apparent and embarrassing.
The chassidishe kollel-Leit would be far better role models on shlichus and maybe we wouldn’t lose our mekuravim to the misnagdim.
The Crux Of The Problem
The real problem is that for 20 years of the yeshiva/camp system drills it into the barhorim (and girls too) that unless they are Shluchim, the Rebbe would not be pleased. Look at the camp songs. Listen to the farbrengens with the older bachurim, teachers, shlhchim. They all tell the bochorim that this is their ask in life and if not, they just haven’t made it….
Then after 20 years of tha system a young couple wants to go on shluchis, but there in no where suitable to go to. So they are either extreamly fustrated (like the writer of this op-ed) and have to “start over” or become a “mushroon.”
Who can blame them?? This is what they been told to d their whole life!!
A possable solution: From an early age teach the bochorim ( and the girls) that it’s perfectly fine to earn an honost living as a G-d fearing businessman. Support Shluchim if you can. Become a shliach if it’s suitable for you, but don’t make that your only option.
upset lubavucher
The “head shkuchim” are killing what the rebbe visioned
Shlucha not related to her head shliach.
To 44. Look at the shluchim list on chabad.org, you will see that most head shluchim have plenty of shluchim who are not related to them in their states. Go take a look. Then come back and let’s discuss.
Answer to 43
Your concerns are correct, your solutions are misguided.
You are 100 correct that those cities can use thousands of new Shluchim. However, there may not be room for too many more Chabad houses.
The new Shluchim will have to either work in exsisting Chabad houses or start new programs – not traditional Chabad houses.
Chalk it up to Nepotism
What some Chabad House (and other Lubavitch moysdoys)directors fail to realize and accept, is that their community- and publicly- funded organization is not their own little fiefdom and property, to do with as they please. A Chabad House is not a ‘family business’! These leaders should not be able to use their position to benefit themselves and their family by taking in their children, grandchildren and other family members to work for them, to the exclusion of other non-family and unrelated members.
Yes, family members might be well-suited for thes positions and may actually have a very good understanding of the job. And so might another out-of-town prospective-Shaliach! To be just and to lead by example, there should always be a disinterested and transparent hiring process led by a committee, with the employ going to the best qualified candidate – and not to the one who’s closest to the boss!
In my city (which I shall leave unnamed and which could, in effect, be like many cities in Canada, US and Europe), which possesses a very large Chabad community, all the Chabad jobs have gone to children, sons-in-laws, sisters-in-laws and so on. And if there aren’t any relatives in the Chabad ‘businesses’, then the wealthy donors manage to get their children into these positions, sometimes pushing out other disenfranchised workers.
Is this all fair? Is this what we want to teach the younger and upcoming generations? Is this the way of the Torah? Is this what the Rebbe would have wanted? Could anyone not be ashamed to come to the Rebbe and tell him that ‘my daughter, wife, sister-in-law are my employees and on my payroll’? I dare say not!
Chaim
number 15 said it best.
agreed but,
the Rav’s in crown heights are encourging people to go out n be mushrooms??
Non-Shliach shlichus
I remember, as a Kolel yungerman in 1985, during one of the first kinussim, held upstairs of 770, we were told by a ‘head of state’ – ‘Sorry guys, there’s just no more places to go on Shlichus – it’s all taken’! well, 27 years later…i guess he was proven wrong!
Nachzir L’inyaneinu – while I believe your altruism is noble, time to face reality. Shlichus is a business and unless you are bringing something new to the table, or you are good at chanifah towards a head-shliach…maybe you should consider another path in life…the Rebbe saw this happening thru ruach Hakodesh and proclaimed that every Lubavitcher home is a Chabad, and should be declared as such. Hence, just because you don’t live in timbukto, doesn’t mean you can’t do the Rebbe’s shlichus in whichever life path you tread upon – you are still a shliach and can bring Jews closer to Yiddishkeit wherever you go and whatever you do.
Suggested Places, just a start.
Look for empty places here:
All over Florida – Miami, coastal Boynton Beach, coastal Delray Beach etc… call Chabad Central Florida, also)
New Jersey – Mahwah, Montclair, Clifton, Bloomfield, Hackensack etc. Call Carlebach, too.
Illinois – ALL of the city of Chicago proper, north and south of the gold coast, Glencoe, Morton Grove, Northfield/Winnetka.
