General Assembly 5769, Kfar Chabad

00:00 Speaker 1 For years, holding elections. That’s how it was; to take it up with the Rebbe. It wasn’t with the Rebbe. I don’t remember there being anything from the Rebbe. There was one time when elections were held, and there was a particular case. And the opposite, too. The Rebbe once said something to Rabbi Baruch Kaminsky[?]; he would always repeat it here in shul. He simply didn’t have it. If only there were elections. If only there were elections. In any case, I don’t want to get into that argument right now.

00:21 Speaker 2 It’s no different. I don’t remember what happened.

00:26 Speaker 1 Right now. Right now, today, the situation is bleeding, and we’re sitting here. I don’t want to take advantage of this situation, but everyone, everyone is broken inside by everything that has happened. And when what happened here in Kfar Chabad happened on Tuesday, people spoke about unity, unity, unity, unity. I think about the situation in Kfar Chabad over these past years. Let’s think: I’ve been serving in the rabbinate here for thirty-four, thirty-five years, and I’ve lived here in the Kfar for forty years. I don’t remember five years as quiet as these. Of course there are ordinary issues between people and between neighbors, normal things—but disputes fought through public notices? Think about it: for four or five years, there hasn’t been a single such notice in Kfar Chabad. I’m actually beginning to miss those days. But at my age, sometimes you want something, a bit of action. It stirs things up, and you change. But come on. Why is this happening? Those really were quiet years. I think the committee, too, represented the entire spectrum. There are all kinds of people: Moshiach activists and those who aren’t, farmers and those who aren’t. Whatever you could want. So why do we have today’s situation? With all the internet, all the mudslinging, all the public notices we have today, I don’t think we’ll be able to get it under control. After so much strife, when people start with all kinds of filth, all kinds of ugliness and disrespect—what will happen? What will the world say? Here people are [unclear] at each other. Faults and blemishes? All kinds of things from today and yesterday, from someone’s grandfather and his grandfather’s grandfather. I’ve said before, [unclear] said it: what is machlokes, strife? It starts with a mem. The letter is enclosed, but down at its feet there’s a gap between one foot and the— That’s how strife begins. Then comes a ches. With a ches, the opening is already bigger. After

02:57 Speaker 1 that comes a lamed: they start bringing up someone’s grandfather and his grandfather’s grandfather. Then comes a kuf. The leg of the kuf goes down below, and they start bringing up faults and blemishes on both sides. In any case, given the situation today—and believe me, no one pressured me and no one asked me to do this. There were times when people pressured me: they want elections; they don’t want elections. We had actually planned the general meeting two weeks ago. We had planned it three weeks earlier for last Motzaei Shabbos, but there was also a Chabad gathering here, as well as all the [unclear], and it wasn’t possible to hold it. Then what happened, happened. This comes from me, from how I feel. The Rebbe said—the Rebbe wrote in the last chapter of [unclear], that is, in [unclear]—that all matters of Kfar Chabad are to be conducted according to the instructions of the committee of Agudas Chassidei Chabad. That was stated, as they say, [unclear], once, twice, three times. On the one hand, this is hard for me. On the one hand, it means taking away people’s free elections. But on the other hand, I think it would be right to give Chabad this gift, especially in this situation: to show that Kfar Chabad is a symbol and an example of yielding. And what are we yielding? We’re not talking about—who can rule out some major dispute here today? So you’re saying my side should yield? There’s nothing here. Nothing. Really, nothing. There are young married men who think they want to, and can, do a better job. For one thing, they’re young men; they have energy. Besides that, I think entering the turmoil of elections today would be unhealthy for everyone. Unhealthy for the Kfar, unhealthy for Chabad, and unhealthy for anyone in the world. We saw what happened in Bnei Brak—no, in Elad—when they held elections. What happened in Jerusalem with the [unclear]? To this day, the wounds haven’t healed. But no, I’m not drawing my conclusion from that. Not at all—I’m just giving an example. In practice, though, I think—

