ב"ה
Tuesday, 16 Shevat, 5786
  |  February 3, 2026

Hackner: ‘Community is Broke’

Yossi Hackner says the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council has no money to pay the three Badatz members and is blaming the residents for it. Full Story

Have You Voted for iParade Yet?

Next Story »

Israeli Baby Named ‘Like’

115 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
With all due respect...
May 20, 2011 6:26 pm

To all the rabbonim, but is it fair to ask the community to pay moving expenses of the Rav’s (may he be well) family from Australia to NY? Between supporing worldwide Chabad Houses, Maaser, Yeshiva Tuition, the highest taxes in the country (those of us who are on the books and PAY taxes), and the highest cost of living in the country, we’re being smothered here…

TO #108
May 19, 2011 1:54 pm

You wrote in your comment:

“There’s also fear that he’s a ‘Mashichist.’ This gives these Jews more reason to remove him. Why not remove the biggest ‘Mashichist,’ The ‘Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach?’ I guess many have already done that.”

What in the world are you talking about? What do you mean? Please explain yourself.

"I will communicate better" "I need your money"
May 18, 2011 4:54 pm

did not hear from you in a year, great communication, by the way the first time I hear from you this year is when you want our money.

head scratcher
May 18, 2011 1:46 pm

Maybe withold payment of the 2 rabbis until they get their act together, and use it for immediate needs of R Braun…
If they figure it out between them, there will be more cash inflow to the vaad…

Boruch N. Hoffinger BS"D
May 18, 2011 1:19 pm

Dear #94,CH Ignorance…
Wish I knew who you are.
Anyway…perhaps it’s ignorance or perhaps it’s ego..ambushing a Jew.
They don’t have to be responsible because they hide in ‘Cyberspace.’
Are you hiding?

Boruch N. Hoffinger BS"D
May 18, 2011 1:17 pm

Dear #63 Hirschel Pekkar, Thank you VERY MUCH, for being a ‘Mentsch’ and stating your name. Your comment was marvelous. Rabbi Braun has ‘Semicha.’ He’s a gaon and a great gentleman. We have much ‘zechus’ to have him here. He spoke at Frankel Shul’s weekly ‘kiddush’ (A few weeks ago) and he was GREAT! We’re in the period of the ‘Omer’ now. How many of you out there want to ‘mekable’ Torah in the best way? How many of you want to experience the light and joy of being close to HaShem? How many of you want to be at… Read more »

Boruch N. Hoffinger BS"D
May 18, 2011 1:09 pm

Thanks COLLive for providing a forum.
Better yet, why not make the condition that writers state their names?
#103 There’s more going on. There’s a certain someone, who, in the background, is trying to get rid of Rabbi Braun. We probably all know who it is…I do.
Follow the money trail…not the Torah trail.

Boruch N. Hoffinger BS"D
May 18, 2011 1:05 pm

I didn’t finish reading all the comments but I immediately signed up for $15 for one year. #21 you are correct. Why are so few ‘Yidden’ afraid to sign their names? Aren’et we taught to fear no one but ‘HaShem?’ Rabbi Braun is very fit…a great and brilliant rabbi with more credentials than he needs. There is a power play going on behind his back (He probably knows everything by now.) who, ‘smicha’ or not are trying to get rid of him because he’s a threat to their money and power. There’s also fear that he’s a ‘Mashichist.’ This gives… Read more »

What's all this arguing?
May 18, 2011 12:49 pm

One thing i learned as a child growing up, there is no use blaming everyone under planet earth, bc majority of the time nothing gets sorted; But how about we all blame ourselves and how WE/I can make it better. Moshiach should come now

Welcome to the real world
May 18, 2011 11:05 am

In a far away fairyland, there is a country called America. In this make believe place, people have a strange ritual called “Voting.” Through this noisy ritual an “elected politician” is born. This “elected politician” creature is able to negotiate contracts, make wars, build cities and pretty much anything it decides, and afterwards tell all the people in “America” how much they need to pay to fund everything. But that is just fiction; an outlandish figment of some demented imagination…. Here, in CH, We live in the real world. A real world were we elect people so we can tell… Read more »

