Chabad Hurricane Relief #3

Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin of Chabad's Jewish Hurricane Relief was just on Fox News. I only caught the last 2/3 of the interview, but two things seemed clear:

1. Rabbi Rivkin did not specify that Chabad's relief and rescue was directed only to Jews.
2. He did not directly claim it was nonsectarian and meant for non-Jews as well.

A quick check of Chabad's Hurricane website finds the following modified page:

We appeal to you to recognize the scope of this disaster and open your heart — and extend a very giving and benevolent hand — to help alleviate the suffering of many thousands of our brothers and sisters. …

Gulf Coast in Crisis

The devastation wrought by the force and fury of Hurricane Katrina, and its brutal aftermath, is too horrific for words. Even the shocking images being shown on TV do not adequately convey the true scope of suffering in the wake of this tragedy; the worst natural disaster in United States history.

The loss of life has only begun to be tallied; the awful toll rising by the hour. Pockets of survivors – barely hanging on for dear life – are still being plucked from jutting rooftops and from the thick of increasingly putrid and toxic flood waters.

Most of those who were lucky enough to evacuate or be rescued have done so with little more than barest of provisions, if not nothing more than the shirts on their backs. The numbers of people who are now displaced — without food, clothing, basic necessities and a place to rest their shock-weary bodies — are staggering. They are homeless, jobless and, a great many of them, penniless and directionless. Within a span of 48 hours, they have seen their lives turned completely upside down — left in shambles. For most of these people, everything they have worked for has been engulfed, submerged, decimated, burned or even looted and pillaged.

Among the victims are singles and families; healthy and infirmed; young and old from literally all walks of life. This calamity has recognized no distinctions. It has cast hundreds of thousands into crisis and despair, and, in many cases, to total dependency upon the goodwill of others.

Jewish Community in Dire Need

Among those victimized and displaced are some 12,000 Jews from the city of New Orleans, as well as Jewish inhabitants from cities and parishes in neighboring Mississippi and Alabama.

This is a time wherein the government alone simply cannot be relied upon to address the pain and very specific needs of our fellow. This is where people of compassion and conscience must step forward and be there for those who are in desperate need of help.

As outlined on this website, Chabad of New Orleans – in conjunction with Chabad centers across the United States – is coordinating massive relief efforts on numerous fronts. We are helping victims with just about whatever their needs may be, but above all, we are doing so in a manner that preserves dignity, instills hope and engenders a spirit of perseverance.

The outpouring of support we have received thus-far has been most encouraging, but not nearly enough to address a crisis of this magnitude. Our efforts urgently require immediate, major and broad-based support from throughout the global Jewish community.

None of us should ever have to encounter such heartbreak and despair in our lives; however, it is imperative to know that when something like this does strike, we are indeed there for each other — caring, feeling and helping in a very real way.

In other words, the relief and rescue Chabad provides is sectarian and it always was intended to be so. But, even so, as pointed out first here, Chabad raised money for almost two weeks claiming to be doing so for nonsectarian relief. This was a coordinated effort to deceive the public, an effort directly run out of Chabad's world headquarters in Brooklyn under the direction of its head of operations Rabbi Yehudah Krinsky. And that speaks volumes about Chabad's honesty and its trustworthiness.

Comments

[Harbona]

pacmen in black !
only those are for real & they bag cash $$$ only !

[Zoe Strickman]

I think it is great what they are doing. I am proud to identify myself as one of them. -Zoe

[adam]

The definition of sectarian, ladies and gentlemen: not restricted to one sect or school or party, it does not state not restricted to one norm, value, or mindset, etc. IN FACT: the legal definition VARIES BY STATE. Thus a charter school can be considered nonsectarian even if it teaches particular morays, and in some states the definition is even more broad.

IN FACT: nonreligious AND nonsectarian have separate legal definitions. Meaning that as long as Chabad rescues people or property not owned by the Lubavitch Headquaters, then they ARE NOT FRAUDULENT.

ADDITIONALLY: No Chabad rescuer would not rescue a non-Jew in need...if they came upon another person in need they would help them, you are assuming that these people ahve unlimited power and are mighty enough to rescue everyone. Also the sectarian aspect DOES NOT apply to whom they look for, but on who is rescued, for they are asking for money to rescue people, feloow Jews, etc. As long as other Jews are in the classification of people in general of needing rescuing than Chabad is doing what they said they would.

While still receiving funds that they use, if Chabad workers stopped searching and helping out because they thought they got all the Jews they could and didn't care about anyone else then you would have an argument, BUT this is not the case.