04:55 Speaker 1 this is my proposal. I think, G-d forbid, we must not dismiss the leaders of our holy community. We must not detract from them. That is not my intention. But I’m putting forward my proposal, and it seems to me that the community will agree with me. I hope, with Hashem’s will, that we’re going in the right direction and that this will be what the Rebbe wants. G-d forbid, if I had any doubt that I was acting in accordance with the Rebbe’s view right now, believe me, I wouldn’t suggest it at all. But what can I do? The Rebbe placed this responsibility on me. It isn’t always easy, though sometimes it may sound easy. In the rabbinate, a rabbi meets me and asks, “How are things with you?” I tell him, “One day honey, one day onions, one day honey.” But the situation isn’t... We’re looking for smooth relationships. In short, I won’t go on about this. We need smooth relationships, and everyone needs peace wherever they are, especially here among us in Kfar Chabad. So I think it would be a great kiddush Hashem if we leave here with a decision to keep the current committee in place, with the people now serving on it. I think the committee represents everyone, and I haven’t heard complaints that the committee has neglected things. Of course, more can be done. There’s no limit to doing good. But boruch Hashem, it seems to me that those who have worked hard have gotten things done. They help as much as they can, even beyond their strength. I know it’s beyond their strength. Sometimes they spend money with no way to cover it, but afterward Hashem helps and covers it. So I ask the community to help me with this, for everyone to feel the weight of this and approve the existing committee. I ask you: who’s in favor? Who’s in favor? Who’s against? All right,

06:55 Speaker 1 fine.

07:04 Speaker 6 Who’s against? Is there anyone else?

07:08 Speaker 7 Please record that out of the 180 people who came here in Kfar Chabad, one Jew objected, Rabbi Weinfeld. Let that be entered in the minutes. Thank you very much.

07:15 Speaker 6 Which rabbi?

07:16 Speaker 7 We’ve dealt with that.

07:17 Speaker 6 I was told he’s a rabbi.

07:18 Speaker 1 You were told? I’m not speaking to him.

07:20 Speaker 7 We’ve dealt with the matter. If anyone has complaints.

07:22 Speaker 1 May I ask something too, from a distance?

07:24 Speaker 6 No, that’s fine. I think the committee—the committee too.

07:30 Speaker 1 There should be elections that continue the previous committee. I’m not against elections for the previous committee right now.

07:42 Speaker 6 He has a question.

07:43 Speaker 1 I told him.

07:45 Speaker 6 There are twenty against.

07:46 Speaker 1 Ten were against. That’s it. Ten against. No, there weren’t. There was one.

07:56 Speaker 7 All right, I’m against. We’d like to continue the meeting according to the agenda we set. An activity report. An activity report, uh, on the association and what has been done over the past two or five years. Boruch Hashem, construction in the southern Levi Yitzchak neighborhood has been completed, and people have moved in. There are some construction issues, but I think the building committee is handling them properly. In the northern neighborhood, the future residents asked to be allowed to build their homes themselves. There are forty-three lots there, and they asked to build independently, under the “build your own home” model. We gave them that option. As of today, fourteen homes there are occupied, fifteen are under construction, and another five have received building permits and are expected to start. That means we hope close to thirty homes will be occupied by the end of the year. That’s a large majority. There are another thirty-five lots there that haven’t yet been marketed. We initiated a change to the zoning plan to allow two-family homes, because we understood from residents that building single-family homes is difficult today. So we doubled the number of housing units. Instead of thirty-four—rather, instead of thirty-two—there will be sixty-four units. The plan has been published, and we believe it will take effect within the next sixty days. With Hashem’s help, we’ll move forward with it. It’s unfortunate and painful that the large parking lot we made at the entrance to 770, just this past month, was used for—at first, that wasn’t the best thing, but it also proved useful. The cost of that project was around one million shekels. We received the entire amount as a donation. With Hashem’s help, in the coming weeks we’ll begin building a large public park in the new neighborhood. We received a donation for that as well, and with Hashem’s help we’ll begin soon. There is, of course, the women’s mikveh that we renovated

