By COLlive staff
The controversial Greater Crown Heights Eruv, erected by neighboring Modern Orthodox Jews, was one of the stories that dominated the Chabad news this past year on COLlive.com.
Opposing views of local rabbis and the mystery behind who certifies it have led to heated discussions that extended the actual Eruv issue and touched upon the changing landscape of the neighborhood.
Some untimely and tragic deaths in the year 5776 have deeply shocked the Chabad community and incidences of missing persons in Florida and a young man stabbed in the heart of Crown Heights have garnered support and many prayers.
Affordable housing was one more issue that concerns many in Brooklyn and beyond. With most young Chabad couples first settling in Crown Heights after marriage, the rising rental prices remain a heavy burden.
An article by Mayer Gurkov, a young resident, was pointedly titled “Crown Heights is Unaffordable.” Sadly, he said, it’s the Jews (and frum developers) to blame for this problem.
One solution to this problem came to light when COLlive.com reported about 5 Lubavitcher families that moved to Lakewood, NJ, this past year alone, boosting a growing Chabad presence. “Even the pizza is cheaper,” said newcomer Yosef Shidler.
Personal accounts also garnered interest and empathy from readers. One bochur described “The Year I Spiraled Out of Control,” another described the group of recovering addicts among us, and homemakers stealing their friend’s cleaning ladies.
Here are the most read articles of 5776 on Chabad’s homepage COLlive.com:
1. 2 Girls Missing in Orlando
They were later Found Safe
2. 2 Israelis Attacked in Manhattan
3. Rechnitz Bought Winning Powerball
He then gives a gift to the Pranked Nurse
5. Rabbi Yehoshua Gordon, 66, OBM
7. Man Stabbed In Crown Heights
His mother says “He’ll Be OK”
8. Live Video: Shluchim Gala Banquet
9. Avrohom Chaim Feldman, 13, OBM
10. At Last: Kosher at All NY Airports
12. Chaya M. Stiefelmann, 28, OBM
13. Missing Girl’s Mother “So Grateful”
15. Jewish Man Stabbed in Brooklyn
16. Monsey Rabbi Approves New Eruv
17. Chabad Wedding Featured on Oprah
18. Rabbi Moshe Muller, 43, OBM
19. A Crown Heights Eruv Goes Up
20. ‘Where’s David From Georgia?’
21. 6 Arrests in Lefferts Ave Drug Bust
23. Board Takes Reins at Bais Rivka
Here are the most commented on COLlive.com for 5776:
Monsey Rabbi Approves New Eruv 295 Comments
Crown Heights is Unaffordable 202 Comments
A Crown Heights Eruv Was Put Up 197 Comments
Listen to Me, Get Married Young 163 Comments
Nanny Was Buying Non Kosher 160 Comments
Rabbi Yehoshua Gordon, 66, OBM 159 Comments
Rabbi: Turn It Into a ‘Chabad’ Eruv 154 Comments
Crown Heights Eruv Vandalized 152 Comments
I Have an Eruv, But Don’t Use It 144 Comments
Chabad Find Homes in Lakewood 139 Comments
Why No Eruv in Crown Heights? 138 Comments
It’s Not the Eruv. It’s the Chutzpah 133 Comments
Rav Osdoba Doesn’t Rule Out Eruv 132 Comments
Rabbi Groner: Rebbe Opposed Eruv 132 Comments
Beis Rivkah: What Can Be Done? 131 Comments
The Secret Group Among Us 129 Comments
The Year I Spiraled Out of Control 127 Comments
2 Girls Missing in Orlando 126 Comments
I’m a Teacher and I Feel Hurt 125 Comments
Maria Didn’t Show Up… 118 Comments
What Single Women Look For 117 Comments
Rabbi Heller Denounces New Eruv 109 Comments
Top 5 most ‘Liked’ posts on COLlive.com’s Facebook page:
1. A Lubavitcher was rudely told by a flight attendant to sit down. She called the Flight Manager for back-up and then this happened…
2. COLlive.com’s “Human”s of the Kinus” project, Rabbi Matisyahu Devlin, Riverside, CA
3. G-d bless! This Orthodox family in Israel has 16 boys (among them twins and a set of triplets)
4. COLlive.com’s “Human”s of the Kinus” project, Moishy Holtzberg
“No one could forget Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg who were killed in a barbaric attack at Chabad of Mumbai. Since then, their son Moishe’le has become the dearest child of Klal Yisroel – the Jewish nation.”
–Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Chairman of the International Conference of Shluchim with 9-year-old terror survivor Moishy Holtzberg
5. Mazel tov! All of Am Yisrael is celebrating with Sara Techiya Litman, who lost her father and brother in a terror attack last week, and Ariel Beigel on the occasion of their wedding, joined by thousands from around the world!
May this year be better than last year
May col work on bringing the comunity together for good things instead of ch”v the oposite
Well put, Amen!
Hope we all have a sweet new year and the coming of moshiach