Ecstatic Jews, a messiah proclaimed, and the consequential divisions
AP/WideWorld
It's like Schneerson never left.
Staci Schwartz
Sara Kanevsky, a woman in ecstasy
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Kanevsky continues walking, buying flowers from an Israeli child. She stops in a Caribbean-owned dry cleaners to pick up a jacket and laments that she is out of the moshiach business cards that she normally carries around. Then she remembers that she gave them all out on the subway earlier in the day. As she passes a group of men, one of them calls out: "Moshiach !"
Kanevsky looks over her shoulder. "See? They believe it, too, but don't show it," she says, almost surprised that someone would keep the greatest thing in the world a secret. Then she smiles. "They know what I represent."
zev miller 05/13/2010 5:18:00 AM
would be better if the voice focused on the issue of slum lanflords and growing gentrification in crown heights brooklyn.
Ilana 10/03/2008 7:32:00 AM
B''H
Mindy has some great, important points. Boruch Hashem (thank G-d) you, at very least, began to describe the true meaning of the Chabad movement, but unfortunately failed to flesh it out. The best way to make your "apology" would be to use your new contacts in Crown Heights to write a supplemental article (a bit less editorial, perhaps) about the real meaning of Chabad-Lubavitch. Chabad has changed my life in the most beautiful way and continues to do so in small and large ways every day. Everyone should read for themselves, from the source of the movement (websites below). May all your prayers be answered.
http://www.meaningfullife.com/
http://www.chabad.org/
Shlomo Moshe Scheinman 09/21/2008 1:37:00 AM
As a supplement to this article readers might wish to read
at http://www.600000men.com/monotheism.htm
Monotheism Vs. The Outlook That Everything is G-d
An Article Against The Attempt To Deify The Rebbe Of Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
written by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman
Attached to this article is the written recommendation of the Chief Rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem, Rabbi Avigdor Neventzal, Shlit"a [Shlit"a being a blessing for longevity and good fortune]
Alan Cabal 09/06/2008 2:44:00 AM
Writing an article about the Lubavitchers without mentioning their core belief that only Jews are truly human is like writing an article describing the Ku Klux Klan as a Christian fraternal order.
Janice Phillips 09/01/2008 6:15:00 PM
I guess it's nice to know that Christians in this country don't hold the monopoly in religious lunacy.
Mindy 08/31/2008 3:26:00 PM
I agree with Yitz. This is pure sensationalism. Why would you write an article about an obvious misfit and have her representing Chabad? Because a story about mainstream Chabad wouldn't bring you the attention, and make us all look like nuts? Why don't you write about the amazing outreach work that Chabad does all around the world instead?!
According to your article, Chabadniks seem to fall into two camps - those who believe the Rebbe is walking around in 770 physically, and those who deny that he is Moshiach. This is so far from the truth! I would say most Lubavitchers are very much in the center, and just want peace. There are a few nut cases -- on both sides. They should be ignored. Would you write about an insane neighbor as proof that everyone in YOUR neighborhood is nuts?
According to the Talmud, every Jew should believe that his rabbi is the potential Moshiach. In this sense, probably at least 90 something percent of Chabadniks do believe in the Rebbe as the potential Moshiach. And according to Rabbi Soloveichik, this is NOT against normative Judaism. Some announce their belief, some are quiet, and some are afraid of people like you, and deny it.
The crazies are absolutely NOT "the reason there are Chabad houses in Laos and Bangkok and South Africa." Chabad shluchim (emissaries) live lives of great self-sacrifice around the world, because of their dedication to the Rebbe, and because of their great love of fellow Jews. Often their work extends to helping non-Jews as well, for example the many Friendship Circles, anti-drug programs, disaster relief, humanitarian aid programs, and more.
Shame on you for your gross distortion of the truth! Jews will soon be approaching Rosh Hashana, the new year, when we will be judged. Everyone faces a day of reckoning -- including self-hating Jews like yourself! You owe a big public apology to a community that not only did not harm you, but made the mistake of welcoming you. You repaid kindness with dirt.
Yitz 08/29/2008 8:46:00 PM
Why would you write a story about 1 nutcase involved in a 14 year old issue?
It�s not news. The article is not accurate. Very poor journalism.
David Berger 08/29/2008 7:30:00 PM
This article is in my view very well done, and the quotations in my name are generally accurate. I do have two corrections:
1. I indeed think that the believers in the Rebbe's physical survival are a minority, but the number appears to be increasing; I would not use the term "small fraction" to characterize them.
2. I am quoted as saying the following: "Judaism says that in every generation, there is a righteous person that connects the world to the divine energy. If there is no leader, the world would actually cease to exist."
I said this about Lubavitch hasidism, not about Judaism as a whole.
Ben Westhoff 08/29/2008 12:11:00 AM
This is excellent!
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