By Levi Zalmanovitch
Last Thursday night, the scene outside 770 was chaotic and painful to watch. A Palestinian protest was staged, and in response, over a thousand members of our community showed up to counter-protest. The streets were packed. Police clashed with Lubavitcher residents and bochurim. Bad-looking videos are still circulating online, showing scenes that don’t represent who we are or what Chabad is about.
And now, another protest is scheduled for tomorrow night — maybe on an even bigger scale.
Just a quick message:
Stay home. Don’t go.
This is not about fear. It’s about making the smart choice.
This is not about surrender. It’s about being wise in the face of provocation.
The protesters want a reaction. They want angry videos. They want to create a spectacle. We’re better than that.
We are Chassidim. Our strength lies in our focus, our dignity, and our ability to rise above these distractions.
The Rebbe taught us how to respond to darkness: add light.
Not by yelling louder, not by pushing back in the streets — but by standing strong in who we are, with peace, with inner strength, and with real Jewish pride.
If you truly want to do something powerful —
Say a Kapitel Tehillim.
Learn a sicha.
Add a mitzvah.
Reach out to another Yid with warmth.
Our job is not to react to noise and chaos. Our job is to bring Moshiach through goodness and light.
That’s real strength. That’s real Chabad.
Instead of reacting to the noise outside, let’s do what we need to do. We know what that is — and that’s how we’ll make a real impact.
But here’s another important part:
If you are feeling restless, if you’re feeling the need to scream back, the need to show them a response – to counter protest. Please remember that Lubavitch isn’t a free for all, and what one person does in CH isn’t personal, but rather reflects Chabad-Lubavitch as a whole.
Stay safe. Stay strong. Stay Lubavitch.
People get carried away at these protests and do things impulsively without thinking of those actions are beneficial.
Why is there so much antisemitism here and abroad???
If one’s life is in danger, they must fight to defend themselves. But the entire purpose of a protest is to get a reaction. If they don’t get a reaction, the protest failed.
You’re right! So apropos especially since it was just כ״ח ניסן.
Just a little more light. You never know, you’re small act of goodness can be the catalyst to bring משיח.
May it happen before this protest
Omein Omein!!!
The only valid video of the protest was the pesukim being said. They looked so confused. And it was so beautiful
Thanks for posting!!
Imperative that the Hanhalas HaYeshivos have all the Bachurim remain in the Beis Hamidrash!
Let the fighting begin brothers show em what we got ya feel me ??!
Then they will come back the next day and again and again…they want to stop you from living your life
Ok weak. Jews must fight back. Enough! They will respect us if we show strength. The other methods have not works for the past 2000 years.
The pro-terror people didn’t come to fight you. They came to make their voices heard. If you come out to fight them, they succeed in their goal. You are their megaphone.
That’s not a smart move, it will make it worse. We have a lot of anger and want justice. But that’s not the way. We will get our sweet revenge very soon be”h
The best revenge we could do at the moment is keeping the generations going and keeping torah and mitzvot.
And best is to ignore them, that will anger them. Going down to their level and reacting is exactly giving them what they want.
Take that rage and do something good, positive with that. Good luck
If you stare at a dog, it will get aggressive.
I’m a dog trainer. The dog will only get aggressive if you look away. If you stare it down, though, it will back down, tuck tail, and run.
Worse!
Strength, but not going down to their stinky level
The same thing happened by the crown heights riots. What did we do? Did we fight? Did we overpower? Yes!!! And that’s how we won the war!
This is a war. We have to show them in their language, otherwise it’ll repeat. This is a TOTALY UNACCEPTABLE way of dealing with them. ARE WE GOING TO STAND LIKE SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED?! NO!! we must show up and show them who we truly are!
Who exactly do you think we truly are?
You are not going to make them vanish so they are just going to come back again and again so the only thing you will do in your lives is fight with no end in sight.
They don’t care because they have nothing else to do with their lives. But you do.
By “who we truly are” do you mean to lower yourself to their playing board?
