#chabad Lubavitch

[gay-jewish-bucky]

What is it that the child has to teach? The child naively believes that everything should be fair, and everyone should be honest, that only good should prevail, that everybody should have what they want and there should be no pain or sadness. The child believes the world should be perfect and is outraged to discover it is not. And the child is right.

― Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, Wisdom to Heal the Earth: Meditations and Teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

[comfortcomfortdeercat]

A terrible cocktail idea that is actually tasty:

The Lubavitch LMAOnade

1 part slivovitz

3 parts MTN DEW

Pour ingredients over ice, garnish with a brachah

[ancestorsofjudah]

2 Kings 20: 8-11. "The Bed."

Passages in the Tanakh tend to cluster in groups of 7 and 4, consistent with the 7 Days and Four Directions. We just covered how to turn a boil into a fig, by proper acceptance of the rules named in the Torah. Notice I said proper, meaning all efforts must press the wine. This means all that does not work in life is discarded, all that is happy and glorious comes forth. Human beings do not like to do this, but it is a must for one who wants to attain to Ha Shem.

The final stage of such acceptance requires a dividend, which requires proper implementation of the new lifetime that emerges from the press. Hezekiah, the towering example in the Melachim so far asks the prophet what he is to do next after he agrees to accept the yokes of responsibility he learned about in the prior section:

8 Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”

9 Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”

10 “It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”

11 Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

The verb אחז (ahaz) means to seize, grasp, take hold of or be (mechanically) attached to. We are to be attached to Ten Stairs of Light and Ten Stairs of Darkness. One might assume this means the Ten Decrees and Ten Plagues, but the answer lay in the Numbers. The former refers to a Shift to the Left or a Shift to the Right. To Shift Right is desirable, to Shift Left is not. Even still God says we must go both ways. :(

v. 8: The Value in Gematria is 8805, חחאֶפֶסה,‎ ‎khafesa, "as a pack."

v. 9: The Value in Gematria is 9694, טוטד‎ ‎, toted, "the tooth."

v. 10: The Value in Gematria is 6169, ואו‎‎ט‎, and ot, "and letter."

v. 11: The Value in Gematria is 6919, ו‎טאט‎, "and tat", "and sub."

We must periodically go into the unknown, the North, the chaotic subtratum of existence in order to understand why man is using his tooth, his brain to consume life in a manner that is not becoming or befitting him. It is the job of the King of Israel to lead the rest in and out, Left to Right and if need be, Right to Left when the Halachah, the history threatens to publish another volume of heat, hate, and tragedy.

How the religion is taught is as much the bed or subfloor of the religion itself. We are caught up in a lethal Left Shift. We are either teaching or are interested in the wrong things.

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

Chabad Lubavitch is one of the most underrated organisations in the world. Like the name ‘Lubavitch’ suggests, Chabadniks really do show love to their fellow man, including non-Jews. I remember being treated politely by a Chabad lady when I went to buy some books; she even climbed up onto a chair to get something I wanted way up on the shelf, despite being pregnant. 

[daemonicdasein]

2023: Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

2024: Did you know that there is a secret tunnel under the World Headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement at 770 Eastern Parkway, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York City, New York?

[todaysjewishholiday]

13 Tammuz 5784 (18-19 July 2024)

The Lubavitchers celebrate the twelfth and thirteenth of Tammuz in honor of the liberation of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, from a Soviet prison on the 13th of Tammuz 5687. Schneerson had been active in opposing the antisemitism of the Tsarist government, and had been repeatedly arrested before the Revolution for drawing attention to violence against the Jewish community. After the Revolution, he became an outspoken critic of state atheism and worked to expand the Lubavitchers network of yeshivas. This effort brought him into direct conflict with the Soviet government. He was arrested in the middle of Sivan 5687, and sentenced to death for counterrevolutionary activities. However, as he had been active for decades in working to bring the plight of Russian Jews to the attention of the international community, even before the revolution, his arrest immediately brought about an uproar of protest. After 27 days of imprisonment and interrogation with torture, the government bowed fully to the extensive pressure calling for his release. He was informed of the decision to free him on his birthday, the twelfth of Tammuz, and given his release papers and sent home on the thirteenth.

