By COLlive reporter
The hearing stage of the Din Torah over the Jewish communal leadership of Crown Heights came to a close Thursday, with all parties apparently happy with the proceedings.
“There were sharp things said and the mood was turbulent at times, but the general feeling was ‘we need to get this over with and move on,'” a source involved in the matter told COLlive.com.
For 9 days, members of past and current Vaad Hakohol administrations and other interested parties gave testimony at Bais Menachem Mendel, a Lubavitch shul and Yeshiva in Flatbush.
Crown Heights Rabbis Avrohom Osdoba and Yaacov Schwei were granted a closed one-on-one hearing.
The Bais Din was comprised of Kiryat Gat Chief Rabbi Moshe Havelin and Ramat Gan dayan Rabbi Binyomin Kuperman (chosen by Rabbi Osdoba) and Eilat Chief Rabbi Yosef Hecht and Lod’s Chabad Rabbi Baruch Yurkovitz (chosen by Rabbi Schwei).
Presiding over them was Rabbi Avrohom B. Rosenberg, a known and commended dayan from Monsey, NY, who was involved in high profile Din Torahs in recent years.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gluckowsky of Rechovot and the new Vaad Hakohol are credited with facilitating the Din Torah.
The opinion of many who participated was that they were given a fair hearing, and there is hope for a wise verdict that will lay the foundation for the future peaceful conduct of communal matters.
“They have enough material to make a psak about the major topics, such as rabbonus, Vaad Hakohol and the CHK Kashrus,” a source told COLlive.
The Israeli Rabbis and dayanim flew home for Shabbos and a decision will be issued following deliberations. A time frame was not given.
Yasher koach to Reb Yosef Muss for providing the gashmius for the din torah–food b’harchava, office equipment and supplies, etc.
Special thanks to the Lubavitcher Yeshiva Shul and the kornblit family who would have facilitated the Din Torah however, since there were too many Chabad teachers working here and they would be disrupting the procedures. Therefore the BMM shul of Flatbush was reccomended since there are almost no Lubavitch people there during the day. Once again Flatbush comes to the aid of Crown Heights.
a special thanks has to be given to BMM and all the boys and our Rabbi Marosov. Also to the bes din kl’los’lus of flatbush for all the food and equiptment.
There will always be different opinions “what the Rebbe’s opinion is” but one thing is sure: that the Rebbe said on 2 adar 5748 that when there are different opinions GO ASK RABBONIM AND LISTEN TO THEM! (Even if in your little brain you think that the Rebbe’s opinion is different). Its people who say that when the P’sak of Rabonim goes against the Rebbe’s opinion (or more accurately: MY OPINION -MY SIDE OF THE FIGHT -which I blame on the Rebbe) – I will listen to the Rebbe and not to the p’sak – this is the true cause… Read more »
Go learn your history and you will see that many of those involved in the current Machlokes were involved in other Machlokes even during the days of Rabbi Dworkin A”H, and then later throughout every Machlokes etc
Where you may be correct even though you didn’t say it, is that all these Machloles are for certain individuals from both sides trying to gain control over CH and all its Mosdos since they view most of the residents as Olem Golem, blind sheep who go wherever the current popular tide will take them…
I am not saying that every Mashpia becomes a Rav, but if every Rav demands of his congregants to have a Mashpia and if we all had a Mashpia, Crown Heights would look a lot better As far as your 2nd comment thast having 40 Rabbis would lead to WWIII, that is exactly what we have now in addition to a plague of hundreds and perhaps thousands of tragedies in Chabad since all this Machlokes broke out, and by giving everyone a say, and agreeing beforehand that decisions will be made by a majority count, that is the only hope… Read more »
This is NOT about schwei vs. osdoba, nor is it about lang vs. sperlin.
It is about pro-moshiach vs. anti-moshiach.
As long as there are pro-moshiachists – there will be those who are anti-moshiachists.
Drinks are OU. Maybe they should have been asked to settle this………………………….
As far as the new positions for Rabbi Osdoba and Schwei, from my personal opinion, they don’t deserve to hold any position after all the Machlokes they brought to our community, but since that will never happen, let it suffice that they will both have the title of Mara Dasra and will be given special privileges like getting the honored Aliyos in 770 for Rabbonim as called for by the Rebbe, will both have the title of Av Beis Din, will draw a higher salary than other Rabbonim and will both be considered the official Rabbonim of 770 – Bais… Read more »
totally unrealistic.
First of all, the Rebbe already stated long ago that each person should select a mashpia for himself “asei lecha rav”.
This doesn’t mean that each person’s “rav” suddenly becomes part of Board of Rabbis that are running the neighborhood.
There’s an old saying: Put one Jew on an island and there will be 2 shuls, one that he goes to and the other that he doesn’t.
