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From yesterdays NY Daily News.

Picture of the Day! At the Shluchim Group Picture

From yesterdays NY Daily News.

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82 Comments

  • laughing mother

    As a mother, my automatic response would have been to say something like, "Why don’t you act your age," but it’s just so funny, I can’t help but laugh!

  • Mm

    This is Da Best!! Oh man, I luv it!!
    Don’t know who you are but do not be embarrassed it’s great! :)

  • Mm

    This is Da Best!! Oh man, I luv it!!
    Don’t know who you are but do not be embarrassed it’s great! :)

  • rochel

    This is so tootally embarrassing for lubavtich!!!!! It’s a disgracing way for a shliach to act!!!!!

  • Who cares

    This is not a "chilul lubavitch" nor does that man "cheapen the name of Shluchim". comments like the aforementioned from various individuals, highlight the fact that some people are really clueless as to what’s important. No one who sees that photo will jump to any negative conclusions and if they do; they would have found another excuse to jump to a negative conclusion about Lubavitch, Jews or both.

  • Zalmy

    Great photo.

    I commend the buchor in the photo.

    It shows that the shlichim are real people, and have personalities.

    It helps to break the "black hat" stereotype. And humanizes the Chabad movement.

    To all the critics. LIGHTEN UP!!!!!

    And find something better to do with your time.

  • berkeley gal

    lighten up! its cute and funny and its what normal people do. the people who saw this in the paper will enjoy seeing that religious people have a sense of humor.
    the same energy that caused this shiach to make such a face is what makes him a great shliach!

  • totally 4 it

    i agree with who cares!!! we are human and can fool around in a cool way!! you know what i mean??

  • chrup!

    to all those that have a prob with this pic:
    being a shliach doesnt mean you have to have a stick shoved up somewhere.
    their having fun like their allowed to and should! if you have a problem then become a shliach and you show us what you think is the "proper" conduct

  • sister

    You go, Ber (and Tzvi)! Life is too short to be intense all the time! Hakuna Matata! Your sister (guess which one)

  • shmuel Y

    I am sure you made the Rebbe proud. just think of how happy he would be if he woke up this morning got the paper and saw that picture. I am sure he would have called you into his office and had a drink with you…

    And for those that think it is so cool you are lucky that the caption was not worse. they could have wrote something like Chabad Rabbis make fools of themselves when they are not around their flock" or they could have put in something worse. Next time when there are many journalist maybe you should think twice before you do something dumb.

  • Calm Down

    Maybe it was missing some thought, However the Bochur was posing a pose that he did many years in a summer play. And he did it for a friend. EVEN THE PAPER is more positive than some of you.

  • Come Out

    If shluchim did not come out of the self and act silly some times they would never make ba’alei tesuva

  • Chabad-s Laundry

    I wonder if the ppl writing the paper are Lubavitch, a bunch of snags?

    If they think it is a negative thing, whay are they being ‘mefarsem’ this. and if they think its positive It is enough that it is in the Daily News.

    Do they always have to wash Chabads Laundry

  • Realist

    Has anybody ever heard of a scence of humor? their not making a fool out of themselves their having fun something you obviously never done

  • Another sister

    LOl- there are some of us out there who think its hysterical!! So brother, we’re proud of you! Also SHMUEL Y, if you read the pictures caption- they were posing for a friends lens, not for the journalists…. :)

  • elchonon

    I disagree with those saying its a chilul lubavitch, I thought so too at first, but yes its realy a kidush hashem as the photo says.. everyone goofs around..

    Maybe if it was a 45 year old head shliach… but even rav shmuel munkes pulled pranks albeit lishma.. chill out people.

  • Herschel

    I love the pic! I cant wait for that one Baal Teshuva who writes a book about how he became frum because of this picture! Keep up the good work SB and Tzvi. Do we have a Shliach in the house?!

  • Another shliach

    Man, there are a lot of losers out there.

    1. All the naysayers are making as if they posed for the picture, when they were just fooling around.

    2. For anyone who thinks that real Chassidim don’t have smile and have a sense of humor, read a book called "Lubavitcher Rabbi’s Memoirs".