Don’t take the bait
There is nothing to gain by going, the best weapon against them is them showing up to empty streets, they want reactions, with no one for them to scream at they will feel like they are wasting their time. They will be disappointed and leave.
They are a bunch of wimps making noise. We won’t go down to their stupid level.
Then do as someone suggested. Go and say the 12 Pessukin, say Tehillim loud, recite Shfoch Chamoscha….Don’t even look at them. Besides of the Tumah and evil they represent, when you overall ignore someone who’s calling you names, they feel like an idiot and usually don’t want to come back. Interaction with them is feeding straight into their plan.
You’re giving them exactly what they want! In this situation the best is to ignore, that’s what’s going to upset them. Showing up and going down to their level is what they are hoping for! If they see no one, they’ll feel stupid and angry.
Channel your anger and do something good with it.
First of all this is NOT a WAR! Second the NYPD will be there to keep order and keep the protesters at a distance. If you come out and bring others with you, you are creating more animosity and more reason for the protesters to engage in violence. Unfortunately there has been miscommunication among our neighbors for years on both sides, however because some, majority outsiders plan to come out and protest doesn’t mean we have to get on this level and certainly not screaming hateful statements or violence. This is what NYPD is for and if you see them… Read more »
Why should they fight for Palestine while we don’t fight for Shleimus Ha’aretz? We must go to their cities and protest. I think that’s the only way it’ll work. We know how much the Rebbe fought for this.
If you’re basing your decisions on the Rebbe’s fight, why not fight like the Rebbe fought?
[Hint: the Rebbe never ended a shleimus haaretz sicha with: ‘Now go protest in arab cities.’]
עת מלחמה ועת שלום.
Staying home and learning didnt help the Jews of Europe before the shoah.
When they are waging war against you, you fight.
When they are protesting against you, don’t show up and amplify their voice.
ודי למבין
Thank you for what you said, and you brought it out so clearly
The Mayor would do well to prevent this – don’t give them permission to riot. If he does, the Phalustinians will regret it. We are not weak shtettel Jews, and just like our brothers and sisters in Israel, we will not back down.
Ignoring *violence* is indeed weakness.
But who said ignoring a bunch of screeching bums is weakness?
Maybe it’s a tremendous display of strength?
The ability to control oneself and not amplify the protests.
Who exactly do you think we truly are?
Did you ever sit down for a moment to think about the bigger picture to see if what your suggesting is the proper and most effective way to respond? And if you did, how did you arrive at that conclusion?
This article is indeed the only logical response. You don’t fight a protest by amplifying their message. That’s counter intuitive.
Out loud
That will send them running.
Let’s not give them what they want – they want us to be provoked.
Stay home and ignore
But if we do go out and be there – respond with LIGHT! Pesukim, singing, music, NO fighting and shouting (and definitely not at the nypd) . Unless of course chas veshalom you are physically harmed, you should defend yourself – safety comes first.
Stay home
Or
Go and make a positive impact by banding together, positive jewish enegery, but ready to defend ourselves if need be.
Learning a sicha is great but when there are people calling for the death of our brothers and sisters u gotta stand up close the sicha and knock the wind outta these terrorist monsters then u go right back to learning a sicha
If you’re not there then no one heard the call and it failed.
If you do go, you amplify the call for death and make it worthwhile.
The easiest way to deal with this is get a bunch of ICE costumes on Amazon and they’ll be out of our neighborhood in no time
המתאבק עם מנוול מתנוול גם כן״ הוא לשון ידוע שחוזרים בשם התניא (פרק כח).
Loosely translated: He who wrestles with a scoundrel is also a scoundrel” is a well-known phrase that is repeated in the name of the Tanya (chapter 28).
Straight into the gas chambers as proud rule followers listening to Authority like good members of society I for one am not willing to do that yaakov avinu when he needed to defend himself against his own twin brother he brought a big army to fight yes we have to add in torah and mitsvos but when there are people calling for the murder of our brothers and sisters THAT IS NOT the time to learn a sicha that is the time to gather arm and fight
If someone is trying to kill you, kill him first.
