[By Freidy Orgad, Chabad Shlucha in Cluj-Napoca (Klausenburg), Romania]
As we approach the vacation days, I decided to share something I’ve wanted to share for several years. I do not, G-d forbid, want to harm anyone, so it’s important to me that you read this with a positive attitude, and you are invited to comment respectfully.
The summertime is when many people travel abroad and rely on Chabad houses around the world. I need to highlight a few important things that many people do not know about Chabad houses.
So let’s begin:
1. Chabad houses are not funded by any governmental body, neither the Israeli government nor the Jewish Agency. Every Chabad Shliach needs to work very hard (very, very hard) and secure donations that will sustain their activities throughout the entire year.
2. The activities in each Chabad house are very different. Some Chabads have a thriving local community with kindergartens, schools, youth movements, and so on. Some Chabads have a small community of elderly Jews, and some cater to an Israeli/Russian-speaking community. Each Chabad has its own unique assignment. One thing is for sure: all the Shluchim work hard to spread Judaism in their city.
3. Most Chabad houses in the world are not primarily intended for tourists, so they may only sometimes have suitable amenities. Keep in mind that you may need to adapt to the place and not expect the Chabad house to adjust to you.
Are you traveling abroad and need to rely on a Chabad house? With pleasure! Just make sure to clarify everything in advance. Just because you see a Chabad in a certain city doesn’t mean there’s a kosher restaurant, daily/weekly minyanim, a kosher store, or a mikvah. Some Chabad houses have kosher restaurants or a kitchen with a team that cooks, while others (like ours, for example 😉 are self-sustaining and cook themselves. Consider what each place offers, and make sure it fits your needs and is active during your stay.
4. Mikvah – if you plan to use the Mikvah during your trip abroad, clarify in advance. In many places, you need to coordinate in advance so that they can heat the water and ensure privacy. Clarifying in advance can prevent a lot of stress (from experience).
5. Shabbat – planning to observe Shabbat abroad? If you are with a baby, be aware that there might not be an eruv, and it is forbidden to carry a stroller/baby in your hands. Check in advance if there is accommodation with a key/no sensors, the walking distance to the Chabad house/synagogue, etc.
Also, if you decide to join Shabbat meals at Chabad, make sure to RSVP on time. Imagine how you would feel if someone knew on Friday at noon that they were coming to spend Shabbat with you and brought along another six people?
7. Questions – do you have any questions related to your trip? Try checking if the answer is on the local Chabad’s website, Google, or tourist groups for your destination. I don’t mean any offense, but as you know, sometimes there are dozens or hundreds or even thousands of questions, and it can be difficult to answer them all. Unless it’s an emergency, avoid calling the emissary in the middle of the night. And no, inquiring about ordering challah for Shabbat is not considered an emergency (true story!)
8. Payment – a question we sometimes ask ourselves: Why do Shabbat meals at Chabad cost money? The answer is in the first section: no one funds it. Did your flight, hotel, and transportation cost you? Similarly, Shabbat meals at a Chabad house. Did you arrive at a Chabad house that didn’t request payment for the meals? Leave a donation. Be sure that it is greatly appreciated and much neded!
9. Leftovers. Do you have leftover items from your trip that you want to leave? Some products can truly make the Shluchim or community happy (sealed snacks, sealed dairy products, and generally non-local sealed products). But first and foremost, check if they want them, and do not leave open products/brochures or newspapers that need to be genizah.
10. Lastly, Chabad Shlchim go above and beyond throughout the world to spread Judaism, take care of Jews in distress, and ensure the well-being of Jews in general. Alongside this, they are individuals with families and personal lives. Have you encountered a Shliach or Shlucha whose behavior didn’t meet your expectations? Find out what they’ve been through that led them to act that way. Try to give the benefit of the doubt, and there’s no need to criticize them in front of Shluchim in another country.
We are all one family – the Chabad Shluchim family, and we don’t like to hear that. On the other hand, we are always happy to hear praise for another Shliach and pass it on.
