Chassidus Chabad: Difference between revisions

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| alt                      = <!-- see [[WP:ALT]] -->

| caption                  = Group picture of Chabad Shluchim (emissaries) in [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn]]

| merged                  = <!-- Any other organizations with which the organization was merged -->

| formation                = {{start date and age|1775|||df=yes|p=y}} <!-- | formation = or: | established = --> <!--e.g. use {{start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}}-->

| founder                  = [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi]]

| founding_location        = {{nowrap|[[Liozna|Liozno]], Russian Empire}}

| extinction              = <!-- or: | dissolved = -->  <!--e.g. use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}}-->

| merger                  = <!-- Other organizations (if any) merged to constitute the organization -->

| type                    = {{ubl|[[Hasidic dynasty]]|[[Religious organization]]}}

| status                  = <!-- Organization's legal status and/or description (company, charity, foundation, etc) -->

| headquarters            = [[770 Eastern Parkway]], Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.

| membership              = 90,000–95,000<ref name=marcinw/>

| language                = <!-- or: | languages = --> <!--Any official language or languages used by the organization-->

| key_people              = [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]]

| main_organ              = <!-- or: | publication = --> <!--Organization's principal body (assembly, committee, board, etc) or publication-->

| secessions              = [[Strashelye (Hasidic dynasty)|Strashelye]], [[Kopust]], [[Liadi (Hasidic dynasty)|Liadi]], [[Niezhin (Hasidic dynasty)|Niezhin]], [[Avrutch (Hasidic dynasty)|Avrutch]], [[Malachim (Hasidic group)|Malachim]]

| affiliations            = [[Hasidic Judaism]]

| staff_year              = <!-- Year to which staff numbers/data apply -->

| volunteers              = <!-- Numbers and/or types of volunteers -->

| website                  = {{ubl|{{URL|chabad.org/}}|{{URL|lubavitch.com/}}}}

'''Chabad''', also known as '''Lubavitch''', '''Habad''' and '''Chabad-Lubavitch'''<ref>Additional spellings include Lubawitz, and Jabad (in Spanish speaking countries)</ref> ({{IPAc-en|US|x|ə|ˈ|b|ɑː|d|_|l|u|ˈ|b|ɑː|v|ɪ|tʃ}}; {{Langx|he|חב״ד לובביץּ׳}}; {{Langx|yi|חב״ד ליובאוויטש}}), is a [[Hasidic dynasty|dynasty]] in [[Hasidic Judaism]]. Belonging to the [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]] (ultra-Orthodox) branch of [[Orthodox Judaism]], it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements,<ref>{{cite web |url=jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Hasidism.html |title=Hasidism |publisher=jewishvirtuallibrary.org}}</ref> as well as one of the largest Jewish religious organizations. Unlike most Haredi groups, which are self-segregating, Chabad mainly operates in the wider world and caters to nonobservant Jews.

Founded in 1775<ref name="Barry" /> by Rabbi [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi]] (1745–1812) in the city of [[Liozna|Liozno]] in the [[Russian Empire]], the name "Chabad" ({{lang|he|חב״ד}}) is an acronym formed from the three Hebrew words—[[Chokmah]], [[Binah (Kabbalah)|Binah]], [[Da'at]]— for the first three [[sefirot]] of the [[Tree of life (Kabbalah)|kabbalistic Tree of Life]] after [[Keter]]: {{lang|he|חכמה, בינה, דעת}}, "Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge"—which represent the [[Chabad philosophy|intellectual and kabbalistic underpinnings]] of the movement.<ref>Dara Horn, June 13, 2014. Book review. Rebbe by Joseph Telushkin and My Rebbe by Adin Steinsaltz. "Rebbe of Rebbe's". date=October 26, 2014}} ''The Wall Street Journal''</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/article.asp?AID=36226 |title=About Chabad-Lubavitch on |publisher=Chabad.org |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref> The name [[Lyubavichi, Rudnyansky District, Smolensk Oblast|Lubavitch]] derives from the town in which the now-dominant line of leaders resided from 1813 to 1915.<ref name=jta1808>{{cite web|url=jta.org/2018/08/21/global/swastikas-daubed-chabad-center-movements-cradle-lyubavichi|title=Swastikas daubed on Russian Chabad center in cradle of Lubavitch Hasidic movement|date=August 21, 2018}}</ref><ref name=haaretz1920>{{Cite news|url=haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-lubavitcher-rabbi-who-met-with-freud-dies-1.5235021|title=This Day in Jewish History, 1920 Lubavitcher Rabbi Who Met with Freud Dies|first=David B.|last=Green|date=March 21, 2013|newspaper=Haaretz}}</ref> Other, [[Chabad offshoot groups|non-Lubavitch scions of Chabad]] either disappeared or merged into the Lubavitch line. In the 1930s, the sixth [[Rebbe]] of Chabad, Rabbi [[Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn]], moved the center of the Chabad movement from Russia to Poland. After the outbreak of World War II, he moved the center of the movement to Brooklyn, New York, in the United States, where the Rebbe lived at 770 Eastern Parkway until the end of his life.

Between 1951 and 1994, Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]] transformed the movement into one of the most widespread Jewish movements in the world. Under his leadership, Chabad established a large network of institutions that seek to satisfy the religious, social and humanitarian needs of Jews across the world.<ref name=ch100>{{cite web|url=jta.org/2017/11/20/news-opinion/united-states/uganda-is-100th-outpost-for-chabad|title=Uganda is 100th outpost for Chabad-Lubavitch|via=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=2017-11-20}}</ref> Chabad institutions provide [[Orthodox Judaism outreach|outreach to unaffiliated Jews]] and humanitarian aid, as well as religious, cultural and educational activities. During his life and after his death, Schneerson has been believed by some of his followers to be the [[Messiah in Judaism|Messiah]], with his own position on the matter debated among scholars. [[Chabad messianism|Messianic ideology]] in Chabad sparked controversy in various Jewish communities and it is still an unresolved matter. Following his death, no successor was appointed as a new central leader. The Rebbe was also known to have never visited Israel, for reasons which remain disputed among the Chabad community.

The global population of Chabad has been estimated to be 90,000–95,000 adherents as of 2018, accounting for 13% of the global Hasidic population.<ref name=marcinw>[[Marcin Wodziński]], ''Historical Atlas of Hasidism'', Princeton University Press, 2018. pp. 192–196.</ref> However, up to one million Jews are estimated to attend Chabad services at least once a year.<ref name="SamH">{{cite web |last=Heilman |first=Samuel |title=The Chabad Lubavitch Movement: Filling the Jewish Vacuum Worldwide |publisher=[[Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs]] |date=December 15, 2005 |url=jcpa.org/article/the-chabad-lubavitch-movement-filling-the-jewish-vacuum-worldwide/ |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Slater Page 279">Slater, Elinor and Robert, ''Great Jewish Men'', Jonathan David Publishers 1996 ({{ISBN|08246 03818}}). p. 279.</ref> In a 2020 study, the [[Pew Research Center]] found that 16% of [[American Jews]] participated in Chabad services or activities at least semi-regularly.<ref>{{cite web|website=Pew Research Center|title=Jewish Americans in 2020|url=pewforum.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/PF_05.11.21_Jewish.Americans.pdf}}</ref>

The Chabad movement was established after the [[First Partition of Poland]] in the town of Liozno, [[Pskov Governorate]], [[Russian Empire]] (now [[Liozna]], [[Belarus]]), in 1775, by [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi|Shneur Zalman]],<ref name="Barry" /> a student of [[Dov Ber of Mezeritch]], the successor to Hasidism's founder, Rabbi [[Israel Baal Shem Tov]]. [[Dovber Schneuri|Rabbi Dovber Shneuri]], the Second Rebbe, moved the movement to [[Lyubavichi, Rudnyansky District, Smolensk Oblast|Lyubavichi]] ({{langx|yi|ליובאַװיטש}}, ''Lyubavitsh''), in current-day Russia, in 1813.<ref name=jta1808/>

The movement was centered in Lyubavichi for a century until the fifth Rebbe, [[Sholom Dovber Schneersohn|Rabbi Shalom Dovber]] left the village in 1915<ref name=haaretz1920 /> and moved to the city of [[Rostov-on-Don]]. During the [[interwar period]], following Bolshevik persecution, the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, under the Sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, was centered in [[Riga]] and then in [[Warsaw]]. The outbreak of World War II led the Sixth Rebbe to move to the [[United States]]. Since 1940,<ref name="Barry">{{cite web|url=leagle.com/decision/19872113650fsupp146311879|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20150609131447/leagle.com/decision/19872113650FSupp1463_11879|url-status=dead|title=AGUDAS CHASIDEI CHABAD OF &#124; 650 F.Supp. 1463 (1987) &#124; Leagle.com|archive-date=June 9, 2015|website=Leagle}}</ref> the movement's center has been in the [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn]].<ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/272209/jewish/Rabbi-Sholom-DovBer-Schneersohn.htm |publisher=Chabad |title=Sholom DovBer Schneersohn (1860–1920) |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Altein, R page 270">Altein, R, Zaklikofsky, E, Jacobson, I: ''Out of the Inferno: The Efforts That Led to the Rescue of [[Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn]] of Lubavitch from War Torn Europe in 1939–40'', p. 270. Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, 2002 {{ISBN|0-8266-0683-0}}</ref>

[[File:Huh-Ukh 1911.jpg|thumb|Chabad newspaper, {{transliteration|he|Huh-Ukh}} (1911)]]

[[File:Chabad of Boston Appeal (1927).jpg|thumb|Chabad of Boston Appeal (1927)]]

While the movement spawned a number of [[Chabad offshoot groups|offshoot groups]] throughout its history, the Chabad-Lubavitch branch is the only one still active, making it the movement's main surviving line.<ref name=beck /> Historian [[Jonathan Sarna]] has characterized Chabad as having enjoyed the fastest rate of growth of any [[Jewish religious movements|Jewish religious movement]] in the period 1946–2015.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jonathan D. Sarna |url=commentarymagazine.com/articles/symposium-part-5/ |title=The Jewish Future: What will be the condition of the Jewish community 50 years from now? |work=[[Commentary Magazine]]|publisher=Commentary|date=October 14, 2015}}</ref>

In the early 1900s, Chabad-Lubavitch legally incorporated itself under [[Agudas Chasidei Chabad]] ("Association of Chabad Hasidim").{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

In the 1980s, tensions arose between Chabad and [[Satmar (Hasidic dynasty)|Satmar Chasidim]] as a result of several assaults on Chabad Hasidim by Satmar Hasidim.<ref name="beardcut">''Jew cleared in beard-cutting case'', Philadelphia Daily News, May 25, 1984</ref><ref name="anguish">{{cite news|url=nytimes.com/1983/06/22/nyregion/attack-on-rabbi-brings-anguish-to-borough-park.html|title=ATTACK ON RABBI BRINGS ANGUISH TO BOROUGH PARK|first=Ari L.|last=Goldman|date=22 June 1983|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Letters to the Editor, ''Time'', August 1, 1983</ref>