Soon afterwards the Rebbe departed for Riga in Latvia. This was the start of the migration of the Lubavitcher Chasidim out of Russia to the movement’s eventual new center in New York City.

Today is also Erev Shabbat. The most holy celebration of the Jewish calendar will begin eighteen minutes prior to sunset at the end of the 13th of Tammuz.

[snap-blogz]

Full Story of NYC Synagogue Tunnels Revealed

In the heart of Crown Heights, a historic synagogue became the epicenter of a tumultuous saga. The Chabad-Lubavitch movement's global headquarters in NYC faced upheaval due to the discovery of secret underground tunnels.

The Tunnels' Origin

 Unbeknownst to many, a group of young men clandestinely constructed a tunnel under the synagogue. Motti Seligson, a Chabad spokesperson, condemned this act as  "extremists breaking through the wall to the synagogue."

Community Divide

Supporters argued it was part of an "expansion" envisioned by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Zalmy Grossman, a resident, stated:  "That's what the rabbi wants, that's what everybody wants."

The Clash Unfolds

As attempts were made to seal the tunnel, chaos erupted. A protest turned violent, leading to clashes between worshippers and police. Baruch Dahan, witness to the chaos, recounts: "Almost everyone was against what they did, but as soon as people saw the handcuffs, there was confusion and pushing." View this post on Instagram A post shared by CrownHeights.info (@chinfo.official)

Tunnel Purpose

 The purpose of the tunnel remained debated. Motti Seligson stated it was vandalism, while supporters insisted it aimed at relieving overcrowding in the basement synagogue.

Legal Battle and Ownership Dispute

The synagogue, 770 Eastern Parkway, has been at the center of a legal dispute between Chabad and Messianic Chasidim, believers in Rebbe's continued physical existence. Yehuda Krinsky, Chabad Chairman, expressed concern:  "These odious actions will be investigated, and the sanctity of the synagogue will be restored." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFtcLr9uojU

Cement Truck Controversy

The conflict intensified when a cement truck arrived to seal the tunnel. Protesters dismantled parts of the synagogue, leading to clashes with the police. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So4yWdHFAMA

Aftermath and Investigation

 As the dust settled, 770 remained closed off. Investigations are underway to determine potential structural damage caused by the unauthorized tunnel.

Community Sentiments

 Baruch Dahan expressed the community's sorrow:  "The community feels terrible. It's a disgrace, instead of expanding, they destroyed." Conclusion: The full story of the NYC synagogue tunnels unfolds a narrative of secrecy, division, and clashes, leaving an iconic religious site marred by controversy and legal battles. Read the full article

[theskydoesgreatthingsnow]

My grandfather had to circumcise a dead man who’s Bris was in question after a long consultation with the man’s rabbi—who turned out to be Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the founder of Chabad.

[hasdrubal-gisco]

there's something so charismatic about the specific american chabad dialect (ie. chabadniks in isr just speak modern hebrew) and it's selective use of poylishe phonology

[thejewishlink]

An Observant Jew Makes for an Uncommon Texas A&M Football Player

An Observant Jew Makes for an Uncommon Texas A&M Football Player

Running back Sam Salz proudly wears a kippah on field By Selah Maya Zighelboim When college sophomore Sam Salz runs out onto the football field, he does so wearing a kippah and with the No. 39 emblazoned on the back of his jersey. He chose 39 as a reminder of the lamed tet melachot, the 39 categories of work that are forbidden on Shabbat. Salz, a running back on Texas A&M University’s football…

[mariacallous]

A prominent Ukrainian rabbi has announced that his adopted son has been confirmed dead in battle against Russian forces.

Anton Samborskyi will be buried in Kyiv’s Jewish cemetery on Thursday, Rabbi Moshe Azman announced on Wednesday. Azman and his wife adopted Samborskyi at age 11 after the boy was orphaned, Azman said in a post on X last month when he revealed that Samborskyi had gone missing just weeks after being drafted into the Ukrainian army.