In conclusion, I wish everyone a healthy summer, travel, and enjoyment! You are always welcome to our Chabad house with joy, love, and prior coordination.
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.
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32 Responses
Kol Hakavod to you and your family, as well as your shluchim family, for all you do for Klal Yisroel all around the world!!!
The thing you said about payment for food is something
Cause allot of shul give food shalosh seudis and kiddushim
Was once by the baba salie abuchatzera party and they was serving chicken and I took a piece and ate it after that the person said you need to pay and it was a person there and I had to scream asking the price and also for a drink after that was thirsty. You have to know when a kiddush is given to the shuls people of the community sometimes allot of food just goes to the garbage so your saving them from doing bal tashlich but then if they see you eating they might like the food. There once was a guy that was fully paid up on all the food that could of gone to garbage and because he wasn’t sure about it every body finished all the food from appetite. But it is always good to say mazel tov to the contributor and it should not be seen as ribbis. Some places give good food even fish and chicken and kugel not everyone is so hungry unless somebody really is
Was once in a chabad house far away went there with a friend under the a big blue moon there was a couple of people there and they drove us back home but the thing is that these chabad shilichim are sacrificing the education of there children to speak and get friendly with some person that’s Jewish
David hamelech says “ki mimcha hakol umyadchah nisanu lach” hope that all life’s endeavors will lead to the purity that person was meant
I 2nd that!
Hi,
I’ve been reading Yeshiva world news for a couple of years now and a lot of Mailbags..
Never thought on commenting but here I feel that I most.
I really liked the way you wrote it with so much thought and kindness.
I just wanted to let you know that we all really appreciate everything the shluchim do each and every day, and me as a tourist and love for travel appreciate the warm helpful hospitality that I receive from you guys, even though as I know that this is not the whole reason for the Chabad houses just a good extra!!
Thank you so much!!
Chaim from Montreal
Wow. This “mailbag” was well written.
I am a Litvak, who has a number of serious issues with Chabad. I am not shy to raise and discuss them (when it seems to be l’To’eles) – passionately! However, these issues are nearly all ideological, and are with the movement – not with the people. I have a number of friends who are Lubavitch. I do not belive that anyone has the right to criticize Chabad unless they fully apprecite the Mesiras Nefesh for fellow Yidden that this brief letter but touches on. Well done, and well said!
You Chabadniks are amazing people! You, your husband, immediate family and extended family do amazing things and the letter you posted is so important and, for me, well received. Most of us did not have a clue that all you do in each Chabad house is self funded by funds you yourselves have to raise. There is no parent organization that pays for your rent, your communal outreach services and certainly not for your guests. You Chbadniks unilaterally always accept outsiders no matter what they need, look or smell like! Kol Hakavod!
Thank you for writing this letter. It was done very tastefully. Again, Kol Hakavod.
As a parent with children on Shlichus (one of whom is in a tourist area and is one of only TWO Rabbonim in the entire country!!) I want to say…kol hakovod! You wrote so eloquently, respectfully and warmly. And I think your article should be posted on all sites, every year!
Thank you for writing such a respectful, timely letter. Although we tend to take what you do for granted (as human beings sometimes do), we owe you hakaras hatov just for the fact that we can google ‘Chabad’ when we’re in the middle of nowhere for Shabbos. Not to mention your main work- making sure that ‘no Jew will be left behind’ (to quote your musical shliach par excellance R’ Avremel).
Yasher koach for the work you and your family does (‘family’ including your fellow shluchim).
A very appreciative non-chabadnik (oiberlander/litvak)
Sheluchim run the full gamut, I had some who welcome the sight of a frum yid, others are very indifferent and borderline hostile, in fact I saw this firsthand when two brother who are seluchim 60 miles apart had two very different attitude about welcoming frum people.
Regardless of what I encounter I will always leave a check for the sheluchim, on one occasion during the conversation he mentioned in passing that the family rarely eats dairy because there is no cholov yisroel nearby, when I got home I overnighted a box of dairy products for them.