Time for
May 18, 2011 11:03 am

Thanks to COL for providing a forum for people to express their thoughts about issues. The comments have been very much on target regarding the issue of Rabbi Braun, the issue of kashrus, and the issue of tznius (as emanated from the demonstration by Satmar chassidim last week). However, “lo ha’medrash ha’ikar elah ha’maaseh”! My purpose in relaying this is to motivate people from the community, who have the ability and knowledge to do so, to organize a meeting, take action, and DO SOMETHING to resolve these issues. I hope people capable of doing so will take these words to… Read more »

WHY MY CC IS NOT BEING CHARGED
May 18, 2011 10:04 am

I don’t understand, I signed up for monthly payments but SAW ONLY ONE PAYMENT BEING CHARGED. Are you asking for money or refusing them? Straighten up.

First time in CHCC history
May 18, 2011 8:22 am

This is the first time that somebody has come out and exposed what is going on from the inside.

You did the right thing, and a great service for the community don’t let anybody tell you to resign, this is the least you can do, if not all you can do.

Keep informing us on the going ons as much as possible to keep this organisation transparent.

go hackner!!!
May 18, 2011 1:39 am

clearly yossi hackner is the ONLY honest guy in the vicinity of the vaad, also, not surprisingly, the only one trying to correct the problems he did not cause.
where are all the other crooks who are NOT “way in over their heads”??
some of these guys involved couldnt walk the straight path if their lives depended on it, yet all i see here are people slamming hackner for his spelling, lack of class etc.
how about everyone shut up and give some respect to the one guy whos actually trying???

THREE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS
May 18, 2011 12:46 am

NO MORE chk HECHSER SELL IT TO THE OK AND EMPLOY ALL THREE RABBIS AS MASGICHIM IN CH AND THEY CAN ANSWER SHAAALOS AT THE STORES THEY SUPERVISE

BY SENIORITY ONE GETS TO CHOSE MICHIGS FLEISHIGS OR PARVE
THE ok CAN THEN PAY THE SALARIES AND THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE AT CERTAIN HOURS TO ANSWER SHAALOS

THAT WAY ALL PEOPLE CAN FIND A RAV THEY CAN TALK TO AND THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL SAVES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AND GETS MONEY FOR THE SALE OF THE HECHSHER BIZ AND IT WAS ALL POLOTICS ANYHOW

Yossi you don't belong there
May 17, 2011 10:54 pm

The hat is too big for you.

cost effectiveness
May 17, 2011 10:39 pm

1. Why does CH need even one “official” “rav” let alone three? Rabbis should be emplyed by businesses, schools, shuls, or establishments. 1. Why does Ch need a hechsher? Hechsher is a business and there are too many of them as it is, but surely enough withoiut a “community hechsher” Why does the “community” need to pay for these? There is no “one” “community” here. There are many different clusters of families and friends and like-minded groups, none of which need the above. Why attempt to extricate money from an entity that doesn’t exist for expenses that are unnecessary? Rabbi… Read more »

No-Class Act
May 17, 2011 9:49 pm

Yossi,

You could have written everything you did with more tact and without revealing all those details. There’s a fine line between transparency and respect, but you’re not even in its vicinity.

Get some class.

Dear Yossi
May 17, 2011 9:45 pm

Yossi, you’re a good guy – I know you – but you’re in over your head.

We did not vote you in to say, “I can’t do anything” or “I blame the public” or “I’m not wise like King Solomon”.

Pointing fingers never got any elected officials anywhere. Tell us what you HAVE done. We didn’t elect you to “Try” and we didn’t elect you to explain to us we have problems.

We elected you to DO something and if you feel you cannot in the present climate, admit you made a mistake to run and step down.