Azman is the rabbi of Kyiv’s Brodsky Synagogue and one of multiple men claiming title to chief rabbi of Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, he has been a vigorous advocate for the Ukrainian cause, castigating the Russians on social media and posting about his efforts to distribute humanitarian aid and military supplies. He had earlier created a rural village to accommodate Jewish refugees during a previous Russian invasion, called Anatevka after the fictional shtetl in “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Samborskyi — to whom Azman and his wife gave the Hebrew name Matisyahu, in honor of the ancient Jewish priest and military leader — had lived with the family for a decade before moving out, marrying and having a child, according to Azman’s post. It was shortly after Samborskyi’s daughter was born in May that he was drafted, Azman said — reflecting a broader mobilization of troops amid a grueling war that is widely seen as effectively a stalemate.

Exactly how many Ukrainian soldiers have died in battle over the last two and a half years is unclear. The Ukrainian government has not published an ongoing tally but said in February, at the war’s two-year mark, that more than 30,000 troops had been killed. The United States has said it believes the numbers are significantly higher.

Whatever the true tally, the Ukrainian army appears to be strapped for manpower and has intensified efforts to recruit new soldiers, including by lowering the draft age and mobilizing men quickly, sometimes off the streets.

This summer, multiple people associated with Jewish communities in Ukraine said activities had grown more circumscribed because of the threat of being drafted that men face while out and about. In Dnipro, a heart of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, an involved resident told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency last month that men of fighting age were staying home rather than joining in prayer services. And at Ramah Yachad, a Jewish summer camp in western Ukraine, fewer fathers traveled to drop their children off or pick them up, and fewer men were on staff this year.

“Since the beginning of this terrible war, trouble has knocked on the door of almost every Ukrainian — some have lost a loved one, others are fighting with injuries,” Azman tweeted in August, on the occasion of Ukraine’s Memorial Day, when he revealed that Samborskyi was missing. “On this day, I want to share with you my personal pain.”

Two weeks later, he was announcing a memorial service to be held at the synagogue where he has worked since 1995.

[wenevergotusedtoegypt]

Definitely was not a thing even in the non-frum Jewish community I grew up in and was something I really had to push myself to be comfortable with after I became frum (but now view as completely normal). My parents could not believe I would just have meals and sleep at random people’s houses.

Genuine question: Is the “Hi random person of community leadership, I am a total stranger from out of town and I’m going to be visiting your area next weekend, would anyone be able to host me for a couple of days?” thing a thing in non-Jewish communities?

As in … is it normal for people to reach out to churches for that sort of purpose? To other community groups?

Or are you staring at me like “Why would anyone ask something like that of someone they don’t know??” and this is just another norm specific to the culture I’m familiar with that I think of as normal, but most others wouldn’t?

[reality-detective]

David Saltzman, a member of the Chabad-Lubavitch Synagogue in Brooklyn, New York, where underground tunnels were discovered earlier this year, admitted on a podcast that rituals were being performed underground.

He said the mattresses were stained because they were performing rituals on dead bodies to bring back their messiah. "We hope the messiah's spirit comes into that"

Anyway, I'll let you decide 🤔

[deconstructingchabad]

The Rebbe and LGBTQ Rights

Warning for: extreme homophobia, transphobia, conversion therapy, medicalizing language, etc etc

Chabad is nothing if not an expert in PR. Unlike other Chassidic factions, or, indeed, other Chareidi (what you might call "ultra-Orthodox") factions in general, Chabad has spent a lot of effort into disguising their true politically conservative views until you've already been sucked in. This had led to the very false belief, especially among younger generations who aren't so familiar with Orthodox Judaism as a whole, that Chabad is on the progressive side of Orthodoxy.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

While Chabad doesn't hold any views unique to Charedi Judaism with respect to the rights and respect of LGBTQ individuals, they have done a better job at hiding them.

You may think that perhaps this isn't such a bad thing- after all, isn't it a good thing that Chabad isn't picketing at Pride parades or outright throwing queer people out of their Chabad houses? And while of course it's good that Chabad isn't engaging in those types of homophobic and transphobic behavior, that doesn't mean that what Chabad does engage isn't just as harmful.

Chabad will be intentionally vague to outsiders about their true opinions of LGBTQ people, while in reality they fund and campaign for conservative political leaders and agendas and make life a living Hell for those unlucky enough to be born as queer into the movement.

