Introduction
The Dovid Fischer saga is the story of Crown Heights. The corrupt community leaders of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council Inc., along with their Rabbonim and allies, dragged the entire community into their communal wars over three decades ago. Since that time, the in-fighting, hatred, and internecine battles, have grown unceasingly. While Dovid Fischer is no longer at the epicenter, the communal wars still rage on. There are new names and faces, and still some of the old ones too but, the same methods of operation have always been used. This includes a corrupt cabal that has maintained control over the mechanisms of local political power and influence. This cabal has been using fear, intimidation, bullying, deceit, bribery, and a myriad of the same underhanded dirty tricks used by tyrants throughout history. These methods have been tested and proven to work over time, as there is nothing new under the sun.
As illustrated in George Orwell’s seminal book Animal Farm, corrupt totalitarians of all kinds gain their power through focusing on and creating an outside enemy or group of enemies. Maligning and slandering this outside enemy, whether it be Dovid Fischer, Aguch/Krinsky the Shomrim/Hershop brothers, is essential if the cabal is to gain the loyalty of the masses. Fanning the flames of fear and hatred among the people arouses their need and desire for the cabal’s leadership and protection. Help us and support us, the cabal will claim, because if not, the enemies, who are far worse than we could ever be, will take over. Classical scapegoat theory comes into to play as the Dovid Fishers and the Hershkops of the world become the ‘Jews’ of Crown Heights- convenient targets upon whom to place all the blame. No money for community programs? The CHJCC is ineffectual, even harmful to the community? Not their fault! If only the Fishers and/or the Hershkops would get out of their way everything would be wonderful. It’s an old con game however, and the good news is that the con is up. The corrupt ones have overplayed their hand.
There have been too many good Yidden of our community damaged by the cabal over the past decades. Too many lives have been disrupted, reputations ruined, too many dreams have been deferred, and far too little has been done to make a better quality of life for the people of Crown Heights. Literally a fortune of money has been wasted by the CHJCC and their allies on Machlokes. That was Jewish community money that should have been used to build our community, to help heal and comfort our fellow Jews. Instead, millions of dollars have been squandered by the cabal just to keep themselves in business and in power while they perniciously use the name of the Rebbe and Lubavitch to spread divisiveness, Sinas Chinam, and Chillul Hashem.
The following pages are just as relevant today as when they were written in 1991. The aftermath of the Crown Heights riots saw the tragic death of an innocent Jew, Yankel Rosenbaum a”h. His death occurred in large part because of the incompetence and corruption of the CHJCC and was the last straw that led to exposing the lies and deceit of the Dovid Fischer story. The truth came out then, as it is coming out now.
How many more outrageous crimes against the good Yidden of Crown Heights must the cabal commit before the people rise up to assert their rights for truth and justice? How much longer can we sit back and allow the Rebbe’s shechuna and his holy name be dragged further and further into the the shmutz? It is time to get angry. The time for change is now.
“Let all of your deeds be for the sake of Heaven” (Pirkei Avos 2:12)
There is nothing virtuous about the “holy war” waged against Rabbi Dovid Fischer. There is nothing noble about imposing a halachically illegal nidui on a fellow chosid. In researching the “holy war” against Rabbi Fischer, one discovers a most tragic tale. This is the tale of an intricate web of lies, deceit, psychological intimidation, hunger for money, hunger for kovod, and even mesirah. This is an unsavory tale that is not befitting the holy kehillah of Crown Heights.
Jews cannot do wrong without the rationalization that they are in fact doing something virtuous and holy. That is the way Hashem created us. As the Tanya explains, we have a G-dly soul. This special soul is what gives a Jew the power to do teshuvah thereby eradicating his mistakes. We as a community can and must do teshuvah to end this bitter machloykes that is garbed in the cloth of a “holy war.” The first step in eradicating a wrong is to understand what it is. To do so we must go back into history.
With the passing of the revered Rav Dworkin (ע”ה) Crown Heights was left with a void. The Rebbe Shlita instructed that there be a new Rav appointed to serve the needs of the kehillah. Rav Dworkin, (ע”ה) was a strong leader who was respected by everyone, and would be nearly impossible to replace. There were discussions among the Rabbis and leaders of the community and it was decided that one Rav would not be sufficient to serve the needs of the entire community, which included all the shuls and moisdos. Throughout Jewish history, Rabbonim were chosen by a select group of leaders of the kehillah. It was decided, however, to break with tradition this time and to elect Rabbonim by popular vote allowing all married men and single men over the age of thirty to vote. It was also decided to elect Rabbonim who would serve as the Beis Din of Crown Heights.
Rabbi Fischer was opposed to one of the Rabbonim who was running on the slate and openly expressed his opinion before the elections as did other respected Rabbis at the time. He was not, however, personally involved in the elections per se. While serving as a Rav in the Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch, Rabbi Fischer had actively introduced one of the elected Rabbonim to the practical aspects of the Rabbinate. Once the Rabbonim, and the new Vaad haShechunah were elected, Rabbi Fischer expressed no opposition to them and accepted them completely.
After years of struggle and hard work, suffering through the rehabilitation of buildings, Rabbi Fischer enjoyed success in the real estate business. He had purchased many buildings and had provided apartments for many Jewish residents. In this way he virtually transformed the Crown Heights Jewish community and expanded it to areas that were previously off limits like Utica Avenue. Rabbi Fischer cleaned up the area of Crown and Albany as well as the Troy and Utica area. Both of these areas were once not passable without one having to duck rocks and bottles. As one resident recalled, before Rabbi Fischer came on the scene one could not walk down Kingston Avenue without seeing a gypsy fortune telling storefront or a treife eating establishment and hangout.
Chapter 2: The Power Struggle
“Be wary of those in power, for they befriend a person only for their own benefit; they seem to be friends only when it is to their advantage, but they do not stand by a man in his hour of need” (Pirkei Avos 2:3)
In this olam hasheker, things often appear to be the opposite of what they truly are. Even a great tzadik on the level of Yitzchak Avinu (ע”ה) was fooled into believing that Eisav was good when he was in fact evil. If so, then how much easier is it to fool little people like us into believing that black is white and white is black? With the establishment of the new Vaad haShechunah, the heroes of Crown Heights became the villains and the villains became the heroes.
Rabbi Fischer was not the only Jewish or Lubavitcher landlord in Crown Heights. There were others as well. They were somewhat different from Rabbi Fischer, however, because unlike him they were not concerned with making their buildings predominantly Jewish or with benefiting the community. They were concerned with their own personal profits only.
These landlords had no business dealings with Rabbi Fischer nor did they deal with him personally. They had no reason to dislike him except perhaps for the fact that he criticized them for keeping their buildings filled with tenants of the lowest caliber. Rabbi Fischer did not believe that they were serving the best interests of the community and neither did many of the residents.
There was one landlord in particular whom many residents were especially angry at. He will be called Mr. K. Mr. K. had many Din Torahs with angry community residents who were hurt by his rental and apartment maintenance policies. He was never interested in improving the living conditions of Crown Heights and the community suffered from the low element he kept in his buildings. This situation with Mr. K. existed for many years.
Suddenly, with the establishment of the new Vaad Mr. K. announced that he had donated one of his buildings to the community some time before but had neglected to mention it. The Vaad hailed Mr. K. for this heroic act that had been kept a secret until the new Vaad was elected.
This was a very strange thing indeed. Here was a landlord who was attacked for years for ruining the community and suddenly he announces the donation of a building that he had neglected to mention before. Wouldn’t he have used this fact to defend himself in the past when he was being vehemently criticized? If he had actually donated a building, wouldn’t Mr. K. have made sure that the entire community had known about it to defend his tarnished reputation? Instead he chose to keep such a fact silent? Why did he choose to disclose this fact only when the new Vaad came into power? The answer is simply that Mr. K. lied. He never donated any of his buildings to the kehillah of Crown Heights. Moreover, without consulting with Rabbi Fischer, the owner, Mr. K. bought a deed in a stationery store and turned over one of Rabbi Fischer’s buildings to the Vaad heShechunah. (This will be discussed later in more detail).
Another slumlord, a gvir, was also in the forefront and financial supporter of the campaign to malign Rabbi Fischer. For years this slumlord had enviously watched Rabbi Fischer succeed in building up the community while he made money renting to undesirables. He now saw an opportunity to become a respectable member of the kehillah by joining in the battle against Rabbi Fischer. Suddenly, Mr. K. patnered with this villain. For over fifteen years these slumlords continued to lower the quality of life for the Jews of Crown Heights while Rabbi Fischer was the only one who raised it.
Obviously the new Vaad and these landlords had decided to join forces against Rabbi Fischer. It didn’t matter to the Vaad that these other landlords did not have the best interest of the community at heart while Rabbi Fischer did. In reality, the entire establishment of the Vaad HaShechunah was not lesheim shamayim but for the sole purpose of winning a power struggle against Rabbi Fischer!
The machloykes against Rabbi Fischer was a conspiracy from the start. Rabbi Fischer was associated with the old Vaad HaShechunah before the new Vaad came into being. There was a conspiracy to overthrow this establishment of which Rabbi Fischer was a powerful part. He was not a man who sought kovod and never ran for any public position. He was interested in doing constructive things without needing fancy titles.
The conspiracy against Rabbi Fischer was masterminded by a handful of men who planned to get into power by using Rabbi Fischer as a scapegoat and moreover by taking over his buildings. One of the conspirators was told by his friend, a fellow chosid, that what they were trying to do to Rabbi Fischer was against halacha. He answered that it didn’t matter as long as they got rid of Rabbi Fischer. This was their shitah; to get rid of Rabbi Fischer at all costs with no other considerations, not even that of the Torah.
