Hackers reportedly attacked the web site of the Chief Rabbinate in Ukraine yesterday, Monday. The site, which is run by Rabbi Azriel Chaikin – one of the chief rabbis of Ukraine – said that no one claimed responsibility. According to the JTA, the site’s service was restored after a call requesting help from the Ukrainian Secret Service.
Featured on the Web site was an open letter from Rabbi Chaikin to Ukrainian President Victor Yuschenko thanking the president for his recent steps to combat anti-Semitism in Ukraine and his presidential order to return Torah scrolls to the Jewish community.
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29 Responses
is this importent news or just silly news 2 fill up ur web site??
What does ”one of” the Chief Rabbis mean? There are several?
I understand the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine is a Stoliner Chosid.
Joseph: And his name is R” Yaakov Dov Bleich, from Brooklyn, a son in law of R’ Shabsi Vigdor of Monsey. He was a chavrusa of mine when he learned in Telshe Yeshiva.
#2, Yes HaRav Yaakov Dov Bleich (a Karliner) is the original Chief Rabbi of the Ukraine. Rabbi Azriel Chaikin is the chief Chabad Rabbi (or shliach) for that area. (Although many times in Chabad they like to call their guy, wherever he may be, “THE Chief Rabbi”.)
Ahh, that is what I thought. Thanks guys.
yeah, chaikin came recently with chabad money to oust the ‘outsider’ rav bleich who’s been living there for almost 18 years now…
goodbye, Unfortunately that is very typical of some elements in that group. They are Johnny-come-lately’s who try to throw overboard whoever is in their way, and claim all titles, especially “Chief.”
# 6 & 7
I would not call them “Johnny come latley”.
I worked for Rav Bleich in 1990 and there were already Lubavitchers there at the time. (one of the was Reb Yankels cousin).
Its true that he was and is the chief Rabbi, but Lubavitch has been in Ukraine for the last 200 years without stop, including during communisim.
They did not just show up with $$, they have been there all along. Rabbi Chaiken moved in a few years ago, but as a rep for a group that was there long ago.
In any case, there is plenty of room for more work there. I wish Reb Yankel the best, he is a true mentch, yaroich yomim al mamlachtoi!!!
To all of you:
Either in Ukraine or in Russia, like in USA there is no official chief Rabbi.
There are groups of people that call themselves different kind of congresses and comities, and appoint chief rabbis. Usually it comes out to couple of them.
In Russia, most people consider Lazar to be chief Rabbi, since the president (Both Eltsin and Putin) recognizes him
In Ukraine, there are three chiefs.
Two from Chabad and one from stoliner/kraliner.
Joseph, goodbye, and Cherry Hill why you always comment negatively on Chabad.
Whenever there is a nice story about Chabad I never seen, your comments.
Cherry Hill- what do you mean, “They are Johnny-come-lately’s…”
In the whole CIS, there are maybe 10 orthodox moisdos that are not affiliated with Chabad.
Other cities Chabad was the first an still the only one.
Doc – Accept for Moscow and Kiev, Chabad were the first one there, so why they cannot call themselves Chief.
As someone loosley affiliated with Stolin, I can tell you that # 9 is as close to the truth as we are gonna get.
I have been to Ukraine more than 20 times, Chabad is in over 100 cities in the FSU. Rabbi Bleich was the first (family) Rabbi to move to the FSU, but chabad had bochurim there first and they had some people who were still there from the communistic days.
they never had a permanent presence in kiev until the day they heard bleich was there… then they came running… chaikin DID come with money from chabad to oust him now. the same money lazar came with to oust goldschmidt from moscow… the money is called leviev…
by the way, yavreichik, “goodbye, … why you always comment negatively on Chabad” sorry to disappoint you, but this was my first comment…
Goodbye read yochi comments and learn some history.
In addition, where do you get your info?
Do you travel there or speak to different people from there often?
