Anonymous Op-Ed
The people have spoken, and it is time to set aside our differences and move forward together as a united community.
This past election was less about pro or con Yechi – Meshichism, experience and knowledge of one candidate over the other, and more about choosing the most suitable candidate to facilitate change in the community in a way that will ultimately lead to peace and harmony.
The accusation that Rabbi Braun’s ticket was paid for by certain individuals or that special interests groups promoted him, can easily be paid off and be done with.
In truth, he doesn’t even have to pay them back, they were already compensated as their campaign delivered their desired results.
HE IS NOW A FREE MAN TO MOVE FORWARD ON HIS OWN CONDITIONS AND IS NOT BEHOLDEN TO ANYONE, ANY MORE THAN HE IS BEHOLDEN TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
People who know him well, clearly state that despite his own personal belief in saying yechi, that he is very much against this wanton and care free behavior of Ish hayashar beinov…. Yet as a “manhig,” he knows to leave this issue alone until he is firmly entrenched in the community and has won over the support of the entire community, even of those who opposed him in the elections.
At the same time, he knows that if he pushes too far to appease whose were against him, that he will alienate his core support group and only increase the very machlokes he was elected to hopefully bring peace to.
Although the Rov elect was just voted in to life long position, he will need to “earn his wings” and prove himself as a true leader before he actually rallies any side and individuals behind him.
He clearly stated in his interview and publicly at the forum that Crown Heights is unfortunately beleaguered with so many other pressing issues, and that his first priority is to work on those matters and leave the politics for last.
He wants to be a community man, to visit all the Shuls, to be invited to as many communal and private events and to work with the people and to serve the community that embraced him.
Even his adversaries in Sydney clearly wrote that he has done more for peace and Achdus in the past few years and that he did so with full Mesiras Nefesh.
We must all give him a chance and to do so, we must all support the system the Rebbe put in place for supporting the Bes Din, and that is the duty of all families to pay the Mas Hakohol.
The community recently elected a new VAAD HAKOHOL and they now how a full Beis Din of three Rabbonim plus several assistants to support.
NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION! TRUE, BUT WE CAN’T HAVE THE CAKE AND EAT IT TOO!
If we all participate and do our part, this will enable the VAAD to do their part, and if the VAAD does their part, then we can hope they can work with the Beis Din so that they too do their part.
It’s been done in the past, it can work again.
We need all 2,500 families in Crown Heights to pay the community tax of $180 per year. This will raise $450,000 + and should be able to cover the full costs of the Beis Din.
And as long as the salary will be coming from a community elected VAAD HAKOHOL and not from private groups and individuals, the Rabbonim will be empowered to do the holy work they were elected for.
If after one year you are unhappy, all you would have invested is $180.00
IS THAT TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY FOR THE PEACE WE ARE ALL “FIGHTING” FOR!
Wishing the entire community a
כתיבה וחתימה טובה לשנה טובה תכתבו ותחתמו והתגלות משיח צדקנו נאו
The Rov you probably called was Rabbi osboda. the reason he called you back 24-36 hours later is because he is a part time Rov
Rabbi Braun will be a full time Rov because that’s the deal this time (Rabbi schwei had the same deal) according to the Psak so there is no need to worry
from what you write I can see that you lack in reading and undersstanding of what you read, so before you write anything try to understand what is being said etc.
with regards to the Hashgocho, how can you conpare the OK with a community Hasgocho. so if you want to help don’t be cheap and pay up, thenn maybe you will be heard.
180 is not allot to ask for
you can also give less but please give something
by the amt of answers you could see how much everyone cares we should all have a good year blessed with peace and contentment, Hashem should give us the ability and the will to work together for the bettermnet of the whole
The Money is also going to Rabbi Schwei, and Rabbi Osdoba.
Sorry, I stick to my principle. No comment on the content, but an op-ed to which the writer won’t sign his or her name says nothing, A writer who’s sure of himself should be able to stand up to opposition, if it is elicited.
Kesivah v’Chasimah Tovah to all.
