We have two Bais Dins claiming authority over this community; we have two factions now fist-fighting over the community council; we have Shmira and Shomrim who are only ensuring that the other group sits in jail; we have two Netzigim boards both claiming to be the legitimate representatives of the community; we now even have two different organizations claiming to be the CHK.
Perhaps you are thinking, ‘another rant from another frustrated Crown Heights member.’ But please, hear me out.
Imagine waking up on the 20th of January and seeing the headlines “Bush refuses to hand over the presidency to Obama, and the army has been called in.” How absurd is that? You would never imagine this in your wildest dreams.
How come when we voted in President Bush, President Clinton, whose policies differed greatly, handed over the full powers of the presidency without saying boo? Why is it that when the senate passed a bill 65-35, the 35 senators who opposed the bill didn’t walk out and form a new senate? Sounds ridiculous, no?
On the other hand, why is it that in Africa the opposite is true. In some countries the elections are rigged, and in others the elected official just retains his powers undemocratically. Yet in others there is civil war?
Unfortunately in the Crown Heights community, when one leader doesn’t like the other’s opinion he calls his own elections. Or disqualifies the other’s elections. Or better yet, he will just open his own new organization. Have you ever wondered why it is that democracy is so successful in the USA and yet it is so dismally failing in Africa? Or in Crown Heights?
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The answer lies in “the culture of democracy.” If you want people to start thinking a different way, they need to be educated to think that way.
In order for the people of America to buy into the democratic system, as opposed to the people in Africa who haven’t yet, they had to be immersed in the culture of democracy.
This means for example, in education. Children learn about democratic values in school, they incorporate these ideas into their outlook etc.
The constitution is made well known to every American what it is and what it stands for. A copy of the constitution can be found readily for anyone who wishes. Every child is taught about the three branches of government, the judiciary, the executive and the legislative.
* * *
There are many wonderful people in this community, both layman and leaders, who do great things for all. Yet unfortunately there is lacking amongst many an unequivocal acceptance of democratic rule in Crown Heights.
There are some vaad members, netzigim, rabbis, and others that do not appreciate the concept of democratic rule.
Elections, freedom to vote, majority rule, a good and accessible constitution and many other elements of a free and healthy society are not recognized as the foundation of a civilized Crown Heights. Or is the word “civilized” trief, non Kosher?!
I am not taking sides over here. I repeat, I am not taking sides over here.
I am merely pointing out that the very concept of democracy is naturally, foreign to our culture and community. The only way it is going to succeed, is if we make it part of our culture!
The Rebbe certainly wanted democracy here. The question is, are we able to implement it. There are many other communities around the world that don’t vote-in their leaders. It is true that for hundreds of years voting for community leaders or Rabonim was unheard of. (Ironically in those days when communities were run as a dictatorship or with an aristocracy they were, arguably, over-all more united.)
What can we do?
We have to start educating our children to respect democracy. Not just nationally, which I think most already do, but locally, here in Crown Heights.
We need to make a curriculum that will highlight “democratic rule” based on Torah sources. We need to capture the hearts and minds of our children. The Rambam in Hilchos Sanhedrin and Hilchos Mamrim talks a lot about majority rule in Bais Din, that would be a good place to start. The Rebbe on Shabbos Matos-Masei and Shabbos Ki Sovoi 5746 takes for granted that democracy is from the Torah/Shulchan Oruch.
Democracy will not come to our community overnight. Nor will it come automatically; we need to bring democracy through education and developing a culture of democracy. We need to build a great curriculum. Let us make it mandatory for every class to learn it in school once a week.
Someone once asked the Friediker Rebbe: why should we work on such and such a project that is going to take years to finish, when Moshiach is coming today? The Rebbe responded, you will bring Moshiach today, by working today on a plan that will take five years to complete.
We need to start working on developing a culture of democracy today, and hopefully in five years we will begin to see the results; and we will finally have peace in Crown Heights.
Or perhaps we are not yet ready to live out the Rebbe’s dream of Achdus between Chasidim.
