By anonymous
When one thinks about Crown Heights, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me it’s the Rebbe, Lubavitchers and of course 770.
I am Lubavitch but not from here, while I wish sometimes I was. To be frank, I am quite jealous of all you born and bred Crown Heightsers. I don’t think everyone here realizes where they live. You were raised in the Shchuna of the Rebbe. Even if you’ve never actually “seen” the Rebbe in person, you’re living where the Rebbe lives. This is where it is at.
I am a firm believer that a chossid takes the Rebbe with him wherever he goes, as Rabbi Butman explained this past Motzoei Shabbos. The Rebbe is wherever a chossid brings him, but the fact that one can actually always be surrounded by “Rebbe” is amazing.
I have to consciously make an effort every time I go anywhere to remember I am a chosid of the Rebbe (and B”H for that I love it!) but in Crown Heights it is always a reminder.
I am lucky that I get to pass the Rebbe’s house every single day and every time I pass it, I stop and think to myself, I am in the place the Rebbe lived. My Rebbe that guides me, teaches me. The Rebbe that I love, walked these very streets every day. This is the most incredible thing.
Another thing that I love about Crown Heights is the atmosphere. It’s always hopping, moving, going, doing, helping, talking, learning – everything. They’re running to minyan, to learn, tzedaka, managing a seforim store or any store for that matter. A yid should never sit still for a minute and should always be doing something productive.
And there are all sorts of people in Crown Heights. Lubavitchers with all different backgrounds and different personalities. It’s not all one “cookie cutter” type which is very refreshing. Different types of people all doing what Hashem wants.
Lastly what I love about Crown Heights, and probably my favorite, thing is 770 – the Rebbe’s shul.
There is just something about 770 that gets me every time I go. I go as often as I can and each time I go it’s just as amazing as the first. To sit in Beis Rabbeinu and learn, daven, cry or talk is a feeling of reassurance, happiness, completeness and of love.
While many people may disagree, I think it’s all about perspective. I focus on the positivity in 770. The learning, the davening, the Hiskashrus to the Rebbe, that’s what I see in 770.
Crown Heights is the center of it all. It is where the Rebbe is and it’s a place we can all call home. Appreciate all that we have because it truly is special. Ashreinu.
Come to think of it, I think it’s better that I don’t live here, that way I appreciate even more all that Crown Heights has to offer and makes it special.
There are two choices: 1. A title that highlights the positive viewpoint of the article 2. A title that is almost misleadingly negative. The first option would attract readers looking for positivity, and actually give it to them. The second option attracts readers looking for another dose of negativity to add to their daily reading, and instead gives them a taste of what they need most, positivity, while also giving them what to appreciate in hopes tomorrow they will be the person who would have been attracted with the alternate title, in search of a dose of positivity. COL, when… Read more »
for thet reson and another too
the title is misrepresenting the article.
whether a person goes on shlichus out of mesirus nefesh (i.e., he’ll rather be in CH), or he goes because he doesn’t feel like being in CH, or doesn’t like CH, – makes little difference. bottom line: he is doing what the rebbe encouraged each and everyone to do. those that are not up to leaving CH, no doubt that the second best option is to keep the rebbe’s shchuna alive. (but don’t convince yourself that you are on mesirus nefesh to do what the rebbe wants. just read the sichos and you’ll see what the best course of action… Read more »
21… Dude???!!! Maybe if Yiddish was your Mother tongue…. you wouldnt relax as I can’t…. after all The Rebbe knew many languages… But He chose Yiddish.. to Farbreng and otherwise
Thank you for something positive! What a breath of fresh air.
To the collive editors: why must you sensationalize –the heading of the article implied that there would be something negative coming up (–“…I’m glad I don’t live there”). As I read the article, in the back of my mind I was therefore waiting for the complaint….I was actually not even going to open this article because I didn’t want to hear negativity–and that’s what the heading implied!
Please remember–what’s your message?
dude wat r u saying lol speak english
This is the place to be!
I grew up abroad but live here now and i just love it!
The vibrance, the pace, the schools ( OT especially great for life skills;) the parks, subway (ok , i could have done without practically tripping over a rat there today), the stores, kosher food galore…..
No 15.. Relax???? Ven ess brent ah fire…. und ven ess tout vey shreit men!!!! What is there to relax?Its so inspiring to see all these people pat themselves on the back how great this place is……Yes it is great in many areas…but there are REAL problems here…..and the worst problem of all is denying that there is one!Dont know who you are how old you are or if you were zoiche to know the older Chassidim but trust me…if you didnt eat the Kasha from Toimche Timmim i guess you can relax ..i did and I cant relax…Cheers
You have to give the discouragement???????
Ur amazing!
what do you mean there are all different types? they are all lubavitch. do u really beleive that all people are lubavitch?
RELAX
i recently started going to 770 on an average night, not just to get a minyan for mariv, but to just hang out @ around 9:30, watch the bocherim learning. the place is packed with people learning, people that are interested, no wackos, check it out.
This article is really refreshing and posotive! There really is so much to appreciate!!
This is well written and so true! So thank you!!
GREAT ARTICLE!!!
ask 80% of shluchim where they would rather be living. and its not just shluchim most lubavitchers moved and keep moving out all over the world, from monsey to miami to LA PA and more.
Where did you get your statistics from??
USED TO BE EVERYONE WANTED TO LIVE IN CH AND BE AROUND THE REBBE AND IT TOOK ALOT OF MESIRAS NEFESH TO LEAVE AND GO ON SHLICHUS.
TODAY IS THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CROWN HEIGHTS THAT HAVE THE MESIRAS NEFESH AND DESERVE THE CREDIT FROM CHABAD AROUND THE WORLD FOR KEEPING THEIR HOMES OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND AND KEEPING THE REBBES SHCHUNA A PLACE WHERE JEWS LIVE!!
80% OF SHLUCHIM WOULD RATHER BE ON SHLICHUS THEN LIVE IN CH. (99% OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION)
I love CH
There is too much kedusha
this is problably what makes too many ppl angry and fighters
oros from tohu but politicians ,some rabbis are not keilim
Amazing I think you should post an email were you can be contacted ,I’m sick of this posting anonymous especially if it’s a positive oped
Dear Writer,You wrote a very nice peice…although I take objection to the part that you like Crown Heights because of the “ccookie cutter”…… I beg to differ…Yes you are right surely when you say “its all about perspective”…. but that word is what made the issues we in crown heights…the ones that feel that what has been truly once Lubavitch…is no more…precisely because people are Lubavitchers or Chabad…a word that was never used when I was growing up…to do as they please because they have a “perseptive”… sorry I was taught that a Chosid is Bittul… Yeshes doesnt exsist,,, ICH… Read more »
nice to see something positive for a change
yasher coach!!! I love it too and everyone in it
sitting shabbos afternoon for the songs and mammer telling myself im in the holyest place on earth is nothing like it.
Thank you so much, this was nice to read.
but why anonymously?