Crown Heights, NY – With its growth rate on the rise, and its current leadership aging, speculation has begun to swirl around who will ultimately lead the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement—and whether or not a unanimous leader can be agreed upon without the input of a rebbe.
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The JEWISH DAILY FORWARD (http://bit.ly/110sQgC) reports that the Chabad’s current head administrators, Rabbis Yehuda Krinsky and Abraham Shemtov, are both in their late 70s, and that they comprise the last remaining vestige of leadership officially appointed by spiritual leader Menachem Mendel Schneerson before his death at the age of 92 in 1994.
The FORWARD notes that a possible successor to the two would be Crown-Heights-born Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, 65, who currently plays a pivotal role in the movement’s outreach programs and fundraising, but asks the question as to whether or not a figure like Kotlarsky could “attain” the influence bestowed upon Krinsky and Shemtov without the official “blessing” of a rebbe?
According to religious insiders, the transition of a figure like Kotlarsky might be bumpy.
Samuel Heilman, a Queen’s College professor and co-author of a 2010 book about Schneerson, The Rebbe, said that in the absence of the Rebbe, who would definitively make the decision, such a transition might be “difficult.”
Ethnographer of Hasidic Judaism and a Lubavitcher, Rabbi Chaim Dalfin, said it’s important to remember that Chabad is a “Hasidic movement,” and that the Hasidic movement “works” from the “Rebbe down.”
On the other hand, some outsiders say that the movement is poised to continue its success in handling such transitions.
Jeffrey Gurock, a professor of Jewish history at Yeshiva University, said that, while “successions” like this can be difficult, he has the utmost confidence that the Chabad’s internal mechanisms will continue to successfully remedy its leadership issues.
Rabbi Kotlarsky, at the right time, will be a perfect answer. Much of the contemporary success of Chabad was effected through his hands-on administartion. The question that should be asked is who will succeed Rabbi Kotlarsky!!!
perhaps if both rabbis gave their blessings he would be accepted by the masses
As they said when the Rebbe was alive with no successor, not to worry Moshiach would come and there wouldn’t be a need for one.
They are missing a crucial understanding of how chabad works after the histalkus.
Chabad is no longer an organisation!
It is a movement. There is no physical boss of this movement.
There are leaders of relatively small organisations in New York that are largely irrelevant to the growth of the Chabad movement.
The secret of Chabad s growth is the fractured nature of the movement and that practically each shliach is on his own
they should nominate a REBBE to be an einikel of the Baal Hatanya or any of the other Rebbes further down the generations. Can still be a Shneerson.
This article from the forward is misleading.
Today, Chabad leadership is every single shliach, who are led by the Rebbe’s prolific teachings, writings and guidelines.
As per the Rebbe’s wishes, Lubavitch is completely decentralized, with only some programs and the yearly kinus that are organized or lead by the head office.
The only head of chabad was, is, and will be the Rebbe, of blessed memory. All others in leadership are only program administrators, do not control anything, and are easily replaceable.
Rabbis Krinsky and Rabbi Shmetov, the “current Chabad head administrators” have a say in Chabad affairs as much as the American Jewish Congress has over American Jewish affairs.
Both are fine Tamidei Chachomim, fine gentlemen and well respected.
The way Chabad is set up 99% of the ‘mosdos’ are total independent.
This article is laughable. To be honest I have never given it much thought. But I’m sure the only people speculating are the people at the forward and all the other people who like to gossip speculate. Let’s spend our time doing and then there will be no time to for meaningless speculation.
Article was paid for by… This article is pointless in that who cares about the leadership wars. The Shluchim that are doing the good work will continue regardless of who’s in charge… Nobody will ever satisfy everyone…
As a chabadnik I can tell you with the greatest respect to these individual rabbis nobody for a moment sees them as replacing the Rebbe. Whilst it will undoubtedly be interesting to see what happens when they move on, the Forward is sensationalizing way beyond reality.
The current state of affairs with how Chabad run is quite frankly dangereous. With NO ONE to answer to, these independent Chabad rabbis think they can do WHATEVER they like.
Will they still be discriminatory under a new rabbi? Lets hope they improve.
Decentralization, i.e., no mesorah at the level of shimush. Otherwise known as “ish hatov be’einov ya’aseh”.
Didn’t work in the time of the Shoftim; doesn’t work now.
We’re doing quite well as we are, thank you very much. The Forward is nothing more than scurrilous yellow journalism, hellbent on causing machloykes (or for their low-Jewish information readers, controversy & dissent.) We Lubavitchers don’t need their speculation.
As for the small lunatic fringe, they are clutching at straws. They are so crazy, many of their own have rejected their insanity in favor of reality.
Personally, I’m not a fan of Rabbi Kotlarsky. But since no one will ask me what I think, I guess I’ll just wait & see….and pray Moshiach comes very, very soon.
LOL
Who is going to take over as a miracle worker prophet and mind reader?
Who is going to personally keep in mind the comings and goings of millions of people?
These speculates are ridicules.