COLlive Elections Coverage:
+ Vague Outcome to Election
+ Crown Heights Election Results
+ Claimed Elections Count 832
+ Op-Ed: They All Must Go
+ Crown Heights Elections Are On
+ Candidate Tamir Calls It Quits
+ Judge Rejects Sunday Election
+ Candidate Tamir Calls It Quits
+ Op-Ed: Why We All Need To Vote
+ Op-Ed: A Letter to My Supporters
+ Disputed Candidates Press On
+ Vaad Hakohol Under Dispute
I’m sure the comments are all very good. I didn’t read any because there are no names.
Unless your afraid of violence or being annoyed there is no good reason to omit your name.
No name might mean shoot and run (Pashkvil-something the Rebbe, MH”M hated)
No name might mean I have no courage nor truly stand by what I wrote – no commitment.
So, who wants to read a comment that’s respected by its writer as much as an old rag?
If the writer doesn’t really respect and honor their own thoughts and feelings, why should anyone else?
[email protected]
Your op-ed is full of ignorance, before you you preach about democracy, read the dam bylaws that govern the Crown Heights JCC, and then maybe you will understand whats going on in CH, not a singal blogger on this or any other sights ever read the by-laws, but yet they spew nonsense and ignorance, the whole challenge in court is to uphold the by-laws that give us the right to vote as opposed to wiliamsburg , flatbush, and Boro park. why don’t they have the right to vote for COGO or UJO before you all talk learn some of the… Read more »
You keep assuming and making up things in the name of the Rebbe. Kol zman you do not have proof you not reliable and you should better not talk. You playing with fire. Even Yudel Krinsky never said anything about the gabboyim in the name of the Rebbe. If he had anything wouldn’t he present it in court? The minute he would do that the first gabbi to leave will be Zalmen Lipskier.
becuse the farmers were standing outside the rebbes room with pitchforks.
why dont you tell me why they were only up for one shabbos, and the rebbe walked by the bimah without even looking at them.
and they did not get one aknowledgement from the rebbe. that is when they went to marlow, and marlow already knowing that the rebbe was against it. told them to step down.
this was all printed and documents in booklets etc.
we swtil awaiting the tzetl where the Rebbe was against gabboyim election. bepoel the Rebbe let the election process to take place why will he do that if he was against it?
of cource 15 is right, becuse when it came to where the rebbe DID have in control, he did not alow elections, hence the imedite resignation of the gaboim after the first shabbos they were elected. and then of cource after gimmel tamuz (many yearsafte the election) they were put back on. ALSO, there is not ONE sicha of the rebbe after the first elections where the rebbe talks about crown height, even by major situation like by Lapine and the riots there were spechial sichos but not once did the rebbe mention CH. as the pepole in CH told… Read more »
“Why is that after being refused several times, the people sent in a petition to the Rebbe(!!!!!) signed by 700 people asking for elections?
So there are many people who belive that the Rebbe never really wanted elctions.”
Stop interperting what the Rebbe “really meant”. Bottom line is the Rebbe endorsed elections (still debatable whether that would mean the Rebbe “really” wanted an overall democratic system”). To dredge up old politcal fights and whether it took 700 petitioners to “really” “make” the Rebbe change his decision is to create greater pirud and is probably kofer in the Rebbe himself.
I willa sk one question that will be the answer to your entire article. You say: “The Rebbe certainly wanted democracy here” Do you know that a lot of people dispute that? Did you ever stop and think that if the Rebbe “wanted” demorcracy why diudnt the Rebbe suggest it himself? If you say that there were other things that were suggested by others (like rambam), why is it that the Rebbe was asked for a elections many times and refused? Why is that after being refused several times, the people sent in a petition to the Rebbe(!!!!!) signed by… Read more »
To #11
This is not voting for a Beis Din. This is for SECULAR communal activities.
Or is it?