=== Oppression and resurgence in Russia ===

{{Main|Antisemitism in the Russian Empire|Antisemitism in the Soviet Union|History of the Jews in Russia|History of the Jews in the Soviet Union}}

The Chabad movement was subjected to governmental oppression in Russia. The Russian government, first under the [[Czar]], later under the [[Bolsheviks]], imprisoned all but one of the Chabad rebbes.<ref>{{Cite book |url=books.google.com/books?id=3btYAwAAQBAJ&q=chabad+imprisoned+Russia&pg=PA554 |title=Encyclopaedia Judaica: Blu-Cof |editor1-first=Fred |editor1-last=Skolnik |editor2-first=Michael |editor2-last=Berenbaum |publisher=Granite Hill Publishers |year=2007 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=The Visual Culture of Chabad |author=Maya Balakirsky Katz |url=books.google.com/books?id=OeIuE1tE36QC&q=chabad+imprisoned+Russia |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=October 11, 2010 |page=40|isbn=9780521191630}}</ref> The Bolsheviks also imprisoned, exiled and executed a number of Chabad Hasidim.<ref>{{cite web |url=chabadmequon.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/700831/jewish/Mrs-Sima-Itkin-obm.htm |title=Mrs. Sima Itkin OBM |publisher=The Joseph and Rebecca Peltz Center for Jewish Life}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Former Soviet Union |url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/244380/jewish/Former-Soviet-Union.htm |publisher=Chabad.org |quote=The communists persecuted, chased and harassed the Rebbe and his operatives.{{nbsp}}[...] Through the years of communism, hundreds of Chassidic activists were executed. Thousands more were arrested and sent to Siberia for years of hard labor.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=azjewishpost.com/2012/chabadniks-proud-of-criminal-past/|title=Chabadniks proud of 'criminal' past|date=November 30, 2012|author=Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin}}</ref> During the Second World War, many Chabad Hasidim evacuated to the Uzbek cities of Samarkand and Tashkent where they established small centers of Hasidic life, while at the same time seeking ways to emigrate from Soviet Russia due to the government's suppression of religious life.<ref>Estraikh, G. (2018). Escape through Poland: Soviet Jewish Emigration in the 1950s. Jewish History, 31(3-4), 291-317.</ref> The reach of Chabad in Central Asia also included earlier efforts that took place in the 1920s.<ref>Levin, Z. (2015). 1 "The Wastelands": The Jews of Central Asia. In Collectivization and Social Engineering: Soviet Administration and the Jews of Uzbekistan, 1917–1939 (pp. 7–26). Brill.</ref> Following the war, and well after the center of the Chabad movement moved to the [[United States]], the movement remained active in Soviet Russia, aiding the local Jews known as [[Refuseniks]] who sought to learn more about Judaism.<ref>Beizer, M. (2007). The Jews of struggle: the Jewish national movement in the USSR, 1967–1989.</ref> And throughout the Soviet era, the Chabad movement maintained a secret network across the USSR.<ref>Gitelman, Z. (2007). Do Jewish Schools Make a Difference in the Former Soviet Union?. East European Jewish Affairs, 37(3), 377–398.</ref> Since the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]] in 1991, state persecution of Chabad ceased. The [[Chief Rabbi of Russia]], [[Berel Lazar]], a Chabad emissary, maintains warm relations with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=jta.org/2017/04/10/news-opinion/united-states/politico-says-chabad-is-trumps-jewish-movement-not-so-fast|title=Politico says Chabad is Trump's partner in – something. Not so fast|author=Ben Sales|publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=10 April 2017|access-date=4 June 2017}}</ref> Lazar also received the [[Order of Friendship]] and [[Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"]] medals from him.<ref name="The Forward">{{cite web|url=forward.com/news/breaking-news/309514/russian-chief-rabbi-berel-lazar-stands-by-vladimir-putin/|title=Why Russian Chief Rabbi stands by Vladimir Putin|author=Cnaan Lipshiz|publisher=The Forward|date=5 June 2015|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref>

== Leadership ==

{{Chabad (Rebbes and Chasidim)|Rebbes of Chabad}}

The Chabad movement has been led by a succession of Hasidic [[rebbe]]s. The main branch of the movement, Chabad-Lubavitch, has had seven rebbes:

* Rabbi [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi]] (1745–1812), founded the Chabad movement in the town of Liozna. The Chabad movement began as a separate school of thought within the Hasidic movement, focusing of the spread of Hasidic mystical teachings using logical reasoning (creating a kind of Jewish "rational-mysticism").<ref>{{cite book |last=Mindel |first=Nissan |title=The Philosophy of Chabad |volume=2 |chapter=Intro |location=Brooklyn |publisher=Kehot Publication Society |year=1985 |isbn=978-0826604170}}</ref> Shneur Zalman's main work is the [[Tanya (Judaism)|Tanya]] (or {{transliteration|he|Sefer Shel Beinonim}}, "Book of the Average Man"). The ''Tanya'' is the central book of Chabad thought and is studied daily by followers of the Chabad movement. Shneur Zalman's other works include a collection of writings on Hasidic thought, and the {{transliteration|he|[[Shulchan Aruch HaRav]]}}, a revised version of the code of [[Halakha]], both of which are studied regularly by followers of Chabad. Shneur Zalman's successors went by last names such as "Schneuri" and "Schneersohn" (later "Schneerson"), signifying their descent from the movement's founder. He is commonly referred to as the "Old Rebbe" ({{Langx|yi|אַלטער רבי|[[Alter Rebbe]]}} or {{Langx|he|אדמו״ר הזקן|Admur Hazoken}}).<ref name="sacks">''The Encyclopedia of Hasidism'', "Habad", Jonathan Sacks, pp. 161–164</ref><ref name="masters">''Hasidism: The movement and its masters'', Harry M. Rabinowicz, 1988, pp. 83–92, Jason Aronson, London {{ISBN|0-87668-998-5}}</ref>

* Rabbi [[Dovber Schneuri]] (1773–1827), son of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, led the Chabad movement in the town of Lyubavichi (Lubavitch). His leadership was initially disputed by Rabbi [[Aaron Halevi of Stroselye]], however, Rabbi Dovber was generally recognized as his father's rightful successor, and the movement's leader. Rabbi Dovber published a number of his writings on Hasidic thought, greatly expanding his father's work. He also published some of his father's writings. Many of Rabbi Dovber's works have been subsequently republished by the Chabad movement. He is commonly referred to as the {{transliteration|yi|[[Mitteler Rebbe]]}} ({{Langx|yi|מיטעלער רבי}} 'Middle Rabbi', {{Langx|he|אדמו״ר האמצעי|Admur Ha'emtzoei}}).<ref name="earl">''Leadership in the Chabad movement'', Avrum Erlich, Jason Aronson, 2000 {{ISBN|0-7657-6055-X}}</ref><ref>''Hayom Yom'', p. A10</ref>

* Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Schneersohn]] (1789–1866), a grandson of Rabbi Shneur Zalman and son-in-law of Rabbi Dovber. Following his attempt to persuade the Chabad movement to accept his brother-in-law or uncle as rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel assumed the title of rebbe of Chabad, also leading the movement from the town of Lyubavichi (Lubavitch). He published a number of his works on both Hasidic thought and Jewish law. Rabbi Menachem Mendel also published some of the works of his grandfather, Rabbi Shneur Zalman. He is commonly referred to as the {{transliteration|he|Tzemach Tzedek}} after the title of his [[responsa]].<ref>Chanoch Glitzenshtein, ''Sefer Hatoldos Tzemach Tzedek''</ref>

* Rabbi [[Shmuel Schneersohn]] (1834–1882), was the seventh and youngest son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel. He assumed the title of rebbe in town of Lyubavichi (Lubavitch), while several of his brothers assumed the title of rebbe in other towns, forming [[Chabad offshoot groups|Chabad groups of their own]] which existed for several decades. Years after his death, his teachings were published by the Chabad movement. He is commonly referred to as the {{transliteration|he|Maharash}}, an acronym for {{transliteration|he|Moreinu HaRav Shmuel}} ('our teacher, Rabbi Shmuel').<ref>''Hayom Yom'', p. A14</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sefer HaToldos Admur Maharash |url=sichosinenglish.org/books/sefer-hatoldos-admur-maharash/03.htm |access-date=March 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20080422214316/sichosinenglish.org/books/sefer-hatoldos-admur-maharash/03.htm |archive-date=April 22, 2008}}</ref>

* Rabbi [[Shalom Dovber Schneersohn]] (1860–1920), Shmuel's second son, succeeded his father as rebbe. Rabbi Shalom Dovber waited some time before officially accepting the title of rebbe, as not to offend his elder brother, Zalman Aaron. He established a [[yeshiva]] called [[Tomchei Temimim]]. During [[World War I]], he moved to [[Rostov-on-Don]]. Many of his writings were published after his death, and are studied regularly in Chabad yeshivas. He is commonly referred to as the {{transliteration|he|Rashab}}, an acronym for {{transliteration|he|Rabbi Shalom Ber}}.<ref>''Hayom Yom'', pp. 15–16</ref>

* Rabbi [[Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn]] (1880–1950), the only son of Sholom Dovber, succeeded his father as rebbe of Chabad. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak was exiled from Russia, following an attempt by the [[Bolshevik]] government to have him executed.<ref>''Encyclopedia of Hasidism'', "Schneersohn, Joseph Isaac". Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. {{ISBN|1-56821-123-6}}</ref> He led the movement from [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]], until the start of [[World War II]]. After fleeing the [[Nazis]], Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak lived in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York State|New York]] until his death. He established much of Chabad's current organizational structure, founding several of its central organizations as well as other Chabad institutions, both local and international. He published a number of his writings, as well as the works of his predecessors. He is commonly referred to as the {{transliteration|he|Rayatz}} or the {{transliteration|he|Frierdiker Rebbe}} ('Previous Rebbe').

* Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]] (1902–1994),{{efn|He dropped the second 'h' from his name.}} son-in-law of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, and a great-grandson of the third Rebbe of Lubavitch, assumed the title of rebbe one year after his father-in-law's death. Rabbi Menachem Mendel greatly expanded Chabad's global network, establishing hundreds of new Chabad centers across the globe. He published many of his own works as well as the works of his predecessors. His teachings are studied regularly by followers of Chabad. He is commonly referred to as "the Lubavitcher Rebbe", or simply "the Rebbe". Even after his death, many continue to revere him as the leader of the Chabad movement.<ref name="earl" />

Chabad's influence among world Jewry has been far-reaching since [[World War II]]. Chabad pioneered the post-World War II [[Baal teshuva|Jewish outreach]] movement, which spread Judaism to many assimilated Jews worldwide, leading to a substantial number of {{transliteration|he|[[baalei teshuva]]}} ("returnees" to Judaism). The very first Yeshiva/Rabbinical College for such baalei teshuva, [[Hadar Hatorah]], was established by the Lubavitcher rebbe. It is reported that up to a million Jews attend Chabad services at least once a year.<ref name="Slater Page 279" /><ref name="winnipegfreepress.com">{{cite news|url=winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/faith/story/4017869p-4630456c.html |title=Chabad Lubavitch centre set for River Heights area |archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20070927194259/winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/faith/story/4017869p-4630456c.html |archive-date=27 September 2007 |date=5 August 2007 |author=Sharon Chisvin |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |url-status=dead}}</ref>

According to journalist [[Steven I. Weiss]], Chabad's ideology has dramatically influenced non-Hasidic Jews' outreach practices.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiss |first=Steven I |url=forward.com/articles/1518/orthodox-rethinking-campus-outreach/? |title=Orthodox Rethinking Campus Outreach |work=The Jewish Daily Forward |date=January 20, 2006 |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> Because of its outreach to all Jews, including those Jews who are quite alienated from religious Jewish traditions, Chabad has been described as the one Orthodox group which evokes great affection from large segments of [[American Jews|American Jewry]].<ref>''Jewish Literacy'', Telushkin, William Morrow 2001, p. 471<!-- Error! Published 1991 and 2008, not 2001 --></ref>

== Philosophy ==

Chabad Hasidic philosophy focuses on religious and spiritual concepts such as God, the soul, and the meaning of the Jewish commandments. Classical Judaic writings and Jewish mysticism, especially the [[Zohar]] and the [[Kabbalah]] of Rabbi [[Isaac Luria]], are frequently cited in Chabad works. These texts are used both as sources of Chabad teachings and as material requiring interpretation by Chabad authors. Many of these teachings discuss what is commonly referred to as bringing "heaven down to earth", i.e. making the Earth a dwelling place for God. Chabad philosophy is rooted in the teachings of Rabbis [[Yisroel ben Eliezer]], (the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism) and [[Magid of Mezritch|Dovber ben Avraham]], the "Maggid of Mezritch" (Rabbi Yisroel's successor).{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}}

[[Shneur Zalman of Liadi|Rabbi Shneur Zalman]]'s teachings, particularly in the {{transliteration|he|[[Tanya (Judaism)|Tanya]]}}, formed the basis of Chabad philosophy, as expanded by succeeding generations. Many Chabad activities today are understood as applications of Shneur Zalman's teachings.{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}}

{{Main|Tanya (Judaism)}}

The {{transliteration|he|Tanya}} ({{Lang|he|תניא}}) is a book by Rabbi Shneur Zalman first published in 1797. It is the first schematic treatment of [[Hasidic philosophy|Hasidic moral philosophy]] and its metaphysical foundations.<ref name="sacks" />

According to the {{transliteration|he|Tanya}}, the intellect consists of three interconnected processes: {{transliteration|he|Chochma}} (wisdom), {{transliteration|he|Bina}} (understanding), and {{transliteration|he|Da'at}} (knowledge). While other branches of Hasidism primarily focused on the idea that "God desires the heart," Shneur Zalman argued that God also desires the mind, and he also argued that the mind is the "gateway" to the heart. With the Chabad philosophy, he elevated the mind above the heart, arguing that "understanding is the mother of fear and love for God".<ref>''Tanya'', Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Chapter 13.</ref>

The {{transliteration|he|Tanya}} has five sections. The original name of the first section is {{transliteration|he|Sefer Shel Beinonim}}, the "Book of the Intermediates". It is also known as {{transliteration|he|Likutei Amarim}} ("Collected Sayings"). {{transliteration|he|Sefer Shel Beinonim}} analyzes the inner struggle of the individual and the path to resolution. Citing the biblical verse "the matter is very near to you, in your mouth, your heart, to do",<ref>{{bibleverse|Deuteronomy|30:14|HE}}</ref> the philosophy is based on the notion that the human is not inherently evil; rather, every individual has an inner conflict that is characterized by two different inclinations, the good and the bad.<ref name="sacks tanya">''The Encyclopedia of Hasidism'', "Tanya", Jonathan Sacks, pp. 475–477 (15682–11236)</ref>

Chabad often contrasted itself with what is termed the {{transliteration|he|[[Chagat]]}} schools of Hasidism.{{efn|{{transliteration|he|Chagat}} is an acronym for {{transliteration|he|Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet}} (kindness, severity, beauty), the Kabbalistic terms for the three primary emotions. Schools of Hasidic thought stressing emotive patterns of worship have been termed {{transliteration|he|Chagat}} in the Chabad philosophy.}} While all schools of Hasidism put a central focus on the emotions, {{transliteration|he|Chagat}} saw emotions as a reaction to physical stimuli, such as dancing, singing, or beauty. Shneur Zalman, on the other hand, taught that the emotions must be led by the mind, and thus the focus of Chabad thought was to be [[Torah]] study and prayer rather than [[Western esotericism|esotericism]] and song.<ref name="sacks" /> As a Talmudist, Shneur Zalman endeavored to place Kabbalah and Hasidism on a rational basis. In {{transliteration|he|Tanya}}, he defines his approach as {{transliteration|he|moach shalit al halev}} ([[Hebrew]]: {{Lang|he|מוח שליט על הלב}}, "the brain ruling the heart").<ref>''Tanya'', ch. 12</ref>

[[File:Rabbi Schneerson - Lag BaOmer parade.jpg|right|thumb|A [[Lag BaOmer]] parade in front of Chabad headquarters at [[770 Eastern Parkway]], Brooklyn, New York, in 1987]]

An adherent of Chabad is called a {{transliteration|he|Chabad Chasid}} (or {{transliteration|he|Hasid}}) ({{langx|he|חסיד חב"ד}}), a Lubavitcher ({{langx|yi|ליובאַוויטשער}}), a {{transliteration|he|Chabadnik}} ({{langx|he|חבדניק}}), or a {{transliteration|yi|Chabadsker}} ({{langx|yi|חבדסקער}}).<ref>{{cite book |last=Cohen|first=J. Simcha|title=How Does Jewish Law Work?|publisher=Jason Aronson|date=December 28, 1999|page=329|isbn=978-0-7657-6090-6|url=books.google.com/books?id=8XBjccyzdL8C&pg=PA329|access-date=September 4, 2009}}</ref> Chabad's adherents include both Hasidic followers, as well as non-Hasidim, who have joined Chabad synagogues and other Chabad-run institutions.<ref name=chuck1965/>

Although the Chabad movement was founded and originally based in [[Eastern Europe]], various Chabad communities span the globe, including [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]], [[Brooklyn]], and [[Kfar Chabad]], [[Israel]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Goldschmidt |first1=Henry |title=Race and Religion Among the Chosen People of Crown Heights |date=2006 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |location=New Brunswick, NJ |jstor=j.ctt5hj1p2 |isbn=9780813538839 |url=jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5hj1p2 |access-date=5 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=JTA |title=In all-Chabad Israeli village, Brooklyn meets country living |url=timesofisrael.com/in-all-chabad-israeli-village-brooklyn-meets-country-living/ |access-date=5 October 2020 |work=The Times of Israel |date=11 February 2016}}</ref> The movement has attracted a significant number of [[Sephardi Jews|Sephardic]] adherents in the past several decades,<ref>{{cite book |last=Shokeid |first=Moshe |title=Children of Circumstances: Israeli Emigrants in New York |location=Ithaca |publisher=[[Cornell University Press]] |year=1988 |series=Anthropology of Contemporary Issues |pages=[archive.org/details/childrenofcircum0000shok/page/139 139–160] |isbn=978-0801420788 |url=archive.org/details/childrenofcircum0000shok/page/139}}</ref> and some Chabad communities include both [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi]] and Sephardic Jews. For example, in [[Montreal]], close to 25% of Chabad households include a Sephardi parent.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=The Chabad Sociologist |date=July 9, 2013 |title=Did You Know 25% of Chabad in Montreal are Sefardi? |url=chabadsociologist.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/did-you-know-25-of-chabad-in-montreal-are-sefardi/}}</ref><ref>Shahar, Charles. "A Comprehensive Study of the Ultra Orthodox Community of Greater Montreal (2003)". Federation CJA (Montreal). 2003.</ref>

According to sociologists studying contemporary Jewry, the Chabad movement fits into neither the standard category of [[Haredi]] nor that of [[modern Orthodox]] among Orthodox Jews. This is due in part to the existence of the number of Chabad supporters and affiliates who are not Orthodox (dubbed by some scholars as "non-Orthodox Hasidim"), the general lack of official recognition of political and religious distinctions within Judaism, and the open relationship with non-Orthodox Jews represented by the activism of Chabad emissaries.<ref name=chuck1965>Liebman, Charles S. "Orthodoxy in American Jewish Life." The American Jewish Year Book (1965): 21–97.</ref><ref name=adam2007>Ferziger, Adam S. "Church/sect theory and American orthodoxy reconsidered."Ambivalent Jew—Charles S. Liebman in memoriam, ed. Stuart Cohen and Bernard Susser (2007): 107–124.</ref>

In 2018, [[Marcin Wodziński]] conducted the first global estimate of worldwide Hasidism in the ''Historical Atlas of Hasidism''. Using Chabad community directories, Wodziński estimated that Chabad included 16,000–17,000 households, or 90,000–95,000 individuals, representing 13% of the total Hasidic population and ranking Chabad as the second-largest Hasidic community behind the [[Satmar (Hasidic dynasty)|Satmar community]].<ref name=marcinw/>

[[File:Reagan receives menorah 1986.jpg|thumb|right|President [[Ronald Reagan]] receives menorah from the "American Friends of Lubavitch", White House, 1984]]

Estimates for Chabad and other Hasidic groups are often based on extrapolation from the limited information available in US census data for some of the areas where Hasidim live. A 2006 estimate was drawn from a study on the [[Montreal]] Chabad community (determining average household size), in conjunction with language and other select indicators from US census data, it is estimated that Chabad in the [[United States]] includes approximately 4,000 households, which contains between 22,000 and 25,000 people. In terms of Chabad's relation to other Hasidic groups, within the New York metropolitan area, Chabad in the New York area accounts for around 15% of the total New York Hasidic population. Chabad is estimated to have an annual growth of 3.6%:<ref name=comenetz/>

* [[Crown Heights, Brooklyn|Crown Heights]] – The Crown Heights Chabad community's estimated size is 12,000 to 16,000.<ref name=shaffir34>Shaffir, William. [jewishjournalofsociology.org/index.php/jjs/article/viewFile/36/34 "The renaissance of Hassidism."] {{Webarchive|url=web.archive.org/web/20161106195854/jewishjournalofsociology.org/index.php/jjs/article/viewFile/36/34 |date=2016-11-06}} ''Jewish Journal of Sociology'' 48, no. 2 (2006).</ref>  It was estimated that between 25% and 35% of Chabad Hasidim in Crown Heights speak [[Yiddish]]. This figure is significantly lower than other Hasidic groups and may be attributed to the addition of previously non-Hasidic Jews to the community. It was also estimated that over 20% of Chabad Hasidim in Crown Heights speak Hebrew or Russian.<ref name=comenetz>Comenetz, Joshua. "Census-based estimation of the Hasidic Jewish population." ''Contemporary Jewry'' 26, no. 1 (2006): 35.</ref> The Crown Heights Chabad community has its own [[Beis Din]] (rabbinical court) and [[Crown Heights Jewish Community Council]] (CHJCC).

