By COLlive reporter
One of the oldest Chabad publications, known to be in a continuous state of financial distress, was not sent to print this week because of a controversial interview.
Content for the Hebrew language Kfar Chabad Magazine was written and the layout completed, but its Director General Rabbi Yisroel Brod has held back the printing, COLlive was told.
The official reason he gave: “it was due to a reorganization plan.”
But sources tell us that what was behind the decision was drama in the magazine’s offices in the Israeli village of Kfar Chabad over last week’s cover article with a member of the Meshichist faction.
In the spirit of Purim, the long-time editor and founder of the magazine Rabbi Aaron Dov Halperin allowed himself to be interviewed by Rabbi Shimale Pizem, a Mashpia in the ‘Meshichist’ Yeshiva in Tzfas.
The two candidly discussed their differences of opinion over Moshiach matters and the direction the Chabad movement is and should be taking post Gimmel Tammuz 5774.
Despite the lighthearted tone of the two featured in the article, some readers and officials of the Chabad establishment both in Israel and the U.S. have taken it very seriously. Some said it was “legitimizing Pizem and his views.”
COL reporter Menachem Cohen was told that Brod demanded that Halperin announce his resignation in a letter in this week’s edition.
“Sources told me that Halperin firmly refused,” Cohen reported.
There were talks this week of opening a new weekly that will represent “the true Chabad,” but the move does not seem likely, as it won’t be profitable financially, says COLlive Editor Yehuda Ceitlin, a former feature writer for the Kfar Chabad.
“In today’s frum media landscape – with plenty of daily and weekly newspapers in Hebrew and English, as well as news websites – I don’t see how a new or existing Hebrew Chabad weekly can survive without being backed by an organization or donations.”
Halperin and Brod declined to comment.
People who Halperin and the Kfar Chabad have relied on in recent years for financial support have yet to reveal how they plan to proceed.
This week’s edition which was not printed had Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, Chairman of the umbrella Agudas Chassidei Chabad International, featured on on the cover with Israel’s Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar.
COLlive Media articles:
+ COLlive Launches Women Section
+ Hamodia Regrets Omitting Chabad
+ Did Hamodia Forget Chabad?
+ Kfar Chabad Wants Back
+ Forward 50 Shuns Lubavitch
+ ‘Farbrengen’ Gets New Look
+ Yated Editor Visits Postville
+ A New English Haredi Weekly
+ Jerusalem Post Prints NY Edition
+ Yalda Editor Wins $100,000
+ Magazine Cuts Down, Back
+ Kfar Chabad Magazine in Debt
In the year 5747 there were some “Chashuvei Anash” that complained to me that I write to strongly about “Shleimus Ha’Aretz”, and that the Rebbe is displeased. To me this sounded questionable, because from the Rebbe’s responses I understood that the opposite is true. Nevertheless I wrote about this to the Rebbe, and I did not receive a reply. That year, when I travelled to the Rebbe, and I passed by “Dollars” the Rebbe said to me: “I am going to the Ohel today, stand by my door, and I will give you Mashke.” When the Rebbe then handed me… Read more »
While BROD hops from head of this to head of that will he be sending immediate refunds to ALL the subscribers ?–Unbelievable CHUTZPAH—-and flagrant disregard of its readership—–
What is Achdus? Do you think that the Anties should start to go with Yechi Yamulkas or dance in the streets with flags? Do you think that the Mshichistim should take of the flags and the Yechi Yarmulkas? I would strongly recommend to tread the following…. קטעים מתוך ראיון מיוחד שפורסם בשבועון ‘כפר חב”ד’ עם ה’חוזר’ הגה”ח רבי יואל כה “עיקר גדול בשליחות ובתפקיד שלנו הוא – בריינגען דעם רבי’ן אין וועלט [- להביא את הרבי לעולם], אשר שמו הקדוש של הרבי זי”ע יהיה נערץ בתכלית ההערצה . . שכל אחד ואחד (כל יהודי ואפילו גוי להבדיל) יידע שהרבי זי”ע… Read more »
Unfortunately, this story is Sinas Chinom at its best. Interviewing a Mishechist does not constitute agreeing with his Shita, but some the current leaders are wrong
For the past years the KC magazine has many times printed articles which where not true. They have used pictures and refused to pay the copyright. Sheker has no base and one of these days they will go bankcrupt.
take a look at the bottom line of the not-printed newsletter. What other picture do people have in their wallets if not the 3-million-printed moshiach card?