If someone is calling for your death, make sure no one hears the call – by not amplifying it with your presence.
I love what this article says. These are words of wisdom. Stay home, do mitzvot, and do acts of goodness and kindness to bring Moshiach instead of fight with idiots.
They’re threatening violence and they need to see we’re not afraid and we WILL HOLD OUR GROUND
If no one shows up, no one will hear the threats, and the protest will have been for naught.
1991 was proof we need to stand up for ourselves. We do not hide at home. We do not rely on police. Use your brains.
This is a public safety issue not politics.
Do you really think there will be more Jews hurt by staying home than by attending this?
Imagine their reaction when they come here Expecting to get a lot of attention and to aggravate people but when they arrive the streets are empty and they have no one to give them the attention that they so desperately want
Completely true. The entire protest will have been for naught.
If we show up we hand them their victory, if we stay home we hand in a defeat.
7 Mitzva cards in Arabic
Teach them to act like human being
On Beis Iyar we should respond how the R’ Maharash taught us. When faced with a nisayon don’t engage with it – disregard it- and move forward. When Avraham Avinu was on his way to akeidas yitchok he encountered a river In his way- he forged ahead and the river disappeared.
We must do the same
Carry on as if they are not here
& the klipa of this nisayon will disappear!
May the koach of all our good actions bring the ultimate good – Moshiach!
My first reaction was show them they don’t come to here with their idiotic chants , let’s show them. Now I’m thinking the best thing is to completely ignore them nd they won’t come back.
They are coming back bc we reacted .
Last Thursday was a disgrace to our community. While it’s to great to see Yiden standing up for Yiden, it’s inexcusable to attack defensive people. We need to be real about the growing violence stemming from a certain segment of our community.
Will all due respect this article sounds like a cop out. We have been silent for long enough and for once we made a statement that we will not tolerate it anymore. We can’t back down at this point. We should fill the streets and make out presence known. Of course we should NOT act violently but we need to show the world that we won’t be intimidated but their threat of violence. We should stand strong, proud, loud but peacefully.
If you’re not there to witness the protest, then they’re voices have gone unheard.
Some yidden at the yam suf also said let’s daven and let’s learn.
לכל זמן ועת
Show that we are weak or show that we are not gettho jews
Same 4 opinions at yam suf
Jump into sea
Fight back
Return to Egypt
Pray
Every thing has its time. During riots in crown Hights the rebbe told us to complain to the government for protection Ie Hakol Kol Yaakov- vhayodayim yidai eusov
Is that what they did at the yam suf? Or did they just move in through the sea to receive the Torah?
Don’t fall into the trap. If 999 of us act correctly and 1 acts poorly that 1 will make the headlines and make us all look bad.
By saying don’t go, don’t counter protest, don’t show your voice than you are playing directly into their game of fear mongering. You can protest in large numbers peacefully don’t get agitated and provoked. Show up in a large numbers and do it correctly as one voice, one people!
This idea of staying away sounds like a request coming from politicians not someone who represents the true chossid!
They want to be heard. They want headlines.
You show up – they are heard.
You don’t show up – no one even knows the protest happened.
But unrealistic. Have you seen the Tzfati bochurim?
They should have absolutely NO RIGHT to disrupt/disturbed ANY community. The democrats are the source of all hatred, problems, destruction
Hold them fully countable
Yesss really sad to watch police target the jews
Ignore and they’ll go away. No response to them is the best punch. They are nothing. And they’ll find somewhere else to go.
Rabbis, mashpiim, leaders
We need your voice!!!!
What is our response to this kind of threat?
Is it a real threat or do we have a plan from the police?
Do we stay home or do we come and tease our aggressors?
What is the proper conduct of a Jew in self defence?
I’m still shocked that no one condemned the bochurim yelling Mavet Laaravim
We need leaders … if you are a leader please step up
When the Palestinians capture the streets, they are victorious. When you huddle at home, in order “not to make a chillul Hashem,” you give control of the streets, which is exactly what they want. They win. They have to be made to understand that the streets in our neighborhood belong to us and they are not welcome to come and disturb us, and if they do, they will pay a price that they will long remember.