* [[Chabad hipsters]] – Beginning from the late 2000s through the 2010s, a minor trend of cross acculturation of Chabad Hasidim and contemporary [[hipster (contemporary subculture)|hipster subculture]] appeared within the New York City [[History of the Jews in New York|Jewish community]]. According to ''[[The Jewish Daily Forward]]'', a small number of members of the Chabad Hasidic community, mostly residing in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, appear to now have adopted various [[cultural assimilation|cultural affinities]] of the local hipster subculture. These members are referred to as Chabad hipsters or Hipster Hasidim.<ref name=birthofhasidic>Greenfield, Nicole. [religiondispatches.org/birth-of-hipster-hasidism/ ."Birth of Hipster Hasidism?"] ''Religion Dispatches''. University of Southern Carolina. February 2, 2012</ref><ref name=hipsterhasids>Nussbaum-Cohen, Debra. [blogs.forward.com/sisterhood-blog/150315/ "Of Hasids, Hipsters, and Hipster Hasids."] ''[[The Jewish Daily Forward]]''. January 26, 2012.</ref>

* [[Kfar Chabad]] – Kfar Chabad's population was placed at 6,489 in 2024; all of the residents of the town are believed to be Chabad adherents, with this number being based on figures published by the [[Israeli Census Bureau]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Regional Statistics |url=cbs.gov.il/he/publications/LochutTlushim/2020/%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%99%D7%942020.xlsx |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Israel Central Bureau of Statistics}}</ref> Other estimates place the community population at around 7,000.<ref name=shaffir34/>

* [[Safed]] – The Chabad community in Safad (Tzfat) originated during the wave of Eastern European immigration to Palestine from 1777–1840. The Chabad community established synagogues and institutions in Safad. The early settlement declined by the 20th century but it was renewed following an initiative by the seventh rebbe in the early 1970s, which reestablished the Chabad community in the city.<ref name=tzefatcoil>{{cite web |url=safed.co.il/chabad-in-tzfat.html |title=The Chabad Hassidic Community in Tzfat |publisher=Safed.co.il |access-date=September 14, 2014}}</ref> Rabbi Yeshaya HaLevi Horowitz (1883–1978), a Safad-born direct descendant of Rabbi [[Isaiah Horowitz|Yeshaya Horowitz]], author of the {{transliteration|he|Shnei Luchot HaBrit}}, served as the rabbi of the Chabad community in Safad from 1908 until his immigration to the U.S. during World War I.<ref>[kedem-auctions.com/content/sefer-hazohar-%E2%80%93-including-glosses-rabbi-yeshaya-horowitz-safed-and-his-son-rabbi-shmuel "Sefer HaZohar – Including Glosses by Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz of Safad and His Son Rabbi Shmuel Horowitz Author of 'Yemei Shmuel.'" Judaica Auction no. 27- Books and Manuscripts] {{webarchive |url=web.archive.org/web/20161006013938/kedem-auctions.com/content/sefer-hazohar-%E2%80%93-including-glosses-rabbi-yeshaya-horowitz-safed-and-his-son-rabbi-shmuel |date=October 6, 2016}}. ''[[Kedem Auction House]]''. Retrieved September 14, 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2016</ref> Members of the Chabad community run a number of outreach efforts during the Jewish holidays. Activities include blowing the {{transliteration|he|[[shofar]]}} for the elderly on [[Rosh Hashana]], reading the [[Book of Esther|Megilla]] for hospital patients on Purim and setting up a {{transliteration|he|[[Sukka]]}} on the town's main street during the {{transliteration|he|[[Sukkot]]}} holiday.<ref name=tzefatcoil/>

* Nachlat Har Chabad in [[Kiryat Malakhi]] is home to 2800 residents, with institutions including a yeshiva and a girls' school.

=== France ===

The Chabad community in France is estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000. The majority of the Chabad community in France are the descendants of immigrants from North Africa (specifically Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) during the 1960s.<ref name=shaffir34/><ref name=chabadfrance>Gutwirth, Jacques. 2005. Hassidim in France today. ''Jewish Journal of Sociology 47''(1–2). pp.5–21.</ref>

=== Canada ===

* [[Montreal]] – The estimated size of the Chabad community of Greater [[Montreal]] is 1,590. The estimate is taken from a 2003 community study.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chabad of Montreal: Here's the stats!!! |publisher=The Chabad Sociologist |date=October 13, 2013 |url=chabadsociologist.wordpress.com/2013/10/13/chabad-of-montreal-heres-the-stats-chabad-montreal-chabadsociology/ |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>Shahar, Charles. "Main Report: A Comprehensive Study of the Ultra Orthodox Community of Greater Montreal (2003)". Federation CJA (Montreal). (2003): pp. 7–33.</ref> The Chabad community in [[Montreal]] originated sometime before 1931. While early works on Canadian Jewry make little or no mention of early Hasidic life in [[Canada]], later researchers have documented Chabad's accounts in [[Canada]] starting from the 1900s and 1910s. [[Steven Lapidus]] notes that there is mention of two Chabad congregations in a 1915 article in the ''[[Canadian Jewish Chronicle]]'' listing the delegates of the first [[Canadian Jewish Conference]]. One congregation is listed as Chabad of Toronto, and the other is simply listed as "Libavitzer Congregation". The sociologist [[William Shaffir]] has noted that some Chabad Hasidim and sympathizers did reside in Montreal before 1941 but does not elaborate further. Steven Lapidus notes that in a 1931 obituary published in {{transliteration|yi|[[Keneder Odler]]}}, a Canadian Yiddish newspaper, the deceased Rabbi [[Menashe Lavut]] is credited as the founder of Anshei Chabad in [[Montreal]] and the Nusach Ari synagogue. Thus the Chabad presence in [[Montreal]] predates 1931.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lapidus |first=Steven |title=The Forgotten Hasidim: Rabbis and Rebbes in Prewar Canada |journal=Canadian Jewish Studies |year=2004 |volume=12 |url=pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/cjs/article/viewFile/22624/21095 |access-date=January 13, 2014}}</ref>

=== United Arab Emirates ===

* [[Dubai]] – The [[Jewish Community Center of UAE]] has a [[synagogue]] and a [[Talmud Torah]]. 1,000 [[Kashrut|kosher]] chickens per week are provided to the community by local kosher {{transliteration|he|[[shechita]]}}. The community is headed by Rabbi [[Levi Duchman]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-06-11|title=A robust Jewish life exists in the U.A.E.|url=ynetnews.com/article/HkuTEWg6I|access-date=2020-06-18|website=ynetnews|language=en|last1=Salami|first1=Daniel}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Baltimore Jewish Life {{!}} A New Talmud Torah Opens in Dubai|url=baltimorejewishlife.com:443/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=3&ARTICLE_ID=131802|access-date=2020-06-18|website=baltimorejewishlife.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kiddush, Torah learning, and gefilte fish in Dubai – Jewish World|date=11 June 2020 |url=israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/281713|access-date=2020-06-18|publisher=Arutz Sheva|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Зеленський та рабини.jpg|thumb|Meeting of the [[President of Ukraine]] [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy|Volodymyr Zelensky]] with the rabbis of Ukraine on May 6, 2019]]

== Customs and holidays ==

{{Main|Chabad customs and holidays}}

=== Customs ===

Chabad adherents follow Chabad [[minhag|traditions]] and [[Nusach Ari|prayer services]] based on [[Lurianic Kabbalah]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Nissan Mindel |url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/111878/jewish/Rabbi-Isaac-Luria-The-Ari-Hakodosh.htm |title=Rabbi Isaac Luria – The Ari Hakodosh |publisher=Chabad |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> General Chabad customs, called {{Lang|he|[[minhagim]]}} (or {{Lang|he|minhagei Chabad}}), distinguish the movement from other Hasidic groups. Some of the main Chabad customs are minor practices performed on traditional [[Jewish holidays]]:

* [[Passover]] – It is customary in Chabad communities, on Passover, to limit contact of ''[[matzah]]'' (an unleavened bread eaten on Passover) with water. This custom is called {{Lang|yi|[[gebrokts]]}} ({{langx|yi|געבראָכטס}}, lit. 'broken'). However, on the last day of Passover, it is customary to intentionally have matzah come in contact with water.<ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/265990/jewish/Gebrokts-Wetted-Matzah.htm |title=Gebrokts: Wetted Matzah |publisher=Chabad |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

* [[Chanukah]] – It is the custom of Chabad Hasidim to place the Chanukah [[Menorah (Hanukkah)|menorah]] against the room's doorpost (and not on the windowsill).<ref name="sichoscustom">{{cite web|url=chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting_cdo/aid/6226/jewish/Shabbat-Candle-Lighting-Times.htm|title=Shabbat Candle-Lighting Times|website=chabad.org}}</ref><ref>Schneersohn, Shalom Dovber. Tanu Rabbanan: Ner Chanukah ''Sichos In English'', N.Y., 1990.</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=November 24, 2013 |url=crownheights.info/something-jewish/412805/laws-and-customs-chanukah/ |title=Laws and Customs: Chanukah |publisher=CrownHeights.info |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

* Prayer – The founder of Chabad wrote a very specific liturgy for the daily and festival prayers based on the teachings of the Kabbalists, primarily the [[Isaac Luria|Arizal]].

* The founder of Chabad also instituted various other [[Halakha|halachic]] rulings, including the use of stainless steel knives for the slaughter of animals before human consumption, which are now universally accepted in all sects of Judaism.

=== Holidays ===

There are a number of days marked by the Chabad movement as special days. Major holidays include the dates of the release of the leaders of the movement, the ''rebbes'' of Chabad, from prison, others corresponded to the leaders' birthdays, anniversaries of death, and other life events.