To hakk
May 17, 2011 9:09 pm

You a … For bringing this rav to begin with so you got to take of the issue thanks

mamish
May 17, 2011 8:42 pm

classic

CH Ignorance
May 17, 2011 8:31 pm

Obviously moving costs was negotiated as part of his salary package. This is quite common practice in the recruitment world.

rabbonim
May 17, 2011 8:28 pm

only 2 rabbinic can handle the CH machloykes; harav Lanada and harav Drukman. they known to be objective and solved many issues world wide

Responsibility and Respect
May 17, 2011 8:14 pm

1. Where is the respect? There are kids reading this! 2. Where is the privacy? 3. Is it really so impossiblel to pay 180 over the year?! They even allow you to divide it by $15!! I so agree with #33, I’ll post the quote here below: “I moved out a couple of years ago to a much smaller Lubavitch community. Aside from the tuition bills being astronomicly higher than in CH, the shul has a $1,000 plus annual membership dues. Part of those dues go towards the Rov’s salary in a dignified and bakovedikeh way where no Tom, Dick,… Read more »

to 80
May 17, 2011 7:29 pm

WOW!! That’s a lot of $ put into his hands! Good to know.

Seriously...
May 17, 2011 7:24 pm

Reb Yossi,

Who are your advisors?

to 85
May 17, 2011 7:18 pm

I like. Good idea.

im done
May 17, 2011 7:10 pm

im leaving ch … thus is too much

Simple Solution
May 17, 2011 6:50 pm

There’s a very simply solution. The Vaad can just write Rabbi Braun a check for whatever amount he needs and then tear up the original check before giving it to him. If it’s good enough for the smicha it should be good enough for his payment too.

chutzpa
May 17, 2011 6:44 pm

how can u just go and parade somebody’s business all ova the net. especially a rav’s personal life. y r u making a rav, who we all should be respecting, look like a “nebech” charity cause. u were elected k u thought u had solutions. now u come 2 us 4 advice. our advice is 4 u 2 step dwn, and next time don’t get in2 prob’s that r WAYYYYYYYY ova ur little head. nobody asked u to take this job. nobody forced it upon u. now u have no idea wat 2 do and u come out and plast… Read more »

solutions
May 17, 2011 6:39 pm

we elected him b/c he wanted to be elected. not so he can come 2 us 4 solutions.

Thinking out loud
May 17, 2011 5:51 pm

Thats so right Shagalov should be made to pay. He is mostly responsible. He is apparently working behind the scene.

Can you please post a paypal account
May 17, 2011 5:40 pm

I would gladly donate to the cause

The original 50K was used to pay ALL the Rabbonim.
May 17, 2011 5:38 pm

50/3=16,667.

“Zaki refused to agree, saying that the money [50K] should go to paying all the rabbis, and rejected the additional signatures, which the group agreed to. “

Woe unto us that we have fallen to such a low.
May 17, 2011 5:35 pm

If I had the money I would bank-roll it myself. As a non-Crownheights resident, I would gladly contribute the $15 a month for these expenses.

HENDEL
May 17, 2011 5:34 pm

According to the publicly available 990 of 2009, Chabad Lubovitch Hospitality Center – of which Hendel is listed as Executive Director – raised $4.3 Million with $381K going towards the printing of Beis Moshiach magazine and $885K was sent to Israel (most probably towards Messianic printing there which leads to enormous chillul Lubavitch) Sounds like they have plenty of money swimming around. Too much money with a horrible agenda.

Hackner you are my man
May 17, 2011 5:22 pm

You disagreed with the entire process as it was happening, and you warned Zaki and Braun and Sam Chanin not to go ahead with bringing Braun to town, yet after the fact you take the blame for their mistakes, and you’re trying to fix it.

Kol Hakovod.

lets go back to the day
May 17, 2011 5:21 pm

were we had one rav like zalman shimon or marlow

then if you need other rabbonm for beis din then you pay for them in a beis din

Word choice
May 17, 2011 4:47 pm

While informing the general populace is commendable, some of Mr. Hackner’s comments border on scandal. Prudence would be helpful when enlisting help from the community.

Not Private
May 17, 2011 4:44 pm

Thank you Mr. Hackner for making this public, it is the least you can do to inform your constituents of what is happening in this corrupt organisation that belongs to us.

I believe this is the first time that somebody has come out and exposed what is going on from the inside.

You did the right thing, don’t let anybody tell you to resign, this is the least you can do, if not all you can do.

Keep informing us on the going ons as much as possible to keep this organisation transparent.

Thank you.

NO WAY, NO HOW
May 17, 2011 4:36 pm

I can’t pay my mortgage. I couldn’t pay a co-pay at the doctors on Monday. So I should care that you people made promises you can’t keep?