10:30 Speaker 7 It cost a million and seven hundred thousand shekels over the course of the year—close to a million and a half shekels. We received close to a million and a half shekels in donations; the committee covered the rest, and we hope that, with Hashem’s help, we’ll manage to raise that too and cover what remains. In the last few days, we received approval for the budget to build a new school in Kfar Chabad, and with Hashem’s help, a contract has actually been signed with the contractor. He’ll begin building it. It’s a boys’ school, probably for the Yiddish cheder, because the building there is dilapidated. It can’t be occupied. There’s space beside the existing building, between the halls and the Talmud Torah. At the initiative of several Talmud Torah parents, we renovated the Talmud Torah. A blessing, a blessing—we can calm things down there. The Talmud Torah has a new look as of the last few days; I’m sure everyone has seen it. That was initiated by several parents who also contributed their own money. The cost came to close to two hundred thousand shekels. They’re building a playing field there and putting all the facilities in order. We also received a donation for that from the United States, and with Hashem’s help, He’ll give us more and we’ll be able to keep doing more there. We made some additions to the existing playgrounds, invested a little in them, cleaned them more thoroughly, fixed them up, painted them, and added equipment, and we want to add more. We submitted the association’s financial statements for 2005, 2006, and 2007 to the audit committee. Rabbi Assouline, Reb Michoel Vishetsky, and Meir Simchin[?] went over the statements, checked them, and approved them. Anyone who wants to see the financial statements is welcome to come to the committee office and look at them. The statement for the past year showed a very large profit for the association, because we reached an agreement with the Jewish Agency. In Kfar Chabad’s early years, the Jewish Agency gave the village loans that were used for development, renovations—building infrastructure and things like that. That loan stood at about

12:42 Speaker 7 three million seven hundred thousand shekels, which appeared every year in the financial statements as a debt the association owed the Agency. In fact, not all of it—not that entire debt—has to be repaid. We have to repay twenty-five percent of the debt, but interest was charged on the whole amount. We reached an agreement with them to pay it off in forty-eight installments. They wrote off the entire debt of one million seven hundred thousand. That left about half a million shekels, with payments of eleven thousand shekels a month. So that removed a debt of three million one hundred thousand shekels from the financial statements. That’s why the statements showed a profit this year. There was a decision at the general meeting. Two and a half years ago, we decided to appoint an arbitrator in Kfar Chabad. Regarding... the bylaws don’t explicitly say what happens when there’s a dispute among members of the association, or between the association and its members. We wanted to formalize it and establish that any dispute among association members, or between the association and its members, would be heard only by the arbitrator—the mara d’asra—because the situation had led to things that weren’t good. People went to the courts, to the courts. We know today that courts invalidate many things, even things that are in accordance with halachah and so on. Because last time we didn’t explicitly state in the notice of the meeting that this was an amendment to the bylaws, we had to bring it up again. We’re simply asking you to approve what we decided at the meeting two and a half years ago. That’s mainly if someone has a matter concerning Kfar Chabad. Regarding the admission of new members, which we put on the meeting agenda: by hashgachah pratis, a Jew from Tzfas brought me a letter he had received from the Rebbe in 5748. Apparently it was right around the matter of Beis Rivkah and the land taken from Beis Rivkah. He was among those who opposed it, and he wrote the Rebbe a letter. The Rebbe writes to him: “I acknowledge receipt of

14:47 Speaker 7 your letter, and [unclear] among us. These days are associated with Chanukah, with miracles and deliverance, materially and spiritually. [unclear], Boruch Hashem.” The Rebbe writes to him to increase peace, and that through this there will also be Hashem’s blessing and good news. He adds: “The report is correct that I told the official representative of the Kfar Chabad committee that my opinion is clear: most, if not all, of the village’s residents should join the association.” Of course, new members of the association don’t have the same rights as the original settlers of the seventy-four homesteads. Those settlers have more property, and the association looks after their property. But as association members, the new members have the rights of association members—not financial rights. When it comes to elections or things like that, we’re asking to admit anyone who owns property in Kfar Chabad, or whose father owns property in Kfar Chabad, because in practice, if his father owns property in Kfar Chabad, he too is an association member. So a son or daughter of village residents who doesn’t own property in the association but lives in Kfar Chabad will also be considered an association member. Yes. Please.

15:57 Speaker 8 We know that for many years the Rebbe asked, insisted, pleaded—if I may use those words—that the Kfar Chabad committee should have a spiritual committee. Unfortunately, things have been run for many years without one. The damage this has caused extends to many areas. But above all, as a Kfar Chabad resident, I’m certain that the Rebbe’s blessings accompany every one of us even today. Yet if we deliberately block the vessels meant to serve as channels for the Rebbe’s blessings—and the Rebbe established that Kfar Chabad must have a spiritual committee... Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist. It hasn’t existed for many years. It’s as though it’s been taken off the agenda entirely. I ask that we put it up for discussion again. How can there be no spiritual committee? Let us decide that there must be one, as the Rebbe wants. That will give us many new channels through which the Rebbe’s blessings can reach every resident of Kfar Chabad.

