ESPECIALLY AS IT IS BEING MADE IN CROWN HEIGHTS
In Kislev, 5730 (1970), the administration of "Chadrei Torah
Ohr" in Eretz Yisroel held a dinner in Crown Heights. At the time, many Jewish
members of the community were leaving the community, and, the Rebbe, in turn,
spoke a lot about strengthening the neighborhood.
Having the dinner in Crown Heights was clearly something that
showed support for the community, and, therefore, when the Rebbe was informed of
it he wrote the following:
I will mention it at the tziyun, especially as it is
being done in Crown Heights, "asher sham tziva Hashem es ha’bracha" (Here
Hashem commanded his blessing) - to demonstrate to the nations of the earth that
Bnei Yisroel are His close people.
MELAVEH MALKA IN CROWN HEIGHTS
The following Shabbos, the Rebbe referred to the above at the
farbrengen:
They announced the Melaveh Malka of Chadrei Torah Ohr earlier
- for one may oversee the needs of the community on Shabbos - and they announced
the time and place where it will take place. Each according to his means should
participate, especially as it is connected with Torah and it is a mosad
chinuch in Eretz Yisroel, where "the eyes of Hashem are upon it from the
beginning of the year until the end of the year."
They deserve a "yasher koach" for making the banquet
here, in Crown Heights, where we said (at the farbrengen of Acharon Shel Pesach,
5729) that davka "there Hashem commanded the bracha chayim ad ha’olam."
...
When there is a wedding, they go elsewhere and make the
wedding there. Why don’t you make the wedding close by? Why don’t you make the
bar mitzva close by? And the Tena’im close by? They claim there is nowhere to
make it...let them build a hotel, Lindsay (the mayor of New York) gives money
for that. You just have to get involved.
As we said, they deserve a special "yasher koach" for
making the Melaveh Malka here in Crown Heights. May it be a good start for all
simchos to be made here in Crown Heights - this is not an order or directive,
but a good suggestion, that all simchos be made in this neighborhood, in Crown
Heights. And it will be even better here b’gashmius! Not just in
ruchnius, but b’gashmius it will simply be better here. And in the
end, Crown Heights will have the greatest success, for Hashem wants them to
fulfill that which is written in Choshen Mishpat [the section of Jewish law
dealing with financial matters] and He will, therefore, make them financially
successful.
From now on, may there be those who will get involved in
this, and in a manner in which they will succeed, for "kan tziva Hashem es
ha’bracha" - and so it shall be.
MANY WILL TAKE NOTE
R’ Avrohom Yitzchok Baruch Gerlitzky’s wedding took place at
the time. Since the Rebbe had spoken about strengthening the community, they
decided to make the wedding in a hall in the neighborhood, and they informed the
Rebbe of this by letter:
"Our wedding will take place, G-d willing, on Thursday the
27th of Adar I, in an auspicious time in the "Young Israel" hall on Eastern
Parkway... we request the Rebbe’s consent and holy blessing."
The Rebbe replied by writing, "in an auspicious time," near
the date, and next to the location of the hall the Rebbe wrote:
Many thanks for the good news. And I will mention at the
tziyun that many will take note and arrange simchos in the
neighborhood of Crown Heights. And even those who (as of now) live in other
neighborhoods.
Near the request for a bracha the Rebbe wrote, "May it
be in an auspicious time in all ways."
MAKING IT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS OBLIGATORY
At the end of Shevat, 5739 (1979),R’ Gershon Ber Jacobson,
editor of the "Algemeiner Journal," asked the Rebbe permission to make his
daughter’s wedding outside the neighborhood in a Manhattan hall, since he did
not find a hall large enough for his guests, and since the "Jewish Center"
belonged to the Conservative congregation at that time, and there were Chassidim
who did not enter the hall for that reason, including his father-in-law, Rabbi
Yaakov Lipsker, a’h.
The Rebbe responded as follows:
If he does not make it in this neighborhood, chas v’shalom,
it will go against all the efforts in establishing the community, etc.. And when
it is done by the editor of a paper, it is "neged mit a trask" (literally,
"opposed with a bang"), etc., as is obvious. Since making it in the neighborhood
is obligatory, he will certainly find a good solution.
THE MAIN SESSION - IN CROWN HEIGHTS
In 5740 (1980), "N’shei U’Bnos Chabad HaOlami" organized the
"Week of the Jewish Woman" in Crown Heights. In order to encourage widespread
participation of women of all backgrounds, they planned to make the event in a
hall in Manhattan. When they informed the Rebbe, he responded as follows:
In general, it is proper and good and very necessary.
A point in common for all conventions, gatherings, dinners,
etc., is that the main session (the first one) must take place in Crown Heights
and only after that in another location.