Scapegoating is a very common tactic for power mongers. Anti-Semitism is in large part based on a scapegoat. When a leader has someone to blame for every problem, then he can claim that situations are out of his control. He can instill fear in his followers that the scapegoat is an outsider who will come and destroy them if they don’t band together under the leader to fight against him. This way a leader can do an inadequate job and still be liked enough to stay in power. Another aspect of scapegoating is that the terrible things that the leader accuses the scapegoat of doing are really usually being done by the leader instead.
Chapter 3: Chebro
“Do not act as judge alone, for none may judge alone except One” (Pirkei Avos 4:8)
Chebro was a real estate company that was established in 1969 at the request of the Rebbe Shlita. The Rebbe Shlita instructed the Crown Heights community, as well Lubavitchers worldwide, to buy a share in Chebro. This, the Rebbe said, was simultaneously a business investment for profit and an investment in building up the community to make it grow. The Rebbe spurred on sales by giving a one dollar bill with his brocha to each person who bought a share in the sum of $500. The Rebbe gave brochot that the private enterprise should succeed and that each person involved should have brochot in ruchnias also.
Several of the same individuals who are now in civil court with Rabbi Fischer were the original founders of the Chebro organization. They bought private two family homes with the money raised to have the housing remain in the community. The sum of $300,000 was expended but the investment was lost and the company went bankrupt.
Rabbi Fischer started to help this organization several years after its establishment. This was during the early 1970’s. A major dispute developed between the founders and employees of this organization and the community at large. The community became furious when they realized that the entire investment was lost and Chebro was in debt. The banks were foreclosing on many of the mortgages and there was a risk of losing the private homes to the bank. It was an extremely serious situation. Chebro was in a dispute with the old Community Council over the issue of having them help with funds. The Chebro founders came to Rabbi Fischer and appealed to him in writing and in person to enlist his help to save the fledgling company.
An election for a new Board of Chebro was called. The newly elected members decided to liquidate the old Chebro organization and to form a non-profit organization called Chevra Machzikei HaShechunah. This was done because in reality the old Chebro was bankrupt.
The original founders of Chebro who were responsible for selling the shares to both the Crown Heights community and to Lubavitchers worldwide, were also responsible for the hundreds of thousands of dollars lost under their stewardship. They never returned the original investment to the Chebro investors. Later they had the audacity to commence a lawsuit against Rabbi Fischer for an investment that they made and for which they had received their original outlay in return even though the real estate was in a bad slump.
These founders had the nerve to start a “holy war” against Rabbi Fischer when they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars that people had invested for profit! The Rebbe Shlita had given brochot for these investments to become profitable and these founders had not filled the keilim for those brochot. Rabbi Fischer bailed them out by saving the properties that were in danger of being lost.
Some of today’s Vaad members are the recipients of these homes that were in danger of being lost. The former founders of Chebro now have the audacity to sue Rabbi Fischer for an investment they made and which was returned to them!
Imagine that a ship is sinking. The frightened passengers grab all of their earthly possessions and abandon ship. The passengers are grateful to have gotten ashore with their lives and their earthly possessions. Moreover, they received a cash refund for their ticket. One person, the captain, stays on board alone. After a long and dangerous journey, the captain is able to successfully keep the ship afloat and miraculously brings it safely to shore.
Rabbi Fischer was the captain of the abandoned ship. When it looked like the investments were going badly the investors chose to walk away from this “money eater” and accepted their ticket refund (money they had invested). Rabbi Fischer believed in the Rebbe Shlita’s brochot that the investments would become profitable, and the shechunah would prosper as was the Rebbe’s wish, and he did not give up hope. He borrowed money from other private individuals from within and without the community to keep the ship afloat and worked eighteen hours a day to save it. When it became a profitable ship, some of the former investors from Crown Heights who had abandoned it, came back to claim the ship as theirs. If the ship had sunk, would they have come back to claim it? Who does the ship belong to? Does it belong to the passengers who abandoned it and received a ticket refund or to the captain who saved it?
Chapter 4: The Harassment of Rabbi Fischer
“Do not condemn your fellow man until you have stood in his place” (Pirkei Avos 2:4)
The new Vaad began to coerce Rabbi Fischer into showing them all of his personal books and records as soon as they became established. When Rabbi Fischer asked why they wanted this information they would not give him a concrete answer. They said that when a person is engaged in business for the community then, as it says in the Shulchan Aruch, he must show his books if he is asked to do so. This is not the actual halacha. Rabbi Fischer told them that the actual halacha is that if a person is running a “charity fund” (Gabbai tzedakah) and is suspected of wrongdoing, and if this suspicion causes people to talk about him, then it is a good idea for him to show his books to clear his name. It is not, however, mandatory to do so. Moreover, the halacha never calls for the disclosure of one’s personal books and records, only for an accounting of charity funds and this Rabbi Fischer submitted in full.
This did not satisfy the Vaad who harassed him day and night for his personal books and records. They began to threaten him that they would serve him with a siruv and a nidui if he did not disclose these private books. Rabbi Fischer told the Rabbonim that the buildings were in private hands and therefore they had no connection to the community whatsoever. He then offered to prove to them that this was the case by allowing an independent accountant whom both the Rabbonim and the Vaad agreed upon to receive this information. He would allow this, Rabbi Fischer stipulated, only on the condition that this private information would not be divulged to anyone. Rabbi Fischer was afraid that the Vaad would use this information to rile up some of the private investors against him (which is exactly what eventually did happen after the Vaad realized that the community had no claim whatsoever). One of the Rabbonim (we will call him Rav R.) said that the Vaad would keep this information confidential.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Fischer was being continuously harassed day and night with very harsh letters. Every Erev Shabbbos and at times when he was busy giving a shiur or learning in shul, Rabbi Fischer would receive harsh letters stating that he must disclose his ledgers within a few days or even within a few hours or else he would receive a siruv and a nidui. These letters were purposefully remitted continually and given at times when Rabbi Fischer was very busy to create a state of constant tension to break his resolve.
Finally Rabbi Fischer gave in to their demands. He gave all of his books and ledgers to the Rabbonim. The Rabbonim then transferred this highly confidential information to the Vaad.
The Rabbonim permitted the Vaad to Xerox all of Rabbi Fischer’s personal books and gave them back to him only after the Rabbonim received a subpoena from a lawyer several years later. Who could have known that the Rabbonim would allow the transfer of highly confidential information to the Vaad as well as private individuals when this information given in confidence? Who could have known that this information would be used against Rabbi Fischer later when they would call him into civil court?
Historical Document #1
Historical Document #2
Chapter 5: The “Holy War” Begins
“Everything is foreseen, yet freedom of choice is granted” (Pirkei Avos 3: 15)
The initial spark of the “holy war” was a letter put out by the Vaad stating that all of Rabbi Fischer’s activities regarding housing were done for the benefit of the community and to aid people. Therefore, the Vaad made the claim that all the properties did not belong to Rabbi Fischer but to the community. The Vaad appealed to the community to enlist their help in entrapping Rabbi Fischer.
Something happened that the Vaad did not bank on. Not one private investor who invested in the past came forward and said that his investment belonged to the community. All of them said that they had invested money at one time and if Rabbi Fischer was going to be stripped it should fall into their hands and pockets and not the Vaad’s.
The entire machloykes in Crown Heights was instigated by the Vaad haShechunah.They thought they could convince Rabbi Fischer’s private investors that the money they invested was for public purposes and not for private. They made the claim that Rabbi Fischer was building not for himself but on behalf of the community and therefore everything belonged to the community.
When no private investors came forward the Vaad should have at that point simply admitted their mistake and said that the housing was a private issue done to benefit the community but was in private ownership not public.
That is what they would have done if it were a mistake but this was no mistake. It was part of a scheme and a deliberate attempt of the Vaad’s to steal Rabbi Fischer’s buildings and to discredit him. They created a whole new machloykes by going to several private investors who had no conflict with Rabbi Fischer and urging them to sue him. The Vaad told these private people that if they would sue Rabbi Fischer then the Vaad would back them. They told them that they could make a great deal of money by joining forces with the Vaad to sue Rabbi Fischer. Only a small percentage of the investors agreed to this scheme. Originally the Vaad believed they could get anyone who had invested any money to play along with them.
The letter from the Vaad also stated that none of the buildings except for one, were found to be in the Vaad’s name. A former associate of Rabbi Fischer’s said that one of the reasons the Vaad saw him as an easy target in their scheme was because Rabbi Fischer was very trusting in his business dealings and didn’t commit agreements into writing. That may have been one of his most crucial mistakes.
Why did the Vaad use the same lawyers to represent both them and the private investors when they took Rabbi Fischer to court later on? Why were they mixing public and private matters together? If there is a conflict between some private investors and Rabbi Fischer (which the Vaad actually initiated and encouraged) then what does this private matter have to do with the Vaad HaShechunah? The answer is an apparent one; they want to take Rabbi Fischer’s buildings by hook or by crook!
Another obvious question is this: was it halachically correct to accuse Rabbi Fischer of stealing in a public letter without going with him to a Beis Din to prove it?
Rabbi Fischer wrote a letter to the Rabbonim alerting them to this letter from the Vaad in which the Vaad emphatically stated that all of the property belonged to them. How could they accuse a man of wrongdoing and state who the rightful owner of the property was before a Din Torah was held? Rabbi Fischer had alerted the Rabbonim to this public transgression of the Din but they paid no heed to his warnings. Eventually the “holy war” escalated. One aveira brings another aveira.
