In this fairly long comment I recon that "Aussie Shliach" has hit the spot.
Aussie Shliach said...
Many of the comments on this site about setting up a new insular Chabad community are typical of the philosophy and actions of the seperatist chareidi communities of Williamsburgh and Bnai Brak - that philosophy is also probably why the option of sending our Chabad children to Adass is also being promoted as a viable option. I am not knocking or criticising those who live that lifestyle - they may be fine examples of frum and committed communities - HOWEVER THIS INSULAR ATTITUDE, NO MATTER HOW ATTRACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE, HAS SIMPLY NEVER BEEN THE DERECH OF CHABAD AND CERTAINLY NOT THE DERECH OF OUR REBBE IN PARTICULAR.
Our Rebbe sent his most loyal and dedicated Chassidim to towns and areas where there was no Jewish dayschool, no kosher butcher shop, no orthodox Shule, no mikvah etc etc etc. These shluchim would have absolutely revelled in having the type of facilities and educational institutions that we have in Melbourne (warts and all). And then many of them put their kids on the line, in surroundings far far worse than anything here in Melbourne, and they expected their kids to mix with the freist of the frei. They expected their children to be part of their work in the pursuit of fulfilling their shlichus in establishing Chabad Houses and schools etc that were not selfishly established for their own kids but for all. And guess what? The vast vast majority of these Shluchim nevertheless raised their children with chassidishe hashkofos and hanhogois. In my travels and in my own personal experience I constantly marvel at the maturity, dedication and sincerity which even the youngest of the Tzeirei HaShluchim display in such circumstances. As they grow up, the vast majority of these children in turn are/were motivated not to become comfortable baalabattim, thinking of their own comfort and needs, but to continue on with the selfless Shlichus work of their parents and of their Rebbe.
The Rebbe told many a shaliach that the responsibility for their chidren was on his shoulders. These were not just encouraging words. Those who have tried their best to remain true to their duties as the Rebbe's shluchim have seen this befeirush translated into Nachas and success even in the harshest of circumstances.
The real problem is that many members of our community, appear to have lost sight of what Lubavitch is supposed to be and what we as Lubavitchers are supposed to be doing. We have become so overly concerned with our own personal needs and selfish lifestyles and have moved away from the misaras nefesh required of us as selfless Shluchim of the Rebbe dedicated to the shlichus that the Rebbe gave TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. By all means, in normal circumstances and al pi teveh maybe we would need to think along the lines of the other speratist chareidishe groups - but, as the moderator of this site has also said elsewhere and I repeat again, this is simply NOT OUR DERECH and these are not normal times. The sepratist's pursuit of salvation for himself and his family may dictate a retreat into an insular community BUT IF WE DO SO THEN WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL OURSELVES A TRUE CHABAD COMMUNITY OR SHLUCHIM OF OUR REBBE - WHICH OUR REBBE WANTED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO BE. If we would spend more time reaching out to others and doing the hafotzas hamayonois that our Rebbe wanted of us rather than moaning about our own selfish needs (no matter how justified this may appear to be) then I am convinced that we would not be plagued with the balaabatishe krankheit (right OR left extremes) that is unfortunately gaining momentum at the moment. Our Rebbe's brochois would then surely be there to protect us and our children and we would not have to scramble around looking for other eitzois that probably aren't feasible or wont work anyway.
You want CHASSIDISHE nachas from your children? There is no sure guarantee - but in these last moments of golus we surely need to cease the negativism and carping (or is THIS the kind of example that we wnat to give our children?!). If we were honestly involved in the Rebbe's work, each in our own way, and not just in the pursuit of our own comforts (begashmiois or beruchniyois) then I am sure that our children would respect us and learn from us, and would not turn away Ch"V from the example that our Rebbe has taught us to set for them.
How are we going to greet Moshiach? With our kids in Adass and as members of a (very fine but) insular community as has been proposed here - or with our heads held high in the knowledge that we have gone out into the world - with our children by our sides - as Shluchei Adoneinu having done our bit to live with and be mekareiv every single Jew here down under? That's our avoida today as taught to us by our Rebbe - anything else is atzas hayeitzer!
I don't see any other workable practical solution being proposed here. So I say forget the carping and negativism - We all have to go out there positively and do what we can in our own Torah and mitzvois and in hafotzas hamayonois...and I am convinced that while still remaining true to our chabad heritage we will then also reap the reciprocal brochois that our Rebbe has promised each of his Shluchim (and -for the third (fourth?) time - WE ARE ALL POTENTIALLY HIS SHLUCHIM) in Bonei Chayei Umezonei ad bias Goel BB"M.
L'Chaim!
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