Let us learn from the American democratic system. This does not go against Halacha! There is a constitution, and all laws legislated by the elected congress must not contradict the constitution. If there is ever a doubt, it goes before the Supreme Court. (Incidentally the justices on the Supreme Court are appointed for life). We too, in CH have a constitution – the Torah/Halacha/Rebbe. We should be democratically voting in, the executive and legislative branches of government – Netzigim and Vaad hakohol. If there is ever a doubt as to if a Vaad idea fits in with Halacha/Rebbe, it should… Read more »
rabbi said that its a sheker vechozov that he said shev veal taase. who ever spredded this sheker hu osid liten es hadin
this sheker prevented many many yungelait from voting. im positive that if elections would be not on memorial day weekend and without dishonest people spreading false rumors we would have had over 1200 voters
because halacha says so.
same why women cant be witnesses
each person has a roll in life determined by torah
woman cant do things man can and man cant do things that women can. this is natural diferences. and torah rules.
There cant be a democracy when not everyone votes.
the nosi has an av bais din and then there was the sanhedrin and a bais din of each community then there was shiva tuvei ho-ir – there certainly was a hierchy of sorts. The Rebbe is the absolute last word, these days we need like the Rebbe said a fair system ( a Bais Din) that will vote on what the Rebbe meant and what the Rebbe said. The Rebbe gave leeway for the Rabbonim of each shteeble and the leadership of each individual organization. The Rebbe was the absolute in fairness and consideration of others. all of this… Read more »
in a frum community you can not choose leaders by election. a person is either an Askon or not. not by electing someone do they automatically become a leader or an Askon. an Askon is a person who has responsibility, in most of the election in the past 23 years we have elected very few real Askonim, all of the elections were decided on political agendas only. are they anti fisher? are they anti badatz? are they maschist? are they anti maschist? most people who voted cared not at the capabilities of the candidates if the are able and capable… Read more »
Sorry to disappoint everyone. This is what happens when you have a community built by a gang of Russian peasants where communism is the only way.
Hand over power???? You must be joking! we’re in this for the long haul.
Just look across the pond to where all of these drunks arrived from. Putin still refuses to hand over power to Medvedev, even after the “democratic” elections.
bigger question…who are the guys in the picture? One looks like someone I know.
Other than the majority rule within bais din itself, halocho overall does not support democracy.
As soon as a Rov is accepted, he is there for life and he has absolute power.
When you have two people with absolute power you have a big problem.
When it comes to lubavitch we cannot have all in a democracy, for in your example of the president; in the end of the day there will not be anyone going against a halacha or a directive from the rebbe, whereas lubavitch – the rebbe instructed us to somethings in some ways (for example the rebbe chose the merkos boards…) but if someone were “democratically” elected he would not be one that the rebbe chose nor would he go in the rebbes path, it is similar to the fact that we do not elect who should be the general of… Read more »
bottom line ein lonu elo divrei ben amrom, the Rebbe
1. elections for rabbonim and vaad hakohol
2. candidates for rabbonim approved by rabbonim only
3. elections for rabbonim by rubo derubo of the kehila turn out
4. rabbonim not to mix in the vaad hakohol elections
the rebbe wants democratic elections thats what we want also. we dont want democracy we want to do what the rebbe wants and in this case happens to be democracy.
I think the point of the article is that for democracy to work I have to respect your rights equal to mine. Does anyone here think people in “power” here are ready to relinquish to the minds of others? Additionally, as #1 wishes to opine – torah is not democratic. so those who opine in the name of it are unaccountable to social structure. so too is the rebbe-centric society – the rebbe is/was not democratic either. he spoke in the name of torah and there’s no vote about accepting it as such or not. but if you now would… Read more »
As I wrote in a comment for another article: Hashem, look how low Crown Heights got!
“We need to start working on developing a culture of democracy today”?
once we were busy with teaching our children motzvos, morals, shlichus. Today you guys become so grub that this is the outcome: people ignor the rabbonim and want democracy istead of Aleph Beis
Maybe you guys also want to vote if to have Hashem or nor? If Rosh Hashana should be one day or two days. “we have the right for democracy”