New Voices Explores the Dark Corners of the Chabad House

On college campuses across the country, a Shabbat dinner at the Chabad House is as much a ritual of Jewish student life as an ice cream social at the Hillel. As of this fall, emissaries of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement have set up Chabad Houses at nearly 100 colleges and universities. In this issue, we take a long, hard look at these shluchim, and at the ultra-Orthodox movement that has become central to the Jewish lives of thousands of college students.

Inspired by the teachings of Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the group's spiritual leader from 1951 until his death in 1994, Chabad has embarked upon a worldwide crusade to make Jews more Jewish. Students praise Chabad rabbis for their warmth, the heimeshe atmosphere in their homes, and their emphasis on Jewish learning and spiritual growth. Some non-Orthodox Jewish educators encourage students to take advantage of Chabad, hoping that the dark-suited rabbis will instill a love of Judaism that students will carry with them upon graduation.

But Chabad is a controversial movement. The belief in the messianic status of their Rebbe, which persists in portions of the movement even today, has drawn strong condemnation from some in the Orthodox world. Liberal Jewish leaders decry Chabad's belief that the Jewish soul is more sacred than the non-Jewish soul. There is concern over Chabad's politics in Israel and at home.

So, who are these bearded men with their bewigged wives? In the following pages, you will find the story of a Chabad rabbi's struggle with Hillel at Princeton , the story of a Chabad House in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank , and the story of an ex-Chabadnik who fought in Iraq before joining the anti-war movement . We have coverage of the scandal that rocked the world of Kosher meat this summer, an interview with a Reform rabbi about the place of Chabad in the religious life of secular Jews, a critique of non-Orthodox support for Chabad, and an exploration of the contemporary meaning of 770 Eastern Parkway. Plus, book reviews , music reviews , and a comic . Enjoy.

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Focus Focus Focus Leon (69.112.171.xxx) 2008-10-01 18:01:36 Upon reading a few of the articles in the Lubavitch issue, I am a little surprised regarding the paragraph. "But Chabad is a controversial movement. The belief in the messianic status of their Rebbe, which persists in portions of the movement even today, has drawn strong condemnation from some in the Orthodox world. Liberal Jewish leaders decry Chabad's belief that the Jewish soul is more sacred than the non-Jewish soul. There is concern over Chabad's politics in Israel and at home." Controversy is what sells, at least that seems to be the message from most media outlets. however, i feel that when people are spreading controversy, you are only spreading hate. I think that it seems perfect that Rosh Hashanah has just passed and we are already getting our hands dirty. The work that Chabad accomplish on a daily base, is not matched by any other organization, nor has any other organization taken the value of being Jewish as strongly or as important. I am of the firm belief that when a group that offers so much good, when they spread so much goodness, and they are so criticized, it must be out of jealousy. I am not saying that Chabad is perfect, I am not saying that they do not have their own issues to deal with, but so does every group of any denomination. But instead of focusing on their positive aspects which certainly outweigh the negative, New Voices has take the low road. I find it sad and mostly pathetic that as usual, New Voices fits the general media, a group that focuses on Negative feelings instead of inspiring and changing the world for the better, rather you add to the hate and sadness of the world. Congratulations. Reply

Mordechai (76.28.213.xxx) 2008-10-03 09:32:22 Bravo for this stunning piece of journalism. It is about time that someone put the issues out on the table. Chabad is a very generous organization, but it hides more than it gives....which is a lot. It is always disturbing to see Jewish college students, who come to college without any real knowledge of their religion,who suddenly are preaching a holier than thou attitude because the rabbi put tefillin on them. As the most visible and important Jewish leader on my small most pro-Palestinian and Evangelical Christian college campus, I find it tiring to have to erase the negative stereotypes of Jews that was dragged onto my campus by Chabad. People constantly align me with "that Rabbi who hangs out on campus." People equate a messianic Jewish approach to all of the Jews on my campus, and they constantly question my Jewishness because I don't agree with Chabad. Because I tell people I'm a Jew, they begin to pin their complaints about the Chabad-Lubavitch movement on me. No I didn't support Chabad in shipping off child molesting Rabbis to Israel before they faced American prosecution. No I don't support Rubashkin's scandal. No I don't believe the Rebbe was some messianic figure. When I get asked by other Jews on campus why I don't go to every Chabad event, I have to explain to them each time. Why should I have to justify my Jewishness to my fellow Jews? Better yet, the look of horror on students faces when you tell them the general tenets of Chabad. "Wait as a woman I don't get to_________...you must be joking...are you sure? I'm going to ask the rabbi." These shocked individuals go and ask the Rabbi only to end up in a conversation that is off of the point, or is a fictional account of what Chabad dictates. Don't get me wrong, Chabad wouldn't be so bad if they were upfront with students about who they are, why they serve profuse amounts of alcohol in the name of religion, and what they intend students to become. Reply

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