Since Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, or 'The Rebbe' as he is better known, is the axial power within the Chabad movement (despite being dead for decades now), lets take a moment to unpack what he actually believed about LGBTQ people.

I (OP) am a transgender man. In January of this past year, I was lucky enough to be able to get a gender affirming double mastectomy, something that I had been yearning for for years and something that I, seven months later, still do not regret. But the months leading up to my surgery were fraught with emotional battles with my parents, who are deeply involved in the Chabad movement. They felt that what I was doing was wrong and went against, if not Judaism as a whole, then their values within Chabad. As part of my parents' attempts to dissaude me from continuing my medical transition, my mother sent me a letter the Rebbe had written to a seemingly trans (if not, at least, gender questioning) individual. Followers of the Chabad movement place immense value onto responsa letters by the Rebbe, even to the point of almost placing as much value on them as Torah, so it was no surprise that my parents held this letter, written in 1985, to such a high pedestal and as something to base their current beliefs upon.

Here is the scan my mother sent to me:

RABBI MENACHEM M SCHNEERSON Lubavitch 770 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 1123 493-9250 Mr. Chabad of Northern California 2340 Piedmont Ave. Berkeley, Ca. 94704 Greeting and Blessing: By the Grace of G-d 22nd of Av, 5745 Brooklyn, N.Y. This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 7th of Av. There is surely no need to point out to you at length that one of the basics of our Torah, Toras Chaim, is that Hashem is the Creator and Master of the Universe, whose benevolent Providence extends to each and everyone individually, and that He is the Essence of Goodness, and it is in the nature of the Good to do good, particularly in regard to our Jewish people, to whom. he has given His Torah, Toras Chaim, of which it is stated that it is "our life and the length of our days," together with its Mitzvoth whereby Jews live. As you know, and indicate also in your letter, there are Mitzvoth which apply to Jewish males, and those that apply to Jewish females, and the distinction in regard to the fulfillment of the Mitzvoth, is a far-reaching one. In light of the above, it is not clear why you should want to interfere with HaShem's blessings and contemplate a change of sex; especially as it would immediately bring in complications regarding Torah and Mitzvoth, even assuming that there would be no problems in other areas. And since this is quite plain and understandable, there is no need to elaborate on it. As for your writing that you have sometimes had the desire to have been born a female, etc. it is not surprising that a human being cannot understand the ways of HaShem, Who surely knows what is best for every individual. If it is somewhat troublesome to you, it would be advisable that you However, if this desire should talk things over with a Torah-observant psychologist. I suggest that you should have your Tefillin checked to make sure they are Kosher. With blessing,, M. Schneerson

And here is a letter from 1986 that is often shared around that is the Rebbe's response to a man "struggling with homosexuality":

RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON Lubavitch 770 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn. N. Y. 11213 493-9250 By the Grace of G-d 25th of Shevat, 5746 Brooklyn, N. Y. Greeting and Blessing: This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Jan. 26th, in which you write about a serious problem. As requested, I will remember you in prayer for the fulfillment of your heart's desires for good. While all blessings come from HaShem, a Jew is expected to do what is necessary in the natural order. In the matter of the said problem, you surely know that there are doctors and psychiatrists who treat it, and have been successful in many cases. I know of a number of cases of people who had this problem but eventually overcame it, married and raised a family. While on this topic, I would like to clear up a misconception that has led some individuals into confusion and wrong conclusions. The misconception stems from the argument that since some individuals are born with this problem, it must be a "natural" thing; hence it cannot be designated as a wrong, or a sin, and there is therefore no need to do anything to change it, or at any rate, it is not a serious problem at all. That this approach is entirely without foundation can be seen from the fact that the Torah (called Toras Chaim and Toras Emes because it is our true guide in the everyday life) declares that to indulge in it, or even to dwell on it mentally, is a grave transgression of HaShem's commandment. Hence, it is also clear that the problem is controllable, for if it were beyond human control, HaShem would not have made it a sin. The fact that the problem may largely be congenital does not alter the situation. Every day children are born with particular natures and innate tendencies or drives, some of them good and some of them bad. This is why human being have to be trained and educated, so as to develop and strengthen the positive characteristics and eliminate the bad ones. The Creator endowed human beings with the capacity to improve, indeed even to change, their "natural" (i.e. inmate) traits. A case in point is kleptomania. It is generally recognized that kleptomania is a very compulsive drive. But no one will suggest that because it is probably inborn and extremely difficult to resist, the kleptomaniac should be told that it is okay for him to steal, or that there is nothing he can, or should, do about it, and so on. Similarly in the case of one who is born with a drive to destroy things, or with a quarrelsome or aggressive nature, or with a propensity to cheat or lie, or any other inmate trait that is considered reprehensible. No normal society would declare that since one was born that way, one should be allowed to go through life according to his natural desires and tendencies. Such an