    3. Neither of those guys are bochurim – they are both shluchim.

    4. Seriously, some of you guys are treating this as if they flipped the bird, or something. Nothing happened! Relax! Simcha poretz geder!

  • Mottel

    They could have also taken a picture of a few very serious and sedate looking Rabbis and said,
    "Some things never change . . . Rabbis after three thousand years can not smile."
    In all seriousness -what’s wrong with not always being so serious? Was there something disrespectful? Something against Torah? Tzvi is a light hearted and talented shliach who gets to people, in part, through his delightful sense of humor (You go Tzvi!).
    Some people need to look at the world with out such heavily tinted sun glasses . . .

  • joe

    To quote a sign I once saw at a gas station on the "penny jar": "If you need a penny, take one. If you need more, get a job!"

  • chava-le

    To Mr Shmuel Y (and all you other ungeblozen commenters)–
    …and I’m thinking that the Rebbe is schepping unbelievable nachas from his shluchim. look at them. look at their accomplishments. look at their dedication to a holy cause. look at their responsibility and look at their mesiras nefesh. and then look at their faces. are they sitting there grimly and stiffly? do they seem burdened by the fact that the world is sitting on their shoulders?
    no.

    Their connection to the rebbe gives them unbelievable kochos. From somewhere inside their special neshamas they extract a supernatural strength. and yet, they are not supernatural people. they are regular folk. they are people who clown "for a friends lens"*. and that, my dear ungeblozen friends, says it all.
    *side point, eh? i mean it’s almost a chaval that the newspaper had to add that part–it gives ur dogmatic cries of "chillul hashem!" less impact.

  • me myself an I

    Did anyone notice that it was taken on a friends camera…not during the official photos.

    Kudos to a man with a sense of humor!!!

  • Shoshana

    I am more upset by the terrible spelling and grammar in the preceding posts. That is the bigger chilul Lubavitch!!!

  • Baruch Lee

    Wow Zvi your famous!!!!
    this is so funny I can’t stop laughing at the very thought.
    I’m sure the Rebbe wouldn’t of been upset, It’s Zvi’s personality that will make him so successful on shlichus!!!
    People love to know that these rabbi’s can have a good laugh.but for all you worried people out there. I’m sure (but not convinced) when he’s old and has a beard like R.Koltarsky, He’ll make a more mature funny looking face. so worry not my over the top humorless friends.
    Regards from lee Jr.

  • Zalmy

    to shmuel Y

    Hmm, and I’m sure that the Rebbe would be real proud to know that you are wasting you time on the internet.

    Embarrassing another jew in public.

    How about you think before you write.

    And one more thing, could of, should of, would of, BUT THEY DIDN’T.

    Stop worrying about what could have happened, and focus on the present.

    And make the Rebbe proud. GO LEARN SOMETHING JEWISH!!!

  • Menachem

    Chillul Lubavitch! What, a person cannot make a smile.
    For all those who don’t understand english
    he was smiling at his FRIENDS camera and they happened to catch it.
    Most people who read the paper realize that! (hopefully)

  • somebody

    that’s a very cute picture,everybody is different why do you have to get so serious!…shluchim are human beings also!

  • Dallas Jew

    first glance you say; oy what will they think…but when you look into the whole picture I agree its okay, the guys full of life, and gives a real feel to the shlucihim. I’d love to have him run my boring shul ;)
    Kudos to them and may Hashem keep you all strong, safe and healthy!

  • Ottawa 4Ever

    Go Tzvi!

    For all you problem-seeking people out there: To go out on Shlichus to a city in Russia where the nearest town is 80 miles away, is not an easy thing. You HAVE to have a goofy sense of humor, or you just wouldn’t survive. I love how all of the people making the negative comments are holier-than-thou Crown Heighters who wouldn’t know proper conduct if it hit them over the head.

  • Post-gimmel/pre-gimmel

    Personaly; I dont have a problem with the pic.