Don’t buy things without the money. Didn’t your mother tell you that? You bought a “Rabbi”. Your problem, not mine, I didn’t buy him and I refuse to pay. Go chase Chanin!

Have a nice day.

sweaty?
May 17, 2011 4:33 pm

theres a big gvir in albany ny named Harry Balsonya hes a politician and is giving money to jewish organizations in ny that need help. maybe he can help out

Rabbi Heller????
May 17, 2011 4:27 pm

What happened to Rabbi Heller. He answers lots and lots of questions in this community, besides maaras. The most saicheldiga Rav that the Rebbe himself wanted. No body has any right not to pay him. If you don’t have money don’t bring a new Rav and start another whole fight.

would be very interesting to know why chanin left??!!!
May 17, 2011 4:21 pm
UNDER THE BUS !!!
May 17, 2011 3:59 pm

DID YOSSI HACKNER JUST THROW EVERYONE UNDER THE BUS?
CH rabonim/community council are a complete JOKE. To expect anyone to give a penny of hard earned money to them, is ludicrous.

It’s cheaper to keep the luggage at the port.
May 17, 2011 3:36 pm

18k is very expensive. 3 large containers should cost about 18 thousand. There is no way R. Braun can store all this stuff in his rented basement. If you release the cargo the Vaad will be forced to rent an additional storage location to store all this cargo. To keep the containers at the port, at $85 a day, will cost approximately $2200 a month. I’m sure you can bring them down to about $1500 a month or 5k for 6 months, much cheaper then it will cost to rent a storage place. So I would advise the Vaad to… Read more »

RESPECT!
May 17, 2011 3:28 pm

WHERE IS RESPECT FOR RABBI BRAUN? WHY SHOULD HIS EXPENSES AND SALARY BE MADE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE? THIS WAS NEGOTIATED PRIVATELY AND SHOULD REMAIN SO. RAISING THE SALARIES IS THE JOB OF THE VAAD HAKAHAL. ISN’T KASHRUS MONEY SUPPOSED TO COVER THESE COSTS? HOW COME YOU ARE NOT PUBLICIZING THOSE NUMBERS? FOR THOSE WHO ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT RABBI OSDOBA’S SALARY IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HE WORKS PART TIME AND IS PAID BY LUBAVITCHER YESHIVA FOR WORKING IN 770. FINALLY WE HAVE A YOUNG ENERGETIC RAV WHO IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT PAYING HIM A SALARY? WHERE… Read more »

This is so embarrassing.
May 17, 2011 3:20 pm

Att: Writer of this letter

Not only do you have no class but you have no shame either. Do you think putting this on the internet is kavodik to our Rav? I suggest you resign from your position because you are in dreamland if you think a community on foodstamps can donate money to anything. Go to the gevirim, what do you think Hashem gave them money for?

I like 62
May 17, 2011 3:18 pm

There is no hope for your kids Y don’t you just give up now. There is no respect in CH no matter who is right there needs to be respect and there is non in CH everyone knows better, you can see it on the next generation there is no respect for even torah and mitzvot

Good luck!!!!!

Rabbonim salary disparity
May 17, 2011 3:17 pm

I have not inside knowledge, but I believe that Rabbi Osdobo has taken a PART time job – since day 1, and is therefore paid accordingly. He works the other half day in 770.

Rabbi Schwey took on a FULL time job, and is being paid (?) accordingly.

There is nothing sinister it.

unbelievable
May 17, 2011 3:04 pm

Let the guy who ripped up the smicha document (saying he didn’t need it) pay for it! He has the dough and wanted the Rov!