Goldschmidt was chief rabbi installed by USSR (KGB).
There are a lot rumors as to where he got his smicha, (not even sure if has a smicha of a posek)
Lazar came with a smicha of a Dayan/Posek
In addition, Leviev stepped in much later
In the beginning, Lazar and Goldschmidt were at the same Jewish congress, then that congress split. (Not sure why).
Therefore, there became two congresses with each appointing chief rabbi.
In addition, Leviev stepped in much later
In addition, if we look carefully at who came where first, then the result might be yes Blich came first, but Chabad NEVER LEFT.
By the way, Blaich and other Chabad people are on more friendly terms in Kiev, then people on this website.
In Kharkov, for instance I know a situation when Chabad shliach was helping OU to deal with government and other influential people to stay at their building when they were almost kicked out.
(I know it from the person in administration in that OU charter).
To comment #12
I am sorry, probably made a mistake, I thought I saw your name previously…
Goodbye,
you are making a mistake.
There were bochurim (as I wrote, one was his cousin)in Kiev when Bleich got there. You are right they did not have a permanant yungerman there until about 6 months after Reb Yankel was there.
The yungerman, was a lo yutzlach compared to the powerhouse Reb Yankel is and therefore they switched him out and eventualy brought in Rav Chaiken (brother of the gaon, Rav Chaiken in Cleveland).
Does Chabad have the $$ from Leviav, yes, but that has nothing at all to do with Chabad being there first or last.
goodbye, Don’t take it personally. I said NOTHING regarding Chabad, and yet yaver criticized me for not kissing-up to Chabad. Apparently he has a complexity problem.
to number 13: you have something completely backwards: You write: “Goldschmidt was chief rabbi installed by USSR (KGB). There are a lot rumors as to where he got his smicha, (not even sure if has a smicha of a posek)Lazar came with a smicha of a Dayan/Posek In addition, Leviev stepped in much later” Harav Goldschmidt was locked out of Russia by KGB/putin for half a year. Lazar IS putin KGB. Harav Goldschmidt is a real emeser gaon and rov… i wonder if anything similar could possibly be said about lazar/leviev…
Goodbye – Sorry, I mixed up the last names.
R. Goldschmidt is a chief Rabbi of Moscow, and R. Shaevitz is a Chief Rabbi of Russia.
In my comments, I was referring to R. Shaevitz.
As far as I know, there is no Chief Rabbi of Moscow from Chabad side.
Joseph – I just remember your postings from other articles on this website, unless it was some other Joseph.
Oh, guys, I found out today that there is a four Chief Rabbis of Ukraine.
The fourth one belongs to reform movement.
yavreichik – So let us get this straignt. There is a regular Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, 2 Chabad “Chief” Rabbis, and a reform one too?
There is no regular
They are all regulars.
Another thing I found out is that Blich moved his family back to BP and spending time in Ukraine on periodic basis.
Therefore, I’m not sure if he falls into category of a Rabbi of Ukraine if his residence is in BP, and only goes there sometimes.
Yidel, if you want you can too become Chief of Ukraine as well as Russia
It’s like trying to figure out who’s Chief of USA
HaRav Yaakov Dov Bleich still resides and is the original Chief Rov of the Ukraine (any “reform” or other wannabes notwithstanding.)
Doc, where do you get your info?
I was writing my comments while I was sitting and talking to a guy from Ukraine.
yavreichik: I got it first-hand (not second-hand) from the Chief Rov’s gabbai.
Then I guess, his congregants don’t know that their Rav is still in Kiev.
yavreichik, What are you saying? His mispallilim and talmidim see him in Kiev all the time.
The guy you spoke too in Kiev perhaps is not a regular of the Chief Rov (or is not up to date.)
rabbi bleich has lived in ukraine with his family for almost 18 years now. noone else ever came close to that. he still lives there and runs everything in the mainstream (ehrliche, tora-oriented) kehilla there.