Historical Document #3
Description of Historical Document # 3
This is the initial public letter that sparked off the “holy war” against David Fischer. (See page 20). It is dated Sunday, 8 Kislev, 5747/1987. To paraphrase:
The “holy war” comes from a letter of a lawyer of the Vaad urging people to come and join him in their “holy war”.
This is a call and an urgent request to each and every resident of the Crown Heights community. It says that the Vaad Heshechunah decided to turn to the residents for help in an urgent matter. It states the opinion of the members of the Community Council that all activities regarding housing that were done through Rabbi Fischer, from when he began working for the community, were done for the community and in the name of the community. All of the investments, loans, help, and the like from individuals or groups were given for the community with the intention that this remain the property of the kehillah and its membership. They were given to Rabbi Fischer, it states, only for the purpose that he represent the community so it is understood that all of the houses and properties belong to the community.
They write that since they have received no answer from Rabbi Fischer when they gave him itemized requests, they are turning to the community for help. They ask for anyone who has any knowledge of any investments, investors, or any proof of any building to give the information over to the Vaad immediately.
The tone of the letter is one of an appeal for help by the Vaad. They present themselves as the innocent victims. Was this a tactic they employed in the “holy war” to gain supporters?
Chapter 6: Hazmonah For A Rav
“Because of all my adversaries I became disgraced, and to my neighbors exceedingly: and a dread to my acquaintances, those who see me outside flee from me” (Tehillim 31:12)
In order to justify their abject behavior towards Rabbi Fischer, his enemies had to create a public image of him as a wicked, horrible man. That is one of the aspects of scapegoating a person. They needed to deflect attention away from their own wrongdoing. This was done by shifting all of the blame onto Rabbi Fischer, their scapegoat. So, when Rabbi Fischer served Rav L. (a newly elected Rav who had never served as a Rav in the past, not in a shul or on a Beis Din) with a hazmonah, a whole tumult against this supposedly terrible action was made. In truth, it is not unheard of for a Rav to be called into a Din Torah at all. Any Jew, no matter what his stature, can be called to a Din Torah. Even an elected Rav like Rav L. is subject to a hazmonah when issued from a Beis Din in a kovodike manner. To do so is completely within the realm of halacha.
Let it not be forgotten that Rabbi Fischer was an officiating Rabbi in a synagogue, who was older and had many more years of Rabbinical experience (shimush) than Rav L. Rabbi Fischer knew that Rav L. had said publicly that he would “show Rabbi Fischer who was the boss” and he had said that “Rabbi Fischer had stolen the money from widows” even before the Din Torah had even been held. Rabbi Fischer wanted to hold Rav L. accountable for this breach of halacha and to show that this Rav was biased against him. To have Rav L. serve as Rabbi Fischer’s judge would therefore be unfair. He was doing all he could to defend himself in a way that was according to halacha. In this way Rabbi Fischer felt that maybe he could get a fair Din Torah and clear his name.
Rabbi Fischer took this step of issuing a hazmonah to Rav L. only after requesting a Zablah (a type of Beis Din, see chapter 10) numerous times. He had brought a letter from a Rabbi who would serve on his behalf which stated that he was ready to appear before a Zablah immediately. He also showed letters from various Rabbinical organizations that stated psiki dinim explaining that he was permitted to have a Zablah Din Torah.
Rabbi Fischer explained that he did not want either Rav L. or Rav A. to sit on his Din Torah. He wrote letters with mekoros and mefarshim but these Rabbonim would not accept his tynahs and they would not allow Rabbi Fischer a Zablah.
It was only after Rabbi Fischer saw that he would have no other recourse, after the Rabbonim would not listen to his request because of their bias towards him, that he resorted to issuing Rav L. a Hazmonah. All of this is documented in letters and taped conversations and it is a matter for the public record.
Instead of seeking the emes and abiding by this hazmonah to perhaps find a way to stop the machloykes, Rabbi Fischer’s enemies called a meeting in 770 where he was vilified. They made the ridiculous claim that by serving Rav L. with a hazmonah, Rabbi Fischer was showing his contempt and lack of kovod for the Rabbonim.
As part of their “holy war” against Rabbi Fischer they painted the portrait of a man whose arrogance knew no bounds. They portrayed a man who not only stole the community’s money and refused to go a Din Torah, but a man who also had the audacity to serve one of the Rabbonim with a hazmonah! This was the portrait of a man who cared only for money and power. This was the portrait of a man who held himself above the Shulchan Aruch. They did this to arouse the mob and prepare them for a lynch party.
Rabbi Fischer never said that he did not hold by the Rabbonim. He only said that he could not get a fair hearing before them. He merely wanted a Din Torah before a Beis Din that would be unbiased.
Rabbi Fischer’s enemies purposefully created hatred against him by scapegoating him. Is it possible that the accusations made by Rabbi Fischer’s enemies against him were in actuality true about themselves? Weren’t they themselves hungry for money and power? They wanted to grab property that did not belong to them. Could it be that these people had so little regard for the Rabbonim themselves that they thought they could use them for their own agendas? Did they feel themselves to be above the halacha to the point where they felt accountable to no one?
Historical Document # 4
Description of Historical Document #4
This letter (See page 25) is from Rabbi Fischer to the Gabboim of 770 dated motzei Shabbos, Parshas Yisro, 5747/1987.
This letter is a heart rendering plea from Rabbi Fischer to stop the ‘holy war’ against him. Notice that he quotes from Parshas Yisro on the very first line of the letter where it says that the Yidden stood at Mattan Torah in complete achdus, thereby pointing out the irony that during this Parsha a “holy war” was being waged against a Jew.
To paraphrase:
Being that the Vaad HaShechunah has posted large announcements, in the size of letters of Kidush Levana (i.e. very big letters) before lichbentching in all the shuls and the streets that there will be a very urgent public meeting against one who has shamed the Beis Din Tzedek of Crown Heights. It says that people should come in great mobs, as the announcements say, and this gathering will be in 770, Beis Chayenu. Being that they made known verbally the one that they are referring to is me, the small one, I therefore come with this plea and I cry out as it says “the voice of the blood of your brother is screaming.” Is it possible that they should use the Beis Chayenu, the source of Ahavas Yisroel, as place to stand, kill, and suck the blood of a Jew coldly? And you have given permission for this? Do you have a psak from the Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch that this is allowed? Who judged that this is what my psak Din is? To make a public meeting, especially in Beis Chayenu, and over there they will make a “pogrom”? I have never shamed chas v’shalom, chas v’shalom the Beis Din Tzedek. This is a blood libel!
I request in every possible tongue that Beis Chayenu should take no part in the ‘pogrom’ upon a Jew in Crown Heights and upon his household. And chas v’shalom chas v’shalom, do not use 770, Beis Chayenu for this! (copies were sent to the Rebbe Shlita, Rabbi Hodakov, Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch, and the Beis Din of Crown Heights).
Chapter 7: Betrayal and Mesirah
“Be gracious to me, G-d, for man yearns to swallow me; each day the fighter oppresses me” (Tehillim 56:2)
During the months of Shevat to Adar, a siruv was already placed against Rabbi Fischer for not handing over the books and ledgers he had in his possession. Eventually he did disclose them (against his better judgment). The Vaad was not satisfied and kept alluding to other books and ledgers they wanted because they had no proof to use to enable them to carry out their plans. It was then that a siruv was placed on Rabbi Fischer; this itself was a questionable act.
Rabbi Fischer had told the Rabbonim, verbally and in writing, even by the posting of public letters that he would appear before a Beis Din. He respectfully asked that the siruv be removed but they would not comply. Moreover, Rabbi Fischer told the Rabbonim that he would disclose all the names of individuals who had at one time or another invested money towards the purchase of buildings to prove that the Vaad’s allegations were indeed groundless. He would do so, however, only on the condition that this information would remain in complete confidence and not be divulged to anyone.
The Rabbonim answered him that the Vaad must have the information that they asked for. They also told him that the Vaad wanted even more books and records. This was because they could not find anything incriminating against Rabbi Fischer. Since when can a plaintiff (toveah) make demands before a Din Torah takes place?
Rabbi Fischer explained to the Rabbonim that since he agreed to appear before a Din Torah, then the Din Torah would decide these issues. If the Din Torah would decide that the buildings belonged strictly to Rabbi Fischer then there would be no need for him to hand over his books and records. The Rabbonim answered Rabbi Fischer with a resounding “no” to this and ordered him to disclose his books and records to the Vaad since the Vaad had requested that he do so.
These were really issues for a Din Torah to decide but as we will soon see the Din Torah was a farce.
Rav L. even made a remark saying “I slept well before the books were given and I sleep well now after the books were given. I have no understanding or knowledge in these matters. Since the Vaad is requesting that you give them these books and ledgers then you must do so.” Rav R. reiterated these same sentiments. Rav R. would put one of the Vaad members (we’ll call him Rabbi Tatty) on the phone and tell Rabbi Fischer to do whatever Rabbi Tatty tells him to do.
In America there is a term called ‘fixed trial’. This is a trial in which the outcome has already been predetermined, a decision already made; a trial in which the defendant has already been prejudged. This is a trial in which a psak has already been rendered before submission of the evidence. Such a trial makes a mockery of justice and is only a show for the public. The Beis Din called Rabbi Fischer to a ‘fixed trial” and he knew it. The Psak Din had already been verbalized by one of the Rabbonim before the Din Torah was held! This Rav had stated that he would “show Rabbi Fischer who was the boss.”
