The rising numbers of panhandlers at the main shul of 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, has led the ones in charge to instate a new rule: Pay for your stay.
Charity collectors who roam around the large shul, its lobby or entrance throughout the day are now asked to pay a symbolic $5 a day from what they collect.
One outraged panhandler has told the New York Post. “Poor people collecting money have to pay? It’s like extortion.”
And some congregants like real estate owner Mendel Drizin refused to believe it. “It’s a lie from top to bottom!” he was quoted as saying. “These rabbis are not poor people – they don’t need the $5 for people to beg inside.”
The policy was created by R’ Avrohom Holtzberg, one of the 5 gabboim elected to the shul by Crown Heights residents (the role of Congregation Lubavitch Inc. as administrators of the shul is being contested in court by the Chabad establishment).
While Holtzberg was not reachable for comment, two of his colleagues told COLlive.com the move was more than justified.
“Many of the tzedaka collectors are not unemployed people,” one of them said, asking to remain anonymous as financials was Holtzberg’s responsibility.
“What we have here is an open shul that anyone could come, spend the whole day here and collect for himself or an institution, and we are left paying the maintenance and electricity bills each month,” he said.
He added that “what is being publicized is not honest.”
Another gabbai, also asked not to be named, said: “They get free shelter, coffee, cake, a chance to raise money – $5 is not a percentage.”
(Source: COL)
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15 Responses
C’mon really?? It’s 5 bucks , just pay it stop being babies!!!
I wonder if Avrohom Avinu charged per day for a stay. Aren’t we the one’s carrying on his mesora. Apparently Chabad doesn’t think so.
COME ON, YOU KNOW HOW THESE ‘COLLECTORS’ DISTURB DURING DAVENING, THIS WOULD BE A DETERANT. ALBEIT A VERY SMALL ONE.
SECONDLY: WHAT A GREAT INCOME!! JUST THINK OF THIS, 100 COLLECTORS = $500.00 !! AINT THAT SOMETHING?
A beggar is required by halachah to give maaser from the money he collects – there is no reason that part of that maaser shouldnt be given to those who make it possible to collect the big sums. Perhaps if someone collects less than $50 a day he could just give maaser up to $5.
BaalSechel, I’m no chabadnik, but come on! That comment was uncalled for!
Baal Sechel, I really wouldn’t compare these collectors with guests and I wouldn’t compare the shul with Avraham Avinu. The shul isn’t really there to provide for people who stay the whole day working (isn’t collecting money like a job?) and it does cost the shul money to have all these conviences for everyone.
I think the shul is 100% right. These collectors should be glad the shul allows them to spend the day there.
I think its brilliant, think of it this way. If the mispallilim davening there end up giving 3 or 4 colelctors, they don’t give to the shul. This way the shul won’t lose out as much if they charge a fee to come in. For the amount a collector might make when coming in, he makes back that “fiver” fairly quickly.
Even non-profit orgs know that it takes money to make money…
begging is big business today. There should be a way of knowing who is deserving. Here in Jerusalem, the amount of schnorrers is astounding. It seems no one in Meah Sharem works outside of the shnorring industry.
Remember shnorring is not just work, it is big business.
How about the nice percentages that have to be given to the drivers when collectors go out of town? Is that any better? To me it seems that a five dollar fee is a very minimal amount! BaalSechel–maybe we should send the collectors over to your house to hang out a whole day (use your facilities, food, etc.).
What about those who collect for Tzedokoh organizations, for Torah Mosdos, for the sick, for poor Chosanim & Kallos or Aniyai Eretz Yisroel.
Could you imagine such a rule in Satmar.
To Mr. #2 BaalSechel says: FOR THE RIGHT OR FOR THE WRONG, As you can read, These CURRENT Gaboim of the770 DO NOT never did & never will… Represent Lubavitch in any way shape or form!
If the Rebbe were alive he wouldn’t approve of this.
The next time a collector or impoverished soul comes to my door; it’s gonna cost him $5 for the privilege.
There is a seriousl flaw underlying this concept. It is the poor doing us the favour, not the reverse. In the times of chazal the indigent would ask for tzedaka by saying “zache bi” “gain merit through me”. I never heard of any Torah Mossad in the world that charges money to collect. Here is a better idea: require them to attend a Torah class to attain the right to collect. That will get reduce the numbers to the sincere, and is much more in line with Avrohom Avinu’s philosophy.