DONT ATTACK MR HACKNER
May 17, 2011 3:00 pm

AS A CLOSE FRIEND OF HIS I KNOW HE DIDNT WANT R’ BRAUN TO COME TO CH FOR THIS REASON HE IS ONLY DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM NOW THAT HE IS HERE

Hirschel Pekkar
May 17, 2011 2:59 pm

BH. Everyone has his own code of ethics, and so has Hashem Boruch Hu. We are now learning mesechta Sota. We all know, that it is a serious sin, to rub out The Name of Hashem, yet, in this mesechta, not only we learn, but we are instructed by The Torah, to overlook this sin, of erasing the Name of Hashem, in order to bring peace to a man and his wife. The question and source of all these problems is, that Rabbi Braun’s smicha on paper is not available. Rabbi Braun was tested by our community, with satisfaction, and… Read more »

no wonder
May 17, 2011 2:53 pm

As an outsider this sums up why the Crown Heights community has fallen to such a low. No koved for your Rabbonim and you expect your children to follow in derech hatorah umitzvois. WAKE UP

Where are the people who are FUNDING Mendy Hendel and his ilk?
May 17, 2011 2:52 pm

Mendy Hendel would not have the ability to terrorize this community with funds…. Follow his money trail and you will find his SPONSOR …..perhaps you can even get this person to pay for this shortfall.

Hackner
May 17, 2011 2:50 pm

I love you buddy
keep up the good work
you make this community a better place
like i said, i love you buddy

Rabbi Osdaba
May 17, 2011 2:47 pm

Why does he get only 30,000 and R’ Shvei 60,000?

Shagalov
May 17, 2011 2:43 pm

let shagalov, who tore up Broins SMicha pay up

Meyer Clapman
May 17, 2011 2:20 pm

Yossi –

I don’t have your number to call you directly. i would advise you to resign today. most of our members have no experience managing and running a business and even those skills alone would not be enough to manage a community. my feeling is the best thing you can do now is resign and you are already admitting that you dont have any of the solutions to fix this issue.
MC

rabbi told you so
May 17, 2011 2:14 pm

had we voted in bogomilsky, we wouldnt have had to pay for all this. he already has a home, a car and is on good financial standing. it woiuld have been cheaper, and frankly a better ROV

He is right!
May 17, 2011 2:03 pm

The community needs to help funding the rabonim especially if they elected them. There are no excuses for that. That being said it is up to the leaders who too were elected to arrange a way for people to do this.
Hatzlocho!

Bunch of cheap Jews
May 17, 2011 2:01 pm

It’s just $15 a month!! Why does every yukel in crown heights feel he has to give his opinion like this giving the 15 dollars is a life turning decision. Seriously grow up guys.

Just saying
May 17, 2011 1:52 pm

Until there is achdus between the Rabbonim and the question about Rabbi Braun is settled: why should anyone give any money for what. Personally, Rabbi Bogomilsky should have been elected and I am sure he would have somehow solved this problem. He is so smart.

Trick
May 17, 2011 1:46 pm

So, the trick worked. Meanwhile let’s get Rabbi Braun in, to make sure he is the “RAV” – after that, we don’t pay. Who cares? Now we and he are both stuck!

no no no!
May 17, 2011 1:46 pm

husband getting laid off from work , but we are supposed to pay what on earth ask them to ask mr. rich guy living in crown heights sorry no u know what im not sorry

to 47
May 17, 2011 1:35 pm

I’m ABSOLUTELY SURE that you would unite to make sure Rabbi Bogomilsky’s needs were well attended to had he won, right? Rigggghhhhttt!

Solution
May 17, 2011 1:32 pm

Why can’t Rabbi Braun get a side job?

make a list of the 15 people who promised to pay
May 17, 2011 1:30 pm

if they dont pay then publicize the list

it is a huge problem that until we straighten out the problem with the tzfasnikim then no rational prson wants to give money when they dont believe that that was the rebbes kavona for 770-. I for one have no interest in paying

Bogomilsky was a lot cheaper

This is no way to treat a human being, let alone a Rov..
May 17, 2011 1:27 pm

Rabbi Braun is being mistreated in such a horrible way. He is currently residing in conditions with his 11 kids, that are completely not normal.. We as a community MUST unite and get him a place to live that is acceptable.

bewilded
May 17, 2011 1:24 pm

i dont get it .what kind of communicater are you.it takes a whole year to figure there aint no money.ask rabbi rosenberg for a loan.

