11 Reserve the Date: ELECTIONS -SSUNDAY, 2 IYAR, APRIL 30 VAAD HAKOHOL OF CROWN HEIGHTS What did the Rebbe mean when he said; “This is not Russia!”? () When the Vaad Hakohol announced that elections will be held for addi- tional Rabbomim we made it very clear that these elections will be open, honest and transparent. As the Rebbe said very clearly, “This is not Russia.” What worked in Russia will not work here in a democratic and open society. This means anyone is free to recommend qualified candidates for the Beis Din. It means legitimate elections that offer the voters real choices, not “yes or no” on a single unopposed candidate. It means engaging objective outside monitors to supervise the entire election process so that no one should have any doubts regarding the elections outcome. It means involving netzigim from a range of local shuls to act as observers and make sure nothing underhanded takes place. Reserve the Date: ELECTIONS -SSUNDAY, 2 IYAR, APRIL 30 22 Unfortunately the last election in 5763 failed to conform to even minimal standards of democratic process. To begin with, there was only a single candidate. This was the sort of practice the Rebbe was referring to as “This is not Russia!” Furthermore, the Vaad Hakohol at that time – with the signatures of Yaakov Herzog, Nochum Gross and Chanina Sperlin – wrote in their announcement of 9 Marcheshvon 5763 as follows: “...The Rebbe has instructed us that the appointment of Rabbonim should be through the participation of the entire Kehillah* by public mandate, therefore with the consent of Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba Shlita, we would like to inform you tht G-d willing elections will take place Sunday 21 of Marcheshvon 5763… “At this time you will have an opportunity to elect … Rabbi Yaakov Schwei, who currently is assisting the B”D in its many duties and is willing to serve as a full time Rov and Member of the B”D as necessary. “In addition to the above we are informing you, in the name of Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba* Shlita, that Rabbi Yitzchok Raitport Shlita and Rabbi Shlomo Segal Shlita, will be serving as additional Dayonim in Dinei Torah, and will assist the B”D as necessary.” The letter from the Vaad Hakohol contained an addendum from Rav Osdoba which stated his approval of the election predicated on the ful- fillment of the following criteria: 1. Elections for Rabbonim of the Bada”tz to be mandated by a majority of the public vote. 2. (Rav Osdoba’s) appointment of the above mentioned Rabbonim (Rav Raitport and Rav Segal) to serve in conjunction with the Bada’tz for Dinei Torah and other necessary matters. * emphasis is ours 3 Reserve the Date: ELECTIONS -SSUNDAY, 2 IYAR, APRIL 30 Thus, as was made clear by the communique issued in 5763 by Messrs. Herzog, Gross and Sperlin, an election could only take place subject to the participation of Rav Raitport and Rav Segal serving “in conjunction with the Bada’tz for Dinei Torah and other necessary matters.” Hence there is no basis for questioning either Rov’s legitimacy. Unfortunately when Rav Segal was asked to give the B”D more time as Dayan, he was called a “minui chodosh” (a new appointee) by Rav Schwei who then summoned Rav Segal to a Din Torah in order to deny his legit- imacy. This, despite the fact that Rav Schwei’s election as Rav was premised on Rav Segal’s and Rabbi Raitport, active presence. Hence there is no justification or legitimacy for any Din Torah that questions Rav Segal’s role in the Beis Din, since Rav Schwei’s status as Rav is conditional on Rav Segal’s status. It is sad and unfortunate that the very individuals who set the above-men- tioned ground rules for the last elections are now engaged in efforts to undermine their own directives. One can only wonder why they have secretly highjacked the Executive Board of the Netzigim and are resort- ing to underhanded tactics; communiqués that are replete with falsehood, innuendo and disinformation; and hazmonos to frivolous dinei Torah, It is especially unfortunate that pressure is being applied to askonim on the elected Vaad Hakohol to submit themselves to demands of loyalty to yechidim rather than do what is right and honest. It is frightening, for example, that the Vice Chairman of the Vaad Hakohol, Dr. Tzvi Lang was called by Rabbi Nisen Mangel with whom he learned Torah every morning for 10 years, and asked “Where is your loyalty?” Loyalty tests are precisely what the Rebbe was decrying when he declared;”This is not Russia.” The real question should be “Where is your honesty?” Which is precisely how Dr. Lang responded. The current Vaad Hakohol is the first ever to operate with complete transparency and to work tirelessly to unite and assist all members of the Reserve the Date: ELECTIONS -SSUNDAY, 2 IYAR, APRIL 30 4 Crown Heights community – not just the powerful and the connected, not just shpitz Chabad, not just those who identify or oppose Moshichism. The sums of money distributed funds to almonos and yesom- inm and others who are in need is unprecedented. Everyone is equal. Everyone is loved. Everyone is treated with respect. It is in this spirit of achdus and sholom that we sponsor the forthcoming election. Because this is what our Kehilah needs. 