Editing Crown Heights Beis Din (section)

== The Rebbe's References ==
After the appointment of the rabbonim, it was decided to hold more elections to replace the Va'ad Hakahal members who strongly opposed the election of the rabbonim and continuously tried to interfere with this process. When the Va'ad Hakahal members saw this, they began opposing the elections while recruiting Agudas Chassidei Chabad who published a letter of opposition writing that elections in Chabad were an innovation that had never existed before.<blockquote>The Rebbe addressed this at length and sharply: "There are those who decided, for whatever reason, that they are the owners of this neighborhood, and they are the ones who need to rule and control the entire community. For example: when they need to choose a rav for the neighborhood – he together with his friends, they are the ones who will determine and decide who is suitable to serve as rav, and they will appoint him as rav. Such a thing has never been heard of in Israel – that an 'askan' or several 'askanim' would decide on their own about choosing a rav. And how much more so when that 'askan' openly declares – that if they choose his candidate for rav, then he will give money etc., and if not, he won't give... and through this he wants to force his opinion on the entire community – there is no greater bribery than this!"</blockquote>