I knew a rich MD who did not want to pay for a hotel in Amsterdam and would rather freeload off Chabad. He wasn’t a Shomer Shabbos but he was kosher. After he returned to America all he could do was to complain that the Rebbetzin had to shave her head and put asheitelon (he was misinformed but the gratitude was lacking).In those days everything was free. There are legit people and then there are the takers. Have some class! Don’t be cheap. If you can pay….pay!
Mega dittos!
Kol Hakavod for this well presented ‘Guide to Chabad House Visitors’ the mesiras nefesh and Ahavas Yisroel of shluchim and their families is beyond comprehension. Chazak V’amatz, and thank you!
I want to second common
If you are headed somewhere where kosher food is a luxury. Contact the sheluchim and find out if they need anything. If you have an extra suitcase, go shopping. Even a box of chocolates for a shabbos treat for the kids would be appreciated.
Dear Ms. Orgad,
I appreciate your service to klal Yisroel. However, you say you “don’t want to hear” anything bad because you are “one family” with the sheluchim. I beg to point out that if you feel as one family, maybe the sheluchim should start stopping this utter stupidity in Chabad that they give out dollars now in front of 770 without the [now deceased] rebbe there, as if he is there?! I can send you a video, it is disgusting and stupid, and maybe the sheluchim should realize that many people are turned off for Chabad most of the year because of this, and only use Chabad when they need them like on trips. We would more than be happy to welcome and be part of them all year like all chassidim and litvaks have what to do with each other in Brooklyn and Lakewood an Monsey. But this moshiach garbage has got to stop
Yudels Chassid
This has no place on this article! Maybe you can explain why nobody realises the respect gedolim had for Chabad prior to 1951? The Tzemach tzedek, maharash, rashab, rayatz? You know even R’Kahana from litvish circles agreed that reb itzele valishner, R’Chaim Ozer, R’Chaim Brisker, were very respectful of Chabad and the relationship with the 5th Rebbe is indisputable!
Why aren’t there any gedolim or respectful people today not bringing this up? Why only find negativity? There is no divisor other chassidig source to talk about the relationship between the Rebbes and other gedolim of the time! I find it very disturbing!
To Yudel’s Chassid:
Wow!
Because you are “turned off for Chabad most of the year” (and perhaps rightly so), you’ll “only use Chabad when they need them like on trips”?!?!
Having been the receiptient of Chabad’s excellent hospitality, I can say they are above and beyond.
Bringing light and warmth to places most of us don’t have the guts to move to.
I’ve been to Chabad houses up in Burlington Vermont, down to Gainesville Florida.
One amazing story.
I was in Baton Rouge LA, and I called up the Chabad Rabbi there to ask if there’s any Kosher food in the city.
He told me, why not come to me for dinner.
Which I did.
What a tzadik.
Mamish like Avraham Avinu.
I have several more stories with these Malachim.
Much Hakaros Hatov to their unbelievable work all over the world.
@ OheivYisroel
I wasn’t clear. I will clarify here. I meant to speak on behalf of many many people who really take issue with the garbage of Chabad regarding messianism, and how no one there has the courage to speak out against this insane moshiach movement and craziness (Rabbi Butman paskened recently that in middle of שמע קולינו one should say יחי אדונינו). The mainstream Jew from Lakewood, Brooklyn, Monsey etc. is currently appalled by Chabad,and will NOT associate with them the entire year unless they need them when they go to Idaho or Montana. That is sad. This is not the case with other chassidim and yeshivish and balabatish, they live in [sort-of] harmony, and each one has some sort of relationship, business, friendship, relatives with these circles. HOWEVER with the turn Chabad is taking, people have less and less to do with them, and they will soon become entirely irrelevant (besides for when people need them in random places).