The days marking the leaders' release, are celebrated by the Chabad movement as "Days of Liberation" ([[Hebrew]]: {{Lang|he|יום גאולה}} ({{Lang|he|Yom Geulah}})). The most noted day is {{Lang|he|[[Yud Tes Kislev]]}}—the liberation of Rabbi [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi]], the founder of the Chabad movement. The day is also called the "New Year of Hasidism".<ref name="sichoscustom"/>

The birthdays of several of the movement's leaders are celebrated each year including {{Lang|he|[[Chai Elul]]}}, the birthday of Rabbi [[Shneur Zalman of Liadi]], the founder of the Chabad movement,<ref name="Elul customs">{{cite web |date=September 6, 2012 |url=shmais.com/chabad-news/latest/item/chabad-elul-customs |last=Dalfin |first=Chaim |title=Chabad Elul Customs |publisher=Shmais.com |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref name="ChaiElul">{{cite web |author=Menachem Mendel Schneerson |url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/155859/jewish/Chai-Elul.htm |title=Chai Elul: Breathing New Life Into Our Divine Service |publisher=Chabad |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> and {{Lang|he|[[Yud Aleph Nissan]]}}, the birthday of Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]], the seventh rebbe of Chabad.<ref>"Dade Jews throw birthday party for New York Rabbi", David Hancock, ''The Miami Herald'', April 14, 1992</ref>

The anniversaries of death, or {{Lang|yi|[[yartzeit]]}}, of several of the movement's leaders are celebrated each year, include {{Lang|he|[[Yud Shvat]]}}, the {{Lang|yi|yartzeit}} of Rabbi [[Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn]], the sixth rebbe of Chabad,<ref name="YartzCust">{{cite web |url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/82245/jewish/Yahrtzeit-Observances.htm |title=Yahrtzeit Observances |publisher=Chabad |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> {{Lang|he|[[Gimmel Tammuz]]}}, the {{Lang|yi|yartzeit}} of Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]], the seventh rebbe of Chabad,<ref name="YartzCust"/><ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/528345/jewish/A-Brief-Biography.htm |title=A Brief Biography |publisher=Chabad |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> and {{Lang|he|[[Chof Beis Shvat]]}}, the {{Lang|yi|yartzeit}} of [[Chaya Mushka Schneerson]], the wife of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.<ref>{{cite web|url=chabadinfo.com/index.php/jq/css/ui-lightness/jq/js/?url=newsnew_en&string=tag_Chof%20Beis%20Shvat|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20131216191431/chabadinfo.com/index.php/jq/css/ui-lightness/jq/js/?url=newsnew_en&string=tag_Chof%20Beis%20Shvat|url-status=dead|title=Chof Beis Shvat. ''Chabad.info''.|archive-date=December 16, 2013}}</ref>

== Organizations ==

{{Main|Chabad affiliated organizations}}

[[File:Chabad 2023.png|alt=Map of Countries with Chabad Shluchim|thumb|Map of countries with Chabad Shluchim]]

Chabad's central organization representing the movement at large, [[Agudas Chasidei Chabad]], is headed by Rabbi [[Abraham Shemtov]]. The educational, outreach and social services arms, [[Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch]] and [[Machneh Israel (Chabad)|Machneh Israel]] are headed by Rabbi [[Yehuda Krinsky]], as well as the Chabad-Lubavitch publishing house, [[Kehot Publication Society]].

Local Chabad centers and institutions are usually incorporated as separate legal entities.<ref name="PBurstein">{{cite journal | last1 = Burstein | first1 = Paul | year = 2011 | title = Jewish Nonprofit Organizations in the U.S.: A Preliminary Survey | journal = Contemporary Jewry | volume = 31 | issue = 2| pages = 129–148 | doi = 10.1007/s12397-010-9028-5| s2cid = 144478093 }}</ref>

=== Institutions ===

As of 2020 there were over 3,500 Chabad centers in 100 countries.<ref name="drake">{{cite web|url=www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0602/feature4/index.html|last=Drake|first=Carolyn|title=A Faith Grows in Brooklyn|work=[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]|date=February 2006|access-date=2006-01-23|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20060203030144/www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0602/feature4/index.html|archive-date=2006-02-03|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2346206/jewish/Facts-and-Statistics.htm|title=Facts and Statistics - Chabad.org}}</ref> The Chabad movement's online directory lists around 1,350 Chabad institutions. This number includes schools and other Chabad-affiliated establishments. The number of Chabad centers vary per country; the majority are in the [[United States]] and [[Israel]]. There are over 100 countries with a Chabad presence.

In total, according to its directory, Chabad maintains a presence in 950 [[cities]] around the world: 178 in Europe, 14 in Africa, 200 in Israel, 400 in North America, 38 in South America, and about 70 in Asia (excluding Israel, including Russia).<ref name="popo">{{cite web |url=chabad.org/centers/default_cdo/jewish/Centers.htm |title=Chabad-Lubavitch Directory |publisher=Chabad |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

{{Further|Chabad affiliated organizations#Chabad institutions by geographic region}}

Chabad presence varies from region to region. The continent with the highest concentration of Chabad centers is North America. The [[continent]] with the fewest centers is Africa.<ref name="LubavNorthAmerica">{{cite web|url=lubavitch.com/centers/region.html|title=Chabad Lubavitch Brooklyn New York NY World Headquarters|first=Chabad|last=Lubavitch|website=lubavitch.com|access-date=2013-11-06|archive-date=2013-09-01|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20130901111827/lubavitch.com/centers/region.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="LubavAfrica">{{cite web|url=lubavitch.com/centers/region.html?id=1&f=c|title=Chabad Lubavitch Brooklyn New York NY World Headquarters|first=Chabad|last=Lubavitch|website=lubavitch.com|access-date=2013-11-04|archive-date=2015-10-16|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20151016221727/lubavitch.com/centers/region.html?id=1&f=c|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Vladimir Putin, Berl Lazar, Alexander Boroda (2016-12-28).jpg|thumb|Russia's Chief Rabbi [[Berel Lazar]] (left) speaks with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]], 28 December 2016]]

=== Chabad house ===

A Chabad house is a form of [[Jewish community center]], primarily serving both educational and observance purposes.<ref>{{cite news |author=Marcelle S. Fischler |title=Is It a Home or a House of Worship? |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 16, 2005 |url=query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00EEDC1F31F93BA25751C1A9639C8B63 |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=January 2015}} Often, until the community can support its own center, the Chabad house is located in the {{Lang|he|[[shaliach]]}}''<nowiki/>'s'' home, with the living room being used as the "synagogue". Effort is made to provide an atmosphere in which the nonobservant will not feel intimidated by any perceived contrast between their lack of knowledge of Jewish practice and the advanced knowledge of some of the people they meet there.<ref>{{cite news |title=Passover seders, around the world |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=March 23, 2007 |newspaper=Kentucky New Era |page=28 |url=news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=20070323&id=UAgsAAAAIBAJ&pg=5379,7656059 |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> The term "Chabad House" originated with the creation of the first such outreach center on the campus of [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]] by Rabbi [[Shlomo Cunin]].<ref>''Challenge''<!-- author? date? page? URL? --></ref> A key to the Chabad house was given to the Rebbe and he asked if that meant that the new house was his home. He was told yes and he replied, "My hand will be on the door of this house to keep it open twenty-four hours a day for young and old, men and women alike."<ref>{{Cite book|title=Chumash Devarim|publisher=Kehot Publication Society|year=2011|isbn=978-0-8266-0194-0|location=New York|pages=vii}}</ref>

Followers of Chabad can be seen attending to [[Tefillin campaign|tefillin booths]] at the [[Western Wall]] and [[Ben Gurion International Airport]] as well as other public places and distributing [[Shabbat]] candles on Fridays. Chabad rabbis and their families are sent to various major cities around the globe, to teach college students, build day schools, and create youth camps. Many of these efforts are geared towards secular or less religious [[Jews]].  Additionally, unmarried rabbinical students spend weeks during the summer in locations that do not yet have a permanent Chabad presence, making housecalls, putting up [[mezuza|mezuzot]] and teaching about Judaism. This is known as Merkos Shlichus.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson also initiated a Jewish children's movement, called [[Tzivos Hashem]] (lit. "Army [of] God"), for under [[B'nai Mitzvah|bar/bat mitzvah]]-age children, to inspire them to increase in [[Torah study|study of Torah]] and observance of [[613 Mitzvot|mitzvot]].

Rabbi Schneerson also encouraged the use of modern technology in outreach efforts such as [[Mitzva tank]]s, which are mobile homes that travel a city or country.<ref>{{Citation|title=N.Y. / Region: 'Are You Jewish?'|work= The New York Times|date= 27 April 2011|url=youtube.com/watch?v=k2agom-o8Ds |archive-url=ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/k2agom-o8Ds| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-12-05}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Chabad website, [[chabad.org]], a pioneer of Jewish religious outreach on the [[Internet]], was started by Rabbi Yosef Y. Kazen and developed by Rabbi D. Zirkind. In 2023, it was reportedly the largest faith-based website, with 52 million unique visitors and 102,129 content pages covering all facets of [[Judaism]].<ref name="chabad.org">{{cite web|website=Chabad|url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2346206/jewish/Facts-and-Statistics.htm|title=Facts and Statistics}}</ref>

In June 1994, Rabbi Schneerson died with no successor. Since then, over two thousand couples have taken up communal leadership roles in outreach, bringing the estimated total number of "Shluchim" to over five thousand worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|url=kinus.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/4051934|title=Banquet/Partner |publisher= Kinus Hashluchim|access-date=2019-12-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=chabad.org/multimedia/video_cdo/aid/4560827/jewish/Shluchim-Roll-Call.htm|title=Shluchim Roll Call - International Conference of Chabad Emissaries (2019)|website=Chabad.org|language=en|access-date=2019-12-05}}</ref>

In the [[2008 Mumbai attacks]], the local Chabad house was targeted.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ralph Blumenthal |date=November 29, 2008 |url=nytimes.com/2008/11/29/nyregion/29chabad.html |title=Jewish Center Is Stormed, and 6 Hostages Die |newspaper=The New York Times |page=A13 |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Joshua Runyan |date=November 30, 2008 |url=chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/775065/jewish/Funeral-Preparations-Under-Way.htm |title=Funeral Preparations for Chabad House Victims Under Way |publisher=Chabad |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref> The local Chabad emissaries, Rabbi [[Gavriel Holtzberg]] and his wife Rivka, and four other Jews were tortured and murdered by Islamic terrorists.<ref>{{Cite news |url=telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/3539171/Mumbai-attacks-Jews-tortured-before-executed-during-hostage-crisis.html |archive-url=ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/3539171/Mumbai-attacks-Jews-tortured-before-executed-during-hostage-crisis.html |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Mumbai attacks: Jews tortured before being executed during hostage crisis |author=Damien McElroy |date=December 1, 2008 |access-date=February 8, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Chabad received condolences from around the world.<ref>{{cite news |url=jta.org/news/article/2008/12/04/1001351/obama-sends-condolences-to-chabad |title=Obama sends condolences to Chabad |publisher=Jewish Telegraph Agency (JTA) |date=December 4, 2008 |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Israeli Chabad couple to be expelled from India 'for spying' {{!}} The Times of Israel|url=timesofisrael.com/israeli-chabad-couple-to-be-expelled-from-india-as-mossad-agents/amp/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=The Times of Israel}}</ref>

Funds for activities of a Chabad center rely entirely on the local community. Chabad centers do not receive funding from Lubavitch headquarters. For the day-to-day operations, local emissaries do all the fundraising by themselves.

Chabad emissaries often solicit the support of local Jews.<ref name="ert">{{cite book |author=Mark Avrum Ehrlich |title=The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present |location=Jersey City, N.J. |publisher=KTAV |year=2004 |page=134 |isbn=978-0881258363}}</ref> Funds are used toward purchasing or renovating Chabad centers, synagogues and {{Lang|he|[[mikveh|mikvahs]]}}.<ref>Fishkoff, Sue, ''The Rebbe's Army: Inside the World of Chabad-Lubavitch'', Schocken Books 2003 ({{ISBN|08052 11381}}) pages 160–161.</ref>

The Chabad movement has been involved in numerous activities in contemporary Jewish life. These activities include providing Jewish education to different age groups, outreach to non-affiliated Jews, publishing Jewish literature, and summer camps for children, among other activities.