The Rebbe told us that the ONLY thing left for us to do – is bring MOSHIACH… NOW!
The only possible argument ought to be how to reach that goal…not if we still want to go there!
My two year old is better at compromises than this…someone help these ppl out, they are holding up Geula for everyone.
AND just in case they can’t grow up – let’s just keep moving forward B’ACHDUS …hopefully they’ll get swept up with the tide!
Ready for the next era!!!
you are making point – but to fire a person who did so much for magazine during 30 years ?????????????
Messianism has NOTHING to do with believing in Moshiach!
did absolutely have an editorial board who scrutenized every single word and every single photgraph. They were Rabbi’s Chadakov, Yudel Krinsky and Dovid Raskin.
would love to see this magazine or another one like it again. meyer rivkin, you did it once, you can do it again. i’ll get a bunch of guys together and we’ll back you. running a magazine suites you better than selling appliances. you know who i am…be in touch.
SBT
where are the Rabbonim Hamachria Beyneyhem we all know that when a problem of this nature surfaces it is possable for reall expieranced Rabbonim to help the situation conclude peacefully would the rebbe be happy that the magazine was not distributed deffinantly not so please lets get this out of the spotlight and Beofan shel Yosher Vesholem
you lack of emunah stems from your ego. but, it’s never too late to change
A.D. Halpern started this magazine with the brochos and encouragement of our Rebbe. The Rebbe called the magazone his Shofar. If he feels that this is the right thing to do now they surely the Rebbes Kochos are with him . Rabbi Brod get off the political bandwagon. A.D> we are all with you. May you go mchayal el chayil. Keep it up
if i decide that as a lubavitcher my duty to the rebbe is to become a grand master in chess, and it becomes quite a popular idea.. and it acquires a following.. no more chassidus, just chess. thats how i understand the sichos. will you still say ACHDUS, and lets embrace this guy and legitimize him? or will you say hey hold it a second, lets see what we can do to ensure the next generation grows up with the right ideas? were do we draw the line of who is a chassid? i think the tzfas people crossed the… Read more »
Brod or Halperin? (only people over 40 are eligible to answer)
many shluchim would say that the guy who handles the money runs the place, but for the rest of us who know who runs the show, Halperin has the last word. period.
well put. However, this is the first time that Brod holds the title of “director general”, which he realy realy likes. so he is trying to make sure to keep it. it is also within his persona, and the persona of the few shluchim he coaches, to make a point to show who runs the place.
im sorry i dont really get the polotic, but wow WHO cares!?!? SERIOUSLY because if u do thats lame, theres alot more important things in life.
proves Rabbi Halprin’s thesis right. Amalek is running the show! We all have some Amalek in us, and if we are not aware of him, he ends up taking over. I am not meshichist, and I am very disturbed my many elements of the meshichist perspective (I happen to live in Tzfat), and yet I think the only way to influence people is by dealing with them respectfully, and convincing them with the wisdom and rightness of your views.
what a chutspa to send rabbi halprin out when he made the kfar chabad
As a subscriber, do I get a refund?
Fact is that Rabbi Halperin founded this magazine. It is HIS baby. Period. I think that Rabbi Brod is a bit wishy-washy. For some reason – he worked in MANY Mosdos, but was never able to keep his job, always jumping from one job to another. Something must be wrong there.
Please resign.
she said her parents main focus was AHAVAS YISROEL. the sad part is that a WHOLE article went to publicity about it. at least cover it up???
So in an attempt to transcend differences he had a conversation with a friend he completely disagreed with. Nowhere does he agree with his (core) position nor does he endorse it. It was a great idea and while a little cheeky, was a fun read.
This is why there will never be achdus in Lubavitch ever.
we need another tragedy??
s i n a s c h i n a m at its best
This is shocking. It wasn’t even an interview, i.e. a platform for mishichist ideas; it was a discussion, finally an example of ACHDUS, where chassidim can discuss different hashkaffos civilly. But the communists attempt to rule with an iron fist. SHAME ON THEM!