Since Rabbi Fischer was also himself a Rav and had many years of experience, he knew that halachically he was not bound to go before such a Beis Din in which he felt the Rabbonim were biased against him. He therefore requested to go to a different Beis Din called a Zablah (the issue of the Zablah will be discussed later on in more detail). When Rabbi Fischer saw that the Rabbonim would not agree to his request for a Zablah he wrote to the Rebbe, Shlita concerning his ordeal.
The Rebbe answered Rabbi Fischer that even if he were 100% correct on all of the issues, he should try to prevent a possible Chillul Hashem and go with the plaintiff to a Beis Din. Only a tzadik and a prophet like the Rebbe could forsee the magnitude of the Chillul Hashem that could be created form this machloykes. Who could ever in our wildest imaginations foresee a Chillul Hashem on the scale of the mesirah of the Rico Act, a mesirah not only on Rabbi Fischer but on all of Lubavitch? (May Hashem protect us!) Meanwhile, the harassment of Rabbi Fischer continued day and night but the Vaad was now demanding that the hand over all of his business books and records, even his private transactions. They still would not give a reason for their demands. The reason was so obvious that it need not be given. The Vaad was looking for ways to steal Rabbi Fischer’s properties. At first he refused to disclose anything because he was not halachically bound to do so. The Rabbonim, however, forced his hand by placing the siruv against him. They said they would remove it but the Vaad would not permit them to do so.
Upon consideration of the Rebbe’s advice, Rabbi Fischer decided to go before the Beis Din of Crown Heights. It seems to be hypocritical that Rabbi Fischer had served two members of the Vaad with three hazmonahs each from Agudas HaRabbonim to appear before a Beis Din with him, and they did not honor them. His enemies could harass Rabbi Fischer, and threaten him with nidui, while they, the members of the Vaad could remain above the Shulchan Aruch.
It was agreed to have a Din Torah and it concerned a dispute over the ownership of a building. It will be called building A. The day before the Din Torah Rabbi Fischer called one of the Rabbonim, we’ll call him Rav L. Rav L. was the same one who had publicly stated his psak against Rabbi Fischer. Rabbi Fischer asked Rav L. if he could bring a halachic representative, or a toyain as it is called in Hebrew, to argue his case for him the next day at his Din Torah. Rav L. unequivocally denied his request. He said his reason for denying this request was because Rabbi Fischer’s toyain was not a Lubavitcher. Rabbi Fischer explained that this man was a friend of Lubavitch and an experienced toyain. Rav L. suggested the names of some Lubavitchers who he said might be Rabbi Fischer’s toyain if he wanted one. None of the ones he mentioned were trained specially as toyainim and Rabbi Fischer told Rav L. that they were not acceptable. Rav L. concluded by telling Rabbi Fischer that he could argue his own case for himself. Rabbi Fischer reluctantly agreed to this. A condemned man facing a “fixed trial” can get no fair representation.
According to the Shuchan Aruch there must be an equal number of people on each side of a Din Torah. Rabbi Fischer came to his Din Torah only to find that the other side had many more people than he did. He had only two. Rabbi Fischer pointed out the discrepancy and the Rabbonim then requested that the other side reduce theirs to two also.
The kinyan, or the agreement to abide by the pask of the Rabbonim was signed by both parties, the tape was turned on, and the Din Torah began.
The other side began and spoke for a full hour. Then it was Rabbi Fischer’s turn to present his case when Rav L. stood up and said he had to leave in twenty minutes.
Rabbi Fischer cited the halacha that says that each side must be given equal time to present their case. Rav L. said that he could not help it but he had to leave in twenty minutes, and that Rabbi Fischer would have to tell his side of the story in the short time allotted him. Rabbi Fischer had no choice and presented his case as best as he could in the short time allotted him. The Rabboinim concluded by saying that they would set up another appointed time several days henceforth when Rabbi Fischer could have another session to complete his presentation.
Rabbi Fischer called Rabbi W. on the day that the session was supposedly set up for to find out what time to come. He was referred to Rav L. Rav L. said that he had not even remembered that there was a session set up for that day at all. He said he was too busy for a session for that day anyway and he told Rabbi Fischer to wait to be advised as to when another session will be held. Rabbi Fischer was never advised as to another day. No psak was ever issued.
Then one day Rabbi Fischer received a letter in the mail calling him to a civil court to settle the dispute that the Din Torah was set up to solve. This was the first in a series of acts of mesirah committed by the Vaad against Rabbi Fischer. Contrary to the lie told by the Vaad, Rabbi Fischer was the defendant in these cases and they were the plaintiffs. This is a fact for the public record (see pages 32 to 35).
Not only that, but he was called to a civil court without ever getting a psak from the Din Torah. Rabbi Fischer signed the kinyan, where was the psak? The “fixed trial” decided its judgment even before it convened and then it never even bothered to render a psak! Along with this case, two other cases on two other buildings were filed against Rabbi Fischer for which Din Torahs were never even called. In defense of their despicable actions the Vaad made the preposterous assertion that Rabbi Fischer had refused to come to a Din Torah with them therefore this act of mesirah was justified.
The web of lies woven by the Vaad against Rabbi Fischer was carefully constructed to rally the people of the community behind them in their “holy war”. The first lie was that Rabbi Fischer stole the community’s buildings. The next lie was that he refused to appear with them before a Beis Din. Then when he did come with them to their Beis Din they told the lie that he would not listen to their psak when one was never given out. This web of deceit served to enable the Vaad to commit mesirah against Rabbi Fischer in the name of the Vaad for the sake of the community. and in the guise of a “holy war”.
This is the tragic tale of betrayal and mesirah. It is the story of the betrayal of Hashem and His holy Torah and of the committing of what Torah considers one of the lowest of all possible aveiras—mesirah!
Historical Document #6
Historical Document #7
Historical Document #8
Historical Document #9
PDF Historical Document # 6 -7 -8 -9
Chapter 8: Criminal Acts
“…what is yours is mine, and what is mine is mine, this is a wicked person” (Pirkei Avos 5:10)
We need not go far to find examples of the destructive power of jealousy. Yosef HaTzadik (ע”ה) was hated by his brothers for his multicolored coat. They could not accept that he was more loved by their father Yaakov (ע”ה) than they were and that he would be ruler over them. The Torah shows us how their jealousy became an obsession causing them to go to any extreme possible to do damage to their brother. Rabbi Fischer had the “multicolored coat” so-to-speak that his enemies wanted. Their jealousy of him caused them to go to any extreme necessary to steal it from him.
After the Vaad HaShechunah instigated and supported the first two lawsuits against Rabbi Fischer he was forced to go to court to defend himself.
The first case concerning building A, as was explained, was the case for which Rabbi Fischer had already attended their Beis Din. This was the case from their ‘fixed trial’ (see Chapter 5) from which no psak was ever given before he was dragged into a civil court.
The Vaad then instigated several individuals to take Rabbi Fischer to court without ever even calling him to a Beis Din. This was for building B where Rabbi Fischer was clearly again the defendant.
One day Rabbi Fischer received a letter stating that a new shareholder’s meeting was going to be called regarding appointment of a new president of the corporation for building C. The letter said that the new president would automatically become the new owner. This was a method of stealing Rabbi Fischer’s building from him legally! Rabbi Fischer had no choice but to go to court to stop them from appointing a new owner to his building. They then counter-sued Rabbi Fischer on building C and on another two buildings as well!
Can anyone even imagine such chutzpah? First the Vaad shleps Rabbi Fischer into civil court without ever issuing a psak din from the Beis Din that was held on this building. He is then taken into court on some buildings for which a Din Torah was never even called. Then they try to steal one of his buildings from right under his nose by simply assigning a new corporate president to the building. Then when Rabbi Fischer goes to court to try to stop this theft, they countersue him on building C and on another two buildings as well!!
Later on they took Rabbi Fischer, his wife, and some of his associates to court again. The public record proves that Rabbi Fischer was the defendant in all of these cases and the Vaad was the plaintiff. All the time that the Vaad was telling the community that they were shlepped into court because Rabbi Fischer mosered on them they were lying! All the time that the Vaad was telling the community that Rabbi Fischer was draining their time, money, and energy, by dragging them into court they were lying!
In 1987 Rabbi Fischer found out that Mr. K., the landlord who became a hero by pretending to have donated a building to the community (see Chapter 2) assigned a false deed of one of Rabbi Fischer’s buildings to the Community Council. Remember, it was mentioned that one of the reasons his enemies thought they could get away with these outrageous criminal acts was because Rabbi Fischer was trusting in his business dealings and did not commit several agreements to writing. Mr. K. wrote his own deed on a building owned by Rabbi Fischer, transferring ownership to the Vaad when he was not the owner. Imagine yourself buying a deed in a stationery store writing on it ‘Twin Towers’ and claiming ownership of it!
The seriousness of such an action must be understood. Under normal circumstances, in the outside world where people do not have the prohibition against mesirah, Rabbi Fischer could as the owner have gone to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office and had Mr. K. arrested for this criminal act! Rabbi Fischer consulted with several Rabbis who did not seem to think that they could talk to the parties involved to get his building back. In the Shulchan Aruch it says (Chapter 183:4) “It is forbidden to inform on an evildoer to a heathen who has transgressed the law, and thus cause him to suffer either in his person or in his property, and even if he constantly vexes him with words. If however, the informer had informed on him and he cannot save himself without informing on the informer, he is permitted to do so.” Rabbi Fischer had no choice but to go to court to void the false deed. Rabbi Fischer, however, pressed no charges whatsoever against Mr. K. and was happy to have gotten his building back.