Chabad runs a number of educational institutions. Most are [[Jewish day school]]s; others offer secondary and adult education:

* The Chabad operates more than 1,000 schools, preschools and other educational institutions around the globe.<ref name="chabad.org" />

* Day schools – In the [[United States]], there are close to 300&nbsp;day schools and supplementary schools run by Chabad.<ref name="CS1">{{cite web |publisher=The Chabad Sociologist |date=August 6, 2013 |title=Comparing Full Time and Part Time Numbers at Chabad Schools |url=chabadsociologist.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/comparing-full-time-and-part-time-numbers-at-chabad-schools/ |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Schick"/> The report findings of studies on [[Jewish day school]]s and supplementary Jewish education in the [[United States]] show that the student body currently enrolled in some 295 Chabad schools exceeds 20,750, although this figure includes Chabad Hasidic children as well as non-Chabad children.<ref name="Schick">{{cite web |last=Schick |first=Marvin |title=A Census of Jewish Day Schools in the United States 2008–2009 |publisher=Avi Chai Foundation |date=October 2009 |url=avichai.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Census-of-JDS-in-the-US-2008-09-Final.pdf |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Wertheimer">{{cite web |last=Wertheimer |first=Jack |title=A Census of Jewish Supplementary Schools in the United States: 2006–2007 |publisher=Avi Chai Foundation |date=August 2008 |url=avichai.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Supplementary-School-Census-Report-Final.pdf |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

* Secondary schools – Chabad runs multiple secondary education institutions, most notable are [[Tomchei Tmimim]] for young men, and [[Beth Rivkah|Bais Rivka]] for young women.

* Adult education – Chabad runs adult education programs including those organized by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wertheimer|first1=Jack|title=Why the Lubavitch Movement Thrives in the Absence of a Living Rebbe|url=ou.org/jewish_action/06/2014/lubavitch-movement-thrives-absence-living-rebbe/|access-date=30 September 2014|work=JA Mag in Jewish World|agency=Orthodox Union|date=June 16, 2014|quote=Among the latter is the Jewish Learning Institute, the largest educational program for Jewish adults in the world (with the possible exception of the Daf Yomi enterprise), which currently enrolls over 66,000 teens and adults at some 850 sites around the world, each following a prescribed course of study according to a set timetable.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Dashefsky |editor-first=Arnold |editor-last2=Sheskin |editor-first2=Ira |title=American Jewish Year Book |volume=113 |date=2014 |publisher=Springer International Publishing |isbn=978-3-319-01657-3 |pages=447–597 |edition=Volume 113 |chapter=National Jewish Organizations |quote=... is currently the largest provider of adult Jewish learning. JLI's mission is to inspire Jewish learning worldwide and to transform Jewish life and the greater community through Torah study. Its goal is to create a global network of informed students connected by bonds of shared Jewish experience. JLI's holistic approach to Jewish study considers the impact of Jewish values on personal and interpersonal growth. (The authors of the book are Professor Ira Sheskin of Department of Geography and Regional Studies, The Jewish Demography Project, The Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies, University of Miami, and Professor Arnold Dashefsky, Department of Sociology, The Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life, University of Connecticut.)|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-01658-0_10|s2cid=154745222 }}</ref> and the [[Jewish Learning Network]].

=== Outreach activities ===

[[File:Chabad5.jpg|thumb|Chabad [[Hasidic Judaism|chassidic Jews]] offer help with laying [[tefilin]] on the street]]

Many of the movement's activities emphasize outreach activities. This is due to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson encouraging his followers to reach out to other Jews.<ref>''Hayom Yom'', p. A38</ref> Chabad outreach includes activities promoting the practice of Jewish commandments ([[Chabad mitzvah campaigns|Mitzvah campaigns]]), as well as other forms of Jewish outreach. Much of Chabad's outreach is performed by Chabad emissaries (see [[Shaliach (Chabad)]]). Most of the communities that Chabad emissaries reach out to are other Jewish communities, such as [[Reform Judaism|Reform Jews]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Heilman |first=Samuel C. |title=ChaBaD Lubavitch |date=2017-06-06 |url=dx.doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520277236.003.0006 |work=Who Will Lead Us? |publisher=University of California Press |doi=10.1525/california/9780520277236.003.0006 |isbn=9780520277236 |access-date=2022-04-26}}</ref>

Rabbi [[Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn]], 6th leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch branch of [[Hasidic Judaism]], and then his successor, Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Schneerson]] were responsible for focusing Chabad's activities on outreach. Rabbi Schneerson was a pioneer in the field of [[Orthodox Judaism outreach]] (''Kiruv'').

Each sent out large numbers of rabbinic emissaries, known as "[[Shaliach (Chabad)|Shluchim]]", to settle in places across the world for outreach purposes. The centers that these [[Shaliach (Chabad)|Shluchim]] established were termed "[[Chabad houses]]".

Chabad has been active in reaching out to Jews through its synagogues, and various forms of more direct outreach efforts. The organization has been recognized as one of the leaders in using free holiday services to reach out across denominations.<ref>Fishkoff, Sue. [texasjewishpost.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=2635&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1128&hn=texasjewishpost&he=.com "‘Praying without paying’ becoming a more popular option among shuls"]{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''Texas Jewish Post''. Accessed September 22, 2007. "Many people credit Chabad-Lubavitch with spearheading the movement for free holiday services across the denominational spectrum."</ref>

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, had a core of dedicated Hasidim who maintained underground [[yeshivah|yeshivos]] and [[mikveh]]s, and provided [[shechitah]] and [[Brit milah|ritual circumcision]] services in the [[Soviet Union]].

The Rebbes of Chabad have issued the call to all Jews to attract non-observant Jews to adopt Orthodox Jewish observance, teaching that this activity is part of the process of bringing the ''[[Jewish messianism|Messiah]]''. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson issued a call to every Jew: "Even if you are not fully committed to a Torah life, do something. Begin with a [[mitzvah]]—any mitzvah—its value will not be diminished by the fact that there are others that you are not prepared to do".<ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/62228/jewish/10-Point-Mitzvah-Campaign.htm |title=The Rebbe's 10-Point Mitzvah Campaign |publisher=Chabad |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref>

 

 

 

==== {{Lang|he|Shluchim}} (Emissaries) ====

In 1950, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson urged Chabad to begin {{Lang|he|shlichus}} ("serving as an emissary [performing outreach]"). Since then, Chabad {{Lang|he|shluchim}} ("emissaries", sing. {{Lang|he|shliach}}) have moved all over the world to encourage non-observant Jews to adopt Jewish observance. They assist Jews with all their religious needs, as well as with physical assistance and spiritual guidance and teaching. The stated goal is to encourage Jews to learn more about their Jewish heritage and to practice Judaism.<ref name="ReferenceA">Fishkoff, Sue, ''The Rebbe's Army'', Schocken books 2003 ({{ISBN|08052 11381}}){{page needed|date=January 2015}}</ref>

 

Thousands of rabbis, educators, ritual slaughterers, and [[mohel|ritual circumcisers]] have been trained and [[Semikhah|ordained]] to serve as {{Lang|he|shluchim}}. Typically, a young Lubavitch rabbi and his wife, in their early twenties, with one or two children, will move to a new location, and as they settle in will raise a large family who, as a family unit, will aim to fulfill their mandate of bringing Jewish people closer to Orthodox Judaism and encouraging gentiles to adhere to the [[Seven Laws of Noah]].<ref name="ReferenceA" />

 

{{Lang|he|Shluchim}} operate [[Chabad house|Chabad Houses]], [[Jewish day school]]s, and Jewish summer camps. As of 2021, there are over 6,500 Chabad ''shluchim'' families worldwide, operating over 3,500 institutions in over 110 countries.<ref name="2021RollCall">{{cite web |title=International Roll Call, Conference of Chabad Emissaries (2021) |url=chabad.org/multimedia/video_cdo/aid/5294623/jewish/International-Roll-Call.htm |website=Chabad.org |publisher=Chabad-Lubavitch |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="Facts and Statistics">{{cite web |title=Facts and Statistics |url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2346206/jewish/Facts-and-Statistics.htm |website=Chabad.org |publisher=Chabad-Lubavitch |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref> Chabad runs the largest network of synagogues of any Jewish movement as of 2023.<ref name="NorthJersey.com">{{cite news |last1=Yellin |first1=Deena |title=Dinner for 6,500: NJ to host record gathering for growing Chabad Jewish movement |url=northjersey.com/story/news/2022/11/18/chabad-conference-2022-ends-with-record-setting-gala-in-edison-nj/69652054007/ |access-date=10 March 2023 |publisher=NorthJersey.com |date=2022-11-18}}</ref>

 

[[File:Mitzvah tank - Golders Green - 2008.jpg|thumb|[[Chabad Lubavitch]] Mitzvah tank in [[Golders Green]], London]]

A mitzvah tank is a vehicle which is used as a portable "educational and outreach center" and a "mini-synagogue" (or a "minagogue") by Chabad members who are involved in outreach. Mitzvah tanks are commonly used for advancing the mitzvah campaigns. Mitzvah tanks have been commonplace on the streets of New York City since 1974.<ref>{{cite web|url=chabad.org/therebbe/timeline_cdo/aid/62178/jewish/1974-The-Mitzvah-Tank.htm |title=1974: The Mitzvah Tank on |publisher=Chabad |access-date=2011-04-13}}</ref> Today, they are used all over the globe in countries where Chabad is active.