They are victorious when everyone heard and watched the protest. If no one is there, they get no attention, and the protest was pointless.
השכם והערב עליהם בבית המדרש והם כלים מאליהם
There should be a giant poster of Sheva Mitzvos hanging from 770, similar to the one with the 12 Pesukim that hangs on Lag B’omer.
We should shut down eastern parkway with a massive gathering of Torah tefila tzedaka abd Rebbe videos.
I disagree. We can show up with our trying to interact or make noise. We have to show up this is crucial for our nation as a whole not only what Chabad will be looked at or represented as. Especially when there is satmer people showing up to the opposing side it’s really sad that they don’t understand kedushas harerz. Anyhow staying home might not give them the reaction they are looking for though it will give them an idea of where and how we stand. Think about a bully although true that when you disingage with them you expect… Read more »
I guess Israel should also
Not fight back European Jewry also didn’t fight back Let’s all
Walk quietly to the cemetery We need to be proud and we need to make a stand against these scumbags who would slaughter us if they could but can’t.
Defending our rights and not being scared is not wrong Staying home and letting Jews outside get attacked is wrong
It’s a mitzva to defend Jewish life
But the way we’ve been embarrasing ourselves is not neccesary
Does one white woke woman need a mob of jewish men wearing hats and jackets pulling her hair and screaming death chants as the plice escort her away? once the police took her away the threat was over, and yet we abandoned our jewish values and jeered on, knocking garbagge cans at her and screamind profanities. where do you draw the line. this is not self defense
Absolutely. Israel should not fight protests. Israel could ignore hateful things that people screech. Israel fights for safety and protection. Not because their dignity was harmed by some screeching bums.
Flood the street with the Rebbe’s sichos and music. I can hear the music in my house when the rallies are taking place – why not when they are protesting? Also, some wealthy lowlife is funding their protest, are there wealthy “activists” who are helping us? I would also say, that if they are coming to our border, even “al kash v’teven” , we must do all we can to protect our community from these “cossacks”. How much more so, when we know that they are not “peaceful”. Have we not learned the lesson of the pogrom riots?
Why was Gvir allowed in 770 in the first place? Was he invited? Didn’t CH suspect there would be a protest? What happened yesterday is the fault of the leaders of CH. I watched the videos and I was disappointed to watch Lubavitchers provoking the protestors. So who is really to blame here.
It makes me sick sick sick. I miss the days where we had pride and dignity.
This is not the first time that we have had instigators come to our community, looking for trouble (r”l). The police KNOW better and they know how to keep rioters away from 770. Where were the barricades? Why were they allowed to be so close to our community? Last week’s riot was intolerable and I hold the police accountable. If at this protest, the police do not do their job, WE should have our own protest to remove the entire leadership of this precinct! (and also have a serious discussion with our own “vaad”) Let the police know that they are… Read more »
In the past, the police made them hold their protests away from 770 (at the museum etc). Why are they allowed to come right to our doorstep? Is there no legal way to get an injunction to stop them from coming here?
If no one shows up they feel like losers and get attention. Just ignore them
Here’s an idea. Have Devora Halberstam who’s son was killed by a terrorist lead a Jewish Pride rally. The rally stops at Bedford and Eastern Pkwy. These hooligans are protesting at Barclay’s and are going to grand army plaza, that’s over a 1/2 mile of space between the two groups. If they advance from Grand Army Plaza to Bedford there will be blood in the streets. The NYPD will be aware of this beforehand and will make sure there is zero interaction between the 2 groups. Jewish Crown Heights will remain safe.
Let them scream…to no one.
Our presence is what they want
Ignore
Showing up and engaging is what they want, and will not help us in any way.
And If we engage , police and media can easily portray us falsely.
Just ignore. If they were coming for war, then obviously we need to fight back but they’re just coming to scream so turn a deaf ear.