New York – anywhere in Westchester where there is not a Shliach, anywhere in Long Island where there is not a Shliach, the Bronx, Yonkers, Queens… anywhere there is not a Shliach should have Yidden and some $$$.
California – Inland Empire, Silverlake, Melrose Place, Pomona and many more… call Shlomo’le!
As long as their is no existing Shliach there – Start your own Chabad House their today!!
#21 excellent idea!
#21 that’s very forward thinking – these places all around the globe should be published and ‘Head Shluchim’ need to sign up with this program – if they are not active in these cities without shluchim (and the head shluchim need a bentchmark to prove activity within these places) then these cities get released to an unbiased vaad who can take these potential places to the Rosh Hakolel and other sources in touch with realities on the ground (this way you are assured of no biased) then, kolel yungerleit (or even newly married couples) have a fighting chance for shlichus – but why wait for 50 months? The potential shluchim can’t wait for more than 4 years from now, sitting around – make it 18 months!
dovid hakohen
re mushrooms it is a disgusting and offensive term. I got called a mushroom because I got a rabonus position in a non-lubavitch shul and the local shaliach didn’t want me there even though he didn’t get the position. Shluchim are often stifling growth and hafotzo. Sometimes mushrooms even get called a cancer… r”l. This is the way to speak about yidden?
The real answer is to encourage yungerleit to become klei kodesh outside lubavitch mosdos – rabonim, shochtim, mashgichim, melamdim etc. – bringing in some income from outside the existing mosdos. And recognize these as proper shlichus…
moti
the other real issue here besides the nepotism aspect is that merkos / the shluchim office / the head shluchim need to become more professional and all shluchim need to become more accountable. That means a support network, mentoring and appraisal of shluchim. Because most shluchim have to raise their own money they aren’t interested in being told what to do. But a shaliach who is struggling should have support. A shaliach who says there is no room for another shliach or mossad should know that there is an independent vaad of merkos who will come and appraise the situation. If this is indeed true they will support him 100%. But if there is room and he is just being difficult, or he is “saving it” for his kids, or he is just too lazy to fundraise or work an afraid of being shown up, then merkos (or whoever) should be able to overrule him and put a shaliach in next to him. An organization with 4000+ people working there needs a corporate structure and checks and balances. Sadly it does not happen due to inertia, nepotism, vested interests etc.
moti
to #54 go to chabad.org and look at lists of shluchim then look up on shmais or google the “non-related” names and you’ll find they are often sons-in-law or daughters-in-law. I kid you not. Every time a “new shluchim to yehuptzville” appears on ch.info or xhmais etc. I look up and usually if they aren’t the son of the HS they are the son-in-law. Try it yourself. Search for their engagement announcement! Don’t kid yourself.
Milhouse
#62, And then there are rabbonim of non-lub shuls who wake up one day and decide they want to be called shliach, even though they’re not doing anything beyond their job at the shul, and they want to chase away shluchim who are working full time for the Rebbe. It happens both ways, and it’s wrong both ways. The Rebbe wants more peulos, more hafotzoh, more yiddishkeit, not less.
dovid hakohen
to Millhouse there are many different types of shlichus not just chabad houses
dovid hakohen
to Millhouse… “not doing anything beyond their job at the shul”… do you not think maybe the things rabonim do every day are hafotza? Mivtzoim? Learning and teaching Jews? Inspiring people to do mitzvos! That is a Rabbi’s “job” shaliach or not…
And what about the shluchim who spend all day chasing the money?
Milhouse
Dovid Hakohen, a rov is a rov and a shliach is a shliach. If someone is working full time for his shul, then he has no right to object when someone comes to take care of the yidden who don’t come to shul, and to run explicitly lubavitcher peulos, a nusach ari minyan, etc. On the contrary, he should encourage that person, and be happy that there is a fellow chossid in town.
dovid hakohen
to milhouse sorry I wasn’t clear maybe. I 100% agree with you that a lubavitch rov of a shul should be happy if a shaliach with a bais chabad comes to town. My point was simply that rabonus is also shlichus. Ask the rabonim who were sent places by the rebbe what the hora’as were. It is a cheap shot to put down someone who isn’t working for a chabad mosad and not in line with the rebbe’s directives.