The Fight for the Souls

Chabad “is not worthy of JDC support * Chabad is promoting “medieval fanaticism” in Morocco * Bochurim are learning Gemara loudly, like in Slobodka, and not quietly like in Morocco * Rabbi Gorodetsky: “We are always right…” * Part Five

The previous installment discussed the disputes between the directorate of the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Chabad as to what is the best way to service Moroccan Jewry. However, the JDC heads agreed that Chabad is doing a beneficial job in Morocco, albeit disorganized.

This week’s installment introduces a new player on the field, a worker for the JDC in Morocco who looked at Chabad as “Medieval Fanaticism,” complaining about the lack of secular studies, and other issues with the Chabad education system. This installment presents the sharp report, and the ensuing discussions between the JDC and Rabbi Binyomin Gorodetsky, the personal representative of the Rebbe to Europe & North Africa, regarding these issues.

These fascinating documents are part of the JDC Archives (which were digitized and uploaded online, thanks to a grant from Dr. Georgette Bennett and Dr. Leonard Polonsky CBE).

JDC: What we have seen is not worthy of JDC support

On April 9, 1952, Mr. Herbert Katzki (JDC – Paris) writes to Rabbi Binyomin Gorodetsky stating that Chabad has not lived to their expectations, and did not fix the “educational issues” in the schools that were taken over from the “Ozar Hatorah” network, and therefore JDC will have to reconsider its’ support.

We now have for consideration the question of the continuation of our monthly grant to the Lubavitz Yeshivah for its program in Morocco and we would like to communicate to you some of the results of our first-hand observations of the Lubavitz Yeshivah program in Morocco as it appeared to us during the course of a recent inspection trip to that country…

You advised us originally that you proposed to take over some of the chederim formerly aided by the Ozar Hatorah in some of the small towns and villages. These were chederim from which the JDC had withdrawn its support because of their low level program of instruction etc. We understood from you that all this was to be changed and improved.

Upon visiting several of these chederim in Morocco, now under your auspices, we were greatly surprised to see that your chederim were no different from those formerly of the Ozar Hatorah, to see the direction your program has taken in Morocco and to see what your organization regards as a proper activity. We have to tell you now that we do not feel that what we have seen is worthy of JDC support…

…Before giving any further consideration to a continuation of our support beyond June, we shall have to have a thorough discussion and understanding regarding the work at the Lubavitz Yeshiva in Morocco and the JDC relationship to it.

On April 28, 1952, Rabbi Gorodetsky responds to Mr. Katzki and explains that the issues were inherited, and regarding the support – he already secured it with the JDC heads in New York (who committed to continue and increase the support for Chabad schools!)

…The true evaluation of our program in Morocco must take two basic factors into consideration: a) The state of Jewish education in Morocco prior to our entering the field, and b) The overall picture of our program in its present phase, in the face of the financial handicaps and other difficulties which such work encounters in general, and those peculiar to Morocco in particular, with which you are familiar.

It should be borne in mind that whatever defects may be found in some chedarim of the OHOLEY YOSEF ISHAK LUBAVITZ network are the legacy of the previous state of affairs before we came into the picture, and that it is impossible, in a brief time, to convert a situation from one extreme to the other, especially when there are economic and financial circumstances beyond our control.

In the light of the above, and considering all circumstances, we wish to state quite emphatically that we are highly encouraged and gratified with the results of our work so far. Whatever defects there are, which we did not create but inherit, are steadily diminishing, and will be eliminated completely as soon as we have the financial means to do so…

It is impossible to go into greater detail in the course of a letter, but I have discussed the situation fully with Dr. Shapiro here in New York, and shall likewise be glad to discuss it further with you and Mr. Beckelman on my return to Paris.

