My favorite topic "Lubavitch"!

While sitting in a Succah this past week and enjoying dinner with friends the conversation turned to Lubavitch. Whenever this happen my hair stands up on end and I immediately tell people exactly what I think (not good if you want to keep your friends). 

Most people know Lubavitch from the outside looking in, however, few know what has happened since the passing of Rabbi Schneerson. The beloved Lubavitcher Rebbe failed to appoint a successor and since he had no children there was no apparent successor. His body was not cold in the ground when the feuding began. There was a huge financial estate at stake. Lots of real estate, donations, prestige and it was suddenly up for grabs. Those who were closest to the Rebbe began jockeying for position but ultimately they agreed, let's be friends and share the pot of gold. Then there was the question of the dead Rebbe's spiritual circumstances. Was he really dead or was he immune from death? Was the Rebbe like Elijah ascending heavenward on a chariot of fire? Many began to see him as the Messiah and as a result a new word was born "Meshichasts" a breed of Lubavitch that believe the Rebbe is the Messiah and will return to rid the world of the mess humans have made. This did not go over well with those Lubavitch who are traditional Chassidim and so the divide was created.

It is the greed that deserves the attention of the Jewish Community. Lubavitch have been called a 'pariah' on the Community because they are insular taking much financially from the Jewish Communities they serve but giving nothing financial back. They are not donors to the local Jewish Federations, they generally don't hire from the general community even when all they need are basic day camp counselors or bus drivers.

They are nepotists appointing the most powerful families to the best positions within the organization regardless of acumen. Recently they have taken to naming their community Synagogue's "The Shul" as if they are the only Shul in town. Some communities have the “The Shul North" or  "The Shul South",  "The Shul" is simply buzz words for Lubavitch. 

Now they have lost their moral compass. This past summer the Forward reported the story of the Lubavitch in Detroit who created a College offering  Jewish courses and teaching degrees over the internet. The College had enrolled American students living in Israel at seminaries, to take courses over the internet. The students were provided with Pell Grants and loans but reporters found that few if any were graduating and the appropriation of the grants paid to the college were under investigation. The Forward seem to suggest that the students in Israel were unaware of their obligations after signing the financial aid documents. Another words, they didn't know that they had to pay the loans back. Lubavitch Detroit appears to have funded their programs in Detroit and put young students at financial risk.

To paraphrase the late Senator Lloyd Bensen, the Lubavitcher Rebbe was my friend not because I knew him personally but he was someone I greatly admired and who inspired me. Unfortunately, his spirit was not enough to keep the Lubavitch community from "falling off the derech" (buzz words for people who have lost their religious way). I believe he would have cringed at hearing his community refer to him as "Melech HaMashiach" (our king the Messiah).

Although I did not know the Rebbe personally, I spent many a Shabbat at 770 headquarters, I went to many Lubavitch celebrations were the Rebbe was the featured speaker and I feel confident reporting that the Rebbe would have chastised anyone who would have suggested that he was the messiah. Our religious leaders must “talk the talk” but they must also “walk the walk”.

Chag Samayach