When a Rav is elected, he is not yet Rav. Rabbi Chanzin was elected and he was NEVER hired. Certainly Rabbi Braun has not yet been “hired” (he WILL be hired after Tishrey but not quite yet). When the Rav is hired, like any employee that’s when the deal starts working and that’s the date he starts getting paid for his work IF HE PUTS IN THE TIME (not if he quits like others have done) – or else he doesn’t deserve to get paid, AL PI HALACHA. A Rav is not G-d. A Rav is an employee of the… Read more »
Rabbi Heller was hired as Rav. At first he used 1/2 of his time in to Kollel which was OK because that was the original contract agreement when he was hired. When a Rav is hired it the exact same din in Choshen Mishpat like any other employee. The Halacha is that whatever DEAL you make up, the Rav M U S T keep, that part of the deal, hours or whatever conditions are written in a CONTRACT WHICH * B I N D S * the Rav to follow his part of the bargain or he may not take… Read more »
i dont know about you guys – but i am not paying a penny mas hakohol until 2 things happen. 1- i see changes happening in this community and 2- i bring in enough money to be able to support MY whole family including tuition food housing etc. ALL before i think about supporting HIS whole family. I feel this way simply because i have asked this bais din sha’alos a few times and the lack of privacy that was used to cal me back and answer my questions sometimes even 24-36 hrs later was unherd of. where was the… Read more »
if you do thiat, you are only causing the machlokes and arguments of him being neholden to one group longer.
Its time to get a life, set our differences aside, and work together for the betterment of our community and for our children.
its a New year, let it be a new begimnning!
Now I’m really confused.
Is this new Rov beholden to anybody or not.
This op-ed is taking us for a ride. After reading it my head was spinning.
I KNOW THIS ROV, GREAT PERSON. PEOPLE DON’T GET FOOLED, HE IS A FULL ON MESSIANIC!!
TRUST ME.
You seem to have no idea what a “rov” is. You want an accounting of his “hours”? You want to negotiate a contract with him, etc. If this is what is needed, then this person is not a rov for a community. It is undignified to be talking like that about a community rov. A real rov always gives more of himself than you can possibly imagine. This is not a “9 to 5” job. A rov is on call 24/7, he has the weight of the community on his shoulders. People call him at all hours of the day… Read more »
Don’t be silly.
If anyone is willing to have the Mesiras nefesh to move permanently to another country with his entire family and has the mesiras nefesh to put up with the difficulty of being rav of CH, you think “the ticket” is the big deal?
Everything is Hendels Fault?
If it rains tomorrow it will be Hendels fault too?
Who do you think paid for Chaviv’s Ticket? Also Hendel?
the books definitely need to be opened as for a Rav having a part time job? Being A rav in General is a full time job & in this community even more so.It is known that Ra Dvorkin zatza”l started his day @ 5am! & ended late at night.Before asking everyone to pay Mas Hakahal there must be a public din V’cheshbon of the books as for a head of the Vaad Hakashrus why not appoint Chaviv & choose one or two Kolel Yungeleit train them in what they need to know & make sure that they are fully capable… Read more »
ppl who voted Rabbi Braun should pay 350 a year
the 894 families who voted Rabbi Bogomilsky and the 64 who voted Rabbi Chaviv, can wait to see if they agree with the Rabbi’s performance and then start supporting 180 until they adjust tax
To the members of the Tzemach Tzedek Community Centre, and to the wider community From the Board of Tzemach Tzedek Community Centre As you have probably read or heard by now, Rabbi Braun was convincingly elected in the voting on Sunday (New York time) to fill the vacant position of the third Rov in the Beis Din of Crown Heights. We feel immensely honoured that our Rabbi Braun was the preferred choice of the people of Crown Heights. They have entrusted him with a big responsibility, and we are confident that he will work tirelessly to continue his shlichus for… Read more »
an unbaised article!
worth reading too
Rabbi Rosenberg seemed to be in a very huge rush to make a new Vaad Hakohol as quickly as possible and then rushed us Erev Rosh Hashonah to elect a new Rav. Why was he in a such a big rush? The answer is known because Rabbi Rosenberg wants this community (machlokes) headache off his shoulders and over with, to dump it back on our lap for our own vaad and our own 3 Rabbonim, to deal with, all our issues, so that Rosenberg is “Off The Hook”. Only problem is that it can’t work that way because the new… Read more »
move forward and keep moving. tracht gut vet zein gut.