 

In recent years, Chabad has greatly expanded its outreach on university and college campuses. The ''Chabad on Campus'' is active on dozens of campuses outside of the [[United States]], some of which include [[Canada]], [[Israel]], [[United Kingdom|UK]], [[Austria]], [[Germany]], [[France]], [[The Netherlands|Holland]], [[Hungary]], [[Italy]], [[Russia]], [[Argentina]], [[China]] and [[Australia]].<ref name="chabad.org" /> ''Chabad Student Centers'' are active on over 950 campuses.<ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.edu |title=Directory of Chabad on Campus |publisher=Chabad |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=January 2015}} Professor [[Alan Dershowitz]] has said "Chabad's presence on college campuses today is absolutely crucial," and "we cannot rest until Chabad is on every major college campus in the world."<ref>{{cite web |url=oxfordchabad.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/AID/331005 |title=Address by Professor Alan Dershowitz |publisher=Oxford Chabad Society |date=2005-11-27 |access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

 

The '''Chabad Teen Network''' (CTeen) is an international organization dedicated to educating Jewish youth about their heritage. It is the teen-focused arm of the Chabad movement operated by [[Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch]]. There are over 100,000 members worldwide<ref name="timesofisrael.com">{{cite web|url=timesofisrael.com/jewish-school-shooting-survivors-seek-healing-at-new-york-meet-up/|title=Jewish school shooting survivors seek healing at New York meet-up|newspaper=Times of Israel}}</ref> with 630 chapters across 44 countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=cteen.com/|title=Chabad Teen Network|website=CTeen}}</ref> CTeen is open to all Jewish teens, regardless of affiliation, and has been called "the fastest growing and most diverse Jewish youth organization in the world."<ref name="heritagefl.com">{{Cite news|last=CTeen International|title=Orlando well represented at International CTeen Shabbaton|newspaper=Heritage Florida Jewish News|url=heritagefl.com/story/2018/03/30/features/orlando-well-represented-at-international-cteen-shabbaton/9544.html}}</ref>

 

The organization was launched in 2010,<ref name="ejewishphilanthropy.com">{{cite web|last=Levy|first=Faygie|date=28 May 2015|title=In Just Five Years, CTeen Movement Attracts Tens of Thousands of Young Jews|url=ejewishphilanthropy.com/in-just-five-years-cteen-movement-attracts-tens-of-thousands-of-young-jews/|url-status=live|website=eJewish Philanthropy|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20150601004816/ejewishphilanthropy.com:80/in-just-five-years-cteen-movement-attracts-tens-of-thousands-of-young-jews/? |archive-date=2015-06-01 }}</ref> and operates worldwide in cities such as Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Leeds, Munich, Buenos Aires and New York.<ref name="israelnationalnews.com">{{Cite news|first1=Carin M. |last1=Smilk|title=Teens and mentors from Bangkok to Brazil at Poconos Retreat|url=israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/232778|date=July 21, 2017  |access-date=2021-09-14|website=Israel National News|language=en}}</ref> Its director is Rabbi Shimon Rivkin, and Rabbi [[Moshe Kotlarsky]] serves as chairman.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bowling|first=Suzanna|title=Thousands of Jewish Teens Gather in Times Square For Havdalah – Times Square Chronicles|url=t2conline.com/thousands-of-jewish-teens-gather-in-times-square-for-havdalah/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Times Square Chronicles|date=2 March 2020 |language=en-US|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20200524042421/t2conline.com/thousands-of-jewish-teens-gather-in-times-square-for-havdalah/ |archive-date=2020-05-24 }}</ref> Individual chapters and programs are managed by local directors.

[[File:Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch - 302 (2).jpg|thumb|300px|Picture of room '302']]

 

* CTeen International Shabbaton, an annual inspirational weekend that brings together thousands of teens from around the world. The program includes a traditional Shabbat experience in the heart of Hasidic Crown Heights, a Torah completion ceremony in Times Square, and the CTeen Choice Awards at Brooklyn's Pier 12. The weekend includes a Saturday night concert in Times Square with guest performances by singers such as [[Gad Elbaz]], [[Shwekey|Yakov Shwekey]] and American Hasidic rapper [[Nissim Black]].<ref name="heritagefl.com"/><ref>{{cite news|url=jewishvoicesnj.org/articles/local-teens-have-time-of-their-lives-at-nyc-shabbaton/|title = Local teens have time of their lives at NYC Shabbaton |newspaper= Jewish Community Voice|date = 10 April 2019 }}</ref>

* CTeen XTREME, a summer travel camp where campers challenge themselves both physically and spiritually by partaking in extreme sports, observing a completely tech-free Shabbat, and keeping kosher on the road.<ref>{{cite news|url=nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/2015/02/chabad_of_hunterdon_teen_group_makes_impact_in_com.html|title=Chabad of Hunterdon CTeen group makes impact in community|newspaper=Nj|date=26 February 2015}}</ref>

* CTeen U, a college-accredited program where teens learn about Jewish philosophy, ethics and history. The program was launched in 2019 through a partnership with [[Yeshiva University]].<ref>{{cite web|first=|title=Chabad and Yeshiva University Offer Torah Class for High Schoolers|date=14 October 2020|url=jewishjournal.com/community/322869/chabad-and-yeshiva-university-offer-torah-class-for-high-schoolers/|url-status=live|access-date=|newspaper=Jewish Journal|archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20201014165912/jewishjournal.com/community/322869/chabad-and-yeshiva-university-offer-torah-class-for-high-schoolers/ |archive-date=2020-10-14 }}</ref>

* Heritage Quest, educational travel programs that aim to deepen the connection of Jewish teens to their heritage through trips to [[Poland]] and [[Israel]], offering teens the chance to explore their roots at the source.<ref>{{Cite web|url=chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/3239262/jewish/CTeen-Summer-Quest-to-Explore-Roots-in-Poland-and-Israel.htm|title=CTeen Summer 'Quest' to Explore Roots in Poland and Israel - Another adventure in the roster of programs for Jewish youth - Chabad.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=lubavitch.com/leading-voices/|title = Meet Hallandale's New CTeen Directors|date = 17 October 2019}}</ref>

*Kosher Food Club, a co-curricular high school club operating in over fifty high schools throughout the [[United States]] that serves as a humanitarian initiative to promote healthy lifestyles, feed the homeless, and provide educational and hands-on experiences making traditional Jewish foods.<ref>{{cite web|url=cteen.com/highschoolclub|title=CTeen &#124; Leadership|website=CTeen}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/5144558/jewish/Jewish-Teens-in-Skokie-Ill-Respond-to-Hate-With-Celebration.htm|title=Jewish Teens in Skokie, Ill., Respond to Hate With Celebration - Windows smashed in nearby synagogue followed by outpouring of Jewish pride - Chabad.org}}</ref>

* National Campus Office, coordinator of [[Chabad on Campus International Foundation|Chabad on Campus]], a network of Jewish Student Centers on more than 230 university campuses worldwide (as of April 2016), as well as regional Chabad-Lubavitch centers at an additional 150 universities worldwide<ref name="The National Campus Office">{{cite web |url=lubavitch.com/department.html?h=674 |title=The National Campus Office |date=2009 |access-date=25 September 2010 |publisher=lubavitch.com |archive-date=19 August 2010 |archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20100819210507/lubavitch.com/department.html?h=674 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

* Suicide Alert, workshops that equip teens to assist peers dealing with anxiety and depression resulting from the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The workshops have been organized by CTeen chapters in Florida, New Hampshire and New Jersey, among others, in partnership with the Gelt Charitable Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=livingworks.net/blog/by-us-for-us|title=By us, for us|website=LivingWorks}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=tapinto.net/towns/berkeley-heights/events/suicide-prevention-training-workshop|title=Suicide Prevention Training Workshop|website=TAPinto}}</ref>

 

{{Main|Kehot Publication Society}}

Chabad publishes and distributes Jewish religious literature. Under [[Kehot Publication Society]], Chabad's main publishing house, [[Sefer (Hebrew)|Jewish literature]] has been translated into 12 different languages. Kehot regularly provides books at discounted prices, and hosts book-a-thons. Kehot commonly distributes books written or transcribed from the rebbes of Chabad, prominent [[Hasidic Judaism|chassidim]] and other authors who have written Jewish materials.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} [[Kehot]] is a division of [[Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch]], the movement's educational arm.<ref>[lubavitch.com/education/publishing/]</ref>

 

More than any other Jewish movement, Chabad has used media as part of its religious, social, and political experience. Their latest leader, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, was the most video-documented Jewish leader in history.<ref name="Maya Balakirsky Katz 2010">{{cite book |author=Maya Balakirsky Katz |title=The Visual Culture of Chabad |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2010}}</ref>{{page needed|date=January 2015}} The Chabad movement publishes a wealth of Jewish material on the internet. Chabad's main website [[Chabad.org]], is one of the first Jewish websites<ref name="Zaleski 1997">{{cite book |last=Zaleski |first=Jeffrey P. |title=The Soul of Cyberspace: How New Technology Is Changing Our Spiritual Lives |date=June 1997 |publisher=Harpercollins |isbn=978-0-06-251451-6 |url=archive.org/details/soulofcyberspace00zale |access-date=April 7, 2007}}</ref> and the first and largest virtual congregation.<ref>[chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/36222/jewish/Our-Founding-Director.htm Our Founding Director] {{webarchive |url=web.archive.org/web/20160827182515/chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/36222/jewish/Our-Founding-Director.htm |date=August 27, 2016}}, Chabad.org</ref><ref name="Kazen-Times">{{cite news |url=nytimes.com/1998/12/13/nyregion/yosef-kazen-hasidic-rabbi-and-web-pioneer-dies-at-44.html |title=Yosef Kazen, Hasidic Rabbi And Web Pioneer, Dies at 44|last=Harmon|first=Ami|date=December 13, 1998|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 1, 2010}}</ref> It serves not just its own members, but Jewish people worldwide in general.<ref>{{cite news|last=Steinfels|first=Peter|date=January 22, 2000|title=Beliefs|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=nytimes.com/2000/01/22/nyregion/beliefs-469874.html|access-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> Other popular Chabad community websites include asktherav.com, anash.org, CrownHeights.info, and the Hebrew site, COL.org.il.<ref>{{cite book |last=Golan |first=Oren |chapter=Frontiers of online religious communities: The case of Chabad Jews |editor=Heidi Campbell |chapter-url=books.google.com/books?id=ox4q7T59KikC&q=Crownheights.info&pg=PA160 |title=Digital Religion: Understanding Religious Practice in New Media Worlds |publisher=Routledge |year=2012 |page=160 |isbn=9780415676106 |access-date=April 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20140419231329/books.google.com/books?id=ox4q7T59KikC&pg=PA160&vq=Crownheights.info&dq=Crownheights.info&lr=&output=html_text&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1 |archive-date=April 19, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Shaer |first=Matthew |url=books.google.com/books?id=1uWpyg2fh0oC&q=crownheights.info&pg=PT18 |title=Among Righteous Men: A Tale of Vigilantes and Vindication in Hasidic Crown Heights |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2011 |isbn=9781118095201 |access-date=April 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=web.archive.org/web/20140419231347/books.google.com/books?id=1uWpyg2fh0oC&pg=PT18&vq=Crownheights.info&dq=crownheights.info&lr=&output=html_text&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1 |archive-date=April 19, 2014}}{{page needed|date=January 2014}}<!-- Couldn't figure out how to get Google to reveal page number--></ref>

 

Chabad has set up an extensive [[Gan Israel Camping Network|network of camps]] around the world, most using the name Gan Israel, a name chosen by Schneerson although the first overnight camp was the girls division called Camp Emunah. There are 1,200 sites serving 210,000 children, most of whom do not come from [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] homes. Of these, 500 camps are in the [[United States]].<ref>{{cite news |url=jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/14394/edition_id/279/format/html/displaystory.html |title=Chabad camps electrify many Jews, not just Lubavitch |date=September 1, 2000 |author=Julie Wiener |work=[[J. The Jewish News of Northern California]]|publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/centers/default_cdo/aid/280451/jewish/Camp-Directory.htm |title=Camp Gan Israel Directory |publisher=Chabad |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref>

 

Rabbi Schneerson involved himself in matters relating to the resolution of the [[Israeli-Arab]] conflict.<ref>"When Silence is a Sin". ''Sichos in English''.