16:58 Speaker 9 Yasher koach!

17:00 Speaker 10 Honored Rabbi.

17:03 Speaker 9 Everyone’s in favor.

17:03 Speaker 10 I suggest that perhaps we choose a spiritual committee from the people here—whoever is interested—and give it full standing, full authority, and full backing. To this day, I... What?

17:15 Speaker 9 Are there candidates?

17:16 Speaker 10 Me. Whoever wants to, let him vote. You’re voting. What?

17:20 Speaker 9 Vote for what?

17:22 Speaker 10 A member of the spiritual committee instead of a committee—rather than a committee for material matters. We’re choosing a spiritual committee today, and whoever... You’re one; I need at least one more. Who’s willing to be on the spiritual committee? I don’t mind. Oh, excuse me—friends, friends, today we’re all friends. I’m even willing to have people who aren’t here. On the contrary, bring me suggestions. On the contrary... There once was a spiritual committee here, but the Rebbe once said something to the effect of, “Why doesn’t the rabbi establish the spiritual committee? They’ll help him.” I immediately established a spiritual committee, but they didn’t help me. On the contrary, I’m willing, and I’d be happy. Has anyone ever found me opposed to it? Quite the opposite. I’d be happy to have another five or seven young men here. If that’s the case, then spread the word to a few more brothers. I heard that at the synagogue in [unclear], they took matters into their own hands, and there’s quiet during davening. May they be blessed. On the contrary, I’m happy. What, will they take away my position as rabbi? I’m happy—they’ll help me. So bring suggestions, and if we need elections, we’ll hold elections. If we don’t need elections, we can choose them now and give them the authority, the official stamp of approval, [unclear]. So let’s go! Because of that... But what? You should know, though—you should know—this isn’t simple. It isn’t just about answering “Amen, yehei shmei rabba.” They’ll have to get involved in admitting new members, and in unpleasant matters too. There are many, many unpleasant matters, and they’ll have to give their opinions. There was an incident here in Kfar Chabad—an incident in Kfar Chabad. I don’t want to mention details. Someone came to me about a very unpleasant incident, and I just want to show how complacent the community is. There was an incident in Kfar Chabad. A very fine young man came to me and said, “Why doesn’t the rabbi speak out against this?” I told him, “It’s a personal matter

19:17 Speaker 10 “I’m also willing to step forward,” I said, “but do me a favor: bring me another two or three people from among the leading figures in Kfar Chabad—roshei yeshiva, mashpi’im—who will join me. I don’t want to get involved in this on my own. They’ll surely put the blame on me for everything, but I’d still feel better.” “No problem.” I told him—he gave me twenty-eight—and I said, “From those twenty-eight, bring me three.” A month passed, then two, and he didn’t bring me even one. I asked him, “Why? Why didn’t you bring anyone?” He said, “Nobody wants to get involved. Nobody wants to get into disputes. I want to get along with everyone.” But when it comes to a spiritual committee, what I mean—and I want to say this explicitly—is that we absolutely need it. It’s a matter of pikuach nefesh. Baruch Hashem, Kfar Chabad has grown, and there are many problems. There are very fine young men; everyone is dear. But what can you do? Sometimes you have to guide people pleasantly and peacefully, as they say. And sometimes you have to say a hard word, too. “Why should my neighbor be upset with me? Why should that person be upset with me? Why should the person I see in shul stop coming to my simchas?” But those who join the spiritual committee must know what they’re taking on. I hope none of that will be necessary, but they should know from the outset that it’s a burden. It isn’t simple. Sometimes there are unpleasant things to deal with. But by all means, let’s go ahead. I would be glad. Three—I don’t need seven. Let there be three people willing to get to the heart of the matter, sit with people, and lead things once or twice a week. I’d be glad. People suspect that I somehow dissolved the spiritual committee. I didn’t dissolve it; quite the opposite. Those who later came and said they weren’t willing—I pleaded with them, begged them. They couldn’t. They didn’t want to. They didn’t want

20:55 Speaker 10 to join, didn’t want to join the committee, didn’t want anything like that. If only there were even ten percent as much eagerness to join the spiritual committee as there is to join the administrative committee.