Chabad workers would be fraudulent only if they took donated money to protect and save only Chabad property and/or people, which is NOT the case either.

As to the halacha, I don't know, but as I said earlier you rescue what you can, the Torahs were where the rescuers were. YOU HAVE NEVER RESCUED ANYTHING and don't understand, before you try to criticize realize that there are certain limitations in rescue efforts and as long as you keep working with what you have and progress, then it's worthwhile to fund.

Also you heavily criticize Chabad but an underlying theme of all you say is that you believe Chabad has the ability to do so many wonderful things that you believe they are not, so do you trust in the Chabad system? Please instead of fighting, try to work inside the organization to get them to focus on what you want, becuase you obviously think they can help in Ethiopia, New Orleans, wherever...

Or do you resist because as Groucho Marx said: "I shall not be a part of any group that would have me as a member."

[adam]

The definition of sectarian, ladies and gentlemen: not restricted to one sect or school or party, it does not state not restricted to one norm, value, or mindset, etc. IN FACT: the legal definition VARIES BY STATE. Thus a charter school can be considered nonsectarian even if it teaches particular morays, and in some states the definition is even more broad.

IN FACT: nonreligious AND nonsectarian have separate legal definitions. Meaning that as long as Chabad rescues people or property not owned by the Lubavitch Headquaters, then they ARE NOT FRAUDULENT.

ADDITIONALLY: No Chabad rescuer would not rescue a non-Jew in need...if they came upon another person in need they would help them, you are assuming that these people ahve unlimited power and are mighty enough to rescue everyone. Also the sectarian aspect DOES NOT apply to whom they look for, but on who is rescued, for they are asking for money to rescue people, feloow Jews, etc. As long as other Jews are in the classification of people in general of needing rescuing than Chabad is doing what they said they would.

While still receiving funds that they use, if Chabad workers stopped searching and helping out because they thought they got all the Jews they could and didn't care about anyone else then you would have an argument, BUT this is not the case.

Chabad workers would be fraudulent only if they took donated money to protect and save only Chabad property and/or people, which is NOT the case either.

As to the halacha, I don't know, but as I said earlier you rescue what you can, the Torahs were where the rescuers were. YOU HAVE NEVER RESCUED ANYTHING and don't understand, before you try to criticize realize that there are certain limitations in rescue efforts and as long as you keep working with what you have and progress, then it's worthwhile to fund.

Also you heavily criticize Chabad but an underlying theme of all you say is that you believe Chabad has the ability to do so many wonderful things that you believe they are not, so do you trust in the Chabad system? Please instead of fighting, try to work inside the organization to get them to focus on what you want, becuase you obviously think they can help in Ethiopia, New Orleans, wherever...

Or do you resist because as Groucho Marx said: "I shall not be a part of any group that would have me as a member."

[adam]

The definition of sectarian, ladies and gentlemen: not restricted to one sect or school or party, it does not state not restricted to one norm, value, or mindset, etc. IN FACT: the legal definition VARIES BY STATE. Thus a charter school can be considered nonsectarian even if it teaches particular morays, and in some states the definition is even more broad.

IN FACT: nonreligious AND nonsectarian have separate legal definitions. Meaning that as long as Chabad rescues people or property not owned by the Lubavitch Headquaters, then they ARE NOT FRAUDULENT.

ADDITIONALLY: No Chabad rescuer would not rescue a non-Jew in need...if they came upon another person in need they would help them, you are assuming that these people ahve unlimited power and are mighty enough to rescue everyone. Also the sectarian aspect DOES NOT apply to whom they look for, but on who is rescued, for they are asking for money to rescue people, feloow Jews, etc. As long as other Jews are in the classification of people in general of needing rescuing than Chabad is doing what they said they would.

While still receiving funds that they use, if Chabad workers stopped searching and helping out because they thought they got all the Jews they could and didn't care about anyone else then you would have an argument, BUT this is not the case.

Chabad workers would be fraudulent only if they took donated money to protect and save only Chabad property and/or people, which is NOT the case either.

As to the halacha, I don't know, but as I said earlier you rescue what you can, the Torahs were where the rescuers were. YOU HAVE NEVER RESCUED ANYTHING and don't understand, before you try to criticize realize that there are certain limitations in rescue efforts and as long as you keep working with what you have and progress, then it's worthwhile to fund.

Also you heavily criticize Chabad but an underlying theme of all you say is that you believe Chabad has the ability to do so many wonderful things that you believe they are not, so do you trust in the Chabad system? Please instead of fighting, try to work inside the organization to get them to focus on what you want, becuase you obviously think they can help in Ethiopia, New Orleans, wherever...