Medieval Fanaticism, European-Style Chadorim, Loud Learning

Whilst the previous directors of the JDC in Morocco were mostly worried about the level of education, the expertise of the teachers, and the uncontrolled expansion, the next JDC worker was unhappy with the general religious education, and the fact that Chabad is continuing replacing the Moroccan “medieval fanaticism” with Lubavitch “medieval fanaticism” instead of “enlightening” them.

In a six-page letter dated August 7, 1952 and marked “Confidential,” Mr. Isaac Kleinbaum (who previously worked in the Paris JDC offices) writes to his superior, Mr. Judah Shapiro (JDC – Paris) about the general education in Morocco, and Lubavitch in particular, outlining his plan for Moroccan education:

I am going to answer in detail to your question about the request of the Lubavitcher group for assistance in their summer schooling program in Morocco. However, I should also like to use this opportunity and give you some information in respect of education problems in this country, in general.

What I am going to say is a combination of personal opinions with interpretation of our policy in the field of education…

In order to answer your question regarding the Lubavitcher group, one needs a short introduction.

It seems to be generally admitted that Jewish education in this country should be basically religious. The practice of religion is very strong and widely spread in this community, but the religious conceptions and the knowledge of their contents are very poor. What is peculiar for the religious aspect of Moroccan Jewry is that their religious conscience is rather superficial, but the attachment to religious practices extremely strong. This being the case, any modern education established in this country should be based on the religion and Jewish tradition. Any revolutionary attempt to introduce modern, non-religious education is bound to be a complete failure from the very beginning. In other words, those for whom religious education is an aim in itself the problem is very simple they will find an immediate response and a warm welcome. However, those who do care for progressive education, have to keep in mind that they will never achieve anything if their program will not be a combination of religious and modern education.

With all the difficulties which we have with the Alliance In the field of control and financial relationship, it can be said that that organization has so far understood, at least to a great extent, how to meet religious and secular problems in their educational program…

However, the Alliance schools are not religious ones and for many circles of the Jewish population in this country, the Alliance does not constitute an adequate substitute for the Heder. This means that for the strictly orthodox groups of the local community, there is definitely a need for a system of education which would be more religious in its spirit and aim than that of the Alliance. There is no doubt that this need should be met. However, at the same time the question arises whether religious education without any modern approach and not combined with teaching of secular subjects, should be furthered?

Here we come to the Lubavitcher group and later to Ozar Hatorah…

Lubavitcher – There is no doubt that this group, which occupies a very important place in purely religious education, in many centers of the world, has the right to come to this country and to develop an educational program of their own; it should also be said that, under certain conditions their activities should be assisted by the AJDC. What are these conditions?

We all know the origin and spirit of the Lubavitcher. We also know that they come from an entirely different environment than that prevailing in this country. I think we all have a lot of sentiment for this group which belongs to a whole world so tragically destroyed. This feeling is quite understandable, however, it should not lead to overlooking reality. To put things plainly one can say that the Lubavitcher group replaces in this country one type of medieval fanaticism by another one which, in addition, is strange to the traditional mentality of this community. It has been our aim for several years to liquidate the Hedarim and to give the thousands of children of them a better education. In fact, the Lubavitcher are creating here new Hedarim. It is true that they are a bit different, similar more to Hedarim and Talmud Torahs in Eastern Europe, but they are still Hedarim and Talmud Torahs in the old sense of the word.

We have taught our subventioned agencies that before they start any activity, they should work out a plan, secure a suitable physical set up, a budget, etc. When we see that the minimal requirements are fulfilled, we go into the business and give assistance. The contrary is true for the Lubavitcher group. Since this community is an outspoken school-minded one and it is extremely easy to recruit children for any sort of schools, the Lubavitcher just go ahead… They just recruit them … squeeze them on a few benches and teach them in the way teaching was going on 50 years ago in Poland, Russia, Ukraine, etc. They display a lot of energy and initiative…

Let us see some facts. They have in Casablanca a yeshiva with 60 pupils and a school for girls “Beth Rivka” with 125 pupils. They also have a yeshiva in Meknes with 119 pupils. These are the establishments of their own. However, they are active in 65 places in Morocco and claim to give education to 2,959 children.

