mentalblog.com comments:
Aren't those BP people lucky. They can have the best Lubavitch Chasidus has to offer, without all the ...... ;)
very nice! it seems that you guys had a farbrengen yourself. l'chaim !
(nice to se one of my relatives in one of the pics)
Tzemach:
Sorry I didn't have a chance to say "goodby" -- they unlocked the room without the mezuzah for me, and you were gone when I got out.
Good to see you there, and glad you like baked salmon. I hope they serve stuffed tofu next year and put you on the podium.
did you ENJOY your shabbos? you seemed to be quite happy
Chabad is having a field day with the large turnout at the melaveh malkah, the truth however is quite different:A catered meal on a long winter motzoey shabbos will bring the crowd out.The vast majority of the attendees have no interest in Lubavitch per se.The biggest joke was the guy claiming that 'This event is so popular because Chasidim felt a need to band together when Lubavitchers were attacked by Misnagdim, etc. They came together in the time of need for the Chasidic brothers. '
Absolute narishkait!I live in Boro Park, there is no tension between misnagdim and chasidim (actually, there are very few 'misnagdim' in BP)nobody felt a need to band with Lubavitch since on the basic critique against Lubavitch, the turning of the Rebbe into a Moshiach sheker and the other meshichist meshugasen EVERY one agrees.
T.A: If you understand that "the power of wearing a uniform and belonging is often overlooked" and that "this power trumps meaning and at the end of the day meaning is elusive", why does it seem you glorify the people who surrender to this power, because "they will give birth to the stubborn few amongst them, the future Jews"? Whats so special about being Jewish if its just because you like wearing a uniform? I'd rather be a fireman!
Although I missed it this year, I have been there for the past 8 odd years, and have spoken with many people about this phenomenon.
People are looking for more meaning in their Yiddishkeit, and are curious about what Chabad has to offer. There is quite a bit of respect for chassidus chabad out there, and Heichal Menachem has played a great role in that, even if the average Boro-park yid has a negative view of Crown heights - here one check it out in a way that won't bother him, and he gets a free prize for coming (which really brings 'em out)!
Chassidim of all types like a frum venue for something meaningful - especially on a motzoi Shabbos, and especially when it differs from the standard run-of the-mill function that they attend. The fact that R' Wolfson speaks, and that 19 Kislev is also the yarzeit of the Maggid helps as well.
I'm sorry that I missed it, especially now that I know you were there... Unfortunately, I was otherwise engaged for the evening :-(
Any words on the TA-HT summit?
Vehuemes, shlita
Before we moved to Flatbush I lived in Borough Park for 15 years and learned in Vizhniter Kollel there, too -- and can attest that there is a good reason why Heichal Menachem is on 16th Ave. and not in Flatbush, and why the Yud-Tes Kislev Melaveh Malkah is in the Chassidisheh geghent. In some ways, Chassidim are like a dysfunctional family -- fighting among ourselves but sticking up for each other when an outsider butts in.
When the Litvisheh "right" started saying to stop drinking Lubavitcher wine and eating Lubavitcher shechitah, the Chassidim started attending these events by the thousands. Do you think they really like speeches and fish dinners that much?
about schita, is that the reason they served fish?
Finally a hartzikeh post! Yasher Koach. (ok it makes sense too!)
Fish: 1)Traditionall Motzei Shabbos melaveh Malka fare.
2) Dagim= maachaal tzadikim!
enjoy the fish!
Fish is the food of choice at large functions so as to avoid problems for those or are fleishig or milchig...
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vehuemes vehashulem aheivi and CE are right. A reality check is needed here.
Lubavitcher marketing has gotten better over the years. They printed a fancy colorful invitation to the event, prominently featured non Lubavitch well known speakers like Rav Wolfson and Rav Elya Fisher from Ger and Emunas Yisroel (if a large number of Gerrer Chassidim and Emunas Yisroel chevra came to hear them, that doesn't mean that they are becoming lubavitchers, just that they came to hear their manhigim speak), prominently advertised that free gifts would be distributed (printed matter and music), there was little to no competition that night (was there one other Melava malka for a mossad taking place ?), it was a long and cold night, the price was right, it was in a large hall, with plenty of room. So is it such a big surprise that there was a decent turnout ? They stressed that it was a Chassidic event, didn't focus on the 7th Rebbe with all the controversy that would come with that, rather on the alter Rebbe and the maggid. They have been building up this event as an annual thing for a few years already. They have also been making other moves into BP, however, some of them in an stealth manner. For example, the lag baomer parade and simchas beis hashoeiva. There are alot of kids in BP, so alot of potential recruits for a free event. When advertising the latter two events, the fact that they are Lubavitch events are not explicitly stated on the posters. They try to make believe they are just general Chassidishe events. Only the alert unknowing consumer would realize who was behind them, by seeing the name gan yisroel on the bottom of the poster. If Lubavitch was catching on like wildfire in BP, there would be loads of people at beis menachem, heichal menachem and elsewhere all year round, as at the melava malka. However, that is not the case. The amount of people at BM and HM year round is much, much, much less than at the MM.
Another footnote to "vihuemes": The Litvisheh in Boro Park for the most part are not "misnagdim" at all, but just come from another shnitt. For awhile I davenned and had a Gemora shiur in one of those Litvisheh shuls in my neighborhood in Boro Park, and there was only one person in the shul who ever said a critical word about the Chassidim -- and only those who davenned late! However, if you go to other places, you will see that there still are Misnagdim around. 'Oseh shalom bimromov, Hu ya'aseh shalom aleinu...
Chabad in Boro Park take two
I chose to ignore the comments that Jews come to eat fish. People are there to be inspired, to be transported out of mundane, to drink and eat with friends and brothers.
If for some reason they only hear a staged routine message, if instead of ecstatic Chabad they witness polished slick predictable PR, this is not their fault. I refuse to believe that a Jew is not thirsty for soul food above all.
I saw every schnook in the book clime on the stage, I also saw Rav Sholom Ber Levine who just brought to light the new Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Oruch sitting humbly in the corner. I also listened to Rav Katz heap praises on his “hevrusa” Mr. Boymelgreen who paid for the event and is running things in Lubavitch. I listen with disgust Rav Katz promotion of the Boymelgreen Tanya. The man has guts to put his name on the “bible”. If that is not against what the Alter Rebbe stood for, then what is?
The desert will be served momentarily…
Reality Check?
How many people attend Reb Leibel Alteins shiur and Shalosh Seudos Chassidus on a Shabbos? I think you are in for a surprize!
TA,I hoped to see you at the farbrengen in Nesivos Oilom.Isn't that where you belong?
Kasivoh vechasimoh toivoh
what is and what was in Nesivos Oilom?
So maybe I'll see you at the se'udas hoido'oh on 21 kislev?
And, where, may I ask are the women?
there were no women at the MM.
tzemach
boymelgreen paid for the MM?
i thought it was ostfeld from toronto.
I am not sure I heard it right. He was praising boymelgreen, so I assumed he was the sponsor.
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