    But, on the other hand, I agree with Shmuel Y; – before Gimmel Tamuz, who would’ve dared do that?! Right outside the Rebbe’s office. The fear the Rabbi Chodokov may call you in to chastise you would’ve been a sufficient deterent

  • to shmuel y:

    "Next time when there are many journalist maybe you should think twice before you do something dumb".

    1.you need to GET A LIFE! the guy was having some fun! he is out ther on shlichus the whole year, now that he has a chance to have some fun he does.

    2.if you stop worrying so much about what people think of you it would be better. people keep on going and doing thing when you give thm your attention.

    3.I love the picture the guy is totally cool!!!

  • to shmuel y

    ‘they could have wrote something like Chabad Rabbis make fools of themselves…."

    could have, would have BUT DIDN’T

  • Hirshel Tzig

    laughing is fun and cool, but that "horn" sign, and the tongue is what you expect to see from teenagers posing for a class picture. It seems like he’s still a kid.

  • DIsapointed( i know this clown)

    Fact: The group Picture of the shluchim is suppose to make a kidush hashem to the whole world "r`uh gedulim shegidalty"….you took a momment and ruined it…there is a time to goof around (prefferably not infront of a camera that will circulate 795,153 papers)showing the world what an impact lubavitch is having aint a time to show how relaxed and chilled we are.

  • Shlucha

    I am a Shlucha, a 45 year old one, and that face showed me that he is happy, positive, humorous, outgoing, lively and active Shliach. GOT IT!!!!

  • Zalmenue

    100%
    This is the best pic of all the pics of the shluchim convention , hands down

    They were waiting for the epic to be taken and they clowned around for a friend – it beautiful.
    And as one comment before wrote just read some stories of the lunbavitcher rebbes memoirs

    I think its a big problem, we don’t know how to laugh – take things way too seriously

  • picture

    All you critical people, you would think he did who knows what. That`s a sin ? Halevai that this should be the worst sin any Shliach or Lubavitchers would be criticized for.

    P.S.: It`s a very cute picture!!!

  • me

    this picture is what people want to see….not that a rabbi is just inside his books all day and that you cant relate to him in any way…..

  • LEVI

    way to go….BIG deal. we are all one family dont we all have fun when we are with family?

    I LOVE IT

  • Boruch

    I can’t blame the Shliach for it, for I’m sure he didn’t realize that the daily news photographer was there as well snapping, but, a shliach is supposed to represent the Rebbe and this is something obviously that…

    If the photo is taken in a pleasant way by 100,000 people, and in an unpleasant way by 1,000 people, I would say he shouldn’t of done it. Please let’s not get personal on the shliach though he must be a great guy and everything, but in hindsight this was not a great idea.

    Hatzlacha Rabba shliach, it looks like you have a great personality.

  • CampusRabbi

    As a Campus Shliach, I can’t count that number of times students have told me the reason they love Chabad so much is because they see that the Rabbis and the movement are so fun, youthful, and down-to-earth.
    The people who are writing these negative comments are obviously not Shluchim, rather people that sit at home on their computers in Crown Heights with nothing better to do than to criticize others. The same poeple, mind you, that offended NUMEROUS students in the very few days they were in Crown Heights for the Shabbaton.
    You think you’re being smart are responsible, but you’re hurting our work.
    This picture is beautiful. It shows that (unlike some) we are not stuck-up or too "professional" for ourselves.
    It makes me proud to be a Shliach. I know that sounds a little much, but any other Shliach out there would understand.

  • May you Go Machayil El Chayil

    Go Zvi! I’m so happy to see that you are able to be so relaxed right before you head off onto your Shlichus. May you always be able to continue to have such a sense of humor at all times, no matter what comes up. Wishing you and your wife all the best

  • The brazzer!

    I love this!!! My brother makes a crazy face and Lubavich goes nuts!!!
    Perhaps it is ‘WE ALL’ who are the Chillulei Lubavich by analyzing and going so crazy over such a petty little ordeal.

  • RC

    Well said, campus Rabbi!
    I agree with Shoshana, too! Makes you feel that many commenters on to this website are in second grade. ugh.

  • eat that

    at the end of the day this guy is going back to russia to be mekarev yiden
    and all the naysayers are sitting in ny
    nuff said!!!