Achdus. Ahavas Yisrael.
uhhh, these are some words for thought. Hopefully we can implement them, incorporate them into our lives. What a diff. it would make
I would gladly pay the fee is there was an open book policy, and there was an independent auditor over seeing the books of the va’ad.
The Vaad Hakohol stopped, even asking us, for Mas Hakohol. Because as soon as the Vaad has to ask each individual for money, then this causes each community member to want a finacial Din Vecheshbon and now they become accountable. This is why they stopped asking for money because they couldn’t be accountable without embarrassment. The Vaad figured it’s better not to have the money of Mas hakohol, rather than to have be forced to be accountable. I think Mass Hakohol is a great idea only because this will force the Vaad to answer hard questions, otherwise they don’t get… Read more »
The Psak of the Bes Din Zabla cleary mandates that the Rov have no other job and that he dedicates his all for the community, putting into question how Rabbi Bogomilsky’s candidacy was even approved in the first place
Shulchan Aruch doesn’t differentiate between the requirement to pat this tax if he is your candidate or not. If we’re not ready to follow Shulchan Aruch, then what do we need even one Rav for, or do we need someone to rubber stamp our evil actions and make them Kosher?
Halacha rules that Maaser (10% of what you make) is a must for every Jew no mater how much he makes.
I’m sure every one who is eligble to vote in Crown Heights is making more then 1800 a year, if not we forgive you for not giving Mas Hakohal.
In short, Mas Hakohal should be the first place your Masser goes to, then if their is more Maaser then $180 (Which I hope you have) you give the rest to were ever you want (as long as it is Tzdaka)
Agree on the Mas Hakohol part of this article 100%. People, remember that our Rebbe paid Mas Hakohol.
Whether that will be enough of a salary for all three Rabbonim is another question, and is the responsibility of the Vaad members to handle, but we have to do our part.
Responding to # 2 and others
The concept of Maas hakohol is from Shulcan Aruch and was iniited by the Rebbe when CH elected it first Bes Din some twenty years ago
As well, the VAAD stated yesterday that for those who can’t afford it, they will take $15 a month or even $5 or $10 and even offered to go lower for those who truly don’t have the money
A Rov should have a part time job- as if!! A Rov has a 24/7 job. There is a reason that Rav Schwei and Rav Osdoba have their PERSONAL phone numbers listed. The hours in their office are not the only hours they are on duty. No one questions that a doctor should be paid- but a Rav they do. For a Rav there is no such thing as a vacation -period. People even stop them on the street! Yes- we do have problems- people are in the “have or have not” categories as stated. We do need to do… Read more »
for some reason i have a feeling if rabbi bagomilsky would of won the elections you would of not have written this oped and not because he has his own salary but for other reasons vd”l
I am not the writer of the Op-Ed but will attempt to answer some of your concerns anyway. You are mixing up 2 things which are not necessarily related. 1) There are issues which are strait forth Halacha as you refer to them as “Halachic Judgment”. Certainly such matters will be dealt with as need be on a daily basis with no delay, obviously. 2) Then there are other issues which every rav needs to deal with and that is issues of Machlokes in the community or even machlokes within the Badataz where his role is not to “render halachic… Read more »
With representation however, and based on one’s family’s combined income certainly. Could someone give the mekoros for this what i am saying?
“If after one year you are unhappy, all you would have invested is $180.00.”
So let me get this. I pay the $180.00 on year number one, of course, providing my information: name, address, etc. Comes year two and I think I got jipped off and I decide not to pay. Whose to say that some people or “groups” won’t decide to publish a list of those that are refusing to pay their “dues” the next year? The only thing this author stated correctly is that “We can’t have our cake and eat it too”.
