Due to the difficult situation impacting mosdos Gur, the Rebbe is holding a special Shabbos for givirim willing to make a major contribution. They will spend the Shabbos with the Rebbe Shlita in Tzfas, where the Rebbe spends several weeks a year, his annual retreat, in the resort owned by Rav Sholom Fischer, a multi-dwelling structure in the Old City of Tzfas with a view of Kever Rashbi.
The price to participate in the special even is an impressive $250,000 a person. Any givir willing to donate a quarter of a million dollars to Gur institutions will merit entry to this exclusive event.
Generally speaking, when the Rebbe spends his time in the northern retreat, he is secluded on the upper floor, spending much of his time alone, at times learning with his son and son-in-law. During the evening, the Rebbe generally spends an hour outdoors following mincha and maariv, permitting some to address him.
The Shabbos minyan takes place in the Beis Medresh on the entrance floor, and only chassidim who receive permission may participate. According to the Chadrei Chadarim report, this Shabbos, the limited participants in the fundraising Shabbos, chassidim from Eretz Yisrael and abroad, will make their payment before Shabbos and then be permitted the spend the special time in the shadow of their Rebbe.
They will daven with the Rebbe the entire Shabbos, attend the tisch and be permitted to experience the Shabbos with the Rebbe in a way most chassidim are not privileged to realize.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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21 Responses
something about this article disturbs me. i really don’t think the amount of money$ should have been mentioned. people are allowed to do whatever they see fit with their money. but for others, don’t you think most chassidim would love to be with their rebbe also but cannot because of money$?? when i read something like this i really feel bad for the people that just do not have.
“[T]he Rebbe generally spends an hour outdoors following mincha and maariv, permitting some to address him”
If you DO address the Rebbe and you weren’t permitted to do so what happens?
There’s something about these comments that I dont like. I think that you dont feel bad for the people that dont have, you are jealous of the people that do have. Remember – the nisoyon of the rich man is greater than that of the poor man and even for a rich man to donate $250,000.00 is not easy. Be happy that there are people that can afford the price and will help Ger with that kind of money – so they are rewarded on this world (to a degree), good for them (and I am not a Gerrer chosid, nor a chosid at all).
I cannot imagine being a Gerrer chossid, because I cannot see how chassidus can be chassidus if a normal chossid cannot talk to the Rebbe.
In places like Cleveland-Ra’anana, Dushinsky, and other such as Boston or Biala, the rebbe knows each family at least somewhat and anyone who needs to speak to the rebbe can just call and make an appointment.
I think groups like Ger, Satmar and Bobov completely forgot what chassidus means (actually, the Satmar Rov, Rav Yoel himself said this).
But for this reason also, I fully support groups splitting apart, like happened to Satmar and Bobov, because this only has positive consequences: the rebbe remains accessible to all chassidim.
This goes off-topic way too far already.
#4: The article seems pro-chassidish while the first couple of comments seem anti. Here the Rebbe is making himself available during free-time he normally spends alone or with his son or son-in-law. Why? to benefit those who need to use Gur institutions. So those who want to be with the Rebbe when he is normally by himself can do so by supporting institutions of Gur.
I read this open-mouthed. Did I get this right? If a Chasid has $250,000 he can get a “weekend with the Rebbe”. If a Chasid doesn’t have the gelt, too bad.
This has nothing to do with jealousy, it has everything to do with elitism & that money speaks louder than deeds. I am sure there are many, many Gerrer Chassidim who are really poor & are Moser Nefesh to adhere to Gerrer minhagim & it seems they will be excluded. Or will there be a special place “below the salt” L’havdil, as there was when nobility of England had public Courts & the commoners could grab a few crumbs and get to see the nobleman at the far end of the table?
I am not a Gerrer Chasidista, although I am Chassidish, and I cannot believe the holy Gerrer Rebbe Shlita would approve this “discrimination”. If YWN were to report that Almonehs, their Yesomim, & the devout & humble “nobodies” would have this unique zchus, THAT I could understand. But this? If you have $$ you’re worthy? I am appalled. But if someone can explain it all to me I’m certainly willing to listen.