attitude will help neither the individual, nor the society. On the contrary, everything should be, and is, done to help individuals to overcome their neurological problems, whatever they may be. Needless to say, the person who is afflicted with this or other neurological problems, may well ask, 'Why has HaShem created such a compulsive drive, which is in direct contradiction to His moral Code? Why has He afflicted me, who desires to comply fully with His commandments?" No human being can answer such questions, which only HaShem, the Creator, can answer. One observation that can be suggested in relation to the question, "Why me?" If an individual experiences a particularly difficult, or trying, situation, it may be assumed that HaShem has given him extraordinary powers to overcome the extraordinary difficulty. The individual concerned is probably unaware of his real inner strength; the trial may therefore be designed for the sole purpose of bringing out in the individual his hidden strength, which, after overcoming his problem, can be added henceforth to the arsenal of his revealed capacities, in order to utilize both for infinitely greater achievements for the benefit of himself, and others. Maimonides, the "Guide of the Perplexed" of his generation and of all subsequent generations, who was also acclaimed as the greatest physician of his time, declares in a well known passage in his famous Code, Mishneh Torah (Yad Hachazaka): "Every person has the option (power), if he so desires, to direct himself to do only good and be a Tzaddik, or, if he chooses, to follow the bad road and be a Rasha. Do not ever think that a person is predestined from birth to be a Tzaddik or Rasha. Nor is there any inner compulsion to make a choice, but one has the capacity to choose the right behavior, and it is entirely a matter of one's own will and determination" (Free translation from Hil. Teshuva, ch. 5. See it there at length). A final remark from the scientific viewpoint. To say that the human mind and neural system are unimaginably intricate, is to say the obvious. Only the Creator knows His handiwork. But the Creator has endowed the human mind with wonderful qualities to probe the mysteries of nature, to research and experiment and steadily gain more knowledge about himself and his physical and mental capacities. Considerable progress has been made by scientists in their studies of the brain cells and hormones. It is now clear that a wide range of human emotions and sensations can be stimulated artificially with the aid of electronic and biochemical techniques. It is now generally agreed that most, if not all, neurological disorders, including deviant sexual behavior, probably proceed from chemical(hormone) deficiencies or irregularities during the period of youth. Some neurological disorders are already being treated successfully in certain areas involving the neural system, and it is to be hoped that the range will expand and eventually include the whole spectrum of neurological disorders, both of individuals and of nations.

In the meantime, we can only put our trust in HaShem, and strengthen our adherence to the Torah and Mitzvoth, of which it is written, "They are our life and the length of our days." With blessing, M. Schneerson

With the above two letters, you can see the Rebbe recommending seeing a "Torah-observant psychologist" (this is a euphomism for conversion therapist, as you will see) to someone questioning their gender identity and comparing homosexuality to kleptomania and neurological disorders.

In 1987, the Rebbe was quoted as saying the following about homosexuality: (I had to dig a little to find this because. PR experts. But. Thank you so much to The Canadian Jewish News for reprinting his statements in 1987 and saving all their scans.)