  • Publicizing Chabad

    It is a funny Picture, but i think whoever put it in the newspaper did so to make chabad look BAD but they dont want to write about it openly so they say a positive thing "posing for friends lens" but meanwhile they want everyone to see it and speak bad about chabad ..
    I think its fine what the bachur did but not that they publicize it … but what can we do?!!

  • to shmuel y:

    dude lighten up hes having a good time. hes having it hard probably where ever he is on shlichus.
    He has no friends there he comes to the kinus and hes just smiling and having a good time please give him some slack and let live.

  • Happy or Silly?

    The guy who is laughing looks happy. The guy who’s making the face looks silly. Everyone loves happy people. Silly people like silly people

  • crown heights resident

    what gets me is why is everybody reffering to him as a Bochur this is a MARRIED MAN if i am not mistaken with a child and i know some of us may think lighten up etc. but we all know the story with the rebbe rashab about the chasid that decided to show the rebbe on yechidus the real him so he dressed in his business clothing and the rebbe said till now i thought when you to me dressed in chassidic garb that was the real you now you are showing me teh opposite is true!!!
    when you are in crown heights the Rebbe’s Shliach and are making a picture that the rebbe wanted so much i do not think that was the time and place for such a look especially that it got into the paper i will not get into was it the right thing good PR bad PR the fact is it is at the moment a majr topic of discussion here and it could have and prob. should have been avoided as someone mentioned the Rebbe would not be calling in this Shliach patting him on the back and saying go you excellent job… but then again who am i to say…

  • Mushky

    Love It!
    It shows that the Shluchim are happy lively people – and that’s exactly what a community needs!

    They don’t need a person who is always serious! A non-frum community(some one said Russia!?) needs a Shliach who is bright and with a positive outlook on life!
    People- please think twice before you comment!

  • Cheer up!!!

    To all my dear friends, This morning i was approached by a fellow yid who i did not know and was asked if i can give him a lift, to which i responded; sure. As we were conversing in the car he turned to me and said, "you know I’ve known you since i was in elementary school and was always afraid of you." I asked him why would you be afraid of me, am i that bad looking, to which he responded, "No, but for some reason, not really knowing why i just gave off that impression". This incident really got me thinking, as i looked at the photo i realized that if you really wanna reach out to people around you, firstly, don’t try to intimidate anybody or for that matter be intimidated by anyone. You guys in the photo most definitely accomplished that, all i can say, i envy you guys for being able to express yourselves in such a manner, and by showing how life isn’t suppose to be all so serious and gloomy.

    All the very Best

    "Care about people, don’t care about what people think of you.." by Levi W

  • your secret admirer

    WAY TO GO ZVI!!
    YOU’RE DOING GREAT!
    KEEP SMILING…AND EVERYONE OUT THERE TOO!

  • A Crown Heightser

    I am a Crown Heightser and over 40! Now hear this: I loved the picture, think this guy gave lots of people a smile when they saw the pic in the paper, and showed that a rabbi can be a "real person"
    not all Crown Heightsers are so stuffy, impolite, and clueless
    Keep it up all of you, and all of us that hold down the fort here

  • omg!!!!!

    omg! i find this whole argument totally pathetic! so what??? he’s sticking out his tongue and he’s smiling…AND????? this isn’t a chillul lubavitch at all. people could have fun and smile you know. you don’t always need to be depressed and walk around with a frown. belive me, i’ve seen many things that are a bigger chillul lubavitch than this!

  • hihihi

    wether you like it or not shluchim are on a public display especially in the kinus……. with thousands of cameras, those "shluchim" should have known better, was it a chilul hashem…..ehhhh???? I dont think so,but was it stupid yes, do they look like clowns yes,, so what for????????/

  • some1

    lol look at the difference between the people infront of them and the people in back. It looks like 2 different pics in one.
    It looks like a picture of chassidim from ages ago and like these 2 guys from these days were cut out of another picture and stuck in middle of the one with the serious chassidim

  • Shliach

    OK, I’ve figured it out. Anyone who has a problem with a Shliach making a two year old face at a time when he’s not talking to his two year old;
    1. Doesn’t have a job.
    2. Is not on Shlichus.
    3. Lives in Crown Heights.
    4. Is stuck up.
    5. Needs to lighten up.
    6. Doesn’t know how to have a good time.
    7. Understands that the guy would get it over the head before Gimmel Tammuz from R Hodakov (and in my humble opinion, from Someone else inside the building), but after Gimmel Tammuz it’s OK.

