By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Dovid Zaklikowski, author and the director of the Hasidic Archives, will be presenting the history of the East Flatbush Mikvah at a special lecture on Shabbos.
The lecture on Shabbos day will be presented at the Besht Center at 563 Empire Blvd. and is open to the public. It will be followed by Mincha.
Titled “The Rebbe’s Mikvah,” a poster said the lecture will review “a history of how the Rebbe cared about Mikvahs” – especially the Ritualarium of East Flatbush, the mikvah at 340 E. 52nd Street in Brooklyn.
Zaklikowski’s grandparents Rabbi Chaim Meir and Esther Bukiet, along with Rabbi Michoel and Esther Teitelbaum, and Rabbi JJ Hecht OBM and his wife Rebbetzin Chava Hecht, have cared for the Mikvah over the years.
As exclusively reported on COLlive.com, the Oholei Torah boys school in Crown Heights has recently hired a real estate broker to sell off the Mikvah and its property.
Local residents and many Lubavitcher chassidim have spoken out against the attempted sale of the only Mikvah in the neighborhood in which the Jewish community is steadily growing.
The Rabbinic Board of East Flatbush said that several months after Rabbi Teitelbaum passed away in 2005, the board of Oholei Torah transferred the Mikvah “belonging to the Jewish community of East Flatbush to their name.”
East Flatbush rabbis said that efforts were made to meet with Oholei Torah and go to a Din Torah but the school’s Board of Directors decided to go to court.
This past week, after mounting pressure from the public and Rabbi Teitelbaum’s son, Oholei Torah agreed to have the matter tried in a Din Torah.
However, Oholei Torah has still continued in court, forcing the Rabbinic Board to continue to defend the Lis pendens on the property, COLlive.com was told.
“It is with our fervent hope that they will follow through and let the Rabbonim decide what should be done with the communal Mikvah,” the rabbis said. “We hope that this case could be totally removed from court and we do what the Rebbe wants.”
Oholei Torah has not responded to repeated requests for comment on the matter.
RELATED ARTICLES:
+ Oholei Torah Selling Off a Mikvah
+ Rebbetzin Hecht on the Mikva Sale
+ Oholei Torah Vs. Rabbi Teitelbaum
As a parent who suffered at the hands of the board You have expressed what was in my heart and on my tongue
if having the mikvah means even one more woman uses the mikvah who normally wouldn’t – then it is a crime to sell it!!! Are we a bunch of businessmen only interested in the bottom line or True Torah people dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of Our Rebbe?!!!!
People who can sell a mikvah won’t ever – I repeat EVER – consider it within their range if responsibilities to lower the burden on the parent body. In fact, it is evident that this new board feels it is their responsibility to do the opposite. I don’t even think they would deny that.
A board comprised of individuals willing to forgo the potential windfall from the sale of mikvah would be precisely the kind of board who would also show empathy and compassion and consideration to the parents and the unfair burden many of them are forced to carry.
If selling the mikva means that more people can learn Torah, teachers can get paid on time, parents relieved from burdens then it may be a very good thing
This can be sorted out in a peaceful respectful manner & make a kiddush Hashem & kiddush Lubavitch
Lecture FOLLOWING mincha. mincha starts at 8
How VERY WRONG that turned out to be!
So sad. the community is in shambles.
From the outside with a total disregard for tznius, and the use of a faux eruv
to the inside.
Reuven, unfortunately for the Rebbe’s real chassidim, you got it right.
Hashem Yishmor
The residents should investigate R Michals shul and make a new minyan there. If you look into the legal papers it probably can still be used as a shul without paying rent to OT
BS”D what really makes no sense is that they have a 50
million will so what do they need this building for when it can be put to good use as a Mikvah
Unfortunately other communities , Boro Park, Lakewood, Willimasburg, Kiryas Yoel, Bnai Brak has had their share of squabbles as well on property disputes
thank you to everyone for not staying silent about this scam..
oholei torah would have never dared to do such a thing before gimel tamuz..
the community should be ashamed. the boro park Williamsburg and litvish communities are laughing at lubavitch. the owner of the rebbes shul is being decided in court. the kasrus of our community is being decided in court and now a mikvah shame on us.