BROD MUST RESIGN!
let’s try to make some things clear here: achdus is a wonderfull thing. fighting is a horrible thing. everyone must respect the other person’s right for an opinion. BUT: just like it is wonderfull that satmar and lubavitch have lately been “beachdus” – shluchim hellped the satmer rebbe and the satmer rebbe helpped r’ sholom mordchai, nevertheless no one would ever think of interviewing the satmer rebbe in the kfar chabad magazine about the satmer shite angainst going to the koisel!! we can still respect they’re right for an opinion, while realising the neccecty to stay seperate because of our… Read more »
To Number 3. If you are Lubavitch , you are a disgrace to Lubavitch. No more needs to be said.
how many bombs c’vsh do we need as g-ds reminder that he wants unity
u know it wld b rly gr8 if we just got a big anti and meshichist and i dont mean the fighting type to sit down and argue it out…….to calmy say thier proofs and reasoning and to show us all wat both sides believe and then we will c who is correct.
The Rebbe said about one of the meshichist leaders that “he is waging a personal war against” the Rebbe. If you don’t think that’s vile, I’d have to wonder whose chossid you are.
Zalman
does not mean that every decision you make is the right thing or that the rebbe is behind it
when you make a huge stupid mistake by allowing yourself to be interviewes by that person you got to own up to it!
dont tell us that you are a shliach and therfore you have some kind of job security!
R’ aharonov wants to take over the kfar chabad magazine, Aron Dov halpern does not want to allow this, and Yisroel Brod wants to give control to Aharonov.
Rabbi AD Halperin is being asked to resign because he ‘legitimized’ Moshiachsm.
A rabbinical editorial board is a new litvish farce to control newspapers and their writers. No newspaper in Chabad ever had such a board and the Rebbe had never suggested it has one either. Not Kfar Chabad Not Algeimeiner Not Nshei Newsletter Not Uforatzta Journal Not Bitaon Chabad A newspaper is not a Likutei Sichos. Only in the last generation when Ger and the Gdoilim opened Hamodia did a newspaper become something holy. (Rabbi Yeruslavsky went as far as saying that you are allowed to use Maaser money for a subscription.) Chabad was once leaders, why are allowing ourselves today… Read more »
its funny how in the next article down there are elements in Chabad proud of our achdus with the Satmar Chassidim while those same people are virulent when it comes to their own brothers – anash.
Maybe if the “brothers” had the money of the Satmars there would be achdus there as well.
Whenever there is a fight with these matters the organization always splits into two! So we will have two Kfar Chabad magazines yaaaaay! We saw it with kehot and otzar, there is already bais moshiach mag, there is many summer camps for our kids and now there will be one more magazine for us to read. Nooooot. I dont read it. its just funny. And for those who will respond thast its not funny, let me reiterate: this is VERY FUNNY!
these rabbis think they can kick ppl out whenever they feel
you got to be kidding, so stupid!
how absolutely pathetic!
All u controlling people from the old generation are so infantile. Jews believe in Moshiach and there aint nothin u can do to stop it. Even the misnagdim speak more abt moshiach nowadays than u “antis” (interesting redundancy, eh?). Better focus ur energies on ahavas yisroel and bringing moshiach urself – even YOU will be redeemed! Get a grip.
Some may think Yechi emes, some think it is sheker – all this thinking is BS, The truth is:
Hasidim opening heart to each other – EMES
Not letting do so – SHEKER
Accepting each other differences – EMES
Fighting over such differences – SHEKER
You’re calling your fellow lubavitcher’s emunah “vile”? Uch un vay
Now we can all just buy Beis Moshiach, which is the only Chabad magazine with good content and stories, anyway.
Yet another example of the “control” of who is in and who is out in lubavitch be it Rabbonim be it Shluchim etc
lets just grow up everybody! everyone is entitled to their own opinion, wheather right or wrong, it’s not worth that much to get so worked up over it.
Rabbi Brod is right, we cannot legitimize the Messianic movement, they are not to be considered a legitimate branch of Chabad Chassidim, even on Purim.
The damage that has been done to Chabad by the Messianic fanatics is incalculable, but one cannot blame the messianic followers, we have to hold their leaders “Mashpim” accountable and should not give them any space to promote their vile views.
What I don’t understated is why isn’t there an active editorial board in the Kfar Chabad Magazine that is involved and would need to give their approval as to what can and cant go into the magazine. If there was, the issue of printing something that doesn’t represent the official stead of Kfar Chabad wouldn’t of happened in the first place?
Every established magazine has an active editorial board; it can’t just be up to one person decisions. Especially if you are talking about an official Chabad organization magazine and not a privately owned enterprise.
Such losers. These people are stuck in Communist Russia. Too bad they can’t overcome their primitive ways even in the spirit of Purim