I am not saying Chabad does not do good things. Or that their rebbe’s were not prominent talmidei chachamim. What I am saying is, and I addressed this to Mrs. Orgad (who should have much Hatzlucha and success) PLEASE PLEASE CALL OUT THE STUPIDITY IN YOUR CIRCLES BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. The average Orthodox Jew CANNOT STAND THIS STUPIDITY OF WATCHING JEWS STANDING EASTERN PARKWAY AND PRETENDING TO GET DOLLARS FROM SOMEONE WHO DIED IN 1994. It is the duty of the “family” (as Mrs. Orgad calls it) to speak up about their issues, and its about time some chabadskers [whom I hope do not agree with this messianism garbage] START TO PUT THEIR FOOT DOWN!
ccb45:
That doesn’t make sense.
Chabad today is very, very different than Chabad was during their fifth Rebbe.
As well, your question about why not see the positive has a very simple answer: the negatives are overwhelmingly worse than the positive.
Specifically, the whole deification (not just making him into messiah, which is harmful enough) of Chabad’s seventh rebbe, is very disturbing.
One example of Chabad:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu4x8PgOYKZ/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Incredible video. But I’m sorry, it doesn’t justify the craziness they allow for literally worshipping the Rebbe, and doing idiotic things such as forcing trandom Russian innocents who are [b”h] being niskareiv from Chabad from thinking that believing the Rebbe is moshiach is part of Judaism. Why does there need to be an ad by the BQE that the rebbe is moshiach? Why is this tolerated.
If I would be a gadol I would institute a boycott of CHK products–do not support them in business until they denounce these lunatics. Don’t buy milk or candies or danishes with their hashgacha. Let’s hurt them in the pocketbook. Then we can filter out the nuts from Chabad and slowly bring them back to central orthodoxy, where the rest of klal Yisroel can appreciate their true beauty and amazing selfless acts they do around the world.
@Yudels Chossid, I’m really sorry for you, honestly.
You sound like a truly miserable hating person.
Just so you know, the people giving out dollars outside 770 are a minority within a minority of Chabad.
Mainstream Chabad doesn’t agree with them.
Please don’t visit any Chabad houses.
We really don’t need you.
Chabad has enough resources to function on its own no problem.
Chabad has grown an enormous
Amount since 1994 without any sign of slowing down.
Either way, you should probably be studying Torah to become the next gedolei hador instead of spitting out needless hate.
@yudelschassid
I’m a Lubavitcher/ chabad Chossid.
I decided to respond as I see that you truly mean what you say and are not trying to be rude rather voicing an opinion from a place of real care.
I just want to clarify a few things;
I won’t deny that what you said about dollars etc. isn’t true.
It is and it happens.
But, your grasp of the situation is false.
Yes, there is a minority of people doing these crazy things, and when I say a minority I can tell you that from personally traveling when I was a bochur either gong to help a shliach or later on when I went on vacation, I’ve yet to meet a shliach that is from this part of the minority – or as we call them messianics.
99.99% percent of chabad go to the Ohel, the tziyun of the Lubavitcher rebbe zatzal.
You’re generalizing an entire group of a small amount of people, who yes are obviously crazy and unhinged.
So yes, obviously there are crazy people, and not only in chabad btw.
But you have to remember that the regular Lubavitcher is just a regular frum yid.
I don’t blame you, I remember when I was learning in Israel as bochur, every litvish bochur I came across, his first question after asking where I was from was, do you believe the rebbe is alive.
It seems to be a big misconception amongst many frum circles, that this small group of people that you get videos of them on WhatsApp doing regarded things are representing chabad ideology.
It’s utterly false!!!
I hope I made things more clear.
And we should all increase in ahavas yisroel especially during this time.
One more point that I forgot to address,
No one is allowing these lunatics to do what they’re doing. As a matter of fact, the reason the dollars thing happens outside 770, and not inside, where it actually took place before the passing of the rebbe, is because the doors get locked upstairs in order to bar them from doing it inside.
So again no one is condoning this group, no one approves of them, it’s not a chabad general issues rather a small minority that make huge noise, and obviously when crazy people do something, we think it’s funny and send videos etc. which can lead someone like you (who’s unaware because he’s not present in chabad circles) to make it into a CHABAD ISSUE.