21:05 Speaker 11 I have a suggestion: there should be an exam for the spiritual committee.

21:07 Speaker 10 What? What?

21:08 Speaker 11 I have a suggestion that would get people running to join the spiritual committee.

21:12 Speaker 10 How?

21:12 Speaker 11 Give them cars.

21:13 Speaker 10 Yes. All right, all right. Well, what else?

21:17 Speaker 11 There should be—

21:17 Speaker 10 What else? What else?

21:19 Speaker 12 Binoculars.

21:20 Speaker 10 Well, what?

21:21 Speaker 12 Surveillance, stakeouts. A cup of coffee, tastings.

21:34 Speaker 10 By all means, I’d be glad. I’d be very glad. And as Rabbi Yonatan said earlier, appoint a committee of three, in honor of Kfar Chabad’s early residents, and let that be the spiritual committee. Give them all the authority and backing they need—whatever they need. I don’t mean to hide at home and tell people, “Go to the spiritual committee.” I can help. But bring the people. If there are twenty nominations, we’ll hold elections.

22:12 Speaker 12 Yes.

22:12 Speaker 10 Do you want to ask something?

22:14 Speaker 12 No, I’ll submit it.

22:15 Speaker 10 Ah, you need to submit it to the rabbi.

22:17 Speaker 12 When are these elections?

22:18 Speaker 10 So far only two people have put themselves forward. That isn’t enough.

22:21 Speaker 12 What are you talking about?

22:22 Speaker 10 He wants to say something. Oh, you want to say something? Please.

22:27 Speaker 12 If I may.

22:28 Speaker 10 It’s working, it’s working, it’s working.

22:30 Speaker 12 For several years now, I’ve had a request for the rabbi: that a shiur be organized for all of Kfar Chabad, held in a different shul each time, on various subjects. It could be about practical matters, [unclear], and the various subjects in Shulchan Aruch. We’re asking for shiurim for all of Kfar Chabad, given by the rabbi, on different subjects. They could be on halachah or on Chassidus.

23:00 Speaker 10 What happened?

23:00 Speaker 12 A regular schedule could be set—once a month, once a week, or once every two weeks. That would also strengthen our connection to the rabbi as his students. We could ask questions about various matters, too; it all goes together. That’s one thing. Second, I don’t know whom to ask about this, but we need bylaws for Kfar Chabad. Since everyone is a member of the association, there should be bylaws signed by every member, giving each person both rights and responsibilities. Then, when we want to do something, it will be relatively easier, because everyone will feel more committed to the community as a whole. If that could be put into practice.

23:42 Speaker 10 We really do—I truly want to tell you that we accept that.

23:45 Speaker 12 If there was one in the past.

23:47 Speaker 10 I think your suggestion is right, and we really will draw up bylaws. With Hashem’s help, a spiritual committee will be established and will prepare the bylaws properly. And here at this meeting, we’re adopting a resolution that everyone must sign those bylaws and act accordingly. All right? Agreed. Now, one more matter: we need approval for the association to obtain bank credit of around two million shekels. Not from banks in general—we work with Bank Hapoalim. Now, regarding the council elections: with Hashem’s help, elections to the council will be held on 24 Teves, January twentieth. Correct? That’s the election date. So, as has always been customary in Kfar Chabad, we’ll adopt a resolution at the general meeting that all of Kfar Chabad stands behind a candidate agreed upon by Kfar Chabad—usually with the agreement of the rabbi and the Kfar Chabad committee—and behind council representatives on an agreed-upon list that will be submitted, so that we won’t have to hold these elections.

24:47 Speaker 13 Eitan, [unclear].

24:52 Speaker 3 Have a good week, Rabbi. [unclear].

24:55 Speaker 13 Honored Rabbi.