Thank you Rabbi Rosenberg
May 17, 2011 1:16 pm

Need more be said?

pathetic plea think before you do
May 17, 2011 1:09 pm

the 1000 people who wanted him should pay im sure you have their names, you never should have brought someone from out of town Rabbi Bogomilsky is way more qualified and he lives right here in Corwn Heights, the guys who wanted to control the neighborhood they can pay for it good lucl

I agree with 2 and 19
May 17, 2011 1:08 pm

Also, why are they paying employees expenses? Why don’t they pay the employees of the beis din a fair salary and let them spend their salary as they please. It is mighty inefficient to pay salary PLUS expenses. For example, include enough money in the salary for a rov’s family to have food to eat. If you just say, mortgage is free, food is free, clothes are free, AC is free, auto is free, gas is free, just go buy it and send us the receipts, you can well imagine what would happen! I GUARANTEE the money spent would be… Read more »

peopel
May 17, 2011 1:05 pm

oiy

the trouble makers did this they forced the rov on us by promising to pay and collect money then they dissapear…

and i think the other monies were used to pay the other rabonim (since rabbis schwe and osdoba are owed lots of backpay)

i wish they would name the 15-20 who promised ( i bet i can name most of them)

where's mendel hendel and his people?
May 17, 2011 1:03 pm

why don’t they pay? they seem to be running rings round all of you people and getting away with it. they are machriv CH and 770 and continue to terrorize everyone so let them carry the financial responsibility! you get what you pay for! boy do we really need mashiach, just not the mashiach that mendel hendel and his hordes want!

you should have listened
May 17, 2011 1:01 pm

You said that Tamir didn’t want to give a signature to pay 17 out of the 50…what happened there? If he didn’t sign it then who did and why? You poshut made a stupid decision…I truly feel bad that we re in this situation…but it seems from what u said that u are the cause of this…you sould daven real hard…

I agree with 2 and 19
May 17, 2011 12:55 pm

Why in the world would we pay for a election we disputed? To add insult to injury, you write that you’ve already spent money to get him here against our will, and then you write that you want us to dish out money! How insane! Let all the troublemakers who pushed for him in the first place pay him.

Confused
May 17, 2011 12:54 pm

“The original $50,000 was used to pay for the plane tickets” – but you said the plane tickets were 17,200? If so, where is the remaining 32,800?

To Mr Hackner
May 17, 2011 12:54 pm

If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen. When you ran with Tamir for office, you were well informed as to the responsibilties and challenges you were facing. Certain individual stepped up and volunteered to help you with 50000 dollars to get the issues rolling. Instead of being thankful, you spit in their face. If the Vaad cannot tackle the community needs, then they should resign. There is plenty of money in kashrus and other income that could be allocated to the right places which you instead earmark for your special interests. Again, YOU WERE SPRCIFICALLY APPRISED… Read more »

Thanks for the blame
May 17, 2011 12:44 pm

We voted for R’Braun. We want him on the Beis Din. We pay Mas Hakol every month.

We love you too.

just me
May 17, 2011 12:36 pm

what a joke. I had no intention to give a dime even until they all get their act together or the rebbe reappears!. Brauan sudda never came with this “bagagge” – what a shame – this letter is downright pathetic at best!

Attn Hackner
May 17, 2011 12:29 pm

I like you and your good intention. I have the money and contribute to the community quite often. I would be happy to participate in this situation but why should I have to be responsible for other ppls bad decisions.. The pledges from those 15 people should have been put in escrow. The vaad who allowed it and those ppl who backed him should pay up. We have the rest of the community to support – schools, poor ppl ect…

I am interested to hear your response.

Former CHers
May 17, 2011 12:28 pm

I am so sad to see the community I grew up in falling to pieces. I moved out a couple of years ago to a much smaller Lubavitch community. Aside from the tuition bills being astronomicly higher than in CH, the shul has a $1,000 plus annual membership dues. Part of those dues go towards the Rov’s salary in a dignified and bakovedikeh way where no Tom, Dick, and Harry can scrutinize what the Rov is spending HIS OWN money on. It is shameful that in such a large community the hamon am are not ready to offer up a… Read more »

U PAY
May 17, 2011 12:28 pm

I think you should pay the bill, you authorized him coming on ur own knowing knowing that “his qualifications are still being challenged.”you pay for it. here it is in your own words

Without any objection from Rabbi Avrohom Rosenberg (the Monsey dayan who oversaw the election — COLlive note), we went ahead and paid for plane tickets for the Braun family from Australia ($17,200) even while knowing that his qualifications were being challenged.

