How I Got the Story of Chabad at Northwestern Wrong
When I heard that the rabbi of a Chabad house on a university campus was in trouble for providing alcohol to students, I assumed that I didn’t need to hear any further details to understand what the story was.
That led me to write this post. I approached the subject with prejudice and without a firm grasp on the facts.
The story I thought I knew was that Rabbi Dov Hillel Klein has been rightfully banned from the campus of Northwestern University for providing alcohol to underage students. Of course, I said at the time, there are worse places to drink on any American campus. But I also said that it was hard to sympathize with Klein because he had still provided alcohol to underage students.
Since then, I investigated further and found that reality did not exactly agree with the conclusions I initially jumped to.
Chabad girl
Can people write to the school asking him to be re-recognized as the University’s Chabad house?
Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Too drink a shot cup of wine after kiddush should be permitted according to US law.
See:
Crown Heightser
Let me point out a few things.
First, being a ‘saint’ does not make what he did right (if in fact he served alcohol to underaged students). So that isn’t an argument.
Second, you state in your article that “There was kiddush wine, one shot for a few people who Klein already knew and trusted – and that’s it.” Well, the fact that he trusted them doesn’t mean that they were of age, does it? (If that is what you are saying, you need to be more clear).
The question that wasn’t answered is, did he indeed serve alcohol to underage students? If he did, I would safely assume that it will be extremely hard for him to regain credibility there.
All I can say is that I wish him lots of luck and I hope those allegations are not true.
not impressed
the author’s ego is to big for him to write: I WAS WRONG
Follow the Rules
If people want to feel enraged, that’s their choice. But the school never said that the Shliach wasn’t a great guy. They told him not to serve alcohol, and by his own admission, he continued to.
kol hakovod
kol hakovod to have the courage to write this.
Moshiach Now!
To #2 - Did you read the article?
If you had bothered to read the article (and the one that preceded it), you’d know that Rabbi Klein immediately complied with the school’s request earlier in the year. He continued, however, to make kiddush on wine, which was his prerogative. I somehow doubt he’d be in any less trouble had he even stopped doing that.
Just curious, why does the school’s opinion of his character matter to you? If someone you’ve done business with for nearly 30 years suddenly severs the relationship on the basis of some dubious institutional policy, would you really care if they think you’re a nice guy? Unfortunately for the rabbi and his community, this is not simply a case of politics as usually but rather, a serious legal situation compounded by what appears to be sinister intent that threatens the very core of his and the Rebbe’s mission.
To #5. Follow the Rules
Lemme guess, you didn’t read the article.
Chicago Counselors
Rabbi Klein is an amazing and awesome guy!
#5 is a troll
I think you’re [deliberately] missing the point… but kudos for sounding intelligent!
Chaim Tovim
Rabbi Klein,
Hello from the woodpecker!
An old friend, Jerusalem, Israel
gotta love R Klein
One of the most sincere yet humorous people around.
Shmuel
What about all the Loshon Harah, Rechilus etc that has been spread about on the internet, like VIN and possibly even here. How many more such stories are we going to have to read to learn that it is not necessary to leave a comment or to pass judgement until more information is available.
Milhouse
This article, like its predecessor and several of the comments, assumes that had the allegation been true then Rabbi Klein would deserve condemnation. What kind of sick un-Jewish and un-Chassidish attitude is that? The anti-alcohol bias that pervades American culture has nothing to do with us. There is nothing magical or holy about the age of 21, that makes drinking before one has reached it undesirable. The recent decision by campus Chabad Houses to go dry wasn’t made out of any great moral awakening; it’s simply a pragmatic decision to accommodate the anti-alcohol prejudice of the campus authorities. Until authorities started cracking down there was no reason to pay any attention to it; now that it’s interfering with the shlichus there’s no point in resisting it just on principle, and it’s more practical to go along.
