Chabad-Lubavitch is a branch of Hasidism. Its founder Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi was twice arrested by the Russians on trumped up charges, but went on to oppose Napoleonic emancipation of the Jews; one of his sons later converted to Christianity. The conduct of the sixth leader, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn during the Second World War was been criticised by scholars and contemporaries. Its seventh leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson's theology has been controversial especially in the light of its use by some followers to deify him; he sued his nephew over a theft stemming from an inheritance dispute; became active in Israeli politics and was criticised heavily by Rabbi Elazar Shach for his messianic focus. Chabad messianism, the belief that Schneerson is the messiah and will return or that he never even died has become commonplace within the movement since the mid 1980s, and has led to a split within Chabad and a breakaway movement. This article is about the Hasidic movement originating in Poland and Russia. ... Shneur Zalman of Liadi (‎) (September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 O.S.), was an Orthodox Rabbi, and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of Hasidic Judaism, then based in Liadi, Imperial Russia. ... Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok (Joseph Isaac)[1] Schneersohn (1880 - 1950) was an Orthodox rabbi and the sixth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... For the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty see Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), known as The Rebbe[1], was a prominent Hasidic[2] rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ... Elazar Menachem Man Shach (אלעזר מנחם מן שך) (or Rav Leizer Shach, at times his name is written as Eliezer Schach in English publications) (January 22, 1898 - November 2, 2001), was a leading Haredi rabbi in modern Israel. ... Chabad messianism[1] is a term used to describe the beliefs of many followers of Chabad who believe that their late leader Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the Messiah. ...

Since his death in 1994, and the decision not to appoint a successor, the movement has fragmented into competing factions. Financial battles have been ongoing between these factions since 1995, and the contested control over the headquarters in Brooklyn has led to strife and rioting. The loss of Schneerson's central and undisputed authority and the resultant fragmentation of the movement, has been blamed^[1] for a string of local scandals and controversies that have plagued the movement in the past decade. This article is about the borough of New York City. ...

Shneur Zalman of Liadi

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the movement, was arrested by Tsar Paul I on two occasions on trumped up charges but released both times. In the face of Napoleonic invasion, Liadi sided with the Tsar, believing that emancipation and freedom would lead to spiritual malaise. Very old accepted public image of Schner Zalman of Liadi of Lubavitch. ... Very old accepted public image of Schner Zalman of Liadi of Lubavitch. ... Shneur Zalman of Liadi (‎) (September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 O.S.), was an Orthodox Rabbi, and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of Hasidic Judaism, then based in Liadi, Imperial Russia. ... Paul I of Russia (Russian: ; Pavel Petrovich) (October 1, 1754-March 23, 1801) was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. ...

During his life, the controversies between the Hasidim and Mitnagdim intensified in many ways. Some issues involved in the disagreements were the rules for ritual slaughter as well as the conduct and phrasing of prayers. ^[2] As a result, Rabbi Schneur Zalman and his followers were subjected to bans, though in part due to the changes made to Hasidic thought this lessened during the lives of his son Dovber Schneuri and grandson Menachem Mendel Schneersohn. Although Schneur Zalman once attempted to see the Vilna Gaon to persuade him to legitimize the Hasidim, the Vilna Gaon refused to speak with him. ^[3] Mitnagdim or misnagdim is a Hebrew word (מתנגדים) meaning opponents; this term was used to refer to European religious Jews who opposed Hasidic Judaism. ... Dovber Schneuri (1773-11-13 - 1827-11-16 OS) was an Orthodox rabbi and the second Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement. ... Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (or Menachem Mendel or Tzemach Tzedek) (1789 - 1866) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism movement that was based in the town of Lubavitch in present-day Belarus. ... Elijah Ben Solomon, the Vilna Gaon The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. ...

Arrests

In 1798 Liadi was arrested on suspicion of treason on trumped up charges and brought to St. Petersburg where he was held in the Petropavlovski fortress for 53 days.

Again in 1800 he was arrested and again transported to St. Petersburg along with his son Moshe who served as an interpreter, as Liadi spoke no Russian or French. He was released after a few weeks but was banned from leaving St. Petersburg^[4] The elevation of Tsar Alexander I a few weeks later led to Liadi's release. Rabbi Moshe Schneersohn (c. ... Aleksandr Pavlovich Romanov or Tsar Alexander I (The Blessed), (Russian: Александр I Павлович) (December 23, 1777–December 1, 1825), Emperor of Russia (reigned March 23, 1801–December 1, 1825), King of Poland (reigned 1815–1825), son of the Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, afterwards Paul I, and Maria Fedorovna, daughter of the Duke...

According to scholars Liadi's first arrest was not the result of anti-Hasidic Mitnagdim agitators fabricating charges, or officials seeking extortion monies.^[5][6] An accusation was made on May 8 1798 by Hirsh ben David of Vilna accused Liadi of trying to assist the French Revolution, by sending money to Napoleon and the Sultan. It appears that there was no such person as Hirsh and the authorities were attempting to stir up internecine fighting among the Jews.^[5] The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on...

Liadi and Napoleon

While most Jewish leaders supported Napoleon or remained quiet about their support, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi openly and vigorously supported the Tsar. While fleeing from Napoleon, Liadi wrote a letter explaining his opposition to Napoleon to a friend, Rabbi Moshe Meizeles:^[5] For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... Shneur Zalman of Liadi (‎) (September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 O.S.), was an Orthodox Rabbi, and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of Hasidic Judaism, then based in Liadi, Imperial Russia. ...

Alan Dershowitz argues that Liadi was clear about his intent - suffering was good for the Jews. Suffering would inspire asceticism and bolster the Hasidic cause. Dershowitz goes on to take issue with what he interprets as a view that Judaism requires suffering to survive. ^[8] Alan Morton Dershowitz (born September 1, 1938) is an American lawyer and criminal law professor known for his extensive published works, career as an attorney in several high-profile law cases, and commentary on the Arab-Israeli conflict. ...

Others defend Liadi, arguing that Napoleon had been attempting to arouse a messianic view of himself in Jews, opening the gates of the Ghettos and emancipating their residents as he conquered. He established an ersatz Sanhedrin, recruiting Jews to his ranks, and spreading rumors about his conquest of the Holy Land to make Jews subversive for his own ends. ^[9] Thus his opposition was based on a practical fear of Jews turning to the false messianism of Napoleon as he saw it.^[5] For the tractate in the Mishnah, see Sanhedrin (tractate). ...

Still others argue that Dershowitz's interpretation is correct, but that Liadi's "fears were borne out by the events of the next two centuries. When emancipation did come to European Jewry, it came as a gradual process, and the traditional Judaism had by then developed an array of intellectual and moral responses (most notably, the Chassidic and Mussar movements). Still, the spiritual toll of freedom was high: traditional Jewish life was all but wiped out in France and Germany by the upheavals spearheaded by the French Revolution, and while it persevered in Eastern Europe until the eve of the Holocaust, many fell prey to the winds of anti-religious "enlightenment" blowing from the west. We can only imagine what the toll might have been had Napoleon conquered the continent in the early years of the nineteenth century."^[10]

Moshe Schneersohn

Main article: Moshe Schneersohn

Scholar David Assaf uncovered evidence that Rabbi Moshe Schneersohn (or Zalmanovitch or Shneuri), the youngest son of the founder of Chabad, the Alter Rebbe, had befriended an artillery officer. The officer then got Schneersohn drunk at a party and convinced him to convert to Christianity. Assaf also uncovered evidence that there had been a campaign by Chabad followers to erase this fact from the history books. Schneersohn had been a Rabbi in the Belorussian town of Ula.^[11] According to Chabad accounts, including the history of the Chabad movement written by the sixth Rebbe, "Rebbe Moshe" was forced to flee and spend the rest of his life in hiding after winning a disputation with the local priest (similar to Nachmanides's forced move after winning the Disputation of Barcelona). Chabad accounts state that he was buried in an unmarked grave in Radomysl, Ukraine.^[11] Rabbi Moshe Schneersohn (c. ... Shneur Zalman of Liadi ‏שניאור זלמן מליאדי‎ (1745-09-04 - 1812-12-15 OS), was an Orthodox Rabbi, and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of Hasidic Judaism, then based in Liadi, Imperial Russia. ... Belarus (Belarusian: Белару́сь, Russian: Белару́сь (formerly: Белору́ссия)) is a landlocked nation of Eastern Europe with the capital Minsk. ... The word ula might have several meanings: Ula Thurman ULA, the Underground Literary Alliance Ula (tribe), a Manchu tribe Ula (dance), an ancient Tongan dance Ula, Turkey, a district in Turkey Ula, Norway, a village in Norway Ūla River, a river in Lithuania Ula class submarine, a type of Norwegian... Nahmanides is the common name for Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi; the name is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Ben Nahman, meaning Son of Nahman. He is also commomly known as Ramban, being an acronym of his Hebrew name and title, Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman, and by his Catalan name... The Disputation of Barcelona (July 20-24, 1263) was held at the royal palace of King James I of Aragon in the presence of the King, his court, and many prominent ecclesiastical dignitaries and knights, between a convert from Judaism to Christianity Dominican Friar Pablo Christiani and Rabbi Nachmanides (whose... Radomyshl (Ukrainian: , translit. ...

Documents found by historian Shaul Stampfer document Schneersohn's conversion to Christianity. The original documents are located in the national historical archives in Minsk, the capital of Belarussia. These include a letter in to the local priest in which he states his intent to convert, his baptismal certificate, which was dated July 4, 1820. The documents also show that after his conversion he worked for the Tzar to assist in the conversion of other Jews.^[11]

In the letter in which he stated his intention to convert he wrote that the Jews had tried to prevent him from doing so by watching him constantly, beating him and threatening him. He wrote: "I have remained steadfast in my desire to take upon myself the true faith of Jesus Christ, to which the holy books and all the prophets testify." After conversion he changed his name to Leon Yoleivitch. He returned to visit Lubavitchi, where his brother was the Rabbi, but fled, ultimately dying in a mental institution in St. Petersburg.^[11] Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and...

Dovber Shneuri

Main article: Dovber Schneuri

The succession of Rabbi Dovber Schneuri to his fathers post was not straightforward as a senior disciple of his father Aharon HaLevi of Strashelye was a popular and respected figure who differed with him on a number of theological issues. Dovber Schneuri (1773-11-13 - 1827-11-16 OS) was an Orthodox rabbi and the second Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement. ... Dovber Schneuri (1773-11-13 - 1827-11-16 OS) was an Orthodox rabbi and the second Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement. ...

Strashelye breakaway

Main article: Strashelye (Hasidic dynasty)

When R' Schneur Zalman passed away, many of his followers flocked to one of his top students, Aharon HaLevi of Strashelye He had been Shneur Zalman’s closest disciple for over thirty years. While many more became followers of the Mittler Rebbe, the Strashelye school of Chassidic thought was the subject of many of the Mittler Rebbe's discourses. R' Aharon HaLevi emphasized the importance of basic emotions in divine service (especially the service of prayer). The Mittler Rebbe did not reject the role of emotion in prayer, but emphasized that if the emotion in prayer is to be genuine, it can only be a result of contemplation and understanding (hisbonenus) of the explanations of Chassidus, which in turn will lead to an attainment of "bittul" (self-nullification before the Divine). In his work entitled "Kuntres Hispaalus" (Tract on Ecstasy), the Mittler Rebbe argues that only through ridding oneself of what he considered disingeuous emotions could one attain the ultimate level in Chassidic worship (that is, bittul).^[12] Strashelye, is a branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism, named after the town Strashelye in the Mohilev Province of present-day Belarus, where its leader lived. ... Strashelye, is a branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism, named after the town Strashelye in the Mohilev Province of present-day Belarus, where its leader lived. ... Jewish meditation, which in Hebrew is called hisbonenus or hitbonenut, is explained most explicitely in the Kabbalistic and Chassidic texts. ...

Joseph Issac Schneersohn

The response of the sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn to the Holocaust has been condemned from a number of quarters. Bryan Mark Rigg wrote his PhD thesis on the subject an Cambridge University. He quotes Rabbi Alex Weisfogel, secretary of Rabbi Avraham Kalmanowitz of the Vaad Hatzalah as saying that Kalmanowitz and Aaron Kotler were appalled at Schneersohn's focus on "bringing the messiah" while the war continued.^[13] Weisfogel said of Schneersohn: Yosef Yitzchok (Joseph Isaac)[1] Schneersohn (1880 - 1950) was an Orthodox rabbi and the sixth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch chasidic movement. ... The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, with one of the most selective sets of entry requirements in the United Kingdom. ... Founded in November 1939 by the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada (Agudat haRabbanim)[1] Originally named Emergency Committee for War-Torn Yeshivas Often referred to as the Rescue Committee also formally named: Vaad ha-Hatzala // Recognizing that following the law would lead to greater numbers... Aharon (or Ahron, Aaron, Aron) Kotler (1890s - 1962) was a prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Lithuania, and later the United States of America. ...

Rigg argues that while "he employed every means possible to escape Europe, when he arrived in the US, "he did not approach those very same people to help rescue those who had to remain in Europe. However, he did approach those people in the government to rescue his library, which he did get out in 1941. Also he started condemning people who were organizing amazing rescue efforts like rabbis Kotler and Kalmanowitz of the Vaad-Hatzala." He forbade his followers from leaving Russia in the 1920s and 30s, declaring that those who did were "deserters". Chabad scholar Avrum Erlich writes:

However after the war ended, in 1945, he set up a relief organisation to assist the survivors of the holocaust.^{[citation needed]}

Reb Itche Der Masmid

Shortly after the passing of the Rebbe Rashab, when the drawers of his writing table were opened, those present found the Rebbe Rashab's will. It clearly indicated that Rabbi Yosef Yitchak should be the one to lead the chassidim. Nevertheless, not all of the chassidim accepted Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak as their new leader. Famed chassidim such as Rabbi Yacov Landau, who later became the chief rabbi of Bnei Brak, Israel, did not accept Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak as their new leader. Some of the elder chassidim even tried to persuade Rabbi Yitzchak Horowitz, commonly known as Reb Itche Der Masmid, to become their Rebbe. In fact, Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah gave Reb Itche Der Masmid the Rebbe Rashab's shtreimel, which in many Chassidic circles is an indication of succesion.^[16] Biography of Reb Itche der Masmid Yitzchok Horowitz, more commonly known as Reb Itche der Masmid, was a famous Orthodox Jewish Rabbi in pre-war Europe. ... A Hasid wearing a shtreimel A shtreimel or shtraml (Yiddish: שטרײַמל, שטרײַמלעך shtreimlekh) is a fur hat worn by many married Haredi Jewish men, particularly (although not exclusively) members of Hasidic sects, on the Sabbath and during Jewish holidays and other festive occasions. ...

The Malach

Main article: Malachim (Chassidus)

Another incident which occurred was with Rabbi Chaim Avraham Dov Ber Levine haCohen, also known as The Malach (lit. the angel). He was the tutor of Joseph Isaac Schneersohn when the latter was a child, but personal differences caused Rabbi Levine to break with Chabad. Torah Vodaas, in order to inspire its students, used to encourage its students to visit knowledgeable rabbis and Rabbi Levine was one of them. Eventually, some of the students styled themselves as Rabbi Levine's followers. This quasi-Hasidic group, known as The Malachim, is rather antagonistic towards Chabad and only acknowledges the legitimacy of the first four Chabad rebbes. The Malachim themselves did not choose a successor to Rabbi Levine. Today, the Malachim are a marginal group. The Malachim are a barely extant quasi-Hasidic group with strong Miami and Williamsburg connections. ... The Malachim are a barely extant quasi-Hasidic group with strong Miami and Williamsburg connections. ... Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn (or Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn) (also known as the Frierdikker Rebbe (Previous Rebbe in Yiddish) or Rebbe Rayatz) (1880 - 1950) was the sixth Rebbe (rabbi) of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism movement. ... Mesivta Torah Vodaas is a yeshiva located in Brooklyn, NY, founded by Binyamin Wilhelm, author of Nidchei Yisroel, a guide for new Jewish immigrants. ...

The dispute was apparently over the tutelage of Yosef Yitchok.^[17] According to the Malachim, Levine caught him reading a secular book and told his father about the incident. Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn, the fifth Rebbe of Chabad, did not believe that his son would do this and called tutor and tutee to talk with him. When Yosef Yitzchok promised that he had not read the book, the father accepted his word, and Levine resigned his post.^[18][19] Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn Sholom Dovber Schneersohn (or Sholom Dovber or Rashab) (1860 - 1920) was an Orthodox rabbi and the fifth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism movement. ...

Sholom Dovber Schneersohn

Main article: Sholom Dovber Schneersohn

The Rebbe Rashab, Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn (1860–1920), writes in a letter: Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn Sholom Dovber Schneersohn (or Sholom Dovber or Rashab) (1860 - 1920) was an Orthodox rabbi and the fifth Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism movement. ...

"Yud-Tes Kislev,...the festival on which `He redeemed our soul in peace,' and the light and vitality of our souls were given to us, is the New Year for Chassidus - which our saintly forebears, [the Rebbeim of their respective generations,] have bequeathed to us - i.e., the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov.^[20]

Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner was opposed to the term "Rosh Hashana Le-Chasidus", which Chasidim had coined for Yud Tes Kislev (the day that Reb Schneur Zalman of Liadi was released from prison). He felt that the term "Rosh Hashana" used in the Mishna and the Talmud, should be reserved for the four Rosh Hashanas mentioned there, and that Chabad has no right to invent a new one...^[21] Yitzchok (Isaac) Hutner (1906 - 1980) was an Orthodox rabbi born in Warsaw, Poland, to a family with both Ger Hasidim and non-Hasidic Lithuanian Jews in their origins. ... This article is about the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. ... The Mishnah (Hebrew משנה, Repetition) is a major source of rabbinic Judaisms religious texts. ... The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ...

The Rebbe Rashab, in the year 1907, said " that this is the generation of Moshiach without a doubt ". ^[22]

Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Chabad leader, took the reins of the movement shortly after World War II and became the Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty following the death of his father-in-law in 1950. At the speech where he accepted leadership, he proclaimed the defining theme of his tenure. He stated that his purpose as the seventh Rebbe and the Chasidim as the seventh generation, was to complete the work of bringing the Shechina back into this world and bringing the Jewish Messiah. He further stated that the previous Rebbe had not finished this work, but because of the unusual character of his self-sacrifice was still present to lead the charge in bringing about the Messianic Age: 6th and 7th Lubavitch Rebbes. ... Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneersohn (or Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn) (also known as the Frierdikker Rebbe (Previous Rebbe in Yiddish) or Rebbe Rayatz) (1880 - 1950) was the sixth Rebbe (rabbi) of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic Judaism movement. ... For the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty see Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), known as The Rebbe[1], was a prominent Hasidic[2] rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ... For the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty see Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), known as The Rebbe[1], was a prominent Hasidic[2] rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shekinah (שכינה - alternative transliterations Shechinah, Shekhina, Shechina) is the English spelling of the Hebrew language word that means the glory or radiance of God, or God resting in his house or Tabernacle amongst his people. ... In Judaism and Jewish eschatology, the Messiah (Hebrew: משיח; Mashiah, Mashiach, or Moshiach, anointed [one]) is a term traditionally referring to a future Jewish king from the Davidic line who will be anointed (the meaning of the Hebrew word משיח) with holy anointing oil and inducted to rule the Jewish people during...

While the Lubavitcher Rebbe was immensely popular among his Chassidim, controversy was rampant during and after his reign.

A Rebbe as "the essence of God"

In 1951 Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson in his first sermon as the Rebbe he described his father-in-law the sixth rebbe, and Rebbes in general, as being "the essence and content of God, clothed in a body". This is brought down in his collected sermons Likutei Sichos^[24] He asks rhetorically: "How can one make a request of a rebbe - isn't that surely a problem of speaking to God through an intermediary?" (Which is anethmatic to Judaism.) He notes that while his answer is novel, and not found in other Hasidic sources one must answer that in truth "One cannot ask [this] question. . . since Atzmus u'mehus alein vi er hat zich areingeshtalt in a guf" or "[a Rebbe] is the essence and substance of God enclothed in a body". Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty see Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), known as The Rebbe[1], was a prominent Hasidic[2] rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ...

In recent years some critics, notably Rabbi Dr. David Berger and Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller, expressed their concern that this is a major innovation by Schneerson that "deifies" the Rebbe, which is contrary to Orthodox Judaism. Chabad writers counter that these reactions are based on misunderstandings of Kabbalistic terminology used by Rabbi Schneerson, and that similar expressions can be found throughout non-Chabad Hasidic and Kabbalistic literature. ^[25][26] Bergers most famous work Rabbi Dr. David Berger is a professor of history at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, and a visiting professor at Yeshiva Universitys Bernard Revel Graduate School. ... Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller is the Rosh yeshiva (dean) of the Telshe Yeshiva in Chicago. ...

Defenders point to similar statements attributed to the Baal Shem Tov and the Ohr ha-Chaim. They point to a quote from Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi that "He who breathed life into man, breathed from Himself". Therefore a person's soul is "truly a part of HaShem above". ^[27] They argue that in the light of these statements Schnnerson's 1951 comments are not a departure from normative Jewish thought. Critics respond that Schneerson himself noted on a number of occasions that his comments "were not found in any other sources" and stressed their revolutionary nature. This article incorporates text from the public domain 1901-1906 Jewish Encyclopedia Israel ben Eliezer Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) ben Eliezer (about 1700 Okopy Świętej Tr jcy - May 22, 1760 Międzyborz) was a Jewish Orthodox mystical rabbi who is better known to most religious Jews as... A commentary on the Torah written by Rabbi Haim Ben-Attar (1696-1743) revered by Hasidic and Sefardic Jews. ... Shneur Zalman of Liadi (‎) (September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 O.S.), was an Orthodox Rabbi, and the founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, a branch of Hasidic Judaism, then based in Liadi, Imperial Russia. ...

In 1961, ten years after Schneerson had first talked about Atzmus, senior chabad rabbis were using the term to describe him. In a letter dated Tamuz, 5721, Rabbi Avraham Pariz, rabbi of Kfar Chabad wrote: Kfar Chabad is a Chabad-Lubavitch community of about 400 families located near Tel Aviv. ...

Chabad library controversy

Main article: Barry Gurary

A family dispute arose about the library of the sixth Rebbe which also brought an internal family rivalry between Rabbi Barry Gurary (supported by his mother) and his uncle the seventh Rebbe (supported by the "Rashag", Barry's father) into the public spotlight. Barry Gurary's grandfather, the sixth Rebbe, collected a vast library of Judaica, which included several rare volumes. Barry believed, on his mother's word, that certain of the books in the library had been left to him. This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ...

This, as well as the Sixth Rebbe's known closeness to his grandson, suggested to some that Barry was a potential heir to the Sixth Rebbe, as the only male descendent. However, when the Sixth Rebbe passed on, Barry was only twenty years old, and could not be seriously considered (Both Ehrlich, pp. 339-342, based on the testimony in the books case, and Deutsch, based as well on internal documents, agree to this). (See more at the Hasidic Judaism and Baal Shem Tov articles) Afterwards, he drifted away from the movement, no longer considered heir material. This article is about the Hasidic movement originating in Poland and Russia. ... The Baal Shem Tov Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) ben Eliezer (רבי ישראל בן אליעזר, August 27, 1698 – May 22, 1760) is considered to be the founder of Hasidic Judaism. ...

In 1984, some 34 years after his grandfather's passing, Barry Gurary entered the library and clandestinely removed numerous Jewish books, including a first edition Passover haggadah worth over $50,000, and a Siddur (Jewish prayer book) that was said to have belonged to the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism, and began selling the books. One illuminated Passover Haggadah dating back to 1757 was sold for $69,000 to a Swiss book dealer who soon found a private buyer to pay nearly $150,000 for it. His uncle, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Chabad Rebbe, was infuriated by these actions. He demanded that the volumes be returned. When Barry refused, also refusing his uncle's summons to Beth Din, Schneerson pursued the case in the civil courts. On legal advice the Lubavitchers decided to obtain a temporary restraining order in the hope that this would resolve the matter. This article is about the Jewish holiday. ... Haggadah for Passover, 14th century Haggadah in Hebrew means Telling. ... A siddur (Hebrew: סידור; plural siddurim) is a Jewish prayer book over the world, containing a set order of daily prayers. ... This article incorporates text from the public domain 1901-1906 Jewish Encyclopedia Israel ben Eliezer Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) ben Eliezer (about 1700 Okopy Świętej Tr jcy - May 22, 1760 Międzyborz) was a Jewish Orthodox mystical rabbi who is better known to most religious Jews as... In the strictest definition of illuminated manuscript, only manuscripts decorated with gold or silver, like this miniature of Christ in Majesty from the Aberdeen Bestiary (folio 4v), would be considered illuminated. ... A beth din (בית דין, Hebrew: house of judgment, plural battei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. ...

Rabbi Schneerson argued that the volumes were not the "personal possession" of Gurary's grandfather, but the "communal property" of the Lubavitch Hasidim. In making this argument, basing himself on a letter from his father-in-law indicating that the books were the heritage of the entire Jewish community^[29] he implied that possession of the books legitimized a succession claim; therefore Barry's alleged theft constituted a challenge to his long-undisputed leadership of the Chabad movement. The organizational body that represents Lubavitch Chassidim - Agudas Chasidei Chabad (ACC), filed suit to retrieve the books. Agudas Chasidei Chabad is the umbrella organization for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ...

In 1986, the court ruled in favor of ACC, and that ruling was upheld on appeal in November 1987.^[30] The volumes were returned to the library. The Lubavitcher Rebbe then proclaimed this day as a special time of rejoicing for Lubavitch which they called Didan Notzach (which basically means "our case won," implying that it was God who helped them win).

Chana Gurary

After Schneerson had delivered a passionate talk on this subject in the Main Sanctuary at 770 Eastern Parkway on a Saturday afternoon, a Lubavitcher hasid who had been present at the talk entered her apartment on the second floor of the same address and violently assaulted her, hospitalising her. The Hasid was evacuated to Israel where he lives to this day.

The conclusion of the case and the acrimony that went along with it meant that Barry Gurary and his mother Chana Gurary became completely estranged from the Lubavitch community. In fact, when it came time for Chana Gurary to make arrangements for her final resting place, she and Barry negotiated a burial place with Rabbi Moshe Leib Rabinovich, the Munkatcher Rebbe of Borough Park, Brooklyn. Chana was laid to rest in the cemetery of the Munkaczer Kehilla in Deans, New Jersey, and not alongside her husband. Moshe Leib Rabinovich Munkacs World Headquarters in Boro Park, Brooklyn Grand Rabbi Moshe Leib Rabinovich (born December 25, 1941 in Munkacs) is the current rebbe of Munkacs. ... The Rebbe of Munkacz (or Munkatch), Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapiro (who led the community from 1913 until his death in 1937) was the most outspoken voice of religious anti-Zionism. ... Borough Park Street covered with snow. ...

Elazar Shach's critique

Rabbi Elazar Shach long-time leader of Lithuanian Judaism was involved in a number of public disputes with Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson the Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement from the 1970s through Rav Schneerson's death in 1994. Rav Shach accused his followers of false Messianism. When certain elements in Chabad actually identified Rabbi Schneerson as the possible Messiah, Rabbi Shach advocated a complete boycott of Chabad, its institutions and projects by its constituents. He objected to the call for "forcing" the Messiah's appearance, an idea avocated by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. ^[31] When once asked which religion was theologically closest to Judaism, Shach responded "Chabad".^[32] Pointing to an assertion by the Rebbe in a passage dealing primarily with his predecessor that a rebbe is ‘the Essence and Being [of G-d] placed into a body,’ Rabbi Schach spoke of nothing less than Avodah Zara [idol worship]. His followers refused to eat meat slaughtered by Lubavich shochetim or to recognize Chabad Hasidim as adherents of authentic Judaism.^[33]Rabbi Shach also compared Chabad and Rabbi Schneerson to the followers of the 17th-century false messiah Sabbatai Zevi. Chabad representatives dismissed the comparisons, noting that whereas the Sabbateans deliberately violated religious laws on the assumption that a "new Torah" would emerge during messianic times, Chabad preached that only strict adherence to tradition would bring the redemption. Chabad also claimed that its veneration of the rebbe was not at odds with Jewish tradition.^[34] Elazar Menachem Man Shach (אלעזר מנחם מן שך) (or Rav Leizer Shach, at times his name is written as Eliezer Schach in English publications) (January 22, 1898 - November 2, 2001), was a leading Haredi rabbi in modern Israel. ... Lithuanian Jews (known in Yiddish and Haredi English as Litvish (adjective) or Litvaks (noun)) are Ashkenazi Jews with roots in Lita, a region including not only present-day Lithuania but also Latvia, much of Belarus and the northeastern SuwaÅ‚ki region of Poland. ... For the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty see Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), known as The Rebbe[1], was a prominent Hasidic[2] rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ... For the tanna, see Judah HaNasi. ... Chabad Lubavitch, or Lubavich, is one of the largest branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi . ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Shach once described Schneerson as "the madman who sits in New York and drives the whole world crazy."^[35]

In addition to Rabbi Shach's objections to some Chabad members venerating Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah (both before and after his death), the two also disagreed on various issues of Jewish law and philosophy, but particularly politics. Chabad strongly opposed peace talks with the Palestinians or to relinquishing any Israeli territory under any circumstance, while Rabbi Shach alternately supported both left and right-wing parties in the Israeli elections. During the 1988 elections, Schneerson encouraged Israeli Haredim to vote for Agudat Israel over Rabbi Shach's newly-formed Degel HaTorah party. In response, Shach's newspaper, Yated Ne'eman, ran several articles documenting various Chabad writings and statements that supported Shach's contention that Lubavitch was becoming a breakaway sect of Judaism focused around Schneerson as the Messiah. Categories: Organization stubs | Israel-related stubs | Israeli political parties | Orthodox Judaism ... Degel HaTorah (or Degel haTorah) (דגל התורה Hebrew for Flag/Banner [of] the Torah) is an Israeli mostly Ashkenazi Haredi Judaism political party with a small number of seats (2-3) in the Knesset, Israels national parliament. ... This article is about religious groups. ...

Chabad characterized Rabbi Shach's opposition to Rabbi Schneerson as being personal in nature, and stemming from private disagreements between the two leaders, but Shach's supporters defended his harsh criticism of Chabad, saying the movement represented a very real threat of turning religious Jews to apostasy. There have been similar concerns regarding Chabad Messianism that have since been raised among Haredi and Modern Orthodox communities in Israel and the United States. It has also been pointed out^{[attribution needed]} that Rabbi Shach was equally outspoken on many positions and issues affecting Jewish life that did not relate to Lubavitch, and that his rhetoric regarding Chabad was consistent with his personality as a leader who strongly defended Haredi Jews against any perceived threats to their beliefs or lifestyle. Chabad messianism[1] is a term used to describe the beliefs of many followers of Chabad who believe that their late leader Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the Messiah. ... Haredi Judaism, also called ultra-Orthodox Judaism, is the most theologically conservative form of Judaism. ... Modern Orthodox Judaism (or Modern Orthodox or Modern Orthodoxy) is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize traditional observance and values with the secular, modern world. ...

In a conversation that he had with an American rabbi in the 1980's, Rabbi Shach stated, "The Americans think that I am too controversial and divisive. But in a time when no one else is willing to speak up on behalf of our true tradition, I feel myself impelled to do so."^[36]

It should be noted that in spite of his pitched battle against Lubavitch, Rabbi Shach nevertheless recited Tehillim when Rabbi Schneerson became sick. At the time he was asked for an explanation, and he obliged, “My battle is against his erroneous approach, against the movement, but not against the people in any personal way. I pray for the Rebbe’s recovery and simultaneously, also pray that he abandon his invalid way.” ^[37]

Rabbi Shach often clarified his stand, both in speech and in writing, that the slander spread against him about his persecution of chassidim was something he could never forgive, for it had transformed him into a baal machlokes, a hate-monger, at a time when he loved peace and pursued it to the nth degree.^[38]

Other Haredi critiques

Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky expressed concern in the early 1980s that Lubavitch's nascent personality-centric thinking could morph into something more objectionable. He advised Bezalel Landau not to publish a few chapters in a book he had written on the Vilna Gaon that dealt with his opposition to Hasidism as such material could split families, pitting husband against wife. He noted that he should keep them in reserve in case "someone [yener] was to do an ugly thing [a mi'usse zakh]" a reference that Kaminetsky's son says^[39]refers to the Chabad movement." ^[40] Two 20th century Lithuanian-American Talmudic Rabbis: Yaakov Kamenetsky (left) and Aharon Kotler (right) Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891-1986), was a prominent rosh yeshiva, posek and Talmudist in the post-World War II American Jewish community. ... Elijah Ben Solomon, the Vilna Gaon The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. ...

Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner was opposed to the personality cult built up around the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and to the public projection of both the Rebbe and the Lubavitch movement, by the movement, through public media—print and broadcast journalism, books, film, and the like. ^[41] When the Previous Rebbe initiated the "La-Alter Le-Teshuva, Le-Alter Le-Geulah" campaign (a campaign to awaken Jews to repent that would bring the immediate redemption of the Jews from exile), Rabbi Hutner was against it. At the time, in the 1940s, the Lubavitcher Yeshiva had only an elementary school and no high school. Lubavitcher students of high school age were sent to Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, where Rabbi Hutner was the Rosh Yeshiva. Once, as Rabbi Hutner was walking down the hall, he noticed a flyer announcing the "La-Alter Le-Teshuva, Le-Alter Le-Geulah" campaign. Rabbi Hutner ripped it off the wall and called Lubavitch headquarters, warning that if he found even one more poster in his school, he would expel all the Lubavitcher boys. Rabbi Hutner was also bothered by various new ideas instituted by Chabad. He was opposed to the term "Rosh Hashana Le-Chasidus", which Chasidim had coined for Yud Tes Kislev (the day that Reb Schneur Zalman of Liadi was released from prison). He felt that the term, used in the Mishna and the Talmud, should be reserved for the four Rosh Hashanas mentioned there, and that Chabad has no right to invent a new one....^[42] Yitzchok (Isaac) Hutner (1906 - 1980) was an Orthodox rabbi born in Warsaw, Poland, to a family with both Ger Hasidim and non-Hasidic Lithuanian Jews in their origins. ... Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin (also known as Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin) (MYRCB) or as Chaim Berlin, is a major Orthodox Judaism all-male yeshiva located in Brooklyn, New York. ...

Rabbi Aharon Feldman, dean of the Ner Israel Rabbinical College (Yeshivas Ner Yisroel) penned a public response to a question from a student asking how Orthodox Jews should relate to Chabad messianists in 2003. He made a clear distinction between what he termed the "Mishichists" and the "Elokists". He rules that it is forbidden to associate with Elokists under any circumstances due to their heresy and they cannot be counted for a minyan. He rules it is also forbidden to support the Meshichists in any way that lends credence to their messianic beliefs though they are not strictly heretics. He adds that even a messianist should not be given any public office since their judgement is compromised by their false beliefs. ^[43] Rabbi Aharon Feldman is the Rosh Yeshsiva (Dean) of the Ner Israel Rabbinical College (also known as NIRC) an Orthodox yeshiva in Baltimore, Maryland and one of the premier yeshivas in the world. ... Yeshivas Ner Yisroel (Ner Israel Rabbinical College) (also known as NIRC) is an Orthodox yeshiva in Baltimore, Maryland founded in 1933 by Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman who was a key disciple of Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, dean of the famous Slabodka yeshiva in Lithuania. ... A minyan (Hebrew: plural minyanim) is traditionally a quorum of ten or more adult (over the age of Bar Mitzvah) male Jews for the purpose of communal prayer; a minyan is often held within a synagogue, but may be (and often is) held elsewhere. ...

Rabbi Elya Svei, one of the rosh yeshivas of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, said in his eulogy for Rabbi Elazar Shach, "Another area in which Rav Shach took the sole initiative and responsibility was in the less than popular task of protesting Messianic proclivities within Lubavitch. Rav Shach assumed the responsibility of decrying this perversion. Rav Shach started to fight this battle alone. He illuminated the truth so that others could also see the posed threat and follow his lead." ^[44] Rabbi Elya Svei is one of the Rosh Yeshivas of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, although he is unwell and retired. ... The Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, usually referred to simply as Philly,is one of the preeminent Haredi Litvish Yeshivas in the United States. ...

A senior American posek, Rabbi Yehuda Henkin, in a responsa to Gil Student ruled that messianists are merely foolish and need not be shunned.^[45] Posek (Hebrew פוסק, IPA: , pl. ... Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin was born in 1945 and currently lives in Jerusalem. ... Rabbi Gil O. Student (born August 8, 1972) is an ordained but non-pulpit serving American Orthodox rabbi. ...

Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, a rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, told an enquiring student (even before the Rebbe's death) that he should pray alone rather than in a Chabad synagogue because 'they pray to a different deity [eloah]'.^[46] Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg was the long time Rosh yeshiva of the major American Yeshiva, Ner Yisrael until his death in 1999. ... Yeshivas Ner Yisroel (Ner Israel Rabbinical College) (also known as NIRC) is an Orthodox yeshiva in Baltimore, Maryland founded in 1933 by Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman who was a key disciple of Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, dean of the famous Slabodka yeshiva in Lithuania. ...

Following Schneerson's death, the Rebbe of Satmar was said to have commented "Now we have to wait for the real Messiah.^[47] Satmar (or Satmar Hasidism or Satmarer Hasidism) (חסידות סאטמאר) is a movement of Haredi Jews who initially adhered to the late Grand Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum (1887-1979), Satmar Rebbe in the town of Szatmárnémeti (now Satu Mare, Romania), at that time in the Kingdom of Hungary. ...

In the biography of the Satmar Rebbe called "Moshian Shel Yisroel" we have the following: "So too did the Rebbe ZT"L [learn] the Seforim of Chabad, mentioning often in his Torahs material from the Tanya and the Sidur HaRav...Once , he borrowed from someone the Kuntres Hispalus of the holy rabbi RD"B of Lubavitch ZY"A... the Rebbe spoke with awesome respect for the holy Rebbe Rashab ZY"A, of his amazing holiness and his exceptional wisdom ... once, a chosid asked the Rebbe why, when he quotes the Rebbe Rashab he uses more titles on him than he usually uses [on others]. The rebbe answered,” The Rashab was a burning fire!" ... when bochurim from the Yeshiva asked him about learning Sifrei Chabad he said ... nowadays we have to be very careful because there are among the Lubavitchers today those who twist the Torah, and we have to be careful not to fall into their trap ... and therefore, you should learn Tanya only as much as other Chassidishe Seforim, and not make a unique project of it." ^[48]

Chabad messianism

Main article: Chabad messianism

Chabad messianism is a belief by some within the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement that believe that the late Rabbi and leader of that movement Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the Jewish Messiah. Adherents to this belief are termed Mishichist in Yiddish. Chabad messianism[1] is a term used to describe the beliefs of many followers of Chabad who believe that their late leader Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the Messiah. ... Chabad Lubavitch, or Lubavich, is one of the largest branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi . ... This article is about the Hasidic movement originating in Poland and Russia. ... For the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty see Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), known as The Rebbe[1], was a prominent Hasidic[2] rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ... In Judaism and Jewish eschatology, the Messiah (Hebrew: משיח; Mashiah, Mashiach, or Moshiach, anointed [one]) is a term traditionally referring to a future Jewish king from the Davidic line who will be anointed (the meaning of the Hebrew word משיח) with holy anointing oil and inducted to rule the Jewish people during... Yiddish (ייִדיש, Jiddisch) is a Germanic language spoken by about four million Jews throughout the world. ...

Before Schnerrson's death in 1994 a significant body of Chabad Hasidim believed that he was soon to be crowned as the Messiah - an event that would herald the Messianic Age and the construction of the Third Temple. Books and pamphlets were written containing purported proofs for the Rabbi's status as Messiah, some of which Schneerson opposed. Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Messianic Age is a theological term referring to a future time of peace and brotherhood on the earth, without crime, war and poverty. ... A drawing of Ezekiels Visionary Temple from the Book of Ezekiel 40-47 Since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, religious Jews have prayed that God will allow for the rebuilding of a Third Temple. ...

Attempts by his followers to persuade him to reveal himself as the Messiah were to no avail. Followers routinely sang the mantra "Long live our master, our teacher and our rabbi, King Messiah for ever and ever" in his presence - a chant that he often encouraged in his last years.

During the later years of his life Rabbi Schneerson's teachings were interpreted by many to mean that he was claiming to be the Messiah. In Judaism and Jewish eschatology, the Messiah (Hebrew: משיח; Mashiah, Mashiach, or Moshiach, anointed [one]) is a term traditionally referring to a future Jewish king from the Davidic line who will be anointed (the meaning of the Hebrew word משיח) with holy anointing oil and inducted to rule the Jewish people during...

His death in 1994 did not remove the messianist fervor. Believers soon developed new rationales to justify the belief the Schneerson was the Messiah despite being dead. Some argued that he had in fact not died at all and was still physically present. Others argued that though he was dead Judaism did not rule out the possibility of the Messiah returning from the dead.

The development of this messianism and its impact on Chabad in specific — and Orthodox Judaism in general — has been the subject of much discussion in the Jewish press, as well as within the pages of peer-reviewed journals. Nevertheless, the belief in the Lubavitcher Rebbe being the Messiah, is confined to a subset of the Chabad community and is not accepted by Jewish adherents outside of that community. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonised in the Talmudic texts (Oral Torah) and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim. ...

Yechi

Main article: Yechi

"Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu v'Rabbeinu Melech haMoshiach l'olam vo'ed!" is a phrase used by many Lubavitch Hasidim to pray and proclaim that the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson is the messiah. It means "Long Live our Master, our Teacher, and our Rabbi, King Messiah, for ever and ever." The phrase can be seen printed in various settings, it is chanted by many people at the end of daily communal prayers in Lubavitch congregations, including the main Lubavitch synagogue in Crown Heights. Yechi has a complex and controversial history dating back to the mid-1980s and is often viewed as a litmus test to differentiate the messiansits from the anti-messianists or non-messianists. The phrase Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu vRabbeinu Melech haMoshiach lolam vaed! (יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבנו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד) is used by some Lubavitch Chassidic Jews to proclaim that the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994), is the awaited messiah as prophecied in the Hebrew Scriptures. ... For the third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty see Menachem Mendel Schneersohn Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902 – June 12, 1994), known as The Rebbe[1], was a prominent Hasidic[2] rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. ... A litmus test is a question asked of a potential candidate for high office, the answer to which would determine whether the nominating official would choose to proceed with the appointment or nomination. ...

Breakaway movement

Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch became so incensed with the controversy that he started a split-off Hasidic group, Chabad-Liozna. Agroup of dissident Chabad followers crowned him as their Rebbe in a ceremony on December 5, 1996 at their synagogue on 45th Street in Brooklyn.^[49] He took the name of the town of Liozna in Belorussia where the early Chabad movement was founded with the intent of enticing Chabad followers away from the belief that their late leader was the Messiah. ^[49] His actions have made him a hate figure within the mainstream Chabad community.^[50] Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, Liozna Rebbe Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, the Liozna Rebbe (born 1969), is a rabbi and author from New York City. ... is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the borough of New York City. ... Liozna or Liozno (Belarusian: , Russian: ) is an urban type settlement in Vitsebsk Voblast, Belarus, the capital of the Liozno District. ... Belarus (Belarusian: Белару́сь, Russian: Белару́сь (formerly: Белору́ссия)) is a landlocked nation of Eastern Europe with the capital Minsk. ...

In 1998 he was the victim of a campaign of character assassination via the Internet.^[51] A forged Jewish Telegraphic Agency press release claimed that he had been arrested for embezzlement and the counterfeiting of ten-dollar bills. He installed bulletproof glass in the windows of his home and synagogue.^[52] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) is an international news agency serving Jewish community newspapers and media around the world. ... A counterfeit is an imitation that is made with the intent to deceptively represent its content or origins. ...

Weinstock estate

The "Weinstock estate" case, that dragged through the courts for ten years, divided the highest levels of Chabad administration into two irreconcilable camps.^[53]

In 1978 Judah Leo Weinstock bequeathed a $32 million estate to the United Lubavitcher Yeshivot (ULY), a body that oversaw the funding of four Chabad yeshivas, under the direction of Rabbi Shemaryahu Gurary. The donation had been solicited for the ULY by Rabbi Nachman Sudak, a Chabad emmsisiary in London.^[53] However, Weinstock had asked that the money be used to establish Yeshivas in Israel, something that ULY was not capable of. Gurary ordered that the monies be distributed evenly between ULY and Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch (MLC) which maintained Yeshivas outside the US. In 1987 a board of trustees (including Yehuda Krinsky) was established that distributed the money on a discretionary basis between ULY and MLC.^[53] This article is about the Jewish male educational system. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Rabbi Chaim Yehuda (Yudel) Krinsky (born 1933) is a Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. ...

In October 1994, a few months after Schneerson's death ULY fell into financial troubles. The directors of ULY requested large sums from the trustees - eating into the principle of the estate. The directors of the MLC (some of whom were also trustees of the estate) objected to the requests, and the trustees of the estate refused to grant the money.^[53]

Furious, the directors of ULY began claiming sole title to the estate, based on a strict reading of Weinstock's original bequest. The ULY took the MLC to court, having failed to agree on a mutually acceptable Beit Din. The previously open relationship between the ULY, MLC and the trustees - while Schneerson was alive - complicated the case, as did the ambiguity in the bequest.^[53]

Litigation

Surrogate Judge Michael Feinberg dealt with the case from 1995, when the dispute surfaced until 2000 when he ruled that there had been clear intent to share the money equally between the two organizations, once united but now at loggerheads.^[53] The New York State Surrogates Court is the court which handles all probate and estate proceedings in the State of New York. ...

In 1997 the dispute had deteriorated, and a rival ULY board headed by Krinsky claimed to be the rightful representatives of ULY.^[53] Feinberg ruled that until the dispute could be settled Mario Cuomo^[54] would serve as the emergency receiver,^[1] a role he held till 2000. In 2000 Feinberg ruled that since the parties refused to attend any type of Beit Din or arbitration, ^[1] he had to rule against the original board and for Krinsky since the original board had failed to cooperate with the court-appointed arbitrator. The judge noted that: Mario Matthew Cuomo (born June 15, 1932) served as the Governor of New York from 1983 to 1995. ... A Beit Din is a Jewish court of law comprised of three Jews. ...

The ruling was a major blow for the messianist faction that controlled the board, known as the Vaad,^[55] though their lawyers welcomed the decision publicly saying that they could now appeal.^[1]

In a final judgement in November 2003, New York Supreme Court ruled that the original course of dealing before 1994 showed intent on behalf of the ULY to share the money evenly with MLC, and that course should continue.^[53] Thus, after nine years of litigation, the original ULY board lost their claim for complete control of the Weinstock estate.^[56] The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the basic New York State trial court of general jurisidiction. ...

Local controversies

Chabad Rabbis and activists have been involved in legal disputes with each other and with Jewish and non-Jewish people; a few Chabad rabbis have also been involved in financial and sex scandals.

Europe

Czech Republic

In Prague in 2005 tensions developed between Chabad members and Rbbi Karol Sidon. The Alt-Neu Synagogue in Prague's ancient Jewish Quarter became the scene of an emotional dispute between members of the Chabad movement and locals backing Karol Sidon, chief rabbi of the Czech Republic. The conflict led to violent brawls and hospitalisations on a number of occasions.^[57] Sidon was eventually returned to his post.^[58] In 2004 Tomas Jelinek the director of the community council fired Sidon as Rabbi giving the post to young Chadad rabbi Manis Barash. A grassroots campaign from community members led to the deposition of Jelinek as the community director. Jelinek then asked a religious arbiter in Israel to rule on the case who ruled in favor of Barash. Sidon's supporters argued that the case was void since Jelinek had lied to the Judge telling him that the community board had been behind his actions in firing Sidon and appointing Barash. However on 21 November 2005 he was reelected as the chief Rabbi of the city following the protracted dispute with Chabad.^[59] Community head Jacub Roth told the press: " this is part of the local Chabad’s striving to take over the community’s religious life. We have seen an ugly foray of Chabad in their attempt to take over the Old-New Shul."^[58] For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... Rabbi Karol Efraim Sidon (born August 9, 1942) is a Czech Rabbi writer and playwright. ... For other uses, see Chabad (disambiguation). ...

Lithuania

In May 2004, the Lithuanian Jewish community temporarily closed the Vilnius synagogue following a disorderly dispute in the synagogue between members of the Orthodox and the Chabad Lubavich Jewish groups. The community closed the synagogue again in August 2004, following another disturbance. The Government charged the leader of the Chabad Lubavich community with assault and trespassing in the second occurrence, but subsequently dropped the charges. The synagogue remained closed pending resolution of the community's internal disputes.^[60] Not to be confused with Vilnius city municipality. ...

Sholom Ber Krinsky

Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinsky (nephew of Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky) the Chabad emissary to Vilnius has been embroiled in a number of scandals. His soup kitchen was closed down because it served contaminated food. A scandal erupted when charges were made that he had stolen money from donors. Creditors took over the first floor of his Chabad Center to cover unpaid debts, and he remains indebted to his creditors. He collected money to maintain the Jewish cemetery in the city but never paid the $25,000 to the community which was his share in the maintenance.^[61] The Joint Distribution Committee stopped providing him with funding in 2004 after they became aware of financial irregularities. Rabbi Chaim Yehuda (Yudel) Krinsky (born 1933) is a Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. ... A soup kitchen is a place where food is offered to the poor for free or at a reasonably low price. ... American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is a United States Jewish charitable organization with the declared mission to serve the needs of Jews throughout the world, particularly where their lives as Jews are threatened or made more difficult. ...

Krinsky styles himself as Lithuania's "Chief Rabbi", though this was not widely accepted. His attempts to become the officially recognised chief rabbi included having Yona Metzger – who has close ties to Chabad – write a letter to the Lithuanian President; he tried appealing to the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice, but this too failed. On February 29 2004, he held a meeting of 30 of his followers within the community and declared that they were the religious Jewish community of Lithuania. These people proclaimed him chief rabbi and documentation of the meeting was sent to the Ministry of Justice, but this failed to sway the government who maintained that choosing leaders was the prerogative of a religious community as a whole.^[61] In response 400 Jewish Lithuanians signed a document condemning Krinsky.^[61] Rabbi Yona Metzger Yona Metzger (יונה מצגר) (born 1953) is the current Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, appointed in 2003. ...

When the community appointed a Chief Rabbi, Chaim Burstein in early 2004 Krinsky and his followers began a campaign against him. In May 2004 some of Krinsky's followers attacked Burstein on the podium during prayers, and the police were called to break up what became a brawl. Burstein retreated to his home with some supporters to continue prayers but Chabad activists broke in and continued assaulting the worshippers.^[61]

The synagogue closed down and was reopened a few weeks later with security at the door to prevent the ingress of Krinsky and his friends. Krinsky attempted to enter and a brawl ensued.^[62] Krinsky told the press that the security made him "feel like I went through a Nazi selection."^[61] The synagogue was again closed for the duration of the summer, Krinsky and his Chabad followers maintained a angry vigil at the scene that was covered regularly by the local media.^[61]

Russia

A bitter rivalry has been ongoing in Russia for the past 10 years between Berel Lazar, chief rabbi for the Chabad-Lubavitch-dominated Federation of Jewish Communities, and Yevgeny Satanovsky, president of the pluralist Russian Jewish Congress, over who represents the Jews of Russia on an official basis.^[63] The Kremlin officially recognized Lazar as the religious leader of the Russian Jewish community, pushing aside the congress’s Rabbi Adolf Shayevich, who until then had occupied the post.^[63] Since the installation of Rabbi Berel Lazar as the Chief Rabbi of Russia by the Chabad Federation there have been a number of controversies associated with Chabad influence with premier Vladimir Putin, and their funding from various Russian oligarchs, including Lev Leviev and Roman Abramovich.^[64] Lazar is known for his close ties to Putin's Kremlin.^[65] Rabbi Berel Lazar is the Chief Rabbi of Russia, and is the chairman of the rabbinical alliance of the CIS. Education A native of Milan, Italy, Rabbi Lazar was born in 1964 to parents who were among the first emissaries of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. ... Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS was created in November of 1998 to unite efforts aimed at restoring Jewish life, culture and religion in the post-Soviet states. ... The Russian Jewish Congress is the primary rabbinical organisation in the Former USSR. Its current head is Vladimir Slutsker. ... Adolf Shayevitch (born 1938) is one of two completing claimants to the title of Chief Rabbi of Russia. ... Rabbi Berel Lazar is the Chief Rabbi of Russia, and is the chairman of the rabbinical alliance of the CIS. Education A native of Milan, Italy, Rabbi Lazar was born in 1964 to parents who were among the first emissaries of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. ... Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ) (born October 7, 1952) is the current President of the Russian Federation. ... Lev Avnerovich Leviev (born 30 July 1956, Tashkent) is an Israeli businessman with wide-ranging interests, including in the diamond trade, real estate and chemicals. ... Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich (IPA: ) (Russian: ) (born 24 October 1966 in Saratov, Russian SFSR, USSR) is a Russian billionaire and the main owner of private investment company Millhouse Capital, referred to as one of the Russian oligarchs. ...

Putin became close to the Chabad movement after a number of non-Chabad Jewish oligarchs and Rabbis including Vladimir Gusinsky (the founder of the non-Chabad Russian Jewish Congress), backed other candidates for president.^[66] Lev Leviev, a chabad oligarch^[67] supported Putin, and the close relationship between them led to him supporting the Chabad federation nomination of Lazar as Chief Rabbi of Russia, an appointment that Putin immediately recognised despite it not having been made by the established Jewish organisation.^[68] Some have gone so far as to describe Lazar as Putin's Court Jew; Lazar responded to these allegations: Vladimir Gusinsky Vladimir Aleksandrovich Gusinsky (Владимир Александрович Гусинский in Russian) (born 1952), a Russian media baron, is known as the founder of Media-Most holding that included Most Bank, the NTV channel, the newspaper Segodnya and magazines. ... The Russian Jewish Congress is the primary rabbinical organisation in the Former USSR. Its current head is Vladimir Slutsker. ... Lev Avnerovich Leviev (born 30 July 1956, Tashkent) is an Israeli businessman with wide-ranging interests, including in the diamond trade, real estate and chemicals. ... Court Jew (from German: Hofjude(n), Hoffaktor) is a term for historical Jewish bankers or businessmen who lent money and handled finances of some of the Christian European noble houses. ...

Rabbi Adolf Shayevich, who had been Chief Rabbi of Russia until 1998, argues that the Lazar is merely the appointee of Chabad and that he remains Chief Rabbi. What happened, he explains, "has nothing to with religion and everything to do with politics and business. The president invites him to receptions and does not invite me. I am not offended."^[64] Adolf Shayevitch (born 1938) is one of two completing claimants to the title of Chief Rabbi of Russia. ...

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt who attempted to set up a rival rabbinical college to elect a non-Chabad chief rabbi was expelled from Russia by order of the government three days after he convened the meeting, after having lived in Russia for fifteen years.^[69] According to rival oligarch Vladimir Slutsker Goldschmidt told friends that it was Slutsker that had him expelled due to his opposition to Chabad.^[64][70] Lazer made no protest at the expulsion of his rival, and within days was appointed to Putin's "Public Chamber", ^[71] a controversial body that human rights groups have criticised as a window dressing exercise, packed with Putin acolytes to "legitimize the government’s increasingly authoritarian policies".^[72] The Russian Jewish Congress is a rabbinical organisation in the Former USSR. Its current head is Vladimir Slutsker. ...

According to an editorial in the Jerusalem Post the reason why Lazar has not protested Putin's arrests of Jewish Oligarchs and Goldschmidt's deportation is that "Russia's own chief rabbi, Chabad emissary Berel Lazar, is essentially a Kremlin appointee who has been made to neutralize the more outspoken and politically active leaders of rival Jewish organizations."^[73] The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli newspaper in the English language. ...

In 2003 while many around the world criticised the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky Lazar praised the action saying that "The future of the country shouldn’t be in the hands of one man who has money,"^[63] Rival RJC chair head Yevgeny Satanovsky said that Lazar’s endorsement of the actions was intended to develop a role as the special Jew for Putin in order to strengthen the position of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which he said was built around the worship of Schneerson.^[63] Lazar responded that "it’s no secret that I have a very good relationship with the president."^[63] Khodorkovsky speaking at a conference shortly before his arrest Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky (Russian: ; born June 26, 1963) is a Russian businessman, a former Komsomol activist who became one of Russias oligarchs at a very early age. ...

Darkei Shalom synagogue

The Darkei Shalom synagogue is a major synagogue in northern Moscow. It was affiliated with Chamah, a religious and social welfare movement on behalf of former Soviet Jews with offices in New York and Israel, as well as Moscow. The spiritual leader of Darkei Shalom, Rabbi David Karpov, is a devotee of the late Lubavitcher rebbe, yet over the years he has distanced himself from FEOR, the Chabad rabbinical grouping in Russia that appointed and is headed by Lazar. Kaprov was telephoned by Lazar telling him that the synagogue was being gifted to the Chabad movement by its owners and that he would have to leave the synagogue, and resign his post to make way for the a new Chabad emissary.^[74] Lazar suggested that if he fell into line with FEOR he may be allowed to stay. At the same time Kaprov received court orders over various technical and administrative issues, which Kaprov argued were due to Lazar pressuring Kaprov. In an open letter to Lazar, Rabbi Adolph Shayevich and 16 other rabbis wrote:^[74] For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ...

Shayevich added in a statement to the press that "they already have too much money and power, and are using it to destroy all Jewish organizations which resist Chabad’s total domination of Russian Jewish life."^{[74] [75]}

Putin medal

At the sixtieth anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz at the concentration camp, Putin gave a controversial speech in which he failed to mention the death of Jews at the camp. His speech was followed by the presentation by Lazar of a medal honoring Putin, something that was not on the schedule for the event. Lazar lated defended his action saying that he "had no second thoughts".^[65]

Ukraine

Chabad maintain a Chief Rabbi in the Ukraine in opposition to non-Chabad Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich. A group of prominent secular Jews orchestrated the appointment of Rabbi Moshe Reuven Azman - a Chabad messianist to rival Bleich and another Chabad rabbi, Azriel Haikin who had been appointed by Chabad in 2002. His election as Chief Rabbi by a group formed by some wealthy Jewish businessmen in October 2005, caused considerable controversy in the Ukraine Jewish community. Azman's election was endorsed by a group of secular Jewish leaders attending a Kiev Jewish conference, but not by any rabbinical authorities.^[76] A group of rabbis from the non-Chabad Russian Jewish Congress attacked the appointment describing it as "illegitimate" and "insulting to the feelings of every believer".^[76] 150 secular Jewish leaders from 100 Ukrainian cities and towns later protested the vote as well.^[76][77] Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich (born 1964) a U.S.-born rabbi and member of the Karlin-Stoliner Chassidic group, has been widely recognized as chief rabbi of both Kiev and Ukraine since 1992. ... Rabbi Moshe Reuven Azman (born 1966) is the Chabad chief Rabbi of Ukraine, one of three rabbis with a claim on the title, and one of two Chabad rabbis with a claim. ... The Russian Jewish Congress is the primary rabbinical organisation in the Former USSR. Its current head is Vladimir Slutsker. ...

According to the Baltimore Jewish Times, More than 30 Chabad rabbis affiliated with the federation issued a statement Sept. 15 saying that the election of another Chabad rabbi, Moshe Reuven Azman of Kiev, to serve as Ukraine's chief rabbi was "illegitimate" and "insulting to the feelings of every believer. A chief Rabbi can be elected only by rabbis working in Jewish communities of that country," and argued that the election was invalid.^[78] The Baltimore Jewish Times is a subscription-based weekly community newspaper serving the Jewish community of Baltimore. ...

United Kingdom

Dovid Jaffe

Rabbi Dovid Jaffe (born 1965), executive director of Lubavitch in South Manchester^[79] and scion of a prominent Chabad rabbinic family, was featured in a BBC Four documentary about Jewish customs. He explained that for religious reasons he was unable even to shake hands with a woman, as an illustration of how hard it was for a religious Jew to live in England. According to the tabloid News of the world a prostitute of his regular employ at the "Angels" brothel in Manchester, driven by the hypocrisy of his remarks, tipped them off and provided lurid details of their relationship.^[79] She told the paper: This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ... For the BBC radio station, see BBC Radio 4. ... The News of the World is a British tabloid newspaper published every Sunday. ...

On his next visit photographers were waiting to capture him entering and exiting the brothel, and the story appeared as a front page splash on June 26, 2006, under the headline "Rampant Rabbi: Preacher has it oy vey with hookers". According to the prostitute he would regularly pay £40-50 for a sex session, and had a proclivity for garters.^[79] He remains head of the Chabad-Lubavitch in South Manchester^[81], and is a Chabad chaplain for Jewish university students in Manchester.^[82] Jaffe had previously escaped prosecution in March 2006 for allowing his cars to be driven illegally by uninsured drivers.^[83] Look up oy vey in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that Garters be merged into this article or section. ...

Following the story some Chabad followers defended him. Chabad adherent^[84] and acquaintance of Jaffe^[85] Itzhak Schier defended Jaffe, arguing that he had been framed. According to Schier, he had been in the area to help drug addicts; the picture was out of date, and the paper had erred in saying that he had four children when he had ten.^[86] he also attacked the Israeli tabloid newspaper Yediot Aharonot for reprinting the story.^[86] Yedioth Ahronoth (Hebrew: ידיעות אחרונות, meaning latest news) is a major daily Israeli newspaper, written in Hebrew. ...

In September 2006 an independent tribunal consisting of two senior religious judges was convened by his employers, Lubavitch UK.^[87] He was asked to step aside while the investigation was ongoing but he refused to do so.^[87]

Rabbinical Center of Europe

Chabad established a rival rabbinical grouping (called the "Center of European Rabbis") to the Conference of European Rabbis, the primary Orthodox Jewish rabbinical conference in Europe since the Second World War. The body is headed by Moshe Garelick a Chabad Rabbi from Milan. The executive director of the "Conference", Aba Dunner complained that the "center" was misrepresenting itself, deliberately confusing people and duplicating their work. Attacked their action as counter-productive he said:^[88] The Conference of European Rabbis is the primary Orthodox rabbinical alliance in Europe. ... Orthodox Judaism is one of the three major branches of Judaism. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Type Anti-tank Nationality Joint France/Germany Era Cold War, modern Launch platform Individual, Vehicle Target Vehicle, Fortification History Builder MBDA, Bharat Dynamics (under license) Date of design 70s Production period since 1972 Service duration since 1972 Operators 41 countries Variants MILAN 1, MILAN 2, MILAN 2T, MILAN 3, MILAN...

While the organisation was set up as a Chabad group, they removed all references to Chabad after a few months, the Chabad Headquarters in New York still listed it as a Chabad organisation. The use of the same initials as the more established non-Chabad organisation drew ire from many European Rabbis. The sister organisation of the "Center", the "European Jewish Community Center" used the initials EJC again similar to the initials of the European Jewish Congress - a major organisation with representatives in over 40 states. Cobi Benatoff, president of the European Jewish Congress siad "We will certainly be confronting Chabad about this issue, this way of misleading people is not the Jewish way."^[89] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

United States

Prospect Heights

In 2006 a bitter dispute over territorial rights erupted in Brooklyn between an established Chabad emissary and a newcomer over who had the right to represent Chabad in the neighbourhood. A new emissary, Rabbi Tali Frankel - connected to Shmuel Butman's messianist "Lubavitch Youth Organisation" came into conflict with Rabbi Ari Kirschenbaum. Rabbi Shmuel Butman Rabbi Shmuel Menachem Butman (born 1944) is a prominent Chabad rabbi in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. ...

Rabbi Kasriel Kastel, head of Tri-state area emissaries, filed a lawsuit against Hecht in a Beit Din alleging that he has overstepped his boundaries by bringing his nephew into an area where another Lubavitch rabbi was already holding officially sanctioned activities. Kastel says the problem is that there aren’t enough up-and-coming areas to go around. "There are maybe 100 or 200 guys who trained their whole lives, and are looking for an opportunity to go. Smaller communities which would never be considered before are getting people." He attributed the case to gentrification of neighbourhoods, which present a tempting prospect to motivated Chabad emissaries.^[90] A Beit Din is a Jewish court of law comprised of three Jews. ...

Woodstock

In 2005 two rival Chabad emissaries became embroiled in a public row over who was the bona fide emissary of Chabad to the wealthy community of Woodstock, New York.^[91] Rabbi Yacov Borenstein, who opened a Chabad center in Poughkeepsie 20 years ago and has since launched smaller centers in New Paltz, Goshen and Woodstock was pitted against Rabbi Yitzchok Hecht who opened a specific branch for Woodstock in 2005. Borenstein told the press: Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. ...

Borenstein, a messianist, was fired by the Chabad organisation in the 1990s, according to Hecht, and therefore had no right to establish a Chabad synagogue. Hecht responded saying "he knows he is not authorized and is not part of the system. Anyone can call themselves Lubovitcher and say he is here to do the Rebbe's work, but that doesn't make you part of the system." The dispute came to public attention after both groups attempted to establish a Menorah for Hanukkah on the village green, they subsequently agreed to take turns at lighting the menorah on an annual basis. Borenstein argued that a religious court ruling in 2004 had found that he was Chabad's sole emissary to Ulster County, Hecht argued that the ruling was invalid as the court did not have the authority to rule on cases out side of New York City.^[91] Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the states beautiful Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. ... Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. ... Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. ...

Borenstein was involved in an almost identical dispute with the Chabad emissary to Orange County, New York, Rabbi Pesach Burston.^[92] The Orange County Government Center in Goshen, N.Y., designed by Paul Rudolph. ...

Postville

Rabbi Aaron Rubashkin purchased a disused meat-packing plant in the declining town of Postville, Iowa in 1987 and turned it into a state of the art facility for the rendition of Glatt kosher meat. The influx of Chabad adherents from New York to manage the facility and to ensure Kashrut led to demographic changes it the staunchly Lutheran town of 1,500 residents. Journalist and Professor Stephen Bloom spent months living amongst the townsfolk and wrote a book on the conflict between the Lubavitchers and the native residents entitled Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America, that was heavily critical of what he saw as the bigotry and insularity of the Chabad residents, as well as their business practices.^[93] Rabbi Avraham Aaron Rubashkin is the founder of Agriprocessors a major kosher meat processing plant in Postville, Iowa, and an ordained Rabbi for the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic group. ... Postville is a city in Allamakee County, Iowa near the junction of four counties and at the intersection of US Highways 18 and 52 and Iowa Highway 51, far from any airport. ... The circled U indicates that this product is certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU). ... The circled U indicates that this product is certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU). ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Stephen G. Bloom is an American journalist and professor of Journalism Studies at the University of Iowa, in Iowa City. ...

Armed robbery

On September 27, 1991 two married Chabad Rabbinical students^[94] who were working as ritual slaughterer's at the Postville Plant, Phillip Stillman from Crown Heights and Rabbi Pinchas Lew, son of senior London Chabad rabbi Shmuel Lew, committed a series of armed robberies in the Postville area, one of which led to Stillman shooting and critically injuring convenience store clerk Marion Bakken in Decorah, Iowa. Decorah is a city located in Winneshiek County, Iowa. ...

Using a borrowed Oldsmobile, with the licence plates removed, they drove to the town of Ossian, Iowa. When they arrived, Stillman pulled out a .357 Magnum on a retired schoolteacher working a popcorn stand and demanded his coins and bills. They then headed to Decorah where they raided a convenience store. As the clerk, a 50-year-old grandmother, rang a silent alarm, Stillman shot her, ^[95] leaving a bullet permanently lodged next to her spine causing her ongoing pain.^[96] Stillman pleaded guilty to attempted murder and first-degree robbery.^[97] While awaiting sentencing, on March 8, 1992 Stillman escaped from Jail but was recaptured within five minutes.^[98] Stillman was sentenced to 55 years in jail for three offences, to be served consecutively.^[99] Oldsmobile is a brand of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. ... “.357” redirects here. ...

Lew, who's $200,000 bond had been payed by a "hasidic organisation in Brooklyn"^[96], made an Alford plea to conspiracy to commit a forcible felony as part of a plea bargain, ans was sentenced to 10 years in jail and 5 years on probation for driving the getaway car.^[100] After complaining that the food was not kosher, he was released on probation after three months on condition that he attended a religious rehabilitation program.^[101] His victim then lodged a civil suit. On March 18, 1994, a jury returned a verdict that ordered Lew to pay her and her husband, $1.43 million plus 10 percent annual interest.^[102] In the law of the United States, an Alford plea is a plea in criminal court. ...

Pinchas Lew

Rabbi Pinchas Lew gained rabbinical ordination while on probation for the 1991 armed robbery. He subsequently moved to Chapel Hill in 1997 where on the instructions of Chabad leadership he set up a Chabad house, and was the shaliach to the University of North Carolina. After three years, news of his past came to light. Following the publication of Postville many in the community demanded he leave, particularly after it emerged that he had not paid any of the restitution money that the court awarded his victim.^[102][103] In a public meeting at the Duke University campus on May 16 2001 Lew refused to discuss the issue of restitution payments; this and press reports the victim had said that Lew had never apologised made some in the community uneasy. By this time Lew had five children, and used the name "Pinny Lew". Chapel Hill may refer to: Chapel Hill, Queensland, a town in Australia Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a town in the United States, or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a major university within the town. ... The University of North Carolina is a seventeen campus system which includes all sixteen public four-year universities in North Carolina, United States and one public residential high school. ... Duke University is a private coeducational research university located in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. ...

The Chabad movement appointed Lew as the emissary to Chapel Hill despite being aware of his past, according to Rabbi Yossi Groner (son of Leib Groner), the emissary in Charlotte. Groner noted that Lew was completely reformed, spiritual, remorseful and "is an excellent person."^[102] Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner Rabbi Leib Yehuda Groner (born 1932) was the secretary to the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson for over 40 years. ... Charlotte (also known as candle stick) is a figure skating grace move - one of the spirals, where the skater is bended and glides on its one leg with the other one lifted to the air. ...

In June 2001, Lew was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor offence of indecently exposing himself while touching his genitals to his Hispanic housekeeper on May 16, a few hours before he defended himself at the public meeting at Duke.^[104] On August 10 the case came to trial. The maid testified that:^[104]

Lew's attorney argued that the crime of indecent exposure does not apply on private property, and as that had been the police's initial charge the judge dismissed the case on a technicality.^[104] Following the case a Chabad Beit Din convened and ruled that Lew's position had become untenable and that he would have to retire, and he left his posting in November 2001. ^[105] A Beit Din is a Jewish court of law comprised of three Jews. ...

Lew currently writes articles for Chabad websites on modesty and family purity on behalf of Chabad of Puerto Rico.^[106]

Agriprocessors

Main article: Agriprocessors

The Agriprocessors plant run by Rabbi Sholom Rubashkin, who had taken over from his father, was subjected to charges of using inhumane methods of slaughter, of being unsanitary, of maintaining an unsafe work environment and of mistreating its employees. All of this was propelled by a secret video^[107] released by PETA, leading to further attention. PETA effectively picketed the Allamakee County Attorney to start an investigation^[108]. Agriprocessors is a slaughterhouse and meat-packaging factory located in Postville, Iowa best known as a facility for the glatt kosher processing of cattle and poultry. ... Sholom Rubashkin Rabbi Sholom Rubashkin is the current CEO of the Glatt kosher Agriprocessors slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa. ... Peta can refer to: Peta (prefix), a prefix meaning times 1015 in the International System of Units People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal-rights organization People Eating Tasty Animals, a parody of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Peta, Greece, a town in the prefecture... Allamakee County is the northeastern-most county located in the state of Iowa. ...

Temple Grandin, recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on the design of cattle containment and slaughter, is said to have been appalled at what she saw on the tape. Jewish commentators stated, based on what was seen on the tape, that the practices violated Jewish law, and thus the products' kosherness was suspect.^[109]. After the initial controversy, however, audits by competent private firms as well as governmental agencies passed favorably on Agriprocessors practices. In particular, Temple Grandin toured the facility on June 27, 2006, and by Agriprocessors own statement, she is stated to have approved of everything she saw^[110][111]. Dr. Temple Grandin, one of the more successful adults with autism. ...

Pollution

Starting in 2004, city authorities started an investigation against Agriprocessors due to complaints from local residents that they routinely deposited untreated effluence into local rivers in breach of regulations. On August 31, 2006. Agriprocessors CEO Rabbi Sholom Rubashkin signed a consent decree^[112] and paid a $600,000 fine for violating waste-water regulations.^[113] Sholom Rubashkin Rabbi Sholom Rubashkin is the current CEO of the Glatt kosher Agriprocessors slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa. ...

Public menorahs

In 1989, the County of Allegheny with the support of Chabad defended itself in court all the way to the United States Supreme Court from the ACLU in County of Allegheny v. ACLU over the display of a public Menorah owned by Chabad. Pittsburgh skyline The Allegheny County Courthouse Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States... The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non_governmental organization devoted to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. ... In County of Allegheny v. ...

The city of Burlington, Vermont denied the local Chabad chapter, headed by Rabbi Yitzchok Raskin permission to erect a Menorah in the city's main park during Chanukah.^[114] Raskin appealed the decision on two occasions after an initial hearing 1987 found the display to be unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The UCLA assisted the city of Burlington in a final appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1991, and the Menorah ban was upheld.^[115][116] A similar case occurred in Chicago in 1990, and the court found the same way, ^[117] as did a court in Iowa in 1986.^[118] Another a similar case in Cincinnati had the same judgement, ^[119] as did a case in Georgia.^[120] Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and is the shire town of Chittenden County, Vermont. ... This article is about the seven branched candelabrum used in the Temple in Jerusalem. ... Chanukah (חנכה ḥănukkāh, or חנוכה ḥănūkkāh) is a Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of lights. ... The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution states that: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion Together with the Free Exercise Clause, (or prohibiting the free exercise thereof), these two clauses make up what are commonly known as the religion clauses. ... Binomial name Ucla xenogrammus Holleman, 1993 The largemouth triplefin, Ucla xenogrammus, is a fish of the family Tripterygiidae and only member of the genus Ucla, found in the Pacific Ocean from Viet Nam, the Philippines, Palau and the Caroline Islands to Papua New Guinea, Australia (including Christmas Island), and the... The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: District of Connecticut Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of New York District of Vermont The Second Circuit hears argument at the Thurgood Marshall U... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Largest metro area Des Moines metropolitan area Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Cincinnati, Ohio viewed from the SW, across the Ohio River from Kentucky. ...

A similar case in White Plains led to the Common Council unanimously rejecting the display of a Menorah in a public space in the town with the support of many Jews, affirming a local tradition of keeping parks free of religious and political displays.^[121] White Plains is the name of some places in the United States of America: White Plains, Georgia White Plains, Kentucky White Plains, Maryland White Plains, New York White Plains, North Carolina White Plains, New York was the site of the American Revolutionary War Battle of White Plains. ... Common Council may refer to: Buffalo Common Council, the legislative branch of the Buffalo, NY City Government Los Angeles Common Council, the predecessor of the Los Angeles City Council which serves the City of Los Angeles, California today Category: ...

In 1988, the American Jewish Congress produces a 28-page report, entitled "The Year of the Menorah", criticising Chabad's Menorah campaign and the litigation that went with it. It complained of the increase in the number of menorahs placed on public lands arguing that it was causing tension both within the community and with non-Jews.^[122] The American Jewish Congress is a civil rights body formed both to protect the civil rights of Jewish Americans, as well as to act as a conduit for pro-civil rights activities in the American Jewish community. ...

Mordecai Yomtov

On December 3, 2001, Rabbi Mordechai Yomtov, a Chabad-trained rabbi at "Cheder Menachem Elementary school" was arrested and held on $500,000 bail after three boys, ages 8 to 10, reported that Yomtov was keeping them alone in the classroom and molesting them while the other children were at recess.^[123] Rabbi Chaim Cunin of Chabad told the press the students were being given counseling.^[124] In a plea bargain with prosecutors, he was allowed to plead guilty to two acts of continuous sexual abuse of minors and one count of lewd conduct, and was sentenced to a year in prison and banned from associating with children.^[125]

Sholom Ber Levitin

In 1989, the chief Chabad emissary to Seattle^[126] Rabbi Sholom Ber Levitin was convicted of being part of an international money laundering ring that headed by Israeli Adi Tal. Levitin defended his actions, saying that the proceeds were going to Israel: "I was motivated by my desire to help my brethren in need, with funds being transferred to Israel" Levitin, one of 11 charged, was sentenced to a $10,000 fine and a 30-day imprisonment.^[127][128]

Satmar-Chabad disturbances

On a number of occasions through the 1980s, Chabad and Satmar Hasidim became involved in violent brawls over various issues.^[129] In 1983 tensions were elevated and rioting ensued. Chabad spokesman Yehuda Krinsky blamed that Satmars saying that the attacks were "definitely Satmar. Lubavitch is a victim of brutal attacks by Satmar. Their record of terrorism goes on."^[130] In a letter to Time magazine he repeated his allegations, arguing that it was false to claim that both groups were guilty.^[131] Rabbi Chaim Yehuda (Yudel) Krinsky (born 1933) is a Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ...

Israel

Involvement in politics

As a non-political organisation Chabad are officially banned from involvement in political campaigns in Israel under Israeli election laws. However on a number of occasions Chabad has run campaigns that endorsed a candidate in an election, in 1988 and in 1996.

In 1988 Schneerson ordered his followers to vote for Agudas Yisroel to thwart his rival, Elazar Shach's party Degel haTorah's ambitions. Agudath Israel of America (or Agudas Yisroel of America or Agudat Yisrael of America or simply the Agudah [agudah is Hebrew for gathering or union]), is a Haredi Jewish communal organization in the United States loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel. ... Elazar Menachem Man Shach (אלעזר מנחם מן שך) (or Rav Leizer Shach, at times his name is written as Eliezer Schach in English publications) (January 22, 1898 - November 2, 2001), was a leading Haredi rabbi in modern Israel. ... Degel HaTorah (or Degel haTorah) (דגל התורה Hebrew for Flag/Banner [of] the Torah) is an Israeli mostly Ashkenazi Haredi Judaism political party with a small number of seats (2-3) in the Knesset, Israels national parliament. ...

The Chabad movement, taking the lead of Schneerson, began organising right-wing political campaigns starting in the 1980s. Famously they endorsed Binyamin Netanyahu in the 1996 election with a poster campaign with the slogan "Netanyahu is good for the Jews."^[132]A The involvement of religious groups in endorsing candidates has been controversial in Israel, with left-wing politicians such as Shulamit Aloni bitterly criticising what she termed electoral interference. Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo, an ardent messianist is the most publicly political Chabad Rabbi organising a number of controversial political campaigns and calling for people not to celebrate Israeli Independence Day in response to Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan; he told a conference in Jerusalem that "the remedy for the disengagement is to understand that the State of Israel is a terrible thing. We should not bless or praise the state that was founded by criminals and heretics like Herzl."^[133] Benjamin Netanyahu (also Binyamin, and in Israel commonly Bibi) (Hebrew: בנימין נתניהו) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ... Shulamit Aloni (born November 29, 1928) is a human rights activist, lawyer and former Israeli politician. ... Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo adressing a crowd Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo, also Sholom Ber Wolpe[1], (born 1948) is a senior Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi and community leader in Israel. ... Yom Haatzmaut (Hebrew: yom hā-‘aá¹£mā’ūṯ), Israeli Independence Day, commemorates the declaration of independence of Israel in 1948. ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ... Theodor Herzl Theodor Herzl (May 2, 1860–July 3, 1904) was an Austrian Jewish journalist who became the founder of modern political Zionism. ...

In 1996 Meretz leaders asked the Attorney General Michael Ben-Yair to investigate the links between Chabad and the Likud party to see whether there had been any improper funding.^[134] In the 2006 election, Chabad declined to back any political platform.^[135] They also protested the fact that much of the funding for Chabad's pro-Netanyahu campaign had come from a foreign resident, Australian mining magnate Rabbi Joseph Gutnick Meretz (מרצ, Hebrew: vitality, energy) was an Israeli leftist secular political party. ... Michael Ben-Yair was attorney-general of Israel from 1993 to 1996. ... Likud (Hebrew: ליכוד, literally means consolidation) is a centre-right political party in Israel. ... Joseph Gutnick (sometimes referred to as Diamond Joe) is an Australian businessman. ...

Shabtai Bloch

In 1998 a Chabad activist, Shabtai Bloch (born 1950) was arrested by Israeli police on suspicion of planning at attack on then Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu. According to Israeli army radio he had been a "central figure in the rigorously Orthodox Chabad movement". Bloch had planned to attack Netanyahu in the city of Safed, while the Prime Minister was visiting soldiers wounded in Lebanon. Bloch had been the leader of Chabad activists in Safed, and had planned to protest an Israeli troop withdrawal from parts of the West Bank that Netanyahu had authorised. Bloch had been active in Netanyahu's 1996 election campaign on behalf of Chabad and felt betrayed by the Prime Minister, according to the New York Times.^[136] According to the Jerusalem Post Bloch was one of the leaders of the Chabad movement in Israel".^[137] He was relased after 10 days under house arrest.^[138] Benjamin Netanyahu (also Binyamin, and in Israel commonly Bibi) (Hebrew: בנימין נתניהו) (born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel. ... Israel Army Radio, or Galèi Tzáhal as it is called in Hebrew (גלי צהל, lit. ... Safed (Hebrew: צְפַת, Tiberian: , Israeli: Tsfat, Ashkenazi: Tzfas; Arabic: صفد ; KJV English: Zephath) is a city in the North District in Israel. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli newspaper in the English language. ... In justice and law, house arrest is the situation where a person is confined (by the authorities) to his or her residence. ...