The Vaad then immediately counter-sued Rabbi Fischer for one million dollars. They made the preposterous claim that Mr. K. donated the building to the Vaad and that Rabbi Fischer stole it from them! The judge ruled against them and ordered the deed back to Rabbi Fischer. However, the trial of the countersuit became an issue for another court case.
They then spread another rumor, as part of their scapegoating of Rabbi Fischer, that he took them to court to steal the building from them!
“Let there be no hope for informers” (Shemonei Esrei)
The reader may be asking the following question by now: What made the Vaad HaShechunah so audacious as to believe that they could get away with waging a “holy war” against Rabbi Fischer?
The day before Taanis Esther, Rabbi Fischer received a letter stating that he had to hand over three deeds of three houses to the Vaad immediately. These three deeds cost him quite a bit of money (he justly felt that the properties were his since, as was mentioned in the previous chapter, the investors had abandoned the properties leaving them with Rabbi Fischer as the rightful owner) and he protested this unfair demand. One of the members of the Vaad (we’ll call him Rabbi Squealman) called one of the Rabbonim and asked him, “Didn’t the Rabbonim say that we were the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir (the Seven Chosen Ones of the City) and being so we have the right to take away whatever we want if we deem that it would be good for the community to do so?” The Rav answered him, “Yes.”
Upon hearing this Rabbi Fischer realized that if the Rabbonim held the Vaad as the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir then they did not even believe that a Din Torah was necessary. According to this definition of the role of the Vaad, they could automatically take whatever they wanted from any member of the community. Another chosid, Rabbi S., was told the same thing by the Vaad being that the Vaad could take his house if they wanted to. Even if Rabbi Fischer did receive a fair Beis Din with them, which was highly unlikely, its psak could be deemed invalid by the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir anyway.
While Rabbi Fischer was still waiting for the original psak din from (the “fixed trial” of) the Beis Din, he was served with a nidui. This nidui was supposedly imposed because Rabbi Fischer refused to go to a Beis Din. This was a blatantly illegal nidui because the entire premise for it was false. This issue will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 9.
Considering all of these events, Rabbi Fischer left the country for Israel shortly after Purim time. Even so, he had his representative inform both the Vaad and the Rabbonim that even after all of the unfair treatment of him, he was still willing to go with them before a Zablah Din Torah. They, however, wasted little time and dragged him into civil court (see Chapter 7 for details of court cases).
The concept of the Zayan Tuvei Ha’lr* comes from days of old when these Seven Chosen Ones were considered be greater than the Beis Din of Yerushalayim. That is why Rabbi Squealman told one of the Rabbonim that they did not need to go to a Beis Din to take any “field” in the community that they wanted. This was what the role of the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir was historically – they were an authority higher than the Rabbonim of their day.
This concept was taken as an interpretation of one of the Rebbe Shlita’s sichot. It was decided to interpret what the Rebbe said once in a sicha regarding this concept of the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir as referring to the seven members of the Vaad haShechunah of Crown Heights!
The Rebbe was informed of this interpretation of these seven members of the Vaad as the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir. The following is a translation of the Rebbe’s answer concerning this:
“Received and thanks. I mentioned and several times (so) that nobody should read hints etc. into my words, oral or written, and I am stating this again and so that it be clear:
a) The aforementioned (i.e. reiterated as above),
b) In my words there is no psak din at all,
c) The strength the Shulchan Aruch gives the Zayan Tuvei Ha’lr is strongly negated,
d) Being that I mentioned this subject in my sicha-there is room to assume that this is my opinion regarding this Vaad Hakahal and its strength. This is the opposite of my opinion, and so too with regard to the future Vaad Hakahal. I say nothing with regard to the elections, except for the translation in the Shulchan Aruch that Lashan Hora (gossip), Holech Rachil (tale bearing), including in my name, Machloykes that is not for the sake of Heaven, all as is explained in the Shulchan Aruch.
The above answer is from the Rebbe Shlita, 4 Elul, 5748, to Agudas Chabad, Rabbonei HaShechunah and the Election Committee.
From the answer mentioned above it is quite apparent that the Rebbe did not hold by the Vaad as the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir. It was a premise of the Rabbonim and not of the Rebbe Shlita. When the Rabbonim were asked from what premise this interpretation of the role of the Vaad was based on, the Rabbonim answered that it was based on the Rebbe Shlita’s sichot.
Do we as Chassidim hold by the Rebbe Shlita? If the Rebbe Shlita says that he never meant to say that the Vaad is the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir and others say that the Rebbe did mean this, then whom do we hold by? (See pages 43-44)
The Rebbe Shlita’s answer also implies that the Rebbe Shlita expected that there be elections for a new Vaad in the future.
From this we can see that with all due respect to the greatness of the Rabbonim, it is quite possible for them to render incorrect decisions and interpret the Rebbe’s sichot incorrectly. This does not. however, minimize the fact that they are Rabbonim.
Historical Document # 10
Historical Document # 11
PDF Historical Document # 10 -11
“… the sword (war) comes to the world for the delay of justice, for the perverslon of justice and for rendering a Torah decision not in accordance with halacha” (Pirkei Avos 5:8)
According to the Shulchan Aruch if a Jew receives a hazmonah to a Din Torah he is allowed to request that his Din Torah be in the form of a Zablah. This is for many reasons as stated in mefroshim of the Shulchan Aruch. Rabbi Fischer, after having experienced a “fixed trial” with the Rabbonim once before, did not want to go before them again to decide his disputes with the Vaad.
It was so clear that this Beis Din was biased against him, that even a non-Jew could see it. While in court one day, the day after the Rebbe Shlita took ill (may he have a speedy and complete recovery), Rabbi Fischer sat in the courtroom with the judge and a few bystanders waiting for the court proceedings to begin. The judge asked him, “Rabbi Fischer please explain something to me. You are an Orthodox Jew and the other side in this litigation are also Orthodox Jews. Why then don’t you settle this dispute in a Rabbinical court?”
“I want to, your honor, but not in their Rabbinical court. They want that I should only go to their Rabbis and I want to go to another Rabbinical court. I am ready to go to a Rabbinical court but not to the Rabbis of Crown Heights,” answered Rabbi Fischer.
“You certainly could never get a fair trial in their Rabbinical court. Anyone can see that they are prejudiced against you!” the judge replied.
Then the judge called in the lawyer for the Vaad and requested that he take this case before a Rabbinical court. The attorney said that he must consult with his client Rabbi Squealman and asked him his answer to this question. “Rabbi Fischer is not allowed to go to any other Rabbinical court other than to ours,” was Rabbi Squealman’s reply.
Then in front of an entire courtroom filled with courtroom clerks, bystanders, and both parties involved in the litigation, the judge said for everyone to hear, “Rabbi Fischer could never go to these people for a Rabbinical court and expect to get a fair trial. Of course not, it’s a stacked deck!”
Even a non-Jewish judge could see the hatred and bias that the community leaders had for Rabbi Fischer.
In view of such a situation, was Rabbi Fischer not correct in requesting that his case be settled by a Beis Din other than the Rabbonim of Crown Heights? Rabbi Fischer requested what is known as a Zablah. This is the acronym for “zeh bore 10 echad.” The sages wrote that it was preferable to other types of Battei Dinim in later generations like ours when people are weaker and can be more easily swayed by one particular side.
In a Zablah each side brings his own Rav who is already familiar with his side of the case. Then there is a neutral Rav who is hearing the case for the first time during the Din Torah. Rabbi Fischer felt that a Zablah would allow him to have an impartial Din Torah. Even in the non-Jewish velt there is something called a ‘change of venue.’ This is when a case is tried in another city or state where the facts of the case are unknown and the people are less biased.
Rabbi Fischer consulted with other Rabbis who agreed that he had a right to have a Zablah. He was not obligated by halacha to go to the Crown Heights Beis Din. Rabbi Fischer was even willing to use a different Rabbi for his Zablah if they so requested, since they were afraid of the first one he picked. The Rabbonim thought Rabbi Fischer’s Rabbi was too professional for their task of deciding against him.
Rabbi Fischer was not allowed to have a Zablah. He was even accused of attempting to postpone and avoid a Din Torah (See documents pages 49-58).
Rabbi Fischer also had papers from the Agudas haRabbonim stating that he was correct on this issue and he posted these letters on the wall of his shul. Along with that he posted a letter stating that he was ready to go to a Zablah and that the Rabbonim were biased against him.
The most important question of the entire saga of the “holy war” waged against Rabbi Fischer is this: Why was a nidui imposed on Rabbi Fischer for refusing to go before a Beis Din when this was in fact not the case?
Could it be that the halachically illegal nidui imposed on him was a way to get him out of the community so that people would not be able to talk to him to hear his side of the story? In this way his enemies could continue to scapegoat him. Scapegoating could now be even more effective with the “phantom enemy” far away in Israel, supposedly manipulating and pulling strings from behind the scenes.
A nidui, we are told in many seforim, is something to be avoided at all costs. Throughout Jewish history it was rarely used at all. It is not a good thing for a community to have a nidui on a Yid, especially an illegal one.
The Gemorah teaches us that if a nidui is imposed illegallv then it has no value on the person it is imposed upon. Not only that, the nidui is reverted onto those who imposed it upon him! It would then follow that since our community leaders imposed an illegal nidui on someone, then this illegal nidui reverts onto us!
In all the history of Lubavitch a nidui has never been placed on anyone before.