As far as their own schools are concerned, they definitely do not warrant the name “schools”. Some of them are better, some worse, but they all are medieval schools. There is practically no secular education in them, no modern or, at least, human methods of religious education, no summer holidays, no recreation…

Let me just quote an incident which occurred to Egon Fink and myself during our recent visit at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Casablanca:

The Rosh-Hayeshiva does not speak any Arabic or French, but he is eager to discuss Talmudic problems with a boy who is the “yilui” of the Yeshiva. So he taught him to speak Yiddish, and we both witnessed in Casablanca a conversation between a Ukrainian rabbi and a Moroccan boy in Yiddish.

Another example: The local Jews study Torah and Talmud in a rather dignified way. They sit quietly and learn, but the Bachurim of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, when learning Talmud, run […] all over the room making the most ridiculous gestures and shouting in the most unbearable way. I saw such a scene in the Slobotker Yeshiva in 1939. The Lubavitcher have transplanted this to Morocco. No comment…

The conclusion is that, for reasons which you will understand, we cannot entirely disregard the Lubavitcher group. However, our assistance should be conditioned by the fulfillment on the part of this group of the minimal requirements[…] and introduction of some non-religious education, in their program (if it is the case of a full school and not of supplementary religious courses)…

Four Conditions
For Continued Support

In continuation to the previous letter, on August 13, 1952 Mr. William Beckelman (JDC Director) sent a long letter to Rabbi Gorodetsky outlining four conditions for continued support to Chabad, and establishing the need for a comprehensive review of the Chabad educational establishments, to ensure that the problems outlined in the previous scathing report are not repeated. These are the conditions:

(1) No new schools to be opened at the present time.

(2) Chabad will fundraise the equivalent of double what the JDC gives.

(3) During the fall of 1952, a re-examination and evaluation of the current schools will be undertaken, and the JDC will stop supporting any of the schools which fail to meet the minimum standards of health, education and sanitary conditions.

(4) Aid is not guaranteed, and the future money will depend on the review that will take place in the Fall.

Rabbi Gorodetsky: “I always
showed that we are right”

On August 20, 1952, Rabbi Gorodetsky responded to this letter, and also acknowledged the report from the new Casablanca representative:

Yesterday I received your letter of August 13, 1952 concerning our program in Morocco and your subvention for it. As you mention in your letter we have already many times discussed the problems you are writing about. During these discussions I have always showed that we are right from our point of view. And we have come to the conclusion that our organization is carrying out its educational program accordingly to our conception of religious education with the exception of some defects due to local conditions and lack of money; and these defects we have corrected and are prepared to correct whenever there is the slightest possibility to do so.

In my opinion it is not necessary to discuss the matter once again in writing or personally because we have already come to a mutual agreement as to the aid of the AJDC to our organization for its work in Morocco, and have agreed that by the end of a certain period a review of our work will provide a basis for our further activities and your contribution toward it. I think everything remains as we originally agreed…

As concerning the information you received from your office in Casablanca, I do not wish to dwell upon this subject by letter as I have many times spoken with you about it and you have well understood me. I also do not wish to offend anybody in a letter especially when it concerns workers of the AJDC.

Chabad: Inspections? Only with us

On September 1, 1952 Rabbi Gorodetsky agrees to the four conditions, but adds the following:

(3) The re-examination of our work is to be comprehensive and must be carried out, together, by a representative of the AJDC and of our organization. In case there will be any difference of opinion between them this must be brought to the knowledge of the Education Department or the Direction of the European Headquarters of the JDC.

The next installment will include parts of the 20-page in-depth report on the Chabad schools in Morocco, describing at length the dedication and success of the Shluchim, the history of Shlichus, and some interesting anecdotes.