I think there is a feeling in the community that we are paying a salary and we are being “short changed” in the hours of work we are getting from the Rabbonim. I propose that the Ksav Rabbonus contract between the Rabbonim and the community should be renegotiated and should be 100% linked to the hours they put in in the office and not related to hours they spend at home or otherwise. If a rav says he deserves to get paid for more hours then he spend in the office, because he is also asked questions at home and… Read more »
If you feel righteous about what you are saying, and don’t want to be just another commenter, why an anonymous op ed?
Some of your points are valid but most of what you write is total hogwash. Here’s one example of your hogwash “At the same time, he knows that if he pushes too far to appease whose were against him, that he will alienate his core support group and only increase the very machlokes he was elected to hopefully bring peace to. ” In other words, you are saying he is beholden to his core support group! The group he publicly denied knowing who they are. How dare you recommend that this so called peaceful Rabbi make consider the politics before… Read more »
There is something that begs your comments explanation. You write “Let whomever voted for him pay his salary” is what we did in the past months all in vain? the idea of coming to an agreement that there will be elections is only a good and legitimate one if the results are the way that you wanted and voted?! I’m very sorry to say this to you but you make a mockery of yourself. If you don’t get what you wanted it wasn’t worth it!? Shows that you weren’t looking for right to begin with…. On the topic of maybe… Read more »
Who is going to pay the FULL TIME Rov’s salary? He has 11 children, right? He is suppose to be working full time for the Beis Din, right? He has to move and come here…I guess S.B. Drizin will lay out the money, but do you think that will go on forever? Oh try taxing the Jewish residents of CH see where you go with that. With all the division and strife I don’t see much fund raising opportunities here. Bogomilsky would not have these problems. Bottom line, a Rav in CH needs a part time job. Build up the… Read more »
Already looking for problems, (who cares if his meshichist or not, his there just to help and not to make problems wuth yechi) Hope no more such comments.
But I also agree you have to know a bit more about the mmoney.
First thing as we aproach yom hadin we need to realize that waving flags will not bring mosIach.
First one need to act like a mentch, then like a fruma yid, then like a chasid only this will bring mosiach.
Once this is acomplished you can say yechi or whatever your maspia rov recomened
action speaks louder then wodrs
ksiva vachasima tov
great idea but not everyone has 180.00 people are struggling. even those who are comfortable are busy supporting those who have nothing. For the rich 180.00 is pennies and should give more, I’m not in thier position and cant judge, but I think if 180 doesnt burn a hole in your pocket give that or more. YOU CAN NOT EXPECT EVERYONE TO GIVE
The writer fails to address how much income does the CHK bring in. The CHK was established for the purpose of bringing in money to help pay the salary of the Badaz. What is “Taxation without representation”? It means that if each one of us has to shell out $180 we deserve to know exactly how the money has been spent until now. How Much Money did each Rov get until now? How much is each Rov’s salary? How many hours does each Rov work per day in the office to answer Shaalos to justify his weekly salary? How much… Read more »
are you expecting all of the Divorced/widowed women who don’t have a right to vote to also pay this tax are you expecting the 29 year old singles to pay are you expecting teachers and other’s in the community who haven’t been payed in months to pay this tax honestly this money long term is going to have to come from somewhere else maybe the first few years enough people will pay this tax but at a certain point the CHK will have to cough up the cash. also its sad that the pashkivillim from the elections is making the… Read more »
i believe that people would be more inclined to pay the money if they knew the beis dins budget including the ravs salary etc.
people dont want to pay double ex. two offices.
Let whomever voted for him pay his salary.
In the whole world of Lubavitch, couldnt a single Neutral candidate be found?
More than half of the community has voted in R’ Braun. May we greet Rosh Hashona with a unified Beis Din and unified community!
First of all: how do you know that RB has all of these thoughts? 2) What if no one pays the $180.00? Then we have no Beis Din? I say, let them work hard and make a financially strong hashgoch (such as OK) and we wouldn’t need to tax the community. If they can’t get a good name out in the world for hashgocho, how will they get a good name with us? 3) One of the things you said sounds fishy to me. “He must earn his wings before he rallies behind the people who support him”. Are you… Read more »
We all have to be part of it, and hopefully there wont be anyone who thinks its not right.