People have been warned with threats of a nidui if they continued to sin, but one was never actually imposed. In the days of the Alter Rebbe a nidui was placed upon one of the talmidim of the Magid of Mezeritch that the Alter Rebbe refused to participate in on any level.
The following episode illustrates the Vaad’s desire that Rabbi Fischer never be granted his Zablah:
An elderly, venerated Rabbi was asked by Rabbi Fischer orally if he had the full right to a Zablah and he answered him in the affirmative. A few years later this venerated Rabbi (we’ll call him Rabbi B) wrote a sefer which included this response to Rabbi Fischer. One of the teshuvahs in this sefer included this answer with mekoros and reasons stating why Rabbi Fischer had a full right to a Zablah. When the Vaad saw this sefer they became outraged and began to coerce Rabbi B day and night to withdraw this teshuvah.
Rabbi B had decades upon decades of Rabbinical experience. The Vaad sent balabatim, not Rabbis, to come to him and demand the sefer be withdrawn. It says that the Daas of balabatim is in contradiction to Daas Torah. How could they send balabatim to discuss these halachic issues with a venerated Rabbi like Rabbi B? They subjected him to terror tactics to try to break him down. Rabbi B would not give in and his only concession after constant harassment was that he stated that he did not know that he was answering a private individual.
The Vaad was intent on having this sefer banned because it stated that Rabbi Fischer had a full right to a Zablah. They spread the lie that Rabbi Fischer refused to appear with them before a Beis Din. As one of the private individuals involved in the present Rico case recently told someone, “I did research and I found out that if Rabbi Fischer gets a Zablah then he can’t be put into nidui. That’s why he can’t be given a Zablah.”
If we in Lubavitch, can teach the entire world about Ahavas Yisroel, then why do we have an halachically illegal nidui imposed on a fellow chosid? Is this going to make the Rebbe Shlita gezunt and bring Moshiach any sooner?
The time is now for us to stand up and in one resounding voice ask, “Mei heichan dantuni? From what premise in Torah was this nidui based on?”
Historical Document # 12
This letter was from Rabbi Rottenberg of Boro Park to Rabbi Fischer. It is dated Thursday, Parshas Shmos, 5747/1987. (See page 50)
To paraphrase:
This is to let Rabbi Fischer know that he is not obligated to go to the Beis Din of Crown Heights as it is explained in the Shulchan Aruch.
Also, being that they are biased against him, he therefore has permission to go to a Din Torah, a Zablah, where there is a neutral party who is not from Crown Heights, as it explains in Mishnah Sanhedrin and in the Shulchan Aruch.
Historical Document # 13
This is a letter from the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U. S. and Canada to Rabbi Fischer dated 11 Shevat, 5747/1987. (See page 54)
To paraphrase:
Anyone involved in a Din Torah can request a Zablah. If a person wants to come to a Beis Din and he wants this Beis Din to be a Zablah then he cannot be forced to come to a Beis Din without a Zablah. Therefore according to halacha he has the right to choose a Zablah as the type of Din Torah he wants to have himself judged by. It is impossible in such a case to force him to go to a Din Torah other than a Zablah
Mei heichan dantuni?
Historical Document # 14
This is a letter from the Beis Din of Crown heights to Rabbi Fischer dated 14 Shevat, 5747/1987. (See page 56)
To paraphrase:
In answer to the sources cited by Rabbi Fischer, according to our understanding, he is obligated to come to the Beis Din here, especially according to how the judges perceive it. There is an issue of attempting to postpone and avoid a Din Torah … and therefore we are appointing a time when Rabbi Fischer must come before us.
Mei heichan dantuni?
Historical Document # 15
This is a letter from the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U. S. and Canada to the Chairman of the Vaad HaShechunah. (See page 59)
According to the requests of Rabbi David Fischer, the Vaad is invited to stand with him in judgment before the Beis Din of Agudas HaRabbonim with a Zablah within ten days from today.
Why was Rabbi Fischer not granted the Zablah he requested from the Beis Din of Crown Heights? Why was a nidui imposed on him instead?
Historical Document # 16
This is a letter from the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U. S. and Canada to the Chairman of the Vaad HaShechunah. (See page 59)
According to the requests of Rabbi David Fischer, the Vaad is invited to stand with him in judgment before the Beis Din of Agudas HaRabbonim with a Zablah within ten days from today.
Why was Rabbi Fischer not granted the Zablah he requested from the Beis Din of Crown Heights? Why was a nidui imposed on him instead?
Historical Document #17
“More than the number of hairs on my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who want to cut me oft, my enemies who pursue falsehood, that which I have not robbed I am nevertheless compelled to return.” (Tehillim 69:5)
What could possibly be more painful to Chassidim than the purposeful attempt to distort the Rebbe Shlita’s sichot to perpetuate a bitter machloykes over money, power, and kovod? That is what the enemies of Rabbi Fischer did to create hatred of him within the community.
They would say, that when discussing a particular inyan, for instance making machloykes over money and not for the sake of Heaven, that the Rebbe was referring to Rabbi Fischer. This was completely fallacious because it is well known that the Rebbe has said, on more than one occasion, that if he means a particular chosid when he is speaking he will say so! Furthermore, the Rebbe went so far as to assert that if anyone dare point to a person and say that the Rebbe is referring to that particular person when the Rebbe is discussing a certain inyan, then that individual is waging a war not only with the Rebbe Shlita himself, but with all the past Rebbeim of Lubavitch as weill!
The Rebbe Shlita has told us that if the Rebbe Shlita does not refer to a certain individual, then each of us should feel as if the Rebbe Shlita means each one of us personally and not another person.
Chapter 12: Failed Negotiations
“Envy, lust and honor -seeking drive a man from this world” (Pirkei Avos 4:21)
Rabbi Fischer’s enemies wrote to the heads of two mosdos in Israel that Rabbi Fischer was supporting and told them that they were not allowed to take tzedakah from Rabbi Fischer. Rabbi Fischer was supporting these two mosdos with the expressed instruction of the Rebbe Shlita who instructed him on the specific amounts to give. They were constantly harassing anyone who took tzedakah from him and told some people that they would not be allowed to come to Crown Heights if they accepted tzedakah from him.
The heads of these two mosdos were very concerned about losing Rabbi Fischer’s support so they met with him to try to find a way of ending the machloykes.
Rabbi Fischer explained that he had no reason to negotiate with the Vaad because they wronged him. Together the heads of the mosdos got in touch with the Rabbonim in N.Y. (CH??) and had many discussions for many days and nights. Finally a three point agreement was made.
The agreement was as follows:
1) The Rabbonim agreed to lift the siruv and the nidui on Rabbi Fischer. They would do so with a public letter stating it in such a way as to exonerate Rabbi Fischer of any wrongdoing in the past as if the nidui had never been served.
2) The Rabbonim agreed to stop all the civil court cases that had been litigated by Lubavitchers against Rabbi Fischer.
3) They agreed to have representatives from both sides meet to negotiate a settlement. It was also agreed that if a settlement could not be worked out then these representatives would arrange for an agreeable venue for a Din Torah. The rabbonim agreed not to intervene in Rabbi Fischer’s affairs any longer.
All seemed to be fine and good. The Rabbonim put out the public letter lifting the nidui as was agreed upon. They did not, however, stop the court cases against Rabbi Fischer. As for the third part of the stipulation, Rabbi Fischer gave them a name of his representative but they did not give him the name of their representative for quite a while. A few weeks passed and the Vaad finally gave Rabbi Fischer the name of the representative for their side. Their choice made Rabbi Fischer suspect they were making a mockery of the entire negotiation process.
Their representative was one of the slumlords of Crown Heights who never had the best interest of the kehillah at heart. This was one of the slumlords who made the community suffer by putting the lowest of all possible elements into his buildings! He was concerned with his own personal profit only. Rabbi Fischer could not believe that such a man could be the representative of the Crown Heights community in good faith.
Meanwhile Rabbi Fischer’s brother, his representative, could not get in touch with their representative for weeks. He would never come to the phone. The heads of the mosdos called the Rabbonim and told them that the Vaad’s representative was not serious about negotiating. The Rabbonim talked to him and they were able to get him to come to the phone to set up a meeting. It was agreed that Rabbi Fischer’s brother would come to N.Y. after Yom Tov to meet with him.
In the meantime, Rabbi Fischer asked Rav L. why the Rabbonim did not stop the court proceedings from continuing as they had agreed upon. Rav L. answered that they could not do so because the court cases had cost the plaintiffs $100,000. Rabbi Fischer said that was irrelevant, the Rabbonim had agreed to stop the cases and they had not. Rav L. said they would stop the court cases only if Rabbi Fischer would pay them the $100,000 in expenses that it had cost them. This answer was a way to extort $100,000 from Rabbi Fischer and it was an excuse for not having the cases stopped.
Rabbi Fischer’s brother came to N.Y. and met in the home of the other side’s representative. Their representative’s main point was that he believed that Rabbi Fischer was indeed 90% correct on all the issues and that this was a case of sinah and kinah, jealousy and hatred, against Rabbi Fischer. Rabbi Fischer had become very successful building up Crown Heights and this caused much jealousy of him from enemies. They proposed that in such a case of jealousy, it is wise for the person to compensate his enemies to curb their jealousy of him.
As compensation for their jealousy, Rabbi Fischer offered them full management over one Section 8 project as a start and if things worked out they would continue further. In this way the Vaad would feel it had power and control. The representative seemed to be quite satisfied with that offer and he said he would present it to the Vaad.
The Vaad said that this offer was nothing and that they could not accept it. They wanted millions of dollars instead. Rabbi Fischer would not agree to this.
