Sep 5, 2010
Ballots Close with 1992 Votes
1992 votes have been cast in the day long elections for a third Rov in the Crown Heights Bais Din. "I hope the public will accept the results," Rabbi Avrohom Rosenberg wrote to COLlive.
By COLlive reporters
Elections are being held today - Sunday, Elul 26 - September 5, for the position of a third member of the Bais Din Tzedek of Crown Heights ("Badatz").
Voter eligibility: Male, orthodox, Jew, married or previously married, or single age 30 or over, resident of Crown Heights listed in the current Tzach list. Photo ID is required to vote.
If you are not listed in the current Tzach list, bring utility bill for proof of address. If you were not qualified to vote in the elections for Vaad Hakohol, you cannot vote in this election.
The candidates are Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky, Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya (Yossi) Braun and Rabbi Emanuel Chaviv.
One can only vote for 1 candidate - which will be joining the two current members Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yaacov Schwei.
TIDBITS:
* Some 100 people turned out for a "Meet the candidates" forum held at the Lubavitch Yeshiva hall with Rabbi Braun and Chaviv in attendance. Rabbi Bogomilsky told COLlive he did not show up because it was unfitting for a rov to showcase himself.
* A COLlive Poll asking Crown Heights residents who will they vote for has been tampered with by an amateur blogger (2 attempts) and another politically motivated individual.
* Senior Rabbi Nissan Mangel, who was initially mentioned as a possible candidate for Rabbi Schwei, has endorsed Rabbi Braun's run.
* On Friday, some store owners, like Shaya Gordon of Mr. Greens on Albany and Mr. Baguette on Kingston, hung up posters supporting Rabbi Bogomilsky's candidacy.
* Before Shabbos, a letter from some elder Chassidim in the neighborhood has called on residents to "think of the good of your community and vote for Rabbi Braun." It was signed by Rabbis Refael Wilschansky, Yosef Ben-Tziyon Raices, Chaim Serebransky, Abba Paltiel, Nachman Schapiro, Shmaryahu Roitblat, Yitzchok Mishulovin, Leibel Motchkin, Yitzchok Springer and Mordechai Chein.
* Serious debates and private discussions were heard over Shabbos in many shuls as fitting for an election that offering a position of "rabbonus for life."
* On Motzoei Shabbos, Rabbi Osdoba has written a counter-back letter to Rabbi Yossi Marlow of Florida who had said Rabbi Bogomilsky has opposed his late father Crown Heights Rabbi Kalman Yehuda Marlow on many occasions. Rabbi Osdoba replied that the junior Marlow did not have the authority to speak out and that has no right to endorse Braun.
* Lazer Avtzon, a leader in the Sephardic community in Crown Heights, has said that although some of his friends met Rabbi Chaviv and were happy to learn that he speaks French and Hebrew, in addition to his Sephardic roots, they won't be voting for him as he is not a viable candidate.
UPDATES:
* As of 1:31 PM some 700 votes have already been cast.
* A member of the election committee told COLlive 987 votes were cast.
* 1250 votes cast as of 5:21 PM.
* While 1390 people have voted (by 6:43 PM), a member of the election committee told COLlive: "I've not seen the young people vote. Dudi Farkash and Moshe Pinson were here, but not the rest of Bais Shmuel and the other 'young' shul members."
The polls close at 10:00 PM, and he added that he expected a turnout of 1800 (compared to 2,064 votes cast in the first round of Vaad Hakohol elections, and 1,779 in the second).
*1700 votes cast as of 8:35 pm
*9:28 pm: 30 min left to vote, 1,840 votes cast.
* Close to 1900 residents have voted in the day-long election for new rabbonim as of 9:48 PM. COLlive was told that an additional 40 people are currently at 770 waiting for their turn to cast a ballot.
The process was supervised by Monsey Dayan Rabbi Avrohom Rosenberg. Representatives of both Rabbi Osdoba and Rabbi Schwei have served as volunteers on the election committee and election monitors and observers.
* 1992 votes were cast as the ballots were closed at 10:00 PM.
* At 12:46 AM, Rabbi Rosenberg sent COLlive.com the following:
1992 election vouchers were given out. Only 1968 votes were found in the ballot (from those, 11 of them didn't have a note in them).
994 voted for Rabbi Braun.
896 voted for Rabbi Bogomilsky.
63 voted for Rabbi Chaviv.
13 were disqualified (11 of them for Braun, 2 for Bogomilsky).
2 were left in question (one for Bogomilsky, another for Chaviv).
Braun not only received the most votes but also received more than 50% of the vote.
I hope the public will accept the results and may peace dwell in the neighborhood.
* On Monday at 12:05 pm, Rabbi Rosenberg sent another letter to COLlive.com with the following totals.
1,992 people received vouchers to vote, and 1,978 people voted.
13 were disqualified.
2 were left in question (one for Bogomilsky, another for Chaviv).
1,004 voted for Rabbi Braun
897 voted for Rabbi Bogomilsky
64 voted for Rabbi Chabib.
Some photos by CHPicturesBlog.com
It shows how Rabbi Osdoba really wants to get past all the old Machlokes in the community and bring a new better beginning to CH.