NOW YOU PAY

To 29 keep the rebbe out of this
May 17, 2011 12:04 pm

What nerve to bring the rebbe into this
with this kind of math can we trust them with any money
Paying travel expenses should have been told before the elections that if brown will win it will cost the community an extra 100k to cover his move.
lets see how many votes he would get if this was expressed up front
I am sure he would not have won

overshare!
May 17, 2011 11:57 am
Embarrassing!
May 17, 2011 11:57 am

It is embarrassing that the CH community can not support 3 Rabbanim! Every community needs full time rabbanim, and we all know how much the Rebbe encouraged asking questions to a Rav.
Certainly the community should sponsor Rabbi Braun’s expenses!
Most families in CH can donate $180 a year to tzedaka.

very simple
May 17, 2011 11:53 am

i dont get why the “vaad” and the community doesnt put it simply to the “rabonim” get along or no salary and no rabonim.

Confused
May 17, 2011 11:52 am

“The original $50,000 was used to pay for the plane tickets” – but you said the plane tickets were 17,200? If so, where is the remaining 32,800?

where is it?
May 17, 2011 11:41 am

karim camara and everyone gave money to the community .WHERE IS IT ??????????????

gitty g.
May 17, 2011 11:39 am

first of all, the spelling gets me sick..Ribono Shel Olam, check your spelling before you send out messages! …mr. hackner- I know youre desperate, but what good is this appeal going to do? so few people have any money, and the ones that do use it acc. to their discretion..The Rebbe predicted al this discord..

18.000 for a container???
May 17, 2011 11:37 am

Moving from AU to NY and shipping a container should not cost more than $ 7.000 from door to door incl. packing and unpacking.

Meir
May 17, 2011 11:36 am

Greetings to all, As I promised during the election that I will communicate better than the past board members of the CHJCC and the Vaad Hakohol, I am writing to you now with a cry for help Yossie, you are a nice fellow, and I like you, but you are in over your head. You begin by critisizinging past Vaads for lack of communication, maybe a valid point- but your Vaad is the first and only one to run out of money ( a much more important complaint ).Don’t blame us,our participation, alto warranted, was not a condition of your… Read more »

Oholei Torah
May 17, 2011 11:35 am

Thats Crown Heights math for you.50,000 -17200 = zero

chashgaha protis
May 17, 2011 11:35 am

If the 1,000 people who voted for Rov Braun gave $18.00 each, that would equal $18,000.!

dovid.

To comment number 3 Velly
May 17, 2011 11:34 am

Does B & H need a Rov? If the yeshiva thing doesnt work out I hear that B & H is hiring.

Let the people who voted for him PAY!
May 17, 2011 11:26 am
Yossi Hackner should be out of office.
May 17, 2011 11:25 am

when you was elected we lost camp scholarship. If you could bring your sponsors, then rebalance community budget andget money from kashrus.

Is this too much detail?
May 17, 2011 11:23 am

Why the terrible disparities in salries between the three Rabbanim? Rabbi Osdaba gets punished for being more senior?

Inconsiderate
May 17, 2011 11:22 am

I am just wondering about this article. Is it the communities responsibility to pay for all of R’ Braun’s living expenses? Do we pay R’ Schwei’s mortgage? etc.? If you have a job you get a salary but that doesnt mean that your employers pay for every little thing you do. Why is it our responsibility to pay for all these things? he sold his house? Great, let use that money to get his container out of storage. Its not my problem. If I got a job in Israel is it heir responsibility to fly me out there? NO. They… Read more »

Why Not Equal
May 17, 2011 11:20 am

The letter mentions: “the Beis Din expense ($30,000 for R’ Osdoba, $60,000 for R’ Schwei and $98,000 for R’ Braun).” Does this mean that Rabbi Osdoba who has been on the Beth Din for over 20 years receives only half of what Rabbi Schwei receives, and that both Rabbis Osdoba and Schwei together receive less than the $98,000 mentioned for Rabbi Braun?

shmuly
May 17, 2011 11:20 am

“Our two rabbonim – Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yaacov Schwei are as far apart as they were when I got in. (One is waiting for an apology and the other tried reaching out but unfortunately there has been no progress.)”
If one is waiting for an apology and the other is ready to give one……..what happened? If I am a buyer and you are a seller then why isn’t there a sale? Unfortunately , this is deeper.