Rabbi Fischer’s brother came back to Israel and he waited for the other side’s proposal since it was their turn to make one. No proposal was forthcoming. Then one day Rabbi Fischer received a letter in the mail calling him to a Din Torah to a Rabbinical court they would approve of. Again, this was in breach of the agreement. The Rabbonim had agreed to make a settlement and not to get involved with Din Torahs anymore. This time the Rabbonim, knowing that Rabbi Fischer wanted a Zablah and not their Beis Din, told him that he would have to go to a Din Torah only with Lubavitch Rabbis who they would approve of.
The other Rabbonim of Lubavitch would never have the nerve to go against the Rabbonim of Crown Heights. They feared for their own futures and positions lest the mobs be let out against them also. This would be another “fixed trial” for sure!
This was surely an outrage! These were the same Rabbis who had harassed Rabbi Fischer, gave him an unfair Din Torah, permitted others to drag him into civil court by moisering on him, spread hatred and lies about him, served him with an illegal nidui, broke the agreements from the negotiations, and now they wanted that he go to a Beis Din with Rabbis only approved by them? Was there no end to their unfairness?
The Rabbonim issued a letter stating that the siruv and the nidui were again on Rabbi Fischer. A little while later Rabbi Fischer came to N.Y. He came to the levaya of the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka (ע”ה) and to the shivah also. Then he attended the Rebbe Shlita’s minyan.
The Vaad and Mr. Took (is what we’ll call one of the major mastermind conspirators behind the entire “holy war”) became incensed with anger at this and they alerted the Rabbonim as to what steps they felt the Rabbonim should take. They immediately issued a letter stating that Rabbi Fischer was not allowed to come to Crown Heights and that anyone who sees him in shul should throw him out. Rabbi Fischer, upon seeing this letter called the aforementioned heads of the mosdos and told them that the Rabbonim had broken the agreement. They had agreed to lift the nidui and they had not. They immediately issued another letter stating that Rabbi Fischer did not provide them with a representative in the negotiations as he was supposed to and therefore they were reinstating the nidui. Another blatant lie in this intricate web of deceit! It was Rabbi Fischer’s representative who chased the other side’s representative. Then when they finally did meet, the other side said they felt that Rabbi Fischer was 90% correct on all of the issues. (See pages 64-65 ).
Clearly if anyone has been willing to end this bitter machloykes in a way of shalom it has been Rabbi Fischer and not his jealous, hatred ridden enemies!
Free translation of the letter
To the Honorable Rabbi Dovid Fischer,
In answer to your letter about the letter that was publicized by the Vaad Hakahal, in which they write amongst other things, that I and Reb C. S. Deitsch requested of them the opportunity to finish the painful episode, and the obligation to give authorization to your representative to negotiate on your behalf for the duration of three months to end the judgments and things, etc. And on this basis, they have removed from you the violations (prohibitions). And you think that maybe, truthfully I and Reb C. S. Deitsch fooled you and lied to you, and we have obligated (you) to things that we did not tell you about in the negotiations. And you end (your letter) with harsh words that if this is true, then it is a real
disgraceful act “from our part”!
It was very painful for me to read your harsh letter, and it is possible to understand your position.
I want to tell you that we did not lie to you even with one word throughout the period of the negotiations. Also by reasoning that if we were to agree to things that you would not agree to, then the lie(s) would be revealed and I would suffer great loss….
A. The representatives of the Vaad Hakahal, they are the ones that asked me to enter (intercede) and help solve the painful problem, together with one member of the Beth Din Tzedek Shlita.
I was fearful of all this, that I would not succeed, and they pushed me to it.
B. We obligated ourselves, in writing, to the Beth Din Tzedek Shlita, that we will pass on to them the names of your representatives within two weeks and we accomplished this in one week. We never promised that you will submit a written authorization.
C. (With regard to) what they write that you did nothing during this time, it is possible to see the opposite of this in the warning letter of the Beth Din Tzedek Shlita. (In which) they write that nothing came of the meetings with your representative, your brother…..The people who came to me to look into what occurred now, and they are many, know that your brother started the negotiations on Rosh Chodesh MarCheshvon and that he met with them three times. And afterwards, your brother came here again on Rosh Chodesh Kislev, and he contacted their representative Rabbi Sholom Ber Drizin and he (Rabbi Fischer’s brother) did not receive an answer from him (Rabbi S.B. Drizin).
Chapter 13: Failed Promises in Negotiations
“For I have heard the whispering of many, terror al/ around; when they took counsel against me, they planned to take my soul (life).” (Tehillim 31:14)
As has been shown, Rabbi Fischer was more than willing to negotiate for a peaceful settlement to this machloykes while his enemies were only interested in its continuation. An elderly, respected Rabbi, a renowned mashpiah in Yerushalayim came to Rabbi Fischer to find a way to end the dispute. Rabbi Fischer explained to him that he was willing to go to a Zablah in order to make shalom.
The mashpiah flew to N.Y. to meet with Rav W. and Rav L. specifically for the purpose of finding a conclusive end to the machloykes. His was a peace mission.
The mashpiah met with Rav W. and Rav L. and told them that they cannot continue saying that Rabbi Fischer does not want to appear with them before a Din Torah because, on the contrary, Rabbi Fischer wishes to have a Zablah. The mashpiah told these Rabbonim that they should grant Rabbi Fischer the Zablah he desires and put a final end to the dispute.
Rabbi W. told the mashpiah that if Rabbi Fischer agreed to go before three Rabbonim then the Beis Din of Crown Heights will remove the adverse papers against Rabbi Fischer. The mashpiah asked if he could choose the three Rabbonim from Eretz Yisroel, and the Beis Din of Crown Heights agreed that this would be acceptable to them. The mashpiah gave examples of the caliber of Rabbonim he would consider for this Din Torah. Rabbi W. gave the mashpiah a signed paper stating that the Beis Din of Crown Heights would agree to a Din Torah with Rabbi Fischer with three Rabbonim that the mashpiah chooses.
The mashpiah was optimistic about a peaceful settlement. He believed in the agreement he had just made with earnest sincerity and he returned to Eretz Yisroel to contact these three Rabbonim.
The three esteemed, respected Rabbis whom the mashpiah contacted, wrote to Rabbi W. in N.Y. They wrote that Rabbi Fischer was willing to appear before a Beis Din with them and that they would act as the Rabbonim in this case.
The mashpiah brought this letter with him back to N.Y. in the hope of working out the final logistics for this Din Torah. His hopes were soon dashed when he found that Rabbi W. had simply changed his mind. Rabbi W. said that the Vaad and certain private individuals were not yet prepared to have a Din Torah in Eretz Yisroel. The mashpiah exclaimed that they had agreed and Rabbi W. had even signed a paper with his name to this agreement. Rabbi W. said he could do nothing since the other side was unwilling.
The elderly, respected mashpiah from the Holy Land, after having spent time, money and energy in order to make shalom, gave up in despair! He had endured the hardship of traveling back and forth from N.Y., with a signed agreement in hand, only to find that it was not worth the paper it was written on!
This episode vividly illustrates that Rabbi Fischer’s enemies are lying when they claim they want a Din Torah and Rabbi Fischer refuses to have one. Could it be that Rabbi Fischer’s enemies are unwilling to go with him to a Zablah because they fear that if unbiased, neutral Rabbonim hear his case then they will probably judge in Rabbi Fischer’s favor?
Mei heichan dantuni?–From what premise in Torah did the Beis Din of Crown Heights deny Rabbi Fischer a Zablah?
‘‘Any controversy which is for the sake of Heaven will have an abiding result; and that which is not for the sake of Heaven will not have an abiding result. Which is a controversy for the sake of Heaven? The controversy between Hillel and Shammai. And which is not for the sake of Heaven? The controversy of Korach and all his faction.” (Pirkei Avos 5:17).
The story of Korach’s rebellion provides us with an excellent moshel for understanding the “holy war” waged against Rabbi Fischer. Korach had everything that a person could possibly want in life. He was extremely learned and had Torah wisdom. He had been chosen as one of the carriers of the Aron. He was a member of one of the most important Levite families, and he had fabulous wealth. Yet, he was consumed with envy for Moshe Rabbeinu because he was the leader instead of Korach.
Korach’s envy obsessed him to the point of compelling him to lead a rebellion against Moshe Rabbeinu. Korach realized that he could never succeed in rebelling against Moshe Rabbeinu if he let it be known that he was doing so because he wanted to be leader himself. He therefore had to obscure his true goal and pretend that the rebellion against Moshe Rabbeinu was lesheim shamayim.
Korach invented a rationale for the rebellion that said that there ought to be equal rights for everyone who was worthy of holding honored positions. Moshe Rabbeinu, he claimed, had no rights to hold himself above the people because in the eyes of Hashem every Jew is equal.
This rationale served to cloak Korach’s jealousy of Moshe Rabbeinu in a garb of holiness and in this way he gained followers.
Moshe Rabbeinu went to Hashem and asked Him to open the earth and swallow Korach and his faction. Why would Moshe Rabbeinu, who had great love for every Yid, ask Hashem to punish these Jews? Moshe Rabbeinu understood that if this machloykes were allowed to continue it would eventually involve all of Klal Yisroel. Moshe Rabbeinu saw that the only way to prevent the machloykes from spreading was by asking the Hashem to stop the rebels who were perpetuating it. Moshe Rabbeinu had to ask Hashem to punish the few to save the many.