Has to be 2 or 3 Lebavicher Rebbes like all other chasidos…
wehat is wrong with rabbi ashkenazi -or rabbi stiensaltz
Anyone actually been to Crown Heights lately? Oh it’s growing alright; it’s growing into a Modern Orthodox community which looks and feels more like Teaneck everyday. This community is so far removed from the 1994 world of Schneerson, that it is only nominally Lubavitch, and symbolically Chassidic. I highly doubt that the majority of it’s residents either ponder or even care about who their next “leader” will be.
A large percentage of the younger chabadniks never knew Schneerson and thus have little connection with his legacy. Anyone he “annointed” and is still alive is also geriatric and not in position to assume leadership of the global Chabad franchise. Its a huge business and needs modern leadership by someone who is both a talmid chacham and has proven managerial skills. There are a large number of such rabbonim with strong ties to Lubavitch such as Rav Shaul Shimon Deutsch, shlita, the Liozna Rebbe who would make outstanding candidates to be the new Lubavitcher Rebbe.
What about Na Nach Nachm Nachman M’uman, (Breslov movement) they seem to be very opened and inclusive of all people.
Although most anti comments here are simply disgusting and downright disrespectful to a movement that has done more for world jewry than any other.
The truth is chabad/lubavitch bashing has become so passe’
Yes- the meshichisten are nuts, and everyone knows they are nuts,
Most important- ask yourslves this, and answer honestly (if that’s at all possible with most of the negative posters her):
in the 21 years since the LR had a debilitating stroke. Has lubavitch fulfilled the negative worlds prophesy? Namely imploding or dying out? Or has it grown immensly?
Has the messianic element of chabad evolved into what the doomsayers were saying- even granting the yechi?
Has chabad lubavitch continued to serve- with selflessness- world jewry albeit in “theor” way?
How many communities, chassidic, litvish, sefardic have terrible horrible infighting and scandals and how many in lubavitch?
Are they perfect? No
Are they chassidishe frummeh yidden who spread torah and mitzvos? Yes
Do they do wonderful things for the klal? Yes.
So, leave them alone, yo don’t want to give them money? Don’t
You don’t want to visit their chabad house when you r travelling who-knows where? Don’t
You don’t like the way they revere their late rebbe? So don’t hang around them or read their books. There is plenty of censorship anyways.
What’s your problem??
Krinsky is the secretary ie in charge of the checkbook. His family will take that over. Shemtov is a member of the board but realy has no controle over the check book unless he goes to court or bais din. His mosdoise run seperatly and he has family that will take that over.
The problem is that Krinsky has no one to answer to and for example spends millions of dollars fightting to evict the 770 shull elected gaboim in goyesher court! Or spent 100k to protect a stone that says Zatsal. Does anyone know where his children got the money to to own large real estate?
The rebbe left a tzavo with 10 people in charge. Its time for elections – not for rebbe – but for a board, secretary, tresurer etc. This can be enforced by the attorney General. I would like to have an accounting done.
the next thing for lubavitch will be moshiac and may it happen today.All this other talk maybe good if its for someone run the day to day business. U will NEVER be able to replace the holy rebbe.
The article was not about who would be the next Rebbe.
The article was about who would succeed R. Krinsky and Shemtov as administrators.
There will be peace between Israel and the Palestinians before they will agree on a new leader.
Wish them well. They do great work here in Texas.
Thank G-d for chabad. They are the only Jews who really care about everybody. Obviously, when you have such a successful movement, you will get the critics too. My son went to college and was hanging with a nonJewish girl and it made me very nervous. The chabad rebitzin was always talking to them about the importance of marrying Jewish and finally, after one friday night dinner there, he made the decision to drop her. He is now very seriously dating a Jewish girl. I will never be able to thank those wonderful young men and women for caring about all Jews. Thank you, Chabad. I hope the chabad rabbis reading these comments don’t take this nastiness to heart. Please keep doing what you are doing. You are making a real difference and we will always be grateful for that.
I dont know why none of the Lubavitchers mentioned it but the Rebbe made it very clear how to resolve issues after his passing, and it’s something Yidden have been doing for thousands of years….consult with Rabbonim!
All the work Rabbis, Krinsky, Kotlarsky, Shemtov and shluchim do is wonderful but they are no substitute for real Torah leadership and that is what should be the guiding force and ultimate say on all issues.
Other than that we need no new leaders and if we TRULY follow the Rebbe’s directives we will be fine until Moshiach comes. I can assure you we are no worse off than any other groups with official leadership.
http://a-farbrengen.blogspot.com/2009/03/rebbes-public-will.html
Chabad lives period. The Rebbe for now and forever. An administrator change may be needed at some point.
Chabad is so wonderful and crazy all at once, it would need someone strong to lead it, and be it’s Rebbe. You would need to be Russian, and ruthless to manage all the different opinions in Chabad, and hold everyone in check. You would also need someone with a strong commitment to chassidus and a strong love of Judaism. I would say it would have to be a mix between Vladimir Putin and Pinye Korf. Perfect !!