By COLlive reporter
We didn’t see this coming: A Moscow rabbi with Litvish ties who is part of a bitter rivalry with Chabad rabbis in Russia seems to have changed his colors – even if only in speech.
Chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt was heard praising the Chassidic movement during a visit to the Chabad-run synagogue in Tallinn, Estonia, with a group of American and Israeli tourists.
Goldschmidt is an officer of the Russian Jewish Congress, a competing body to the Federation of Jewish Communities, the largest Jewish organization in the Former Soviet Union led by Chabad Shliach and Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar.
In Estonia, Goldschmidt was greeted by the country’s Chief Rabbi and Chabad Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kot.
The delegation also included Israel’s Minister of Justice Yaakov Neeman, a friend of Chabad, and Efrat Rabbi Shlomo Riskin.
After a briefing from Kot, Goldschmidt was invited to say a few words and surprised the people in the crowd.
“In no other sector will you find the mesiras nefesh (self sacrifice) like the Lubavitchers have,” he said and went on to praise the “couples from heimishe families who go out to far flung places and do wonders.”
Goldschmidt, reportedly, went on to speak about his own “connection to Chabad.”
One Chabad Shliach in Europe, who has met Goldschmidt in the past, told COLlive.com in response: “I guess it does not harm to talk.”
Rabbi Berel Lazars father was an amazing Pirchei Agudah leader and head councellor of Camp Agudah, High Mount NY.
Rabbi Lazar ad his father have worked for the Klal all their lives and only want to help bring Moshiach in our generation by being Mekarev thousands upon thousands of Yeeden. So put the nonsense and rivalry in the trash can. Whatever we can do to have the Russian Hiarchy help us to achieve this ultimate goal and merit the coming of Moshiach IY’H.
I was in the room when these pictures were taken and spent two weeks on a cruise where Rabbi Goldshmidt was invited as the guest Rabbi. He actually spoke highly about Chabad. I found him to be very informed on all issues that he discussed, a very pleasant individual
Sincerely
Mrs. H. Hayward
forumer rievull
Don’t forget how Rabbi Avrohom Berkowitz, (now former) Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS, was attacked inside Goldschmidt’s mikvah and was almost killed:
http://bit.ly/cED8lt
The Rebbes Shluchim are amazing
He used to occasionally daaven in a Beth Chabad as bochur
to number 5 rabbi lazar did not do anything to him….
to number 6 makes sence but lazar is doing much more and is more active!
I know Rabbi Goldschmid personally, he is a Big Talmid Chochom, a Ehrliche Yid, a person who helps everyone, and AFAIK he has never said a bad word about Chabad, but Chabad has said plenty against him. He wrote a book called “Zikaron BaSeifer” which has Teshuvos about how to do specific Halachic procedures in Russia and Lubavitchers use it. There are quite a few Chabad Mosdos which are officially aligned with him and not with Or Avner (such as Chabad in Kazakhstan).
the issue Pinchas Goldschmidt hade is NOT with Lubavitch, fyi his wifes family were early supporters of Bris Avrohom. Berel Lazar used Pinchas Goldschmidt as a skapegoat to advance his political agenda and created a fight with Pinchas Goldschmidt, if not for Berel Lazar starting a fight with Pinchas Goldschmidt he would have been a great friend of Lubavitch.
for #6 Berel Lazar was elected chief rabbi of Russia in June 2000 and Pinchas Goldschmidt hade the title of Chief Rabbi of MOSCOW in the early 1990’s
http://bit.ly/a1P38D
firstly, he’s the chief rabbi of moscow, which rabbi lazar isn’t. secondly, there was an article from his daughter printed in yeshiva university student paper calling for rabbis to vet all chabad rabbis to make sure they arent apiorsim ch”v. thats something she probably heard at home
a) Goldschmidt claims only to be chief rabbi of Moscow. the phoney chief rabbi is Shayevich, who is a leftover from the USSR and is not qualified. b) He and his daughter have written inflammatory articles about Chabad and he IS on record as having made statements against Chabad. He is also an official of the very anti Chabad Conference of European Rabbis which now has been surpassed by Rabbi Garelik’s organization and does little for anyone. His shul used to sell unzerer cholov Yisroel with the Chabad stickers removed. c)Goldschmidt purposely hires Lubavitchers who do not get along with… Read more »
Mr. it does not say that he’s the chief rabbi of russia.
What it does say is that he’s the chief rabbi of Moscow. big difference.
He has been in Russia just as long as Rabbi Lazar. As a bochur I was stuck in Moscow in 1991 and stayed by him.
As for the Chief Rabbi thing, Russia actually recognizes both of them as Chief Rabbis (for the last 20 years), so halt zach ayn in di ramen.
BTW he has like 5 Chabadniks working for him. No where is he on record ever speaking against Chabad. Lazar did to him a lot more avlos than he ever did to Lazar and/or Chabad. He also took this same group in St Petersburg to the prison that the Baal Hatanya sat in.
H’s NOT the chief Rabbi of Russia! he just THINKS he is!
There is a HUGE difference people! i would like to know which idiot told collive that he was the chief rabbi? Berel Lazar has been Russia’s chief rabbi for nearly twenty years!
He is not a soina Chabad, he just does not get along with R. Lazar
There is a tone to this article which is not quite right. Since this is a public forum, the Torah way would be to either give praise that is really praise or to omit the article altogether.
riskin is openly pro chabad
goldshmit would stand no chance to say anything but in front of such an audience