Or do you resist because as Groucho Marx said: "I shall not be a part of any group that would have me as a member."

[Shmarya]

"… Meaning that as long as Chabad rescues people or property not owned by the Lubavitch Headquaters, then they ARE NOT FRAUDULENT."

Not true. Helping only Jews but soliciting funds to help for all victims is fraud. I hope Chabad gets the opportunity to try your rather creative defense in a court of law.

"As to the halacha, I don't know, but as I said earlier you rescue what you can, the Torahs were where the rescuers were."

So were non-Jewish victims.

"While still receiving funds that they use, if Chabad workers stopped searching and helping out because they thought they got all the Jews they could and didn't care about anyone else then you would have an argument, BUT this is not the case."

This is exactly what Chabad did.

[anonymous]

Here is a new interesting story from the NY Post

SEX SUIT AT YESHIVA U.

By DENISE BUFFA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 12, 2005 -- A worker at Yeshiva University has sued the school and her former boss for $15 million in damages, saying she was repeatedly asked for sexual favors in exchange for better work conditions, court papers show.
Mellissa Lisbon is the fourth woman — all housekeepers — to file such a suit against the university and their supervisor, Steven Frucht, who has since been fired from his job, their lawyer, Joseph Marra told The Post.

Frucht would threaten their jobs if they refused to perform sexual acts for him, by saying, for example, "You want your job? . . . You gotta give me a...
(it continues on, I dont have a login)

[Rebtsvi]

On a day when Arabs danced around burning shuls, I recall post after post against Chabad for protesting against the withdrawl from Sinai.

But you readers will note forever that you didn't have a single word to say against the Arabs who desecrated these shuls.

Shame on you.

Your venom is saved for wrong people.

[Herman Douchebag]

Rebtsvio:

Unlike Moslems we Jews do not deify buildings-with a couple of exceptions-The arabs actions is definitely rude but more than that its pretty stupid-They are stuck in the large Gaza Zoo with no water, no industry and what do they do destroy the bulkings and greenhosues that they could use. I am glad Israel is out and that they secular young Jewish men who rsiked and gave thier lives to protect relgious fanatics no longer have to risk them. Israel can be proud of General Halutz who would have been the bodeyman if there had been a disaster but he and the army did a good job.

[rebeljew]

Herman

How would the headlines have read if Israel had burned down abandoned mosques? War crimes? Declaration of War on Arab world? Would YOU have said that it was just frustration?

http://rebeljew.blogspot.com/2005/09/burning-synagogues.html

[Rebtsvi]

The issue is that Shmarya is still silent on this.

Maybe one day we'll read his unpublished answer in Kfar Chabad.

[Hyami]

Herman Fucken Douchebag,

Again, styop setting the Jewish policy. Your agenda and Torah true policies are not to be comparable. Your audacious chutzpa to speak time after time about Jewish policies will never be regarded bgy Jews in any way. If you suggested to hitler some advice, I'm sure he'd accpet it, just as shmarya does. But us Jews, no we won't accept no crap from your anti semitic sentiments. Go to hell, where you well belong.

Oh , them , the arabs , yeah yeah yeah , we have heard it all ;
they are bad we are good
they are uncivilised , they have no respect , as to us surprise !!!!!
it seems we are not any better !
our own statistics indicate :
15/09/2005
Saying what is truly sacred
By Nehemia Strasler
..... But the fact is that out of 140 mosques abandoned in 1948, 100 have been completely destroyed and 40 are either in an advanced state of deterioration or serve as stores, warehouses or garages.
Not only we are not any better, we started first it seems !

Oh , them , the arabs , yeah yeah yeah , we have heard it all ;
they are bad we are good
they are uncivilised , they have no respect , as to us surprise !!!!!
it seems we are not any better !
our own statistics indicate :
15/09/2005
Saying what is truly sacred
By Nehemia Strasler
..... But the fact is that out of 140 mosques abandoned in 1948, 100 have been completely destroyed and 40 are either in an advanced state of deterioration or serve as stores, warehouses or garages.
Not only we are not any better, we started first it seems !

[Herman Douchebag]

Hyami-My mother was a Jew and so was her mother and further back. I am a Jew. I jut don't believe in your 18th centruy dress, belief in myths and your general schnoring of the securlar jewish community. Maybe I could get you a job as a mohel.

And where does it say in theTalmud that it is acceptable to call another jew "fucking."