(VIDEOS & PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
The whirlwind celebrations of Sholom Rubashkin’s early release from prison continued on Motzei Shabbos and again on Sunday morning.
Hundreds gathered at an event for the Dror Organization, where Sholom Rubashkin was honored with writing a few letters in a new Sefer Torah (see video & photos below).
On Sunday morning, Rubashkin visited the Stoliner Cheder in Boro Park (see video and photos below). The Rebbi, Reb Leibish Lish, introduced the guest to the children as Reb Sholom Mordechai Shlita. The Rebbi then pointed out that his first letter to Rubashkin was “Vuv Teves Tus Shin Aiyn Bais” – the same date as today (6 Teves). The Rebbi and class is reported to have sent letters to Rubashkin on numerous occasions while he was in jail.
Rubashkin then spoke and delivered a Bracha to all the children, followed by singing and dancing.
He also visited the Stoliner Bais Medrash (see video below).
Also posted below, is the last letter (allegedly) that Rubashkin wrote from jail.
On Motzei Shabbos, his fathers house was packed with Chassidim as Sholom Rubashkin made his first Havdallah as a free man, and Rubashkin’s father and children then joined the Munkatcher Rebbe at his Bais Medrash on 14th Avenue for singing and dancing.
As YWN reported, Sholom Rubashkin visited New Square on Erev Shabbos, where thousands (literally) of Skverrer Chassidim filed past him to shake his hand.
YWN will continue to keep our readers updated on the fast moving Rubashkin tour as he visits Yeshivos, Mosdos, Rabbonim and Admorim.
(Charles Gross – YWN)
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25 Responses
We should be very thankful for SMR’s release from an excessive and very unjust prison sentence but be careful not to make a “hero” of a convicted felon.
Gadolhadorah, Alfred Dreyfus, the sixth Lubavicher Rebbe and Nathan Shcharansky were all “convicted felons”. Your brain is too small to realize that Rubashking not only got “very unjust prison sentence” but the whole case against him was a travesty of justice based on blatant antisemitism and envy.
@Gadolhadorah I agree with you 100%.
For all those who have forgotten, the Rubashkin saga began as an attack on shechita by PETA and associates, and only much later did financial issues enter into the picture. Thus his legal battles were the battles of klal Yisroel. He sat in jail for all of us. To me the communal response of joy makes perfect sense.
The bank loan that was problematic became necessary after his business had fallen apart due to the raids. His conviction and draconian sentence were the prosecution and judge’s last revenge when everything else they threw at him was dismissed. Had the court not illegally meddled in the sale of his business it would have been a non-issue. While I too don’t believe in celebrating those who have broken the law, to call him a convicted felon shows a complete lack of knowledge of the history and details of the case.
He was already recognized as a hero years ago (for good reason!) when he was receiving hundreds of pidyonos in prison. I’m not kidding.
My mistake, it wasn’t hundreds of pidyonos, but in the thousands.
Gadolhadorah,
Just because someone is convicted doesn’t mean he’s guilty. The proof that this is that on the very same day that SMR was released, another “convicted” rapist or killer was released after a long time in jail with charges dropped, because the DNA didn’t match up.
SMR was found guilty of issues with loans, of which the default of said loans were CLEARLY the fault of the Govt. If you don’t believe me I’d suggest you do a lot of reading on the subject. I’m sure once you do your eyes will pop out of your head.
This is a good place to start.
https://yated.com/category/perfidy-in-iowa/
Since when does Yeshiva world allow linking an article?
When linking prevents potential motzi shem Ra.
Not sure the letter writer why being happy for rubashkin is bad because there was a tragedy recently. Rubashkin had nothing to do with the fact that they left their candles burning and went to sleep. If we had to lessen our simcha at every tragedy then we would never be happy at weddings or holidays or any other simchas since just as there are always simchas there are also always tragedies. Rubashkin spent 8 years in jail for no good reason. Let klal yisroel rejoice both that a wrong was made right and if we have such a wonderful president of this country who is a ohev yisroel mamesh.
SMR ess not a korbon for the tzibbur. If anything we were his korbon with all the anti semitism hr added onto klal yisroel. He cheated himself and klal yisrorl. He ran his business illegally. When the feds camr to investigate ,instead of trying to fix his ways he spit in their faces. He did this to himself. Was his sentence excessive? Yes but remember he had clowns from 770 making demonstrations in Iowa and threatening the judge. Don’t put this as a guilt trip on the tzibur. He was his worst enemy and should take full responsibility for getting himself and his family into trouble.