The focus of this should be the behavior of frum yidden when they travel to a bais chabad, not about messishim.
BTW I am not a Chabadsker
On the other hand, there are far flung places like Serbia, where the communal Yiddishkeit that you see in USA or what is Given to places like Uman is not even a tiny fraction.
Yidden DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO, and CAN NOT AFFORD KOSHER FOOD!!
This is where efforts should be made to provide it!!
Sometimes a wealthy Israeli will give a huge donation there, but people WILL STILL BE CHARGED for it!
Why shouldn’t DONATIONS BY WEALTHY PEOPLE provide Kosher Shabbat basics like Chicken, Challah, Kugel and fish FOR LOCAL SERBIAN JEWS be given for free or for an amount like $5 ?
PLACES LIKE SERBIA HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS and local Jews there have been ignored by Jewish organizations and individuals.
Chabad Houses that are in Tourist Destinations get a lot of Donations.
Please put effort into helping Local SERBIAN JEWRY have access to Kosher Shabbat Food!!
I am writing several posts on SERBIA, because the Jews there need help getting Kosher Shabbos Food ! They have fallen through the cracks- Serbia does not get Wealthy Tourists so the Jews there do not have access to SEFARIM, SIDDURIM, and KOSHER SHABBOS FOOD DONATIONS. They cannot afford to buy Kosher food!!
SERBIA is a place for TRUE TZEDAKAH-
TZEDAKAH SHEL EMES!
It’s not going to get you Fun, Parties or Glory- it’s true Needy Yidden who need Kosher Food!!
The Amount of Money,
Spent on just one USA Fundraiser Dinner Party,
Can FEED SERBIAN JEWS SHABBOS FOOD FOR MONTHS!
Think about that!
Help Serbian Jews get Kosher Shabbos Food!
@Mendel23
I would love to believe what you are saying but it is getting harder and harder to believe that its just a minority. They are never called out, or put pressure on, they can attend the same schools and other venues as any other chabadsker. Something has to change. No other group in Judaism currently has something like this, maybe there are a lot of off the derech satmar and skverers, but they aren’t part and parcel of their chassiduses. Chabad has hundreds of רבנים who signed a קול קורא that “passkens” the rebbe is moshiach. While this is unfortunately misled and probably not כפירה, it definitely causes others to go to the extreme and add it to שמע קולינו [which by the way was done IN 770 EASTERN PARKWAY!] and stand for dollars. So, sorry, this is a “general” issue in Chabad, not just a bunch of outliers. There is a fundamental issue with Chabad now, and its unfortunate that they do not realize it but most Jewry cannot relate to them during the year, rather only when they need them.
@Mendel23.
I just reread your comment —you “think it’s funny”. Its not. its sad and tragic. These innocents are misled to believe something, and they dedicate their lives to spreading this stupidity. I live in a small jewish part of Brooklyn. Chabad came down my block on ל״ג בעומר, and gave my [almost 10] year old son a moshiach flag. Is that funny too? Why is this any different than missionaries? What’s sad is that I honestly truly believe that the people who gave my son the flag actually think that the whole Jewry thinks the Rebbe is moshiach, since they live in a cocoon in Crown Heights. They have 300 “rabbinic leaders” that go and decree the Rebbe is moshiach. They don’t know that Orthodox Jewry is massive, with millions of Jews. Not one single Jew in any other circle in the last 30 years since the Rebbe died thinks he is moshiach. Not one. It has not expanded. And all that is happening is Chabad is getting more and more secluded and alone, and no one is taking them seriously.
This is not funny. It is tragic, and it behooves the chashiva rabbinic in crown heights to finally take a stand to this utter stupidity.
Just wanted to clarify – when I stated earlier “I 2nd that!” – it was said in reference to the first comment which was, “ Kol Hakavod to you and your family, as well as your shluchim family, for all you do for Klal Yisroel all around the world!!!”
I didn’t realize that my statement was going to be listed after later statements and ask mechila if it was misconstrued and understood to mean something else.