It is the best letter I have ever seen from Rabbi Osdoba yet, and says so much of the potential this election can have on the future of CH if we vote responsibly.
Thank you
and supporting Rabbi Marlow's Son in his letter against Rav Bogomuksky.
What is the rush for elections-does anyone think that any third Rov will resolve the animosity and differences between the other two Rabbonim ?
Has Rabbi Rosenberg's edicts supplanted the numerous directives of the Rebbe in regards to elections.
If one would follow the letter of the law of the Rebbe's directives, Rabbi Bogomilsky would not be a viable candidate, inference from outsiders (Shluchim, outside Rabbonim, and others ) would not be allowed, and a process would have been put in place that would have presented us with a slate of viable candidates.
As much as one might have a hesitancy in voting for an unkown it is surely better than voting for one that always strive to detroy the authority of the Bais-Din and has a slew of questionable Halachic and financial misdeeds.
Remember, Rabbosai! If you DON'T VOTE, you are voting for lunacy & terror (Rabbis Braun, Chabib....and HENDEL.)
VOTE RABBI BOGOMILSKY & give peace a chance!
i think once you get over the fact that the world does NOT revolve around you, you will be better off.
no mater who wins you guys will always be fighting. this fighting was supposed to stop when you got rid of Fisher 20 years ago, then the fighting was going to stop when you kicked out the rebbes gaboim from 770, then the fighting will finally stop when you take over the rashag's yeshiva.. then th fighting was going to stop after the new and brand new vadd hakall, i can go on and on.
fact is, that no mater who wins, you guys will always be fighting, i for one wish braun wins, because i know that withing 3 months him and his current supporters will be at each other's necks.
any way go fight you head off. and dont forget to never miss an opurtunity to miss an opurtunity..
Unfortunately, many people will agree that none of these 3 candidates stand a chance to solve our problems. It's not fair to force us to vote someone in. There should be a option of VOTE FOR NONE OF THEM.
Even If you DO think that there is a good candidate, there was a very short time to resolve this issue & its not fair to FORCE CH to get stuck with another rov that no one is happy with.
I heared that Rabbi Heler agreed that there must be such a option on the ballot & Rabbi Rosenberg dosent want to here from it
Right now we first need to fix our problem
With all the respect to R' Marlow Shlita, please remember that R' Bogomilski is the one pushing for Sholom right now, while others are still fighting R' Osdoba (is that any better or more Kosher than fighting Rabbi Marlow A'H). If you're supporting those interest groups, then you're doing the same thing that you're accusing R' Bogomilsky off. Besides that its time to move on and no point to go back 10 or 20 years. Vote for Sholom and for a potential functioning 3 Rabonim instead of 2.
Disclaimer from Rabbi Feldman: It says it all if you know to read between the lines. He's clearly hinting that there WAS Machloikes in Sidney!
Everything else is confusion or deception.
Go vote to make sure he gets in.
Then get everyone else you can to vote him in.
It's for everyone's good.
Torah says that although we must respect our Rabbi's, nevertheless Torah says that if this "highly respected rabbi" is a Nogeah Bedavar, then everything he says about THAT ISSUE, is NULL and VOID.
Is there anyone naive enough to think that when Rabbi Osdoba wrote a letter against Rabbi Marlow's son, does anyone think that Rabbi Osdoba had no vested interest to defend his hand picked choice-rabbi?
We all respect Rabbi Osdoba, me included.
But the Rebbe says and the Torah says that the moment someone is a Nogeah Bedavar, then whatever he says about that issue is null and void.
The reason given by the Torah is:
Although a Rav can be a Tzadik al pi Torah and true Chacham where Toras Emes is witness that he is so....
Nevertheless even in such a Case, Toras Emes promises us that the moment is a Nogeah Bedavar HE BECOMES BLINDED and whatever he says about the issue no longer has nay relevance.
It's Posuk in Chumesh which even a 5 year old knows:
"Ki Hashochad YEAVER......"
and also VEYESALEF even the words of Tzadikim and Chachomim...
Hashana.With all the tragidies that are going in our community,
you would think that people would be a little more charitable.
This is a chance to bring back some level of Kovod to the Rebbe's Shechunah.
the only reason hendel and co are for him is bc bogomilsky is with hershkop and they dont want that RABBI BRAUN CANNOT BE TOLD WHAT TO DO unlike bogomilsky as we have seen in the past
i feel the age of 30 for unmarried men to vote is too harsh to the poor guy who is 28, has been living in CH for years in his own apt and plans to continue living there...
Imagine his humiliation when his younger pisher brother who got married at age 22 and has been living in CH as a married man for one year gets to vote, while he does not..
I'm sure this category of men is small, yet still, its hard enough to be an older single without having it rubbed in your face. The age limit should have been 26.
VOTE BRAUN - HE IS THE BEST CHOICE-
GOOD AND HONEST RUV- THATS WHAT WE NEED
I was visting Crown Heights with my family and we ordered a fleishige supper by cc and free delivery (on the phone) from a very prominent restaurant in Crown Heights (name not necessary). It was delivered by a non Jewish worker in a sealed bag with no name on it. Knowing the halocho that unknown meat "bossor shenisalem min haayin" is questionable. I called the restaurant and asked for the mashgiach who assured me that the supper parcel was from HIS restaurant and it was ok to eat. I still wasn't 100%.
