To invoke a much-overused cliche that seems to keep popping into my head today, we are all Chabadniks now. The Brooklyn-based Hasidic group comes in for its share of criticism, but today all Jews–all people–can do little but mourn those who fell in the Mumbai massacre.
For those not familiar with Chabad, the first question in your head might be, What were a bunch of Jewish Brooklynites doing living in Mumbai? The answer is serving. Some would–and do–call it missionizing, and it is, of a sort, though Chabadniks themselves hate the term. Their mission is to bring Jews to Judaism; that is, to turn unaffiliated and non-Orthodox Jews into Orthodox Jews, or at least introduce to their lives some elements of Orthodox practice.
Most often, however, that mission is lived through keeping small Jewish communities alive and providing for Jews–residents and travelers–in far-flung places around the globe. Thousands of young Jewish families from Chabad spread out throughout the globe, live uncompromisingly traditional lives where there is little or no Jewish community, and provide food, education, sometimes lodging, and other assistance to the Jews around them–and hope to touch some souls in the process.
There’s plenty to criticize in Chabad, theologically and stylistically, especially when it comes to the fervent messianism that characterizes the movement. It’s a focus that has led a substantial number of Chabadniks to believe that their Rebbe (rabbinic leader, sage) was himself the Messiah who will reveal himself to be the redeemer of humankind–despite the fact that he’s been dead for more than 10 years.
But still, more than one critic of the movement has found himself or herself on vacation or away on business in some remote corner of the world–or even some remote corner of America–attending services at a Chabad house, having a Shabbat meal with the local Chabad family, or at least calling up Chabad to ask for advice on being Jewish where there are few Jews to be found.
It is a great irony, and a testament to their commitment and values, that this most sheltered of people choose to go out of their comfort zone to the farthest reaches of the globe. Hasidic men dress all in black, just as their ancestors did centuries ago in Europe, and women wear long dresses and wigs after they are married. Most live in tight-knit Jewish communities where most, if not all, of their social contact is with other Hasidim. Yet here they are, still in their traditional garb, setting up shop in places like Congo, Tunisia, Nepal, and Mumbai.
So what were these Brooklyn Jews doing in Mumbai? Providing kosher food, Jewish prayer services, and other ritual and educational needs to Western and Israeli Jews living there, and to travelers passing through. They were far from the only victims of the brutal terrorist attacks last week, but alongside the giant 5-star hotels, this family–who chose to leave the comforts simply to serve others, strangers, all of us–was no doubt singled out for simply being conspicuously Jewish where few are. Yes, we are all Chabadniks today.
Michael Kress is Managing Editor of Beliefnet.
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posted December 2, 2008 at 10:19 am
About 7 years ago while I was living in Israel, I attended a teacher’s conference in Thailand. It happened to fall over Pesach, so my two closest friends, and fellow teachers, attended a Seder put on by the local Chabad. There were around 200 fellow Jewish travelers at that Seder and about an hour into the Seder, the whole room was just singing. The largest portion of the group were from Israel, so we were singing every Hebrew Pesach song ever written. It was wonderful! I will never forget that Pesach and all of the effort that went into that Seder, even though the Rabbi never did gain any control after the singing started, but it didn’t matter. What mattered is that we gathered together as Jews and celebrated!
posted December 2, 2008 at 11:49 am
I am not a Jew and have never been to a Chabad,but I recognise the important work the Rabbi does at these centres and the life of saccrificial service they live. My heart goes out to this young brilliant Rabbi and his wife, as well as all others who perished at the hands of these misguided and selfish terrorists.I trust that their son will be well taken care of.
If we all aspire to be our higher selves as espoused in the Torah, the Bible, the Koran, the teachings of Buddha, the Hindu Holy Books and others, we would be living in a peaceful world. It seems to me though that the knowledge which should be uniting us is actually dividing us.
May the Mumbai Chabad continue stronger than it was before and may peace be with you.
posted December 2, 2008 at 1:22 pm
The Chabadniks were also helping the local Jewish community in Mumbai. There are still about 5,000 Indian Jews living there by some counts. Anyone who thinks the Islamic fundamentalists are “just” anti-Israel should look at this attack, which had no connection to Israel. Clearly, they want to wipe out all Jews everywhere.
posted December 2, 2008 at 5:05 pm
B”H
Doug from PA: YOu unfortunately hit the nail on the head. The goal of the vast majority of the Arabs, including the Palestinians who overwhelmingly voted Hamas into office and who indoctrinate their children with virulent Jew-hatred.
Several years ago, a news bulletin on the radio quoted a statement from Hezbullah that they hoped all the Jews would move to Israel so they could be wiped out more easily (G-d forbid) and not require the ARabs to seek out Jews worldwide to eliminate them off the planet.
Anyone who thinks that Israel can peacefully co-exist with these types of people, is sadly mistaken. Right on Doug.
posted December 3, 2008 at 1:03 am
My, Eric, please listen to yourself. With just a few word changes, this could be a diatribe against Jews. Unfortunately, their “isolated dirt ball countries” and our Judeo Christian world sometimes overlap. Jerusalem is a great example. I am Jewish, and I have dear friends who are Muslim. They love and pray for peace no less than I do; they are as horrified by what is done in the name of Islam as I am. What happened in Mumbai is tragedy. Absolutely. And spouting hate against any group of people or any religion will not help prevent the next one.
posted December 3, 2008 at 10:44 am
I am not, nor have I ever been, a fan of the Chabad movement. But they have a right to be wherever they want and do whatever they want, as long as they break no laws and as long as they practice love, toleration, and non-harm. Why is the question even being asked? I’m not so sure about the toleration part as it pertains to Chabadniks and other Jews, but the very question reminds me of something I read in New York some 40-plus years ago, when a black man was arrested and questioned for being in an all-white neighborhood. He was minding his own business, and had harmed no one. So what was he doing there? He was coming home after work and was walking to his car. The man was a law-abiding, productive citizen who was arrested for the colour of his skin. That was over 40 years ago. I thought we had grown beyond that kind of suspicion and paranoia. How sad to find out I was wrong. Gavriella
posted December 3, 2008 at 9:20 pm
The Rabbi and his wife were there to do what they felt was their religious duty. Unfortunately now 2 dedicated people are dead and a 2 year old little boy has no parents,due to the fanatics who decided to take their lives as well as many others.
posted December 4, 2008 at 6:00 pm
It is said that there are twelve tribes of jews in the ancient land of Israel. But there is a thirteenth tribe. It lives in Kashmir. So Judaism is as much a part of the psyche of the south asian subcontinent as is any other tribe or caste or race or religion. Whether or not this killing is justified I do not know but war makes strange laws. Consider all the children orphanded who are not jewish but of other faiths and you will see that this pain is shared by all who have lost loved ones due to war. That is why diplomacy is such a powerful tool of statecraft and why I approve the choice of Hillary Clinton as the next american secretary of state and why war should be the last option in making just retribution to acts of violence. We hindus have a position when it comes to war. Use diplomacy to the last and only if there is no choice will we fight. But when we decide to fight we will show no mercy whether the enemy is cousin, brother or uncle or friend.
shalom and peace for the dead