@yeshivabochur123- you should be ashamed of yourself
@Put down the gun- so we get it that all the lubavs are happy no matter what since hes one of your own. But I personally heard lubavitchers in crown heights ranting about all the treif meat they were served out of that meat plant. Were the undercover videos of non jews basically slaughtering the animals or people slicing a cows neck so many times everywhere, or not slaughtering properly, did those videos mean nothing?
Besides you make a big deal and turn him into a hero/rebbe/celebrity but you forget that even though hes lubavitch, the non lubavitch world did a tenfold more than chabad in actions to get him released. And I dont mean the emotional part where you guys mentioned him at farbrengens and cried over him whenever you got a chance. I mean actually taking action which led to his release. Thats what really counts at the end of the day. And yet you will never thank everyone enough you will just make it about yourselves. Will these facts make you stop mocking everyone? I dont think so.
Takes2-2tango, you really should examine if your mother is Jewish. The Jew-hatred you are spewing can come only from some one who is reading Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
This whole Rubashkin tour and the over the top adulation of Trump for granting clemency has gotten really sick. Even worse is the mindless criticism for those who disagree with this seemingly endless round of high fives. We should be appreciative of the reversal of an excessive prison sentence but use this as a learning moment for others to avoid behavior that crosses the line or even gets close to the line. When that guy Dwek in New Jersey conspired with some rabbonim and askanim to launder money several years ago and we saw the all too familiar photos of guys in yeshivish lvush being dragged off to prison, the anger was directed at Dwek, not towards the rabbonim and askanim who should have know better. When an otherwise ehrliche yid goes OTD (from a civil law perspective), we cry anti-Semitism, he was “set up”, etc. Every once and a while, Agudah will organize a really excellent seminar on business ethics etc, but how quickly we forget. Yes, we are happy Shlomo Mordechai is free, but focus on the assuring there are no more SMRs going forward.
So apparently there are farbrengens or “bash-fests” as I like to call them, going on in crown heights with “mashpiim” and “rabbis” once again taking aim at misnagdim spreading around propaganda about how misnagdim are so jealous of chabad, and they are worth nothing since they dont learn chassidus, and the whole rubashkin story proves they need lubavitch. Wow, such disgust. And this is supposed to make people like chabad or be close to them? Achdus? They always yell achdus when really they are the only reason blocking achdus! And if the anything has been proven fron the rubashkin story, is that everyone else DOES have achdus and they are the ones still spewing hatred towards everyone and in a twisted way taking advantage of everyone’s display of achdus and putting it against them to show that everything is about chabad. When will this madness end, this hate speech is not only tolerated by them it is encouraged. So if noone showed happiness they would attack everyone for being sonei lubavitch. But when you display simcha, then it’s because you need them and have submitted to your jealousy. I can only imagine if the tables were turned and someone said something like that about them. Or if the person in this story wasn’t a lubavitcher. How happy would they have been or would they have found excuses for him to stay in prison. Aibishter helfen.
Gadolhadorah, RE: “Yes, we are happy Shlomo Mordechai is free, but”. All Rubashkin haters use this cliche. I doubt you are “happy” Rubashkin sentence has been reduced.
@mosheingolus- I would put a high bet that you are lubavitch. Even when everyone shows simcha towards someone who happens to be lubavitch, you will still play the victim.
Hey Moish….I’m neither SMR “hater” or “lover”….just one of those here who feel the “SMR personality cult” has gone over the top…you are entitled to feel otherwise.
I detect a cry baby who threw a tantrum when sholom mordechai was freed.
litvishechossid, “I would put a high bet that you are” militant misnaghet. And even i am a “lubavitch” is anything wrong with that? I understand your disappointment at Rubashkin’s release, i feel your pain.
Shame, your illness is worse than I thought. It would be better for you to be a “misnaged” with ahavas yisrael than a “chossid” who hates everyone. And by chossid I refer only to a “lubavitch chossid”.
Only a lubavitcher can spoil everyone’s achdus by triumphantly leading a hate bashing parade to those who displayed simcha by taking advantage of the situation to denigrate and mock them, and once again turn the whole situation making it about chabad and how everyone Is lol “jealous” of them. Just as you turned Trump’s embassy move claiming “lubavitch is pulling the strings” it wasnt a surprise what was coming with this rubashkin situation. Who would have thought otherwise. Especially when non lubavitchers were mostly involved in his release, could one expect any hakaras hatov? Obviously not, quite the opposite.
RE: “It would be better for you to be a “misnaged” with ahavas yisrael than a “chossid” who hates everyone”
litvishechossid , i have an advice foe you: look at the mirror.
Ok moishala will do