Like Korach and his rebels, we can see how Rabbi Fischer’s enemies obscured their all consuming jealousy of him by pretending that the machloykes against him was lesheim shamayim – a “holy war”. Similarly, with the terrible prospect of the Rico Act being invoked against Rabbi Fischer, we can see how this machloykes has the potential to engulf all of Lubavitch-G-d forbid! The few must be stopped to save the many!
Invoking the Rico Act against Rabbi Fischer and other Yidden from our community is not merely one single act of mesirah but it is in actuality an act of multiple mesiros. The Rico Act has far reaching effects and there is no telling how many people may be touched by this case. This law was used to successfully put Mafioso John Gotti away and when they were finished with his case there was virtually nothing left of his empire. Rabbi Fischer’s enemies want his empire destroyed to the point of not caring if innocent people get hurt in the process. Even innocent bystanders who were not involved with Gotti were investigated. This is not to imply that we are, G-d forbid, in the same category as John Gotti. It is only mentioned to point out that the Rico Act is a law that is subject to excesses. Under the Rico Act the excessively zealous government can put anyone of us, including those of us who had nothing to do with Rabbi Fischer in any way, individually or organizationally, under comprehensive investigation.
Even though Lubavitchers are honest law abiding people and in theory have nothing to fear, we are all aware of how the media dislikes religious Jews. We can all think of examples of how the media twists around the facts to present Chassidim in an unfavorable manner. Even non-religious Jews who are merely suspected of crimes are given front page headlines that are sensationalized. Imagine what the anti-religious and anti-Semitic press can do to our public image if even one Jew is implicated from either side of the conflict? What potential damage could this have on the International Campaign to Bring Moshiach? Is this what the Rebbe Shlita wants after forty-two years of working to create a positive public image for Lubavitch? (May Hashem protect us!)
Even if G-d willing, the case has been revoked by the time you are reading this pamphlet, the fact still remains that we have a Vaad HaShechunah that is guilty of mesirah, not only against their enemy but against all of us as well. What is worse is that the Vaad brought this case against Rabbi Fischer in our name, in the name of the entire Crown Heights community without asking our permission. One wonders if this were done during the summer months on purpose while most of the kehillah was away in the country behind our backs. What gave them the audacity to believe that we would stand for this?
We also have a Vaad that is guilty of lying to us. They have told people that this case will get millions of dollars from Rabbi Fischer for the community. The fact is that the (this case based on the RICO Act) case implies that any money won against Rabbi Fischer in this lawsuit goes to the government. Is the Vaad doing this for money or pure revenge? The Vaad stated in their lawsuit that even if the Statute of Limitations for what the government is owed has passed, they want the government to go after Rabbi Fischer anyway. Doesn’t this seem to be only for revenge?
Another lie told by the Vaad is that the case has been revoked. Ask any of the people named in the case if this is so. By law they must be informed of this. If it were indeed the fact then they certainly would have made it known.
The Vaad also makes the preposterous claim that the Rico Act will not hurt anyone else besides those named in the case. Just read excerpts from the enclosed article from the New York Magazine (See pages72-74) or ask any lawyer about the far reaching effects of the Rico Act and you will see this is just another of the many lies told by our Vaad!
We have until earlv September to have this case revoked. We must all demand from our Vaad and our Rabbonim that this Chillul Hashem be stopped immediatelv. We must demand, for the sake of the Rebbe Shlita’s health that this mesirah be stopped immediately! Do we want as a community to greet Moshiach with such a blemish on our kehillah? We must stand up and say in a resounding voice that we will have absolutely nothing to do with this diabolical act of mesirah! We must stand up and proclaim that we are not a communitv that condones such actions!
“One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than all of the World to Come” (Pirkei Avos 4:17)
In waging their “holy war” against Rabbi Fischer the Vaad HaShechunah made many complaints about him. In retrospect if one looks back over the past six years since this Vaad has been in power, one can see that many of the things that they accuse Rabbi Fischer of doing are things that they are guilty of doing themselves.
The Vaad complained that Rabbi Fischer had too much power. They said he was a one man operation. Who runs the show VAAD today? One man in particular – Rabbi Squealman – who has an inordinate amount of power. He seems to make many of the important decisions completely on his own without consulting with anyone at all. Is this man capable of running our community? What accomplishments does he have to show us for the past six years of work? Has he built or fragmented?
There has been no development of affordable housing for our kehillah in Crown Heights since Rabbi Fischer was thrown out. On the contrary, some buildings were lost to the homeless exposing us to the dangers of people with AIDS and drug addicts.
When Rabbi Fischer was here he helped to keep the Shmirah well funded and they were fully equipped with radios. Today, it is an entire year since the pogrom and there are no funds for Shmirah. The Shmirah does not have the radios it needs to effectively protect us. Is the Vaad concerned with our personal safety or are they too busy trying to win their bitter machloykes over money, power, and kovod with Rabbi Fischer?
When Rabbi Fischer was in Crown Heights he made sure that the hotel did not get into the hands of a low element of people. He searched very hard for a buyer and when none could be found he put himself at great personal risk and borrowed the money to buy it. Now the Vaad has the audacity to claim it belongs to them. If it were left to them it would be a school for children of another religion today (like another school on President Street that they did not allow Rabbi Fischer to handle). The Vaad had nothing to do with the hotel and for years they were unaware of its status while Rabbi Fischer worried about its fate.
The Vaad demanded Rabbi Fischer open his books and ledgers for them. Will they open their books and ledgers for us? Where is all the government money that is coming into our community going? Will the Vaad show us their income and expense statement?
What happened to the coalition built up over the years by Rabbi Fischer in the local Democratic Club? This Vaad has alienated all of our politically moderate friends and instead they support dangerous anti-Semites like Clarence Norman (ex-campaign manager for Jesse Jackson now running for District Leader). Why does the Vaad support politicians who are as much our friends as the P.L.O. are our friends? Why is it that when there were Yidden who recently wanted to run for District Leader the Vaad emphatically discouraged them?
Why are there no public meetings called? Why is it that we only hear from the Vaad when they want money from us but they fail to notify us when they take out a lawsuit in our name?
Why are there no elections in over four years when they must be held every two years? The guidelines set up by the charter also stipulate that there are to be elections every two years. Is this an illegal Vaad?
The following episode further exemplifies the abuse of power on the part of the Vaad:
The Rebbe Shlita expressed his wish for a hotel and a hachnosas orchim house in the community on several occassions. Rabbi Fischer had established a hotel in 1985 but there was still no hachnosas orchim house. Rabbi Fischer notified the Vaad that he had an opportunity to buy a property that would be an ideal location for a Hachnosas Orchim house. The Vaad agreed to raise funds jointly for this important project.
Rabbi Fischer, some Vaad members, and private people raised the funds and began inside demolition on the building. There were plans drawn up for the building of a new, modern men’s mikvah, something that was and still is sorely lacking in the kehillah. One hundred thousand dollars in funds were expended which was raised from people both within and from without of Crown Heights. Agreements were reached with the government sector to grant funds for this new mosod.
When the new Vaad came into power they not only discontinued this project, which was done to satisfy the Rebbe Shlita’s wishes and to give him nachas, but they lost the government grants as well. They then sold this building to a private individual for the purpose of making it into condominiums. The project was effectively killed and all of the tzedakah raised for it was abused without a Din Torah. There is a clear cut halacha that charity raised for a specific purpose cannot be used for anything else, and definitely not for business purposes.
Did the Vaad bother to ask the permission of all of the people who had donated tzedakah to this project in the memory of their beloved ones if they could kill the project and instead make condos? Who gave them the right to do this? Did the Vaad get paid for the sale of this building that did not belong to them? Can we see their books and ledgers to find out if they were paid for this sale and if so how much?
This is another illustration of the Vaad’s disregard for halacha, their lack of concern for the kehillah, their unwillingness to take responsibility to help build up the kehillah, and their blatant disregard of the Rebbe Shlita’s wishes. They are guilty of all of this only for the purpose of their “holy” cause of dismantling Rabbi Fischer’s plans.
If someone asks these and other questions they are immediately branded as an agent from Rabbi Fischer. They are accused of fighting the Rabbonim and even the Rebbe, G-d Forbid! Rumors are spread about them. No one can dare question the authority of the Vaad!
The Vaad does not feel that they have to answer to the people of Crown Heights. They feel that they are not only above the Rabbonim but even the Torah itself! They have used fear as their modus operandi. They tell the kehillah to mind their own business because they are in control.
We, however, as the citizens of this kehillah not only have the right but also the obligation not to mind our own business. The Vaad is an elected body and as such they must answer to us and not vice versa! They are not the Zayan Tuvei Ha’ir and it is time to put an end to this climate of fear and psychological intimidation!
Conclusion
The Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of Sinas Hhinam. The initial precipitating event was caused by only a few people. Bar Kamtza was able to deface the animal offered to the Romans because he knew the Halacha. A frum Yid with knowledge can sometimes do more harm than one who knows little.
Some opinions say that the responsibility for the destruction lies ultimately with Rabbi Zecharia because he failed to speak out and stop it from happening when he could have. To remain silent is to condone.
The silent majority has had enough of this tyranny and corruption. The good Yidden of Anash do not want any more of these Machlokes. Anash is fed up and weary of the corrupt cabal and its decades of Mesira, draining of community money, and neglect of communal needs.
During the Dovid Fischer saga there was no Internet. If there had been the corrupt cabal would surely have been exposed. The truth is now there for everyone to see. The proof published on WIS is overwhelming. By following the money trail and publicizing many smoking guns, WIS has brought the CHJCC and its allies completely out into the open. They have nowhere to run. Their lies are no longer working. Now is the time to keep exposing them.
A Crown Heights Story 