"Any bill that proclaims that the 'rights' of these people must be protected and supported, should be seen for what it really is: It is taking away their right to be really protected (also -- from themselves); it is depriving these people of the vitally needed help! In simple physical terms it will bring even more suffering and pain to them, to their loved ones and to all society. Certainly all must be done to assure that this will not occur." "We are not dealing with the inalienable right of freedom of choice; we are not dealing with the innate and sacred, democratic right of free will; we are dealing with an issue of abnormality." ''In simple language, (homosexuality) is a sickness. And just because the patient proclaims he is normal does not make the malady any less dangerous." "there is no insult intended and no derogatory attitude suggested. . . . When a person is ill and someone volunteers to help him get well, there is no disrespect involved at all. "A special responsibility lies on the parents, educators and counselors to educate those afflicted . . . with a loving and caring attitude." When one acknowledges that homosexuality is destructive, he will realize "that it is no different from a child who is born with the tendency to tear out his hair or bang his head against the wall. But there is a very tragic difference in that this trait when practiced is much more devastating because it destroys both body and soul." "One person may stay only to lick the sugar and ' 'swear the pill is sweet." Another may come along and say: "I don't care if there is poison under the sugar, so long as I can enjoy the momentary pleasure of the sweetness .'.. . I don't care what the consequences will be." "Is it truly satisfying after the act? Or does it only provide momentary gratification . . . Are all his (or her) protestations about 'the great pleasure' and 'satisfaction' really true? Or has he Just been saying this for so long that now he is not willing, or is ashamed, to admit that he is wrong." -

Now, you may say that the Rebbe was only repeating what was the scientific and social consensus of the time, but homosexuality was officially removed from the DSM in 1973, over ten years before the Rebbe made his statements. The mid-1980s, when the Rebbe made these statements, were marked by the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Americans from the AIDS epidemic, and yet the Rebbe thought it appropriate to compare homosexuality to kleptomania or a poison pill. This isn't me singling the Rebbe out for his homophobia and transphobia- his ideas certainly weren't unique, especially among other fundementalist religious leaders- but I am holding him to a higher scrutiny because of the way in which the modern Chabad movement has attempted to whitewash his ideologies and market themselves as any less than the religious fundementalists that they are.

But what about the modern Chabad movement? Surely, even if modern adherents of Chabad didn't hold the Rebbe's words to such esteem as they do, perhaps the movement's ideologies have progresses with the times, and, dare I say it, modernized?

Well, they have. Sort of.

Any reference to homosexuality or gender divergence as being a disease has been virtually scrubbed from Chabad's public records (of course, this doesn't mean that the previously shared letters don't get passed around in private circles, such as the letter my mother sent to me in an attempt to dissuade me from persuing life-affirming medical intervention), but you can easily find what today's Chabad religious minds have to say with a quick little Google search:

"The issue is marriage. Marriage is, and always was, a religious idea: the idea that a relationship between a man and woman can be sanctioned as a holy union, as a partnership in which G‑d takes part. Does the California Supreme Court believe that their ruling will obligate G‑d to enter a relationship He does not condone? Marriage is not a civil institution; it is a religious one. The Court's intervention in this matter is, in my opinion, a dangerous precedent. This is a decision that should be left to the clergy." -Naftali Silberberg, 2008

"How do you navigate that journey? Thank G‑d, we have a Torah that provides a map, given to us by the One who gave us life. It tells us which desires we can embrace and elevate, which longings we can subdue and tame, and which we must reject or re-channel entirely. The Torah tells us unequivocally that the homosexual act is of that last category. Even if it burns inside for a lifetime, the best thing for you, for your health, and for your ultimate satisfaction in life is to subdue and re-channel that desire........ .......So yes, just as we don’t judge a fellow Jew for breaking Shabbat or eating non-kosher, so we don’t judge for the type of sexual life they are practicing and certainly not for the desires they never chose to have in the first place. In all cases, we look deeper, to the divine soul within. Encourage such people in the good things they are doing. Help them grow in the realms of Jewish practice and spirituality where they wish to grow. Let that soul shine." --Tzvi Freeman

It's pretty hard to find any official statements regarding LGBTQ issues made by Chabad because the devil works hard but Chabad's PR team works harder; however, I have the advantage of coming from within the community, and I know where to look.