IMHO
May 17, 2011 11:19 am

I am not even going into the all the math here, none of it adds up (e.g you write that plane tickets costed $17,200 at the beginning of the article and then write at the end that “The original $50,000 was used to pay for the plane tickets”!) I for one am quite glad that Mule Chanin has withdrawn his involvement, I don’t how he almost succeed in taking over the Vaad, only now have you made public just how much control he sought. He was not fit to be CEO of the Vaad for so many reasons, though on… Read more »

STEP DOWN NOW!!!
May 17, 2011 11:18 am

shame on your to waist so much money from a community that most members are below the poverty level and can hardly make ends meat and you authorize to spend so much just on airline tickets
HOW CAN YOU WASTE THIS COMMUNITIES HARD EARNED MONEY

STEP DOWN NOW!!!!!!

Where's the rest of the $50,000?
May 17, 2011 11:17 am

If the original sum given, $50,000, was used for plane tickets, which cost $17,200, there is still over $30,000 left. Why can’t that be used to cover the shipping expenses?

a crown heights resident
May 17, 2011 11:16 am

Let’s do the math: $50,000 – $17,200 for plane tickets ****32,800 balance**** Why can’t the $19,000 needed come out of the balance of $32,800? Where did the rest of those funds go? The lack of transparency on the part of all the parties involved is what is most troubling. Why should the residents of crown heights burden themselves further when it’s not even clear and transparent how the funds are spent???? Personally I would rather send my maas hakol directly to the Rov I deal with on a regular basis. At least then I know he’s being paid. And if… Read more »

king solomon
May 17, 2011 11:15 am

I was smarter than you mr hackner.

I begged Rabbi Braun not to come. All for this reason and more.

The Rabbi is even missing the fifth shulchon oruch.

pay with your own money
May 17, 2011 11:08 am

heres the deal the job is here in NY and if you want the job YOU figure out a way to get here for the job don’t take the job then say now you pay for me and my family to move here.
and as it states in the article that he sold his house in Au let him use his own money to get his stuff why should we have to pay for his stuff.
if its not worth it for him to use his own money to redeem his stuff its definitely not worth my hard earned money.

perhaps set up a link
May 17, 2011 11:06 am

i hate all the politics in ch, but u are right, WE elected r’ braun as the rov of our community.

perhaps add a link to this page so ppl can pay their dues online

as for the issue of r’ osdoba and r’ shwei, it boggles my mind, that if the community rabbonim cannot make peace with each other, how can they expect anyone else to (forget about even listening to a psak of theirs especially when peach is an issue) Grow up! and start taking your job seriously. put your differences aside bc its not about YOU.

well deserved
May 17, 2011 11:02 am

you should never have brought him in!
especially since his election was contested.

whats new
May 17, 2011 10:50 am
the nature of paying
May 17, 2011 10:47 am

The community should pay ,and they will appreciate more what they are paying for .SIMPLE

velly
May 17, 2011 10:39 am

we knew this problem going into this.

we had NO right assuming such a big expense on a already broke comunity.

we have not had one good day, since this election. at least if there was sholom.

why should we have the expnse, if we dont have sholom?

lets get a yeshivah or something to give him a job and forget the whole Beis Din thing. we dont need it anyway.

man up cry baby
May 17, 2011 10:38 am

you should have never of paid for him to come with his family until all questions were resolved and cleared but in your heist to bring him here and push him down the communities throat you disenfranchise half of the community and now you are paying for your actions.
you got yourself in to this mess now you get out of it yourself

Who can blame the public?
May 17, 2011 10:37 am

With the gas skyrocketing, utilities, food, like whatever… we gotta feed our families and come up with the rent and tuition, like that’s already a thin juggling impossibility. Why not do a pay as you play service… Got a SHILAH to ask the Rov, pay him a certain rate for each session. Who can afford a hefty salary for each of the 3 rabbonim? Eh? What gives? The rich gevirs are sapped out of their wits man.

X