17 Comments

• ex-shaliach

  The beaches are a crowded this time of year with many other vacationing tourists. Bring suntan lotion and a bathing suit. BUT REALLY NOW! How are these bochurim supposed to pay for a flight to Miami? What is the next place for a shluchim convension…California? And why not think globally and have one in Israel? Or better yet Australia? Are shluchim (bochurim) supposed to become jetset world travellers? Do they really need this to enhance their learning and other activities???

• Ex-shliach / aleh mol a shliach

  I was a shliach in the States three years ago. I attended the kinus in Chicago and I must say, that although I had little expectations before I went for benefiting much from it, I was pleasantly surprised.

  We spent three days together, learning, Farbrenging and of course lots of good camaraderie and it was worth every penny I put in to it. I only felt bad for my older brothers that did not have it when they were on Shlichus in Yeshivah.

  I dont beleive there is another event for us, so focused in mission and catering to this cause.

  It is money well spent,

• Emes

  This fictional catagory of “shlichus”, is really a cheap imitation of the original: when Bochurim were sent by the Rebbe and later by the Hanhaloh hamerkozis (under his direction). Today, “shlichus” runs the gamut of everything from free tuition to learn in a distant Yeshiva (and give a chayus to the place), all the way to free labor of bochurim teaching and doing mivtzoyim (and working for a Chabad Center). Either way, the need to become “inspired” at a “convension” is no greater for bochurim-“shluchim” than any other 19-20 yr old bochur. This isn’t like the “adult” shluchim on shlichus in far flung cities who may not see a religious Jew in months, and certainly need to reconnect with other chassidim at an annual kinus hashluchim. Bochurim “playing” shluchim in yeshivas are not in this catagory! Although, a kinus of yidden is always a good thing – let’s not become ‘elitist’ by making special catagories of bochurim who are ‘holier than thou’, v’dal. Bottom line – get real, and in touch with reality: There should be a kinus of ALL bochurim of ALL North American Lubavitch Yeshivas. It should be age/shiur specific (to avoid a balagan), and it should be in Crown Heights, the Rebbe’s shchuna!! This will give a chayus to both the visiting bochurim and the local bochurim, and the entire shchuna. Enough with playing pretend games. Enough with fiction. Enough with “us vs. them”, making a pirud, by holding up one’s nose because he’s a kloymish “shaliach”. It’s all fake. A little emes please.

  The former shaliach who claims he was inspired at a kinus in Chicago: Were you inspired that you are more choshuv than stam a bochur your age? Were you inspired that other non-shluchim bochurim were excluded? Did you feel a greater “yesh” after the kinus you attended? And did you need this “inspiration” more than any other “regular” bochur?

  Face the emes! There’s enough sheker already, that we need not fabricate more of it.

• former talmed shliach

  what is the purpose of this, talmedai hashluchim have a shlichus to learn and to mivtzoyimm the gave can start when they become heads of state

• Visiting planet earth

  I admit that I know little about chinuch and I am not a maskil who can rationalize everything, but this subject opens a sore wound:

  Our precious bochurim go out for a year or two on shlichus, and then they spend a year studying smicha, but then, at a young age of 21 (turning 22) there is no program in “the system” for them. Most of the better bochurim get jobs in out-of-town yeshivas (being dorm counselors or mashgichim), the few that have extreme self-disciple remain in 770, but the majority have nothing to do. These bochurim end up getting JOBS – yes, that’s what it is, even if the job is working for a chabad house or a local mossad.

  Rachmana litzlan, bochurim who are in the prime of their learning years, indeed, in the last years of learning as a bochur, QUIT learning, “drop out” of yeshiva, and work.

  Even those few who succeed in getting a job working in a yeshiva – they are “WORKING” just as any bal ha-boss works in a mossad or yeshiva. Kal vchomer, those who work in a mossed or Chabad House – they are out of a yeshiva atmosphere and immersed in velt.

  (I won’t raise the issue of bochurim who had spend several years successfully learning in bais hamedresh and at 21 yr old – go get jobs in stores etc. because there is no where for them to go learn – that’s far too painful).

  This has been going on for a number of years, and we are so used to it, that we think this is “normal”!!

  Even a newly married chossen is supposed to be in Kollel for a while (one- two years) before getting immersed in velt. So, we now take precious bochurim, and due to the lack in “the system” – we toss them into the velt.
  The “joke” is that these yeshiva drop outs (-let’s call it what it is), become chassanim, and go back to Kollel! After being out of yeshiva, I can’t imagine any true learning value from this kollel experience. But that’s not my point.

  I cry out – how did this evolve? And what can be done about this tragic matzov? Maybe we need to open our eyes and look at the Litvish/Yeshivish velt – how they are machshiv these last formative years in a bochur’s learning.

  We can laugh at Lakewood’s “freezer” system, that a bochur undertakes to learn that year without the distractions of getting involved in shidduchim. But let’s first look in a mirror – our bochurim are thrown into distractions, jobs etc. rachman litzlan.