I called Rabbi Bogomilsky on his cellphone (he is ALWAYS available and this was around 8:30 pm) and he told me I was right not to eat it and that I should call back the restaurant and INSIST that the mashgiach come himself and recognize the packaging and the food, and if not they must take back the package and reimburse me.
I did it. Finally the mashgiach gave in (I spoke in the name of the law :-)) & he came himself, recognized the food and packaging and left besholom.
This story shows that Rabbi Bogomilsky means what he says, is not scared of what people will say, and HE CARES Baruch Hashem.
I am not in any way putting down the other candidates (I don't even know them!) all I want to bring out is that Rabbi Bogomilsky is a good leader.
Whereas the the other candidate has had no bad past track record. There are many things said about him ONLY RECENTLY that has NOT BEEN PROVEN (and this candidate DOES dispute these claims in his interview and welcomes you to call up sources and confirm this for yourself). He is not self centered - on the contrary he shows his passion to help youth etc.
One must look with a clear head to see that the side which has a bad track record is ACCUSING THE OTHER OF EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS DONE WRONG.
Look with a clear and open head FOR YOURSELF. Look at the interviews. Try to see where each one's interests lies. Look at history that is common knowledge, and then go and vote for the one who wants Tzedek VeYosher and not the one who wants the opposite and will make any number of lies and false claims to protect himself.
There is a good and the opposite here and it's up to you to have the clear head to see who is the liar and who is upright.
Kesiva Vechasima Tova.
May we share good news.
c'mon, grow up!
He is Brilliant, an experienced effective Sholom Maker, and unbiased.
Why then, would anyone want to run, if he doesn't even know the language, has absolutely no support nor endorsements in C.H.?
Rabbi Chaviv knows himself, very well, that he has absolutely no chance at all of winning.
So why is he wasting his time and money and our time and taking away votes from both candidates?
The answer is because it will look good on his resume in Israel, when he is looking for a job he can show that he is "so good" he was even considered as a possible rav for the most prestigious Rabbonus in the world.
What this means is that he may feel it's ok to hurt CH by taking away votes from both sides and wasting all of our time, money and effort as long as he can get perhaps 100 to 300 votes (Even Mutchkin was able to do that much), to make it look good on his resume.
it is obvious
check in igros
At least we had a month for Vaad and thats only for 3 years.
As an average guy with no baggage or big family aligeiences I know zero about these Rabanim. I'm married 32 years old and have never felt less connected to a process in this community.
What was the rush? Why was so much machlokes allowed? Why so many bad posts and comments?
I'll tell you that it wasn't until last thursday nights "meet the rav" that was or wasnt that I was sure I wasnt going to vote. When we couldnt even agree on that I knew it was not worth voting.
Sad.
What about the 'beis din' about R. Cunin and Neparstek?
How would you like it if R. Bog. changed your 'psak?'
bhoffinger@aol.com
There is a reason why we are all acting like a bunch of immature children, This is what the satan wants and we are leting him rule over us.
GO VOTE!!!!
Go home and prepare yourself for Yom Hadin. Ask for forgiveness from one onether, Ask forgiveness for those whom we have hurt, and hope hashem will forgive us too. Teach your children what Yom Hadin is all about. Take a Sefer out and learn. Help your children with their schoolwork. Help your wife with the family either shopping or taking the kids out so she too can get ready for yomtov with a smile on her face.
Wishing all our dear brothers and sisters a Healthy year, A peaceful year, Parnasah biharchova for each and every one of you, Chassideshe Nachas from all your children and grandchildren, to share in many simchas together. And in this zchus Moschiach will come Taykef miyad.
Kisiva vichasima Tova!!!!!!!!!
toshav NMB
We know that the Rebbe didn’t allow one who is already a Rov of a community in another state or country to leave that community and come to CH to become Rov?
That’s what happened when Rabbi Label Shapiro was selected as a candidate and when Rabbi Chanzin from Israel was elected as Rov by the first Badt”z elections, the Rebbe said no.
Why is Rabbi Braun different?
We want Borocha to come to CH, how can it come by doing opposite of the Rebbe’s directives?
(When you sign in you get a ticket, R' rosenberg takes the ticket and gives you a ballot)
And just for your info, it is not R' Braun nor Hendel doing it, its a supporter of R' Braun – just like supporters of Bogomilsky are calling every home nonstop today... so think before you spew hateful comments without knowing if it's true!!!
Kasevah V'Chasima Tova and a Shana Tova Umsukah
STOP! the fighting. It won't get you anywere. Go home eat dinner, put the kids to sleap read them a story and get a good night sleep you nead to wake up early for slichos.
A Gute Nacht!
If he does end up winning that'll be hugh.
considering that all the "mainstream" websites were campaigning for Bogomilsky, if Braun does win in spite of that it'll really say a lot...
There are very young kids who read this site.