In exactly the same way, if campus authorities decided to ban meat, Chabad Houses would go vegetarian, and if they banned black clothing campus shluchim would wear other colors, simply because it wouldn’t be worth fighting. But would it occur to anyone to say that a shliach who continued to serve meat or wear black was somehow wrong to do so? Imprudent, maybe, but not wrong. If it would help the shlichus to defy the ban and become a sort of speakeasy, then that would be the right thing to do. And the shliach al asar is the only one who can determine whether this is a good idea or a bad one. Nobody is in a position to second-guess him in either direction.
Dr. Holmes
Completely Disgusting! Rabbi Klein is an amazing Shliach! This whole Campus no alchohol thing is totally ludicris. That is what we get for electing democrats time and and again. Governemnt get off our backs! Le us do what we want!
Dayenu
Regardless of the facts of this particular case, I think this sheds light on the bigger issue of the intoxication that happens at college Chabad Houses at hands of ‘responsible’ Shluchim.
I can only speak from first-hand experiences at Rutger’s and NYU, where in both places the alcohol given out to students by Shluchim was, for lack of a better term, out of control. Last year at NYU on Simchas Torah the entire Jewish community saw Rabbi Korn become so intoxicated that he couldn’t even stand up straight and needed to be assisted by students (who by the way, missed out on the festivities because they had to tend to the Rabbi).
Enough is enough with the crazy alcohol at Chabad Houses. Besides that it’s illegal to give it out to minors, the whole justification of using it in the name of Kiruv is really perverse, especially when you’re dealing with campuses with major alcohol issues already. Some may argue that the colleges should go after the fraternities more– I agree, they should– but let’s not forget that there is a major difference between alcohol being distributed by students vs. alcohol being distributed by a Rabbi who is supposed to be a role model.
Unity has Advantages and Disadvantages!
Sadly, most Americans do not have the respect for wine and alcohol that most in the Jewish community demonstrate.
For that reason alone, use of alcohol in American society is a problem. Because of that, all have now found themselves restricted.
Sadly, when a few fail, it affects the masses!
The actions of one affect many!
Re: #14 Milhouse
You wrote: “In exactly the same way, if campus authorities decided to ban meat, Chabad Houses would go vegetarian, and if they banned black clothing campus shluchim would wear other colors, simply because it wouldn’t be worth fighting.”
The logical question then becomes “where do you draw the line?” Is it really, as you so casually suggest, entirely up to the shliach to decide what’s worth fighting for on his campus? Is following the Rebbe’s directives and/or turning to chachamim for guidance also a “sick un-Jewish and un-Chassidish attitude” similar to that which you accuse those who don’t share your contrarian views of harboring?
If you really cared one iota about Rabbi Klein, fellow Yidden or the Rebbe’s shlichus, in general, you would not use this forum to posit cynical, circular questions for the sole purpose of rousing other Jews to suspect each others’ motives.
Yossi
To #16.
I am a campus shliach and do not serve alcohol to underage students, any time we do serve liquor we have a bartender.
You mention your experience at NYU that alcohol was given out to students, but then say that the Rabbi was drunk. That does not prove that alcohol was given out to students, it certainly does not prove that alcohol was given out to underage students. Evidently you had an ax to grind.
Milhouse
#18, yes, it is up to the individual shliach, because only he can determine what is the most practical and effective way to respond to local obstacles. “Lechatchila ariber” would suggest not making any accommodation to outside pressure, under any circumstances, but common sense says that sometimes one must indeed try to go under or around an obstacle, or to simply give in because it’s not worth dealing with it. What Rebbe’s directive says otherwise?
Naturally in making such a decision the shliach will consult those whose advice he respects. But that makes it exactly the same as any other important decision. Whenever one has a decision to make it helps to seek advice, run it past a fresh mind, etc. He might consult mashpi’im, balei batim, his parents, or anyone else he trusts. But the decision has to be his, because only he knows the local situation.
As for your accusation of “cynical, circular questions for the sole purpose of rousing other Jews to suspect each others’ motives”, this is precisely what the attacks on alcohol and those shluchim who choose to distribute it are.
to 4
are u serios?!!