[sichosinenglish.org/books/when-silence-is-a-sin/17.htm Letter to Zalman Shazar] {{webarchive |url=web.archive.org/web/20141113021020/sichosinenglish.org/books/when-silence-is-a-sin/17.htm |date=November 13, 2014}}</ref> He maintained that as a matter of Jewish law,<ref>Based on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim, 328</ref> any territorial concession on Israel's part would endanger the lives of all Jews in the Land of Israel and is therefore forbidden. He also insisted that even discussing the possibility of such concessions showed weakness, would encourage Arab attacks, and therefore endanger Jewish lives.<ref>Essentially his argument sought merely the position that would prevent loss of life, rather than taking a stance in the nature of the Land of Israel and Zionism. {{cite web |last=Freeman |first=Tzvi |url=chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/807777/jewish/Should-I-Pray-for-the-Death-of-Terrorists.htm |title=Should I Pray for the Death of Terrorists? |publisher=Chabad |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref>

 

In US domestic politics, Schneerson supported government involvement in education and welcomed the establishment of the [[United States Department of Education]] in 1980 yet insisted that part of a school's educational mission was to incorporate the values espoused in the [[Seven Laws of Noah]]. He called for the introduction of a [[moment of silence]] at the beginning of the school day, and for students to be encouraged to use this time for such improving thoughts or prayers as their parents might suggest.<ref>''Hayom Yom'', p. A29</ref>

 

In 1981, Schneerson publicly called for the use of solar energy. Schneerson believed that the US could achieve energy independence by developing solar energy technologies. He argued that the dependence on foreign oil may lead to the country compromising on its principles.<ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/player_cdo/aid/394468/jewish/Americas-Mandate-Energy-Independence-Part-1.htm |title=Website video link |publisher=chabad.org |date=April 15, 1981 |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/player_cdo/aid/408957/jewish/Americas-Mandate-Energy-Independence-Part-2.htm |title=Chabad.org website video link |publisher=chabad.org |date=1981-04-15 |access-date=2010-05-12}}</ref>

 

In 2013, US federal judge [[Royce C. Lamberth|Royce Lamberth]] ruled in favor of Chabad lawyers who sought [[Contempt of court|contempt]] sanctions on three Russian organizations to return the Schneersohn Library, 12,000 books belonging to Rabbi [[Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn|Yosef Schneersohn]] seized and nationalized by the Bolsheviks in 1917–18, to the Brooklyn [[Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad|Chabad Library]].<ref name="The Forward"/><ref>{{cite web|url=tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/books/143902/moscow-putin-lubavitcher-library|title=Putin refuses to let the Lubavitcher Rebbe's library leave Moscow|author=Avital Chizhik|publisher=Tablet|date=September 30, 2013|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref> Chabad Rabbi [[Berel Lazar]], Russia's Chief Rabbi, reluctantly accepted Putin's request in moving the Schneerson Library to Moscow's [[Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center]] as a form of compromise, which was criticized by the Chabad Library.<ref name="The Forward"/>

 

 

 

Following the death of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Chabad rebbe, a dispute over his succession led to a break within the movement. While the recognized successor was his oldest son, Rabbi [[Dovber Schneuri]], a student of Rabbi [[Schneur Zalman of Liadi|Schneur Zalman]], Rabbi [[Aaron HaLevi ben Moses of Staroselye|Aaron HaLevi]] assumed the title of rebbe and led a number of followers from the town of Strashelye (forming the [[Strashelye (Hasidic dynasty)|Strashelye dynasty]]). The new group had two rebbes, Rabbi Aaron and his son Rabbi [[Haim Rephael of Strashelye|Haim Rephael]]. The new group eventually disbanded following Rabbi Haim Rephael's death.<ref name=beck>{{cite web |last=Beck|first=Atara|title=Is Chabad Lubavitch|work=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=16 August 2012|url=jpost.com/Magazine/Judaism/Is-Chabad-Lubavitch}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=books.google.com/books?id=2RcRAQAAIAAJ&q=leadership+in+the+habad|title=Leadership in the HaBaD Movement: A critical evaluation of HaBaD leadership, history, and succession|first1=Avrum M. |last1=Ehrlich |first2=Mark Avrum |last2=Ehrlich |publisher=Jason Aronson|year=2000|isbn=978-0765760555 |chapter=11: The Leadership of Dov Ber}}{{page needed|date=January 2015}}</ref> One of the main points the two rabbis disagreed on was the place of [[Religious ecstasy|spiritual ecstasy]] in prayer. R' Aaron supported the idea while Rabbi Dovber emphasized genuine ecstasy can only be a result of meditative contemplation ([[hisbonenus]]). Rabbi Dovber published his arguments on the subject in a compilation titled {{Lang|he|Kuntres Hispa'alus}} ("Tract on Ecstasy").<ref>Ehrlich, Leadership in the HaBaD Movement, pp. 160–192, esp. pp. 167–172.</ref>

 

Following the death of the third Chabad rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (the {{Lang|he|Tzemach Tzedek}}), a dispute over his succession led to the formation of several Chabad groups. While Rabbi [[Shmuel Schneersohn]] was recognized as the heir to the Chabad-Lubavitch line, several of his brothers formed groups of their own in the towns of [[Kopys]] (forming the [[Kapust|Kapust dynasty]]), [[Nezhin]] (forming the [[Niezhin (Hasidic dynasty)|Niezhin dynasty]]), [[Lyady, Vitebsk Region|Lyady]] (forming the [[Liadi (Hasidic dynasty)|Liadi dynasty]]), and [[Ovruch]] (forming the [[Avrutch (Hasidic dynasty)|Avrutch dynasty]]). The lifespan of these groups varied; Niezhin and Avrutch had one rebbe each, Liadi had three rebbes, and Kapust had four. Following the deaths of their last rebbes, these groups eventually disbanded.<ref name="pop">''Encyclopedia of Hasidism, entry: Schneersohn, Shmaryahu Noah''. Naftali Lowenthal. Aronson, London 1996. {{ISBN|1-56821-123-6}}</ref><ref name="kam">{{cite book |last=Kaminetzky |first=Yosef Y. |title=Days in Chabad |publisher=Kehot Publication Society |location=Brooklyn |year=2005 |page=19 |isbn=978-0826604897}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Rabbi Chaim Schneur Zalman of Liadi|journal=L'Maan Yishmeu|issue=128|year=2012|url=lmaanyishmeu.com/pdf/128%20-%20Revering%20the%20Torah%20-2.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Zevin|first1=Shelomoh Yosef |first2=Uri|last2=Kaploun|title=A Treasury of Chassidic Tales on the Torah: A Collection of Inspirational Chassidic Stories Relevant to the Weekly Torah Readings|volume=1|page=115|publisher=[[ArtScroll|Mesorah Publications]]|year=1980|url=books.google.com/books?id=NnyuhrzRDCMC&q=kopust|isbn=978-0899069005}}</ref><ref name=dalfin_seven>{{cite book |url=books.google.com/books?id=lTgAAQAAQBAJ&q=dalfin+chaim|last=Dalfin|first=Chaim|title=The Seven Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbes|publisher=Jason Aronson|year=1998|isbn=978-1461710134}}</ref>

 

Two other minor offshoot groups were formed by Chabad Hasidim. The [[Malachim (Hasidic group)|Malachim]] were formed as a quasi-Hasidic group. The group claims to recognize the teachings of the first four rebbes of Chabad, thus rivaling the later Chabad rebbes. The Malachim's first and only rebbe, Rabbi [[Chaim Avraham Dov Ber Levine haCohen]] (1859/1860–1938), also known as "The Malach" (lit. "the angel"), was a follower of the fourth and fifth rebbes of Chabad.<ref>B. Sobel, ''The M'lochim''</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ehrlich|first=M. Avrum|url=worldcat.org/oclc/39633846|title=Leadership in the HaBaD movement : a critical evaluation of HaBaD leadership, history, and succession|date=2000|publisher=J. Aronson|isbn=0-7657-6055-X|location=Northvale, N.J.|pages=269–271|oclc=39633846}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=books.google.com/books?id=uEP5KNUAFh0C&pg=PA21|first=Jerome R.|last=Mintz|title=Hasidic People: A Place in the New World|pages=21–26|year=1992|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0674041097}}</ref> While Levine's son chose not to succeed him, the Malachim group continues to maintain a yeshiva and [[minyan]] in [[Williamsburg, Brooklyn]].

 

Following the death of the seventh Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, an attempt by [[Shaul Shimon Deutsch]] to form a breakaway Chabad movement, with Deutsch as "Liozna Rebbe", failed to gain popular support.<ref name="rebbe">"Dissidents Name 'Rebbe'," ''The Forward'', December 6, 1996</ref><ref>Heinon, Herb, "Bigger than Death," ''The Jerusalem Post'', August 15, 1997</ref><ref>Segall, Rebecca, "Holy Daze The problems of young Lubavitcher Hasidim in a world without the Rebbe," ''The Village Voice'', September 30, 2000</ref><ref>Eisenberg, Charles. ''The Book of Daniel: A Well Kept Secret''. Xulon Press. 2007. Page 103.</ref>

 

A few years prior to Schneerson's death, most members of the Chabad movement expressed their belief that Menachem Mendel Schneerson was the Messiah. Those subscribing to the beliefs have been termed ''meshichists'' (messianists). A typical statement of belief for Chabad messianists is the song and chant known as ''yechi adoneinu'' ("long live our master", {{langx|he|יחי אדונינו}}).<ref>The full text is ''Yechi adoneinu moreinu v'rabbeinu melech ha-moshiach l'olam vo'ed'' ("Long live our master, our teacher, and our rabbi, King Messiah, for ever and ever).</ref>

Since 1994, some Chabad followers continue to believe in Schneerson as the Jewish messiah.  Chabad messianists either believe Schneerson will be [[Resurrection|resurrected]] from the dead to be revealed as the messiah or profess the belief that Schneerson never died in the first place. The Chabad messianic phenomenon has been met mostly with public concerns or opposition by non-Chabad Jewish leaders{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}.

== In the arts ==

Chabad Hasidic artists [[Hendel Lieberman]] and Zalman Kleinman have painted a number of scenes depicting Chabad Hasidic culture, including religious ceremonies, study and prayer. Chabad artist [[Michoel Muchnik]] has painted scenes of the [[Chabad mitzvah campaigns|Mitzvah Campaigns]].<ref name="Maya Balakirsky Katz 2010"/>{{rp|156}}

Artist and {{Lang|he|shaliach}} [[Yitzchok Moully]] has adapted silkscreen techniques, bright colours and Jewish and Hasidic images to create a form of "Chasidic Pop Art".<ref>{{cite web|url=chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/3824604/jewish/Under-the-Black-Hat-Pop-Art-in-Jerusalem-Focuses-on-Chassidim.htm|title='Under the Black Hat' Pop Art in Jerusalem Focuses on Chassidim – Rabbi Yitzchok Moully brings spiritual and emotional depth to a new exhibit|website=chabad.org}}</ref>

Vocalists [[Avraham Fried]] and [[Benny Friedman (singer)|Benny Friedman]] have included recