Issues
and Editorials
Revealing the truth about Lubavitch
in Chicago
If you dislike controversy, or don't wish to know the truth,
please leave this page.
We have serious problems in the Lubvavitch community of Chicago. Most of us know the issues, and we also know who has been behind most of our woes for many years. It's time to correct this. Changes are required, and since our leadership and Rabbonim won't act, we need to effect changes ourselves. We need to protect the Rebbe's name in Chicago. We can and will be successful, because good always wins over evil. But first, the truth must be known. You will find here a constantly-growing number of documents, comments, and editorials -- some of which will be revealed for the first time. Please take the time to read them; print them and share them with your friends who may not visit this web site; discuss them openly. Then, when the time is right, we will present a number of options for you to take action without fear of retribution.
[Note that the designation NEW means that the particular document or editorial comment has not previously been posted on the ChicagoAnash.com site.]
02/27/06
NEWEvery so often I am sent anonymous hate mail, triggered usually by some successful event by those who are not "officially sanctioned " by the "Powers that Be". (Whatever happened to the Rebbe's directive for us ALL to be his shluchim?) Normally I simply delete such emails, for anyone who spreads such nonsense and doesn't even have the conviction to stand up and identify himself, isn't worthy of any attention. This last time, however, my mood when the email arrived was such that I felt a need to "vent" a bit. Here is our exchange, shared so that you can all see that even after 3 years some people refuse to put away their hatred.
N'Shei Chabad has refused to accept a paid ad for Bnos Rabbeinu in their conference journal. From the email received after the ad had already been submitted: "...regret to inform you that the Powers That Be have said that we cannot advertise the school in our Journal. Personally, I don't know the politics, but I was asked to tell you."
My email response: "Yet another sad day for N'shei Chabad. Not what the Rebbe intended, nor what Chabad stands for. Unfortunately N'shei Chabad will lose the z'chus of channelling girls to the BEST (ask any seminary head) Lubavitch girls high school in the world ... because of petty power politics."
As has happened on other occasions, shortly after the latest vandalism notice was posted several email viruses were sent to Chicagoanash.com email addresses. Of course it could be that the computer of one of those who carefully monitor this site is infected and spreads the virus without their knowledge... or it could be intentional...
Since the last round of police reports and interviews with potential "interested parties", there has been a lenghty lull in vandalism. However, today the Mitzvah tank was discovered with two tires slashed! The police will be involved again, as this seems to be the only action that the local thugs understand.
I have just been informed that two Moshiach flags were stolen from two different cars -- one on each day of Rosh Hashanah!
YET MORE CRIMINAL VANDALISM! On Friday, while the bocherim were doing mivtzoim on Devon, another Mitzvah tank tire was slashed. B"H the tank was operational again very quickly. The tally of damages continues to rise, as the police hate crimes unit continues their investigation.
Did you know... that the Yechi yarmulkas of several bochurim were stolen from the mikvah? When the names of the alleged perpetrators were reported, the yarmulkas were returned!
Did you know... that a sports bag containing several pairs of tefillin vanished one day from the Moshiach Center, only to be 'returned' anonymously two weeks later? The owner was forced to daven with borrowed tefillin for two weeks. The police have been engaged to investigate.
Did you know... that the tire-slashing criminal vandalism continued with several more instances at two different locations? That in total there have been ten (10) tires slashed?
02/23/2005
VANDALISM STRIKES AGAIN! On at least two separate nights in recent weeks, the Moshiach Center Mitzvah Tank was again vandalized. Once again three new tires ($175 each) were destroyed, this time while the tank was parked on a quiet residential street, not at the Moshiach Center. A few days later, the tank was egged, resulting in a significant mess. Some eggs were tossed so they hit just above a poster of the Rebbe, leaving messy egg trails to drip over the Rebbe's face! Is it surprising that result looks like the Rebbe is crying? How long do we tolerate this behavior??
VANDALISM! One night in late December one of the Mitzvah Tank tires was found to be flat. On the assumption that this was a simple flat tire, it was brought for repair. The garage found that the tire had been intentionally punctured through the sidewall and was not repairable. As if this was not enough, the following night TWO more tires were punctured! No other vehicles parked in the vicinity were vandalized. This is being treated very seriously. A police report has been filed, and measures are being taken to install security cameras. It is very clear that this despicable act was directed specifically at the Moshiach Center.
NEW
Following the successful launch of the new Moshiach Center in Chicago, there have been the predictable attempts to defame and slander those who worked so hard to make it a reality. While I can perhaps understand a statement confirming that the Center is not an official Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois institution (which it doesn't claim to be), the response goes way too far. Read for yourself the shameful letter that was sent to all of the Rabbonim in the city. It's quite embarrassing. There will be much more to come on this issue. For now, here are some of my thoughts. (<-- Written in October, finally released) 10/25/2004
Lag B'Omer was some time ago, but I feel that it bears re-visiting. Why? Because there is a recurring theme being violated by our supposed leaders. That theme is Ahavas Yisroel. Please take a look at this direct quote from the Lag B'Omer "Unity" Parade web site. Notice the emphasis of the day? At the time, on the official Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois site, there was an invitation for all schools to join. There were no conditions given, and some non-orthodox affiliated schools did in fact officially participate. Contrast that with the polite request and official denial for the tiny Tzemach Tzedek Cheder! Ah, but you saw them in the parade? That was only due to a few brave individuals who quietly and correctly challenged this decision and forced the issue. Even then, the school was not mentioned by name, as were the other schools. "Unity" doesn't mean "I dictate and you follow."
After being refused admission by Cheder Lubavitch, we approached Bais Yaakov as a possible option for our daughter. Notwithstanding our differences from the typical Bais Yaakov crowd, we were treated respectfully and warmly, and our daughter was accepted to the school. For various reasons, she decided that she didn't want to go there, and we agreed. We were so impressed with how we were treated -- with tolerance, understanding, and Ahavas Yisroel -- that I sent a letter of appreciation to those I dealt with. We can all learn something from this as to how to behave properly as a yid regardless of our differences.
Did you know... that even after Bnos Rabbeinu had signed the lease with A.G. Beth Israel, there was tremendous pressure put on the shul to break the lease? Thankfully some people can still distinguish good from evil.
Did you know... that Lubavitch-Chabad of Illinois threatened to pull all of its listings from the Acheinu directory unless Bnos Rabbeinu and Tzemach Tzedek listings were removed? Shamefully, those in charge of the directory believed this idle threat (who exactly would be hurt by Lubavitch listings being pulled except for Lubavitch itself?!) and they removed the listings. On page 18 of the current directory is the statement "The goal of this publication is to foster a spirit of togetherness within our community." If you'd like to send your thoughts to the Acheinu directory, their email address is acheinu@earthlink.com. 9/5/2004
My letters to Yitzchok Wolf regarding re-accepting my daughter into the Cheder. See for yourself the conditions he presented us with, based entirely on sinas chinum. As reported on the NEWS page, he refused to accept any compromise, even though there are no "policies" being "violated." Although local Chabad Rabbonim have privately agreed that his conditions are unwarranted and halachically incorrect, there has been no public condemnation of Yitzchok Wolf. Why not?! 9/5/2004
Lengthy open letter from Rabbi Bogomilsky, clarifying the Din Torah brought by the Bassman and Blumberger families. This has been dismissed as "all lies" by some, but the contents are mostly correct. Rabbi Bogomilsky can back up everything with written documents, and challenges anyone who disagrees to put their complaint in writing and supply countering documentation. So far, no one has taken up that challenge. Does that say something? There has even been a claim that Rabbi Bogomilsky "apologized" for many incorrect statements in this letter -- but Rabbi Bogomilsky categorically denies that any apology took place or is required.
Here is the psak from the Bais Din, in Hebrew and translated into English. For additional insights, please read Rabbi Bogomilsky's letter, posted above. 9/5/2004
The nonexistent Noach Thaler purportedly sent a letter to the Nishei Chabad Newsletter in an attempt to prevent Bnos Rabbeinu from advertising there. At the same time, the Nishei Chabad Newsletter editor threatened to resign if Bnos Rabbeinu ads were accepted! Shamefully, the publication did reject the ad, however this resulted in a positive development for Bnos Rabbeinu (explained below.) Here is a response that someone wrote to the various incorrect and slanderous sections of "Noach's" letter. 9/5/2004
When word got out that the Nishei Chabad Newsletter would not accept a paid ad from Bnos Rabbeinu, someone sponsored the conversion of the ad to a beautiful jumbo postcard and its mailing to almost 2000 Lubavitch families worldwide! Once again, an attempt to harm based on sinas chinum was turned into a strong positive! 9/5/2004
For those who still consider the Tzemach Tzedek Hebrew Day School to be somehow "illegitimate", please read this letter from Rabbi Schwei of the Bais Din of Crown Heights -- halachic advisor to both Tzemach Tzedek and Bnos Rabbeinu. Please show your vote of support -- make a minimum $1 donation to Tzemach Tzedek!
Here is the letter issued by Rabbi D. Schochet of Toronto in response to demands that his arguments allowing Rabbi Moscowitz to create his policies be presented. It was clearly written way after-the-fact, as the original permission was obviously only verbal. Here also is my response to Rabbi Schochet, released publicly now for the first time because it details some facts that may not be widely known. My letter was never responded to nor even acknowledged. 9/5/2004
When we decided to send our daughter to Bnos Rabbeinu (after she had tried going to Toronto but missed the increased level of learning that she had with Mrs. Turen), I received a threatening phone call from Yitzchok Wolf. I asked for and eventually received a written statement from him, but he characterized his throwing out of my three children from Cheder as a voluntary withdrawal. Here is my response to him, sent at the end of 2002. 9/5/2004
This is an old document, but one that some readers may not have seen... namely the letter informing the community of the new policy implemented by Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois, in response to Mrs. Turen's decision to open her own private high school in Chicago. Although the first part of the policy was struck down by the Bais Din, it continues to stand and to be applied, in defiance of the ruling in the psak. 3/30/2003
2/9/2003
Perhaps unknown by some, there was an active phone and letter campaign to further harm innocent children by barring them from acceptance at numerous Lubavitch seminaries, particularly in Israel. Once again, trying to destroy the Turens somehow "justified" hurting innocent children! Read this Psak from Rav Hendel (Montreal) regarding the attempt to bar girls from various Chabad seminaries. Shamefully, some seminaries agreed to the ban. All but one have now (as of 2004) dropped this silliness, and readily accept girls from Bnos Rabbeinu.
Here is an old document detailing for anash the last-ditch efforts undertaken by a small ad-hoc team to try to resolve the high school issue peacefully, before the school officially opened. This includes a description of these efforts and the final compromise offer to Rabbi Moscowitz. After this effort failed, the team was disbanded.