  • on the train

    sitting on the train next to me was a businessman flipping through the paper. He saw this pic and smiled, then turned to me and said "so you guys are normal after all!"

  • lighten up

    if i recall correctly for the past couple of years another Shliach (S.G) has been caught by the newspapers standing right on top with his thumbs up. In fact the photo won an award. Was it a chilul Hashem? No. did it give people a laugh? yes. It showed a lighter side to the serious rabbis.
    This does the same

  • whydontustopbashing

    Dont any of you people have any sense of humor? It amazes me that while we consider ourselves Lubavitch a group that’s supposed to be able to relate to the rest of the world, many of you people act just the same as other Chasidim who judge by chitzonius.
    It so happens that this ‘clown’ and ‘chilul lubavitch’ is right now on his way to Shlichus where he’s going to start a chabad house from the ground up, something all you people bashing him wont understand, because in order to be such ignorant folks, you either never ledt crown hights in your lifetime, or you got your head shiliach reletives to give you shlichus since you could get it yourselves.
    What do you think Lubavitch is all about? Definitaly not a bunch of old people who smell like 770. This is it. It’s the ability to realize that just because you’re a rabbi at a rabbi convention, it doens’t mean that you need to keep a straight face and pretend that you care about all you crown hights people naming you a chilul lubavitch.
    Just look at the news paper. It’s written in a manner not at all suggesting a Chilul Lubavitch. In fact, they think it’s awsome that at least some Rabbis are still normal. And again, they did it for their friend’s picture.

    I can’t belive all you UchYuc people, you’re a bunch of lunatics.

    Honestly everyone, stop judging other people, get a life.

  • the little shvester

    Zvi! You rock! I think that’s a beautiful picture! What a way to start you Shlichus life! Now you really know what you are up against! I bless you that all your Russian flock follow in your ways. May you never have to endure such insults again! I’m slepping Nachas! Have a nice life! nice, sweet! Don’t forget: be yourself wehatever you do… Good luck!

  • good press bad press

    To all the critics out there: there’s a fitting Holywood line for this, even bad press is good press.

  • ANONYMOUS!!

    I LUVVVVVVVVVVVV THE PIC. U GUYZ ROCK!!! TO EVERYONE WE ARE NORMAL PEOPLE!!!! AND WE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE SOME FUN!! AND ANYONE IS GONNA SEEE THE PIC. IS GONNA SAY ITS A FUN PIC. ITS NOT AT ALL A CHILLUL LUBAV.AND I AGREE IT BREAKS THE"BLACK HAT" STEREOTYPE. GUYZ!! DON’T BE EMBARRASSED AT ALL

  • HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    THIS IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ENTERTAINING!
    hey zvi, this is pretty cool, isn’t it? honestly, im really enjoying myself!

  • its not such a big deal!!!

    i short they wre having fun and posing for a friends camera and the ny daily news guy happen to take a picture

    thier fault?-no
    they care?-no
    who cares?-you people who are against it and have nothing better to do with your lives

  • to the new shliach

    TO THE FRESH NEW SHLIACH!!! Hatzlocha Raba. Look how famous you became even before you started your Shlichus. WOW!!!!!You had a great tzeischem lesholom,and make sure at the next kinus we notice you so that we could accompany your accomplishments.

  • Chavi

    Zvi…im sure the Rebbe would have looked at this picture and smiled.

    And this is definitely entertaining.
    80 comments….wow ppl are bored.

  • Bester Shvester

    Hands down for moving to Russia.
    Together with the Brezzer, your little shvester & everyone else-We are really proud of you.
    I miss you and Chayale & yummy. I’ll be down as soon as I can get a day off!!!

    May next pic be in the "Stavorpol Herald".