So here are a few anecdotes from people such as myself, and what they've heard and dealt with due to Chabad:

(TW: extreme homophobia, sexual violence, conversion therapy)

Chabad is by no means a progressive branch of Orthodoxy. It is not unique in its queerphobia in comparison to other Orthodox Jewish movements, but it has spent a great deal of time and energy generating an illusion of being "milder" than other Charedi wings, when in reality it engages in just as much suppression and exclusion, even to the point of conversion therapy, as other Charedi groups do.

Just because you've seen that one photo circulating around Tumblr of a Chabad shliach putting Tefillin on a rainbow-flag caped individual does not change reality. A Chabad shliach putting Tefillin on an individual they view as undeniably a man (even if that person identifies as a woman or nonbinary, which they could have) is not the progressive win you think it is. It is no different from the refrain you hear from fundementalist Christian groups that preach to "love the sinner, hate the sin". They still view LGBTQ people as inherently sinners, whether they're doing so with a smile or not. And while I believe everyone is entitled to their beliefs, it is the deception that is most insidious to me, and young queer people have a right to know who it is they're endorsing when they endorse Chabad.

If you are in a similar situation as I once was, here are some resources:

JQY.org

Eshelonline.org

[eretzyisrael]

THE REBBE’S YAHRTZEIT

Today is the third of Tammuz, the 30th yahrtzeit of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (1902-1994). The Rebbe is the most influential figure in modern Jewish history. Under his visionary leadership, the Chabad movement achieved massive success all over the world at a time when many Jewish institutions were struggling to survive. 

The Rebbe completely altered the global footprint of the Jewish people by inspiring thousands of emissaries to establish Chabad houses in far-flung locations, many of which previously had no Jewish community. 

If a Jew is traveling and wants to attend services, celebrate a holiday, or enjoy a home-cooked Shabbat meal, there is likely a friendly Chabad house nearby. The Rebbe was especially successful in reaching secular Jews with a message of love and joy rather than pressure and judgment. 

He taught that just as dark events in Jewish history contained within them the sparks of tremendous light, so too the darkest places in ourselves contain the sparks of our greatest light. We just need to ask God for the strength to face them, work on them and emerge into the light!

May the Rebbe's memory always be for a blessing.

[beardedmrbean]

A New York City man is facing a hate crime charge Monday after allegedly yelling "Free Palestine!" before stabbing an individual outside of a synagogue over the weekend in Brooklyn, police say. 

The New York City Police Department tells Fox News Digital that the incident involving 22-year-old suspect Vincent Sumpter happened around 2 a.m. early Saturday near the Chabad Lubavitch movement’s world headquarters in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood.

Police say a 33-year-old victim was "slashed in the torso" following a verbal dispute in which the younger suspect said the phrase "Free Palestine." The victim was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, while Sumpter was arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime and assault causing serious physical injury. 

Yaacov Behrman, a rabbi and spokesman for the Chabad Lubavitch movement, told the New York Times that the victim was Jewish. 

"This is obviously a very serious incident, and there has been a lot of antisemitic rhetoric," Behrman said to the newspaper. "I’m concerned that unless this rhetoric stops, it’s going to become more common, sadly." 

Surveillance footage taken from the scene shows two men in white shirts interacting with a third individual. That individual then lunges at the other men, forcing them to retreat. 

"The guy started to say, 'Free Palestine,' and stuff like that... Two of my friends came a little bit closer and told him to go away," a person identified as the victim’s friend told CBS New York, noting they had just finished a Friday night Shabbat meal when the stabbing took place. 

"And after a couple of minutes, the guy said, like, 'You wanna die, what's going on?'... We said nobody wants to die, go away, we're going to call the police... It was like a second – took a knife, opened it like that, and stabbed him by the stomach," he added. 

The witness told CBS New York that residents in the community then chased down the suspect until police arrived. 

The victim told Israel’s Kan 11 News that "I had internal bleeding but thank God I had a miracle," according to the New York Post. 

Mark Treyger, the CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, wrote on X following the stabbing that "This is a dangerous escalation of the current climate we are in and it should outrage every New Yorker because it is an attack on every New Yorker.

"This abhorrent and abominable attack on a young Jewish person in Brooklyn because of his identity should not and cannot be seen in isolation," he added.