Purim News
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Shmais.com
PURIM 5765 - At a recent MTA open house hearing many representatives of
the Lubavitch Crown Heights community attended to express their opinion
on an unusual project.
The proposal before the MTA is the expansion of the Kingston Avenue
Subway station. This 45 million dollar project would include a corridor
connecting the station with 770. It would allow for passengers to
access the main Shul of 770 directly from the tracks, thus eliminating
the need to exit to the street, and the ascending and descending two
sets of stairs.
MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow expressed his satisfaction that a large
crowd, albeit with different opinions, came to voice their concerns.
Rabbi Moshe Kotlarski, of Merkos (representing Shluchim worldwide) and
Mrs. M. of Neshei Chabad protested the project in that it gave the men
an advantage of accessing public transportation. Mr. Kalikow asked them
if they had any suggestions for easier access to the Subway from the
"vaiber shul". Rabbi Kotlarski suggested that perhaps the project
should proceed as planned but that the shul would be inverted. Women
downstairs and men upstairs.
Outside the courtroom a representative of Agudas Chasidei Chabad and
the Gaboyim of 770 were discussing if they should present a common
agenda and opinion to the proposed tunnel. They agreed to support the
project if the MTA would allow for the payment of aliyos and seats in
770 with the Metro Card.
The Va'ad Hakohol presented to the MTA panel two opposing Halachik
rulings from the Crown Heights Bais Din as to the validity of the plan.
Mr. Kalikow was given to understand that this phenomenon is quite
common. The view opposing the plan stated that potentially a blind
person (r"l) exiting the Subway with his seeing -eye dog would
automatically enter the shul with his dog. The other opinion, being for
the plan, cited the famous ruling of Reb Moshe Feinstein explicitly
allowing such a person to get an aliya and go to the bima with his dog
at his side.
At this point much shouting ensued with the entire MTA panel pounding
their gavels for order. The only group holding their peace was the
Tiferes Levi Yitzchok Colel represented by Mr. A.K. Botelover. Sitting
quietly in the back of the room were about a half a dozen white bearded
Rabbis, mostly over the age of 80. Packing lunch bags and prune
Danishes, they held up signs and placards with the word "VET" or
"VETS".
When order was restored, the panel asked to hear from these sages. Mr.
Kalikow, quite impressed with their appearance, commented on their
loyalty to the USA. "I find it amazing that you served in the armed
forces", he said, referring to their signs representing themselves as
war veterans.
The following is a conversation ensued between these respected
gentlemen and the MTA panel.
"In what war did you serve" asked MR. Kalikow of Reb Meir Itkin.
"Vat" ?
"Vet"?
"Vat Vet"
"Vet vat"
"Are you a vet"?
"No, we not vets now."
"Were you ever vets"?
"Last week, once"
"So what's the "VETS"?
"Ve vont the plan, di tunnel, so in the rain ve don't get VET"!
Lubavitcher
"Rebbe" - Two meanings: 1. Torah Teacher, in general and 2. Head of a
Chassidic Movement; as in, The Lubavitcher Rebbe, A"H, lived at 770
Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, and in Kfar Chabad in Israel, there was a
building put up that looked exactly like 770 eastern Parkway.
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Reb Moshe
Commentators:
Name: Schneersohn, Menachem Mendel
Alternate Name: Lubavitch Rebbe
Born: 1902
Lived In: United States and France
Biography: The seventh, and apparently last, in the dynasty of
Lubavitch Hassidim, he expanded the movement and its institutions in
many parts of the world, causing Orthodox Judaism to penetrate the
mainstream