  I cry out because I’m in pain. As I stated, I’m not a mechanech or a maskil, but a plain person who calls a spade a spade.

  As the saying goes, “Si shtinkt foon kop” (It stinks from the head/top): when our best/choice members (isn’t that the meaning of “bochurim”) are neglected and made hefker, the head stinks, – is it any wonder that “de fees shtinken oychet” (the “feet” also smells), our ruchniyus as fargrebtah bal habattim is sorely lacking. OY OY VEY!!!!

• Friend

  The vibes I’m getting from you is that you were the one that was in my class and did not get shlichus.

  But without going in to that,

  A gathering for bochurim-shluchim to come together to delve deeper in to their mission and to refocus at their shlichus, what can be wrong that?

  I don’t see this having to do with elitism or the like, it is a task they carry to be examples for their younger peers in their respective Yeshivos and to get some direction on how to go about it and how to bring it into actuality is what I gained from the kinus I attended.

  Can someone please enlighten me.

• Confused

  To Emes:
  You make some valid points and I am pondering about them. But, we live in a world of sheker. That is the currency of our Dorr.

  Our chashivus, self worth, is based on falsehoods. We pretend to be frum and by pretending we actualize becoming frum. We pretend to be chassidish and thus we act chassidish. There is no denying that we are not “true” chassidim like amol, but that’s the best we can do – to pretend. Of course we aren’t true yirei shomayim like previous generations, but we can at least pretend to be.

  Therefore, in this dorr of sheker, maybe bochurim need artificial self-worth and chashivus, by giving themselves titles of “shluchim”.

  You elude that this is “yeshus” – well, maybe a little yeshus can be used positively, if it makes aperson feel good about his avodas Hashem.

  If it adds to their hanhoga tova and chayus, let them pretend with self-importance. To paraphrase what someone once said, “Let them eat cake.”

  To find true emes, you need to go to Olom Ha emes. So if a convention is needed, (and you admit that a kinus of yidden is always a positive thing) then let them have their convention.

  I still am confused about endorsing sheker – but maybe that’s the shlichus of this dorr.

  I would appreciate hearing from others on this topic.

• Miami resident

  In response to “ex-shaliach”:

  For your information, Miami is more than just beaches, tourist, and bathing suits…there’s also…let’s see…palm trees and…oh yes…great restaurants.

• Realist

  To “emes”:
  You make lots of good points. But, to paraphrase: You want truth…we can’t handle the truth. We need falsehood to survive.

• Kop doctor

  Listen up “Emes”:
  Humans need selfworth -even if it may seem “worthless”. If I am nothing – then I expect nothing from myself nor do I demand of myself.

  Call it self-respect, selfworth, or holding up one’s nose with yeshus, but a little “yeshus” goes a long way in promoting personal growth!

  Let the boys play the shlichus game.

• Toshav hashchuna

  I like the idea that “emes” suggested of a kinus of all bochurim in CH – just like the girls have on 22 Shvat. It’s simple, practicle, and makes sense – I guess that’s why it won’t happen.

• Kop Doctor

  To “ex-shaliach/aleh mol a shliach”:
  You are confused. Your name suggested your shlichus was of thing of the past (ex-shaliach), while also claiming “aleh mol a shliach”. You also begin by saying “I was a shaliach”. Confusion by claiming one thing and knowing that the reality is something else…one of the first signs of mental disfunctionality.

• stam a bochur

  Emes, very well said.
  It’s very unfortunate that the term “Bocher shliach” doesn’t mean what it used to, and the hanhola use it to keep the bochurim in the system at bay. (i.e. point system in OT.) However it is very special to have a kinnus which inspires the hard working bochurim who are really giving a lot of time and energy to the younger bochurim in their yeshivas.
  Hope its a “great success”!

• To toshav hashchunah

  I am also a toishav hashchunah and there is a convention for all bochurim here in CH on yud shvat and I do my best to support it as well.

  If you would like to leave me your info.

• Detroiter

  A convention in CH? CHAS V’SHOLEM! Many bochurim are anti’s and don’t want broken feet, nor would they come to an Ir Ha’nidachas.

• THE TRUTH ABOUT THE KINNUS

  To Emes: The Bochurim Shluchim get together to encourage one another and to farbreng. It has nothing to do with an elitist attitude.

  This sort of get together is a great inspiring tool to encorage the shluchim to continue their work in their place of shlichus (most of them are to yeshivos) where they have commited to give a year and sometimes two years to help. It’s a beautiful thing which the rebbe encouraged.(In 1991 they held such a get together and the rebbe sent a letter encouraging it)

  The shluchima accomplish a lot in the yeshivos. It’s a fact. Thats why yeshivos continue to get shluchim every year.

  There is absolutaly nothing wrong with this sort of get together.It could only bring good to this world.

  Smile. Hatzlacha Rabba

• THE REAL EMES

  EMES youn are very wrong. you are probably sour about a past missed shlichus opportunity. Peaople are good. Don’t be so quiq to judge.
  May g-d help you