Not being a Gerrer Chassid, nor any other Chassid, just a simple Litvak, I have one comment for all those who question the Gerrer Rebbe’s approach to raising the obviously much needed funds: The Gerrer Chassidim and the Alters as their leaders have been a sparkling gem on the in the multifaceted crown of Torah dynasties, led by one Torah luminary after another. Whether you would or would not personally would lead your followers differently is your prerogative. But to publicly challenge and even belittle the leadership of someone on the stature of the Gerrer Rebbe is nothing short of the fulfillment of the our Sages prediction that one of the signs that the coming of the Mashiach eminent is chuzpa yisgeh.
i suddenly became ill from reading this. we have people in our own community who have lost their jobs due to the economic crisis. whom ever would like to spend their money to be with the rebbe as a reward for giving a donation may do so but is kinda sick. since when did this chassidus become so sick where they have turned the rebbe shlita into an idle? are they going to bow down to him too? im very shocked!
I am a Gerrer. I don’t have that kind of money. But chas v’sholom that I should be jealous of someonew ho does have money and goes. I personally know most of the Gerrer rich people who will spend that kind of money. Not one has taken a penny from anybody. How can one be jealous of a gevir when his money was given to him by Hashem? Nisht farginen yenem is pure apikorsis. And even if the man gives this large sum of money because he wants to be with the Rebbe or to look good to his friends, the fact is that Mosdos Gur will get the money. Of course if you read these blogs you’ll see that writing disparaging remarks against Ger and the Gerrer Rebbe Shlita is perfectly normal.
Seems to me (and to the other put off commentators here) that a Rebbe should be available to anyone that would like to approach him. By distancing himself for everybody and selling the rights to his daled amos is in itself very non-Rebbe like. He’s not my Rebbe and even if he was, what would be the point being that he is inaccessible?
It sounds like this article was translated literally from a internal PR piece from Chassidei Gur and therefore, to American sensibilities, it cam accross as a “little” – what can you say- “wierd,” “condesending,”? I have no connection whatsoever with Gur- I am not trying to hype them up. But everyone knows that Gur is the largest Chassidc grouyp[ in Eretz Yisroel and is involved in a lot of very impressive activities- and they are really hard up for cash to pay their melamdim in their educational instituions.
the amount of money has is the only thing that Ger respects. Remember the big deal with Shefa Shuk? The Gerrer’s had big problems with that because the owner was mechallel shabbos. Well, guess what the hotel where all these big cheese, quarter mil Gerrers are going to be staying is mechallel shabbos b’farhesia (i know this because my wife’s family lives in Tzfat).
What do you make of this?
I wonder if they are going to have a minian…
I’m reading the comments and I’m feeling sick to my stomach.
If you have a score to settle with Ger for whatever reason, there are enough blogs out there catering to all your vile hatred.
The Gerrer Rebbe’s door is open to ANYBODY for FREE, unlike most other Rebbes who have screeners (aka Gabaaim) who write the Kvitel and charge a hefty fee.
I’m not in any way dismissing other Rebbes and their practices but to say that the Gerrer Rebbe will only let Chassidim come close to him for a fee is ludicrous at best.
Furthermore, other Rebbes are known to sell the zechus of their staying at somebody’s home to the highest bidder. I’ve yet to see any one of you Ger-haters write something negative about that.
Why not write it the way it is. I hate Ger end of story. No need to add the fancy excuses which even you don’t believe.
i am sorry if my statement caused an uproar. i live in eretz yisroel and respect ger very much. i really just feel bad for the people that will not be able to partake in this special shabbos. wishing all of the klal a gut yomtov.
For your information (to those who say teh Rebbe is “inaccessible”) – you can go in to the Rebbe every afternoon when he’s in Bnei Brak – no nee dto pay a quarter million to get to talk to him. Its gonna be more like a special Shabbos.
SOME OF YOU JUST DON’T GET IT!! The Rebbe is available almost all the time. This announcement proclaims that time that he normally reserves as private time, he is allowing people access to him if they support the Mosdos.;
Isn’t Kever Rashbi in Meron?
When they say the Gerrer Rebbe is inaccessible it may refer to the “daled amos” zone around him when walking in the street. You can get in to him very often. I used to go in after Kabolas Shabbos to “give Sholom” and sometimes sneak in a quick brocho. (A lot of Mirrer bochurim used to go together a few years ago, we were always treated with respect by the gabboim – Thank you Rabbi Fleischer)
i am not a gerrer chosid. i feel the whole episode was done wrong. they , at most should have quietly let it be known that this event happening and those that can afford it attend, mosdus need money, and its how its raised that respect is deservered.
it obviously got out of hand and the publicity is wrong.
ger is a great malchus which deserves our respect and admiration.
The title of this piece was disrespectful. It sounds more like a headline you would expect to see on the NY Daily News. “Big Bucks…” regarding gvirim demeans the generous people who can support the klal.