5 Reserve the Date: ELECTIONS -SSUNDAY, 2 IYAR, APRIL 30 VAAD HAKOHOL OF CROWN HEIGHTS From: Moshe Rubashkin / Vad HaKohol To: ANASH Subject: Beis Din Election Countdown – Sunday 2 Iyar, April 30th When a house is on fire, unified action is necessary. Differences must be set aside in order to save the home and rescue its inhabitants. A house that is divided against itself cannot survive. Crown Heights is a house on fire. It is our house on fire. It is a commu- nity divided against itself. And the price we are paying is dear. We are paying the price through the unprecedented number of troubled teenagers who are straying from the derech not because there is no leadership, but because the leadership is divided against itself. We are paying the price through rampant sholom bayis conflicts with in families, between families, among neighbors and friends. We are paying the price by not knowing to whom we must turn for clear, definitive answers to our questions on all issues, both b’ruch niyus and b’gashmiyus. These problems that are eroding the subsoil of our community can be traced directly to the fact that our Beis Din is the primary example of a house divided against itself. Reserve the Date: ELECTIONS -SSUNDAY, 2 IYAR, APRIL 30 6 As things now stand, and as they have stood for nearly half a decade, our address of highest authority is a metaphor for all that is wrong in our midst. If things continue to deteriorate at an increasingly accelerated pace, the future is dim indeed. And we will have only ourselves to blame. The Vaad Hakohol of Crown Heights is hardly perfect. But it remains the only community-wide institution that has been democratically elected to serve the needs of this community and represent all who live here. The Vaad’s mandate is both microscopic and macroscopic. Our job is to address the problems of individuals and families who are in need of acute, immediate help as well as to address the needs of the community as a whole, particularly in times of crisis. Our community is truly in crisis. Our children are hurting. We need answers from our rabbonim and dayanim. And these answers can come only if there is a beis din that is able to deliver majority rulings on the issues that are critical to living a proper chassidish life in the one community which the entire world looks to as an example of chassidus and mesiras nefesh. It is for this reason and this reason only that the Vaad Hakohol, by major- ity opinion, as the duly – and the only – elected body representing the members of the Crown Heights kehillah has taken responsibility for spear- heading an honest election that will augment the current Beis Din. The goal is to have a single Beis Din operating in our commu- nity rather than two Batei Din operating independently of one another under the same roof. We can no longer afford a Beis Din that is divided against itself. The only way to change things is by having a minimum of three, and preferably five, qualified Rabbonim who can achieve consensus either through unanimity or by simple majority. And the only way to create a healthy Beis Din is via duly constituted elec- tions that are monitored from the outset by a qualified, objective third 7 Reserve the Date: ELECTIONS -SSUNDAY, 2 IYAR, APRIL 30 party that has no vested interest in the final result. Anything less would not be an election. It would be gerrymandering by self-serving special interest groups. We are pleased to report that an announcement will be made shortly of a list of five or more candidates all of whom are accepted and respected throughout the community, and all of whom have worked assiduously under the current and former Rabbonim including Rav Marlowe zt”l, Rav Heller, Rav Osdoba and Rav Schwei. To oppose an effort that is as clear, idealistic and logical as this election defies explanation. There can be no positive justification for attempting to undermine such an initiative. Indeed, to do so is to undermine the entire community by placing personal political agendas ahead of the com- munity’s needs.