24:56 Speaker 3 I’d like to make a few brief points on three subjects. They’re small points, but still. First: baruch Hashem, Kfar Chabad has expanded in recent years. May there be many more residents, and may Hashem increase your numbers many times over. But not even one shul has been built. There are two sections of the neighborhood, and no shul. I know that wherever you go, people are sitting right by the doors, and some people wander around because there’s no room. I realize that building a shul requires a large budget, though a budget can always be found. But there’s a magnificent shul in Beis Shazar, and it’s a great shame that the public can’t use it. Why not simply open that shul for the residents of Kfar Chabad? At least for the residents of the two neighborhoods. Another matter, also important: that place is completely burned out. It’s very small.

26:04 Speaker 13 They’re renovating it. It’s under renovation. That’s a renovation.

26:11 Speaker 3 This was discussed back in the day, under the previous committee, several terms ago. As you know, the noise in Kfar Chabad is very loud. You may live in the village, but the noise is almost as bad as in a city—especially in the eastern neighborhoods bordering the railway tracks and the airport. At night, you have to shut the windows just to hear yourself think. So I’m saying, there was talk of—people once discussed an acoustic barrier. Why don’t we press the relevant authorities to put up a wall that would block this noise? I understand it’s been under discussion for many years, but nothing has come of it.

26:56 Speaker 13 You wanted them to build... Wait, wait, so we don’t get confused. Regarding the acoustic barrier, I have news for you. Go over to the road on the left and you’ll see they’ve already started building it. Along the whole side of the neighborhood—the whole northern side, from where Kfar Chabad comes into view to the bridge area—they’ve already built its foundation, and now they’re putting up the acoustic wall itself.

27:22 Speaker 3 Very good. One more small thing. There was once talk of fencing around Kfar Chabad because of breaches in the fence and the like. I think we were charged some amount for it, and perhaps we’re still being charged, but it’s a shame that there’s no fence to be seen around Kfar Chabad. And one last thing: I support his suggestion, but I’d add this. The Rebbe always emphasized both the inner dimension of Torah and the revealed dimension of Torah. There should also be several central Gemara shiurim. People are thirsty for the word of Hashem; they’ll come, if only those shiurim are held. Thank you very much.

28:00 Speaker 13 About the fence you mentioned, let me remind you that around eight years ago, money was collected and a fence was built around the new housing developments. No one is being charged for it today. The money was collected then; it was a one-time charge, paid in several installments. We do want to put a fence around all of Kfar Chabad. The rabbi has been pressing us to do it for a long time, also for the sake of the eruv. We haven’t yet found the budget, but with Hashem’s help, we’re keeping it in mind and want to do it. What’s your answer? Rabbi Leibovitch, Rabbi Leibovitch. Huh? Leibovitch.

28:30 Speaker 4 What’s your answer about the shul? What do you say about the shul? What’s your answer?

28:35 Speaker 13 We can wrap up. Dovid, I heard them say that it really needs to be a shul. Speak into the microphone. Why don’t they turn the courtyard building into a shul? Why don’t they make the courtyard shack into a shul? Forty years ago, the courtyard shack was a shul. So let them rebuild the courtyard shack—no problem. Beis Shazar belongs to Tzach. Speak into the microphone, no problem. Beis Shazar belongs to Tzach. Beis Shazar belongs to Tzach. No, if they want it to be a shul, then I say— I hear you, I hear you. No, I’m just giving it as an example: in Beis Shazar there’s a space that used to be a shul, and now it’s Tzach. That’s not, that’s not... Why on earth build there? The courtyard. Shuli, Shuli, read the rabbi’s permits; that was one unique case. No, no, no, there’s a building. Everyone wants one after another. A shul? A gym for the children. We have a better suggestion. 770 was built so it could also have a shul. There’s a large lower floor downstairs, two hundred square meters. Please, let’s make a shul there. What’s the problem? Please. That’s better than doing it in Beis Shazar. Right now it’s a storeroom. And I have another suggestion for you, Rabbi Weinfield. Rabbi Weinfield, I have another suggestion. There’s also a large shul in the vocational school that could be put to use. All the— all the— Okay, we want to thank everyone here. We want to thank everyone for coming. This was respectful. Thank you very much, everyone. Have a good week, and much success.

30:36 Speaker 5 At the vocational school, there’s a minyan every day at eight-thirty, plus breakfast. Everyone is welcome. There’s a minyan and breakfast every day. Everyone’s welcome. Breakfast at nine-thirty. But a suggestion before that, about the work. The biggest one.