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Passing Of A Tzadik

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, seventh
grand rebbe of the Lubavitch-Chabad Chasidim,
who died Sunday at age 92 after lingering in a
coma for the past three months, was arguably
the most outstanding figure in Orthodox Jewry
in the post-Holocaust era.
However uncomfortable non-Lubavitch Jews
may have been with the movement's messian-
ic fervor and hard-sell approach, it must be ac-
knowledged that Chabad under Rabbi
Schneerson evolved from an obscure sect to a
leading force for Torah-centered Judaism — and,
by extension, for Jewish continuity.
The movement's contributions to world Jewry
are many, and they all stem from the direction
of Rabbi Schneerson:
• In the darkest days of the Soviet Union,
Chabad emissaries — at the direction of their
rebbe — risked their lives to keep Judaism alive
in the shadow of the Kremlin.
• Lubavitch's emphasis on Jewish education
and on reaching out to all Jews, no matter how
far from Judaism they may have strayed, has
been responsible for strengthening the faith and
practice of untold thousands, many of whom
would otherwise have lost all connection with
the Jewish world.
• Lubavitch social programs have helped
recovering drug addicts, the hungry and the
homeless in communities on six continents, while
its public celebrations at Chanukah and other
holidays fostered Jewish pride among the ob-
servant and non-observant alike.
This is not to say that Chabad under Rabbi
Schneerson was faultless. At times, Lubavitch

exhibited deep disdain for non-Orthodox
Judaism, despite its professed love of all Jews.
At the rebbe's direction, Lubavitch also tam-
pered with Israeli politics in an undue fashion
and, we believe, the movement's current oppo-
sition to the return of any land to Palestinians
is misguided and wholly impractical.
Moreover, the rebbe's failure to control talk of
his being the Messiah allowed the belief to spread
like wildfire among his Chasidim, many of whom
will now pay a profound spiritual and psycho-
logical price.
The immediate future will be difficult for
Lubavitcher Chasidim and their movement.
Keeping in mind the movement's vast financial
holdings, we can expect to see at least some gross
power plays that will have little to do with love
of Torah and much to do with greed and lust for
power.
Because the rebbe left no designated spiritu-
al heir, Lubavitch may well split into regional
fiefdoms that go their separate ways, leading to
an end of the movement's coordinated, world-
wide efforts to strengthen respect and love for
Judaism and Jewish tradition.
That is why the death of Rabbi Menachem
Mendel Schneerson is a profound loss for all
Jews, not just Lubavitcher Chasidim. The rebbe
was not the Messiah, but he was much more
than just another rabbinic figure.
May the Lord comfort the rebbe's followers
and sustain them among the mourners of Zion.
And may the soul of Rabbi Menachem Mendel
Schneerson be bound in the bonds of eternal life.
Amen. ❑

Letters

B'nai David
And Leadership

TH E DE TRO

There is always more than one is worth their salt. As a syna-
simplistic reason why any ven- gogue, we were blessed with
ture fails, including a synagogue, some of the finest men and
and B'nai David is no exception. women in leadership roles.
In response to the "Obituary of
I have been in many activities
Where were you, Mr. Seffin-
B'nai David" (June 10), for the where the membership elects the ger, when we needed you all
uninformed and inexperienced leadership, but does not respond these years? Cantor Adler's tears
there may be an obvious truth, to the leaders it selected, or heed would have said, "Enough," as
but never for the enlightened.
the advice the leadership may of- have the tears of all of those who
Obviously, Mr. Robert Seffin- fer. This is number 23 on the list truly loved Congregation B'nai
ger has not experienced the years of mysteries of life.
David.
it requires, most of the time, to
Jerry Soble
Some organizations fair better
fully understand that lay leader- because of the leadership. Some
Orchard Lake
ship in any organization can only worse. But only in extremely rare
do so much to stimulate and lead situations does it cause the Editor's note: Mr. Soble was B'nai
its members.
demise, if the total membership David president in 1982-83.

Letters

Discussing Hillel's
Real Issues

Further, it does not include the
right to perceive everything
through rose-colored glasses, and
ignore that there are indeed ways
Mr. Jacobs' editorial of May 27 in which the school is not meet-
("Forget Class Struggle . . .") ing its stated goals and objectives.
stands in marked contrast to a There is enough evidence of this
piece he published on the same available to anyone sufficiently
page some months ago by one of interested.
the most salient commentators
How many Hillel graduates go
of the American. Jewish commu- on to serious study of Jewish text
nity.
and Hebrew language in their
Leonard Fein, in "The Rotten. much more critical high school
Smell of Money," stated quite un- years? What percentage of the
abashedly: "Some of my best graduates date non-Jews, even
friends are rich, and those among
in the fu-st year after
them who are
graduation?
generous de-
Some things
serve praise.
are amiss.
But this is
There
not about
should
praise, it is
perhaps
about pow-
be greater
er.
emphasis
"The
on critical
problem of
self-analy-
how we • ,
sis, and
come to be
somewhat
perceived by
less on oblivi-
those who glance
ous self-con-
in our direction is only
gratulations.
one of the sorry conse-
Excellence is, ap-
quences of our method of
parently, a highly rel-
distributing power. The
ative term.
other is that rich people
The issue as pre-
quite often know very lit-
sented by Mr. Jacobs
tle about how non-rich
was that the objec-
people think and feel and
tions were raised
what they desire for
because, by over-
themselves and their chil-
whelming proportion,
dren."
only moneyed people
Yet few would disagree
are chosen to sit on the
that many of those who
board. The com-
contribute time and
plaints, however, were
money to Hillel Day
based on a large ag-
School have earned the
gregate of highly dis-
right to sit on the board
maying experiences
and make decisions about
many parents have
the school's financial and
had.
educational goals. This
When parents feel
does not, however, in-
that their attempts to
clude the right to treat
examine situations
parents dismissively, the
and decisions from dif-
right to not respond to
ferent perspectives are
written communications and di- perceived by the board as be-
rectly expressed concerns, or the trayal, or lack of commitment,
right to distort conversations and rather than as legitimate and
intentions of those who disagree. concerned attempts to raise valid
It also does not include the questions, address problems, in-
right, when faced with situations crease dialogue, and improve
that are out of the ordinary, with Jewish educational standards
circumstances that entail tradi- and commitment, they are left
tional ethical principles, and, by with no alternative but to become
their own acknowledgement, oppositional.
problems of "Solomonic propor-
Janice and Iry Go/dfein
tion," to act imperiously, and to
SoLeNticld
ignore the availability of rabbinic
guidance and counsel.
FUNDING page 8