Kfar Chabad attack

While attending the wedding of an associte at the Chabad community of Kfar Chabad in 2005, Binyamin Netanyahu was attacked by a crowd, who threw objects at him and slahed the tires of his armoured car while shouting "Murderer, your day will come", according to Yedioth Ahronoth. A plate was thrown at Mr. Netanyahu, then the Finance Minister. ^[139] Shimon Peres responded to the incident saying "The attempt to attack Netanyahu was done only because of his views. It is incumbent upon us to condemn this trend." ^[140] Kfar Chabad is a Chabad-Lubavitch community of about 400 families located near Tel Aviv. ... Yedioth Ahronoth (Hebrew: ידיעות אחרונות, meaning latest news) is a major daily Israeli newspaper, written in Hebrew. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Gaza withdrawal

During the Gaza withdrawal in 2005, Saadia Hirschkop an 18 year old Chabad adherent from Crown Heights, then studying at the Chabad yeshiva in Kfar Chabad was found in possession of weapons and put under administrative detention by Israeli authorities along with two other far-right activists.^[141] They were accused of planning terror attacks against Arabs in an effort to derail the withdrawal plan. Hirschkop agreed to be deported to the United States.^[142]

Elkana

A dispute of the construction of a Mikvah in the West Bank settlement of Elkana led to a case being heard before the Israeli supreme court to determine whether or not Chabad were part of Orthodox Judaism. Chabad residents demanded the local religious council build a double- Mikvah, per their requirements, but the religious council refused. All attempts to reach a compromise failed. The attorney for the local religious council made a statement on their behalf: "The local hassidim from Chabad are from a messianic cult and want to force the community to build the mikveh according to their specifications." The rabbi of Elkana who had made the decision defended his position: "I have ruled according to our custom on the mikveh issue. We are not a Chabad community and my ruling followed the rulings of outstanding rabbis throughout the generations."^[143] Mikvah (or mikveh) (Hebrew: מִקְוָה, Standard Tiberian  ; plural: mikvaot or mikvot) is a specially constructed pool of water used for total immersion in a purification ceremony within Judaism. ... Elkana or Elqana is a Jewish settlement in the Samaria region of the West Bank. ... Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonised in the Talmudic texts (Oral Torah) and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim. ...

Chabad Youth Organisation

The death of the director of the Chabad Youth Organisation in Israel, the de facto hub of the vast majority of Chabad's activities in Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Madaintchek led to a power struggle between messianist and moderates over the control of the group. The messianists were led by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Chabad Yeshiva in Safed, while the moderates were led by Rabbi Yosef Aharonov. Wilshansky took Aharonov to court to prevent him making material changes CYO's foundation documents, signatory rights, directors, and membership, or making any other fundamental changes. The petitioners claim that this is an attempt to illegally take over the group and Chabad in Israel in general.^[144] Rosh yeshiva (Hebrew: ראש ישיבה) (pl. ... Safed (Hebrew: צְפַת, Tiberian: , Israeli: Tsfat, Ashkenazi: Tzfas; Arabic: صفد ; KJV English: Zephath) is a city in the North District in Israel. ...

Meir Baranes

Chabad came under scrutiny in Israel after a former Israeli paratrooper by the name of Meir Baranes, who espoused an extreme formulation of Chabad messianism describing Schnnerson as God, was filmed putting a Kabbalistic death curse - a Pulsa de Nura - on Pope John Paul, on the eve of his visit to the Holy Land. He was arrested on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organization, harming religious sensibilities, and threatening to harm a world leader. The ceremony was filmed by Israel's Channel 2 News and there were suggestions that the event was staged for their benefit. Baranes declared that Schneerson had ruled any meeting with the Pope to be forbidden. ^[145] Due to his actions Chabad disassociated themselves from Baranes. Chabad spokesman Menachem Brod declared that Baranes was not a part of Chabad and expressed anger with Channel 2 for broadcasting the ceremony.^[145] In April 2000 he ran-down Rabbi Levy Bistritzky, the Chief Rabbi of Safed and left him in a serious condition.^[146] He was sentenced to a year in jail for the crime. Baranes published a series of ads in the press in the late 1990s, addressing God on the issue of Schneerson's death, demanding that he be returned to life. He also organized demonstrations with similar demands.^[147] In 2005 he was arrested again, this time on suspicion of distribution fliers claiming that was going to kill Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon alongside fliers that claimed that "the next Prime Minister would be the Lubavitcher Rebbe.^[148] Meir Baranes (born 1968) is an Israeli who is notable for declaring Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson to be God, and for placing a curse on Pope John Paul II during a visit to Israel in 2000. ... Chabad messianism[1] is a term used to describe the beliefs of many followers of Chabad who believe that their late leader Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson will be the Messiah. ... For other uses, see Holy Land (disambiguation). ... Channel 2 (Israel) is an Israeli commercial television channel that started broadcasting in November 4, 1993 under the Second Israeli Broadcasting Authority. ... Rabbi Menachem Brod (or Brodt) is a senior Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi in Israel. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ... Rabbi M.M. Schneerson The third Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch dynasty was also named Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (with a h) Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 18, 1902-June 12, 1994) was an Orthodox Judaism rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe (spiritual leader) of the Chabad Lubavitch branch of...

Australia

Gutnick-Feldman feud

A protracted and complex public feud has between two of Australia's most senior Chabad Rabbis Joseph Gutnick and his brother-in-law Pinchus Feldman has ended up in court on a number of occasions. Gutnik first brought the case to court in 2001.^[149] At issue was a loan of A$10 million that Gutnick lent Feldman after his Yeshiva in 1994, Yeshivah Centre, Sydney to prop it up after it fell into serious financial difficulties with debts of over A$20 million.^[150] Joseph Gutnick (sometimes referred to as Diamond Joe) is an Australian businessman. ... Rabbi Pinchus Hakohen Feldman OAM (born 1945) is the Chabad Chief Rabbi and first shaliach (emissary) of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement in New South Wales, Australia. ... The Yeshiva Centre was established in 1956 by Rabbi Chaim Gutnick and Mr. ...

After the parties could not agree on a Beit Din in 2003, the case ended up in the New South Wales Supreme Court, with Gutnick suing Feldman for A$13.5 million. Feldman agreed that the Yeshiva did indeed owe Gutnick the money but argued that there had been an unwitnessed verbal agreement between the two that the interest (70% of the debt) would never be payed as Jewish law forbids taking interest from a charity.^[150] A Beit Din is a Jewish court of law comprised of three Jews. ... NSW redirects here. ...

But he maintained the interest was "an obligation never to be fulfilled" due to "a definite understanding" between the two men, and discussed in private conversations to which no one else had been a witness. Feldman lost the case and was deposed as president of the institutions.^[150]

The feud was reignited in March 2007 when Feldman received a bill for A$540,0000 in back-taxes. Under an agreement Feldman had agreed not to open up any competing institutions and the Yeshiva agreed to pay the back-taxes.^[151] However members of Feldman's family opened up a competing Yeshiva and so Yeshiva Centre refused to pay the taxes. In March 2007 Feldman was served with the full tax bill.^[151]

Canada

Montreal Mikva dispute

In 1982 a new mikva was completed in Montreal intended for use by women and for conversions from Reform, Conservative and Orthodox Jews.^[152] The mikva was paid for by all quarters of the Jewish community. Rabbi Itche Meir Gurary, a local Chabad rabbi became director of the mikva. The orthodox community used other, exclusively orthodox mikvas to perform conversions, but pluralist stream were only able to use the community mikva. In March 2007 Gurary announced that the mikva would no longer be open for conversions. Reform and conservative Jews complained that this was merely a pretext to keep Conservative and Reform converts out.^[152] Conservative Rabbi Lionel Moses argued: Mikvah (or mikveh) (Hebrew: מִקְוָה; Tiberian Miqwāh, Standard Hebrew Miqva) is a ritual bath used for immersion in a purification ceremony within Judaism. ... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - City 365. ...

Gurary responded that the non-Orthodox had "overstayed their welcome. If I let them in, I would have to compromise on cleanliness." Adding that non-Orthodox congregations should construct their own Mikvas.^[152]

Control of 770 Eastern Parkway

Lubavitch world headquarters, 770 Eastern Parkway

In recent years violence and legal suits have surrounded the question of who controls the main synagogue at 770 Eastern Parkway.^[153] The synagogue is currently being run by a team of Gabaim who are elected by members of the Crown Height community every three years. For many years these people have been exclusively messianst and have set the tone for of the building. Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, as the financial head of many of chabad's power-structures - has taken the Gaboim to court be regain control over the building for the anti-messianist strand. In March 2007 Krinsky lost his case, as the gaboim demonstrated to the judges satisfaction that they were indeed maintaining the synagogue.^[154] This partially overturned a 2006 ruling that Agudas Chasidei Chadad had complete control of the building.^[155] However the judge ordered that the case would have to go to a full trial to determine the true status.^[153] Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 722 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1412 × 1173 pixel, file size: 582 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) 770 Eastern Parkway, headquarters of the Chabad Lubavitch movement. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 722 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1412 × 1173 pixel, file size: 582 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) 770 Eastern Parkway, headquarters of the Chabad Lubavitch movement. ... Eastern Parkway is a street that runs through a portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. ... Lubavitch world headquarters, 770 Eastern Parkway 770 Eastern Parkway, commonly abbreviated to 770 or Seven-seventy is the street address of the central headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, located in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York in the United States of America. ... Rabbi Chaim Yehuda (Yudel) Krinsky (born 1933) is a Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. ...

2004 rioting

On December 15, 2004 a riot erupted in Crown Heights between anti-messianists and messianists that led to scores of hospitalisations and arrests after the official movement attempted to install a plaque, noting that Schneerson was dead. Around 300 Lubavichers fought each other and the NYPD for over 5 hours. One rioter, Gil Schwartz explained the reasoning of the rioters: "He's alive - they are writing that the rebbe is dead!" ^[156] Another rioter, Meyer Romano, during a court appearance the next day said: "The Rebbe is Superman and [Rabbi] Yehuda Krinsky is Lex Luthor, you understand?"^[157] The New York City Police Department (NYPD) , the largest police department in the United States, has primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City. ...

2006 rioting

In November 2006 a riot occurred within 770 Eastern Parkway and spread to the streets outside. The Annual Conference of Shulchim had concluded that day, and when a group of out-ot-town emissaries attempted to gather in the main synagogue fighting broke out between them and the local messianists. Considerable damage was done to furniture within the building and there were a number of injuries. Police were called and asked to evacuate the building. Four of the rioters were arrested.^[158]

Moshe Rubashkin

The current head of the Chabad community in Crown Heights (a group colloquially known as the Gaboim, or beadles) who form the community's governing body known as the Vaad Hakohol, elected in January 2005 for a three year term is Rabbi Moshe Rubashkin, a convicted fraudster.^[159][160] During 2006 he was involved in a series of disputes with other members of the Vaad that led to physical fights during committee meetings on more than one occasion, arrests and court hearings for him and other members of the board.^[161]

Citations

The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli newspaper in the English language. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... The Jerusalem Report is a biweekly newsmagazine that covers political and social issues in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from a centrist viewpoint. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... [[Media:Italic text]]{| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Yated Neeman (Hebrew: יתד נאמן) is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. ... Yated Neeman (Hebrew: יתד נאמן) is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. ...

Further reading

• On the Spectrum of Messianic Belief in Contemporary Lubavitch Chassidism, David Berger
• Chabad and Messianism, Adam Dickter, Haddasah Magazine and Haddasah's apology for printing it.
• The Once and Future Messiah in Early Christianity and Chabad, Joel Marcus
• Dalfin, Chaim. Attack on Lubavitch: A Response, Jewish Enrichment Press, February 2002 (ISBN 1-880880-66-0)
• Yanover, Yori. Attack on Chabad Is Called Unredeemable The Forward

Bergers most famous work David Berger is a professor of history at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, and a visiting professor at Yeshiva Universitys Bernard Revel Graduate School. ... The Forward is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York. ...

See also

• Yechi
• Chabad Messianism
• Menachem Mendel Schneerson