Jerusalem Lawsuit Demands Russia Release Chabad Books

By COLlive reporter

The “Chabad Chasidim Association in the USA” (Agu”ch) is expanding its battle to return the ‘Schneerson Collection’ to Israel as well and filed a lawsuit in the Jerusalem District Court against Russia in which it seeks to enforce a ruling given in the USA so that it can seize Russian assets worth tens of millions of dollars also in Israel.

Chabad filed a lawsuit in the Jerusalem District Court against the “Russian Federation under the presidency of Vladimir Putin.”

In the lawsuit filed by lawyers Uri Keidar and Avi Blum and accompanied by the American attorney Nat Lewin, Chabad seeks to seize Russian assets located in Israel.

Attorney Nat Lewin, one of the top attorneys in the USA, who came to Israel especially to accompany the prosecution process in the Jerusalem court, represented the Chabad movement in the famous legal victory of Chabad, called by the Chasidim “Didan Notzach” regarding the book collection of the Chabad Rebbe’s since the 1980s, Nat Lewin is known as one who had the privilege of having discussions and receiving personal trust and guidance from the Rebbe regarding the representation procedures and the manner in which the Chabad movement should act regarding the collection of the valuable Chabad books.

The lawsuit essentially seeks to “transfer” to Israel the judgments and decisions issued in the United States against the Russian government, ordering them to return the ‘Schneerson Collection’ to Chasidism, and imposing a significant fine for contempt of court in the USA, which currently stands at over 170 million dollars.

Chabad explains that the ‘Schneerson Collection’ is a historical collection of the global Chabad movement and that it is a collection that includes approximately 12,000 original books and manuscripts, which were gradually collected and preserved since the end of the 18th century until today.

This is a unique collection of its kind in the entire world, and is a heritage asset for the entire Jewish people, in a way that surpasses the boundaries of Chabad Chasidism. For historical reasons, since the end of World War I, the ‘Schneerson collection’ has been in the possession of the Russian authorities, which used to be the Soviet regime in the Soviet Union, and is now in the Russian government.

For decades, Chabad has been demanding from the government in Moscow to return the “Schneerson collection” to the possession of the Chabad Chasidic Center, which is currently located in the USA. This started after the Rebbe appointed a special delegation to act for the return of the books, led by Rabbi Shlomo Cunin, Rabbi Sholom Dovber Levin, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Ahronov and Rabbi Yitzchak Kogan, who ever since have been working in different ways to achieve that goal.

At the end of the detailed statement of claim submitted by the lawyers, it is stated that “the need to enforce the verdict specifically in Israel, considering the historical, traditional, communal and cultural importance of the ‘Schneerson collection’ for Chabad Chassidism and the entire Jewish people.”

Rabbi Shlomo Cunin, a member of ‘Aguch’, says: “The Rebbe tasked us with returning the books from Russia. We have no doubt that the task will be completed as he wishes, and the books will be returned to the Rebbe’s library whether the Russians like it or not, and there is no delay or obstacle that will stand in our way to carry out this sacred task.”

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Aharonov, who was also personally appointed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, added: “What has guided us all these years is to return the books as per the Rebbe’s command. This is our mission. We have been dealing with the matter for decades and we are still dedicated to it. Nothing will loosen our hands.”