Imagine having a Board of 40 Rabbis in Crown Heights….It would be WW III.
way to go
if you can pull this off you will finaly bring seder to CH
You are dead wrong – if they Paskin against the Rebbe’s wishes, then we will only listen to the REBBE not to them! sorry to disappoint you.
be realistic -any of this only works of all involved parties subject themselves to the judgement of the tribunal.
so only time will tell if rabbis O and S themsleves have such bittul.
and of course rabble-roiusers will either follow the lead of their rabbi or just rabble rouse more because they only used the rabbi-vaad strife as a way to raise rabble.
bottom line is – everyone’s individual behaviour after the judgement will determine whether pease reigns.
and to #22 – nice effort to outline your thoughts.
As far as rabbi Segal, Zirkind etc are treated
There are enough current Shuls that do not have a Rov and there should be no problem for their fans and supporters to help them land a position within one Shul or another, especially that it is possible both of them already have such positions in Maple Street Shul and the old Chovevei Torah Minyan etc
Not knowing all the details of the minute details of arguments on both sides, and to a certain extent irregardless of what they are, there is really only one road that will lead to peace and achdus, and that is as follows: We must recognize that Crown Heights is a diversified community with numerous conflicting opinions on a wide range of issues and can not be dictated by one individual group or another, as this will only lead to further splits and divisions within the community. We must also begin to understand democratic principles and values and the power of… Read more »
The only thing Eli polterdreck had to do with this getting a Din Torah was stealing the Elections and making them go to a Din Torah, if you want to thank to real People that got it of the ground, and made it happen, that is Rabbi G and the Real Netzigm
As long as we keep drinking the Kool Aid – it doesn’t matter. L’chaim!
When you have a doubt if something is good or bad you have to look at the outcome. The fact is that after so many years of trying to bring the parties to a din tora the only thing that forced it was the election for Vaad Hakohol of Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5769.
VAyehi biymaei shfoit hashoiftim
Thank you to the vaad! (and especially Elie Poltorak) for pushing this through and making it happen! Gadol hazchus….
#4 has a point. When you see our “Rabbonim” preach peace for everyone else but they sit at opposite ends of the same table DURING THIS PEACE NOW SPEECH & never even look at each other, it’s hard to believe both sides will abide by a Psak Din. They are both hypocrites, their supporters follow them blindly, and the rest of us just suffer from a lack of leadership.
I think we should do what Shlomo HaMelech said…cut the Schechuna in two…including 770.
that is all we need
that is all the rebbe wanted
wishful thinking, you don’t belong in CH with that kind of pessimistic attitude. Imagine if Hashem said that about you at the end of every Yom Kippur!!!! I think that CH deserves a hugh round of applause for taking this step in the right direction. there are other neighborhoods that have their inner differences and NONE of them have taken this step. This is the Rebbe’s Shchuna and it’s people are the Rebbe’s people and this attitude shows the Rebbe’s presence is very much here.
That’s your opinion.
And if the Rabonim disagree, that’s what it will remain.
We all hope that the Rabonim know that they have no right to discuss the case of Gaboyim of 770 – which was stolen (against the Rebbe’s wishes) from Agudas Chasedei Chabad. It doesn’t belong to the Badatz at all.
please please keep your pessimistic negative comments to yourself. we all know how difficult this all is a on the real normal people of CH. give hope a chance and your so called know it all opinion is not appreciated in ch anymore
After the Tzemach tzedek’s Histalkus there was dissagrements between the Tzemach Tzedek’s children – who were big Tzadikim – over who would be the next Rebbe, they went to the Rabunim had a Din Torah and the P’sak was that the Rebbe Maharash would take over. If a Din Torah can establish who is Rebbe, it can definitely establish who the Rabunim of Crown Heights is, and we – the Crown heights residents – are very happy that soif soif a Din Torah is happening and we hope that everyone will listen to the P’sak and that this will end… Read more »
I love your “aint gonna change a thing” perspective. It is a true personification of the message and inner meaning of Chassidus that the Rebbeim have been pouring blood and sweat into for nine generations!
It’s min haShamayim and whatever ruling will be given out in the coming weeks will probably be posted all over town and emailed to everyone and that will be the law.
– NO REBEL TZFATIM will be allowed to wreck peace in the city – Or else police will step in and that’s already a known fact. Kol HaKovod Rabbi Gluckowsky
BS:D
Whose hecksher was the drinks on the table
Lets’ hope and pray that there are only winners and no losers-especially the schuna-to this Din Torah
It aint gonna change a thing! Things might start off well but it will yake a few short months and everything will go back to where it was. The people that were responsibile until now for machlokes will creat a new machlokes. thats what they do, it will take them a few months but trust me they will crfeate it.
his father was called a general in his army by the rebbe
We’ve waited for this for too long
CH should be an example for others. Our shechuna could do so much better if we only put our differences aside and work for the greater cause
This is very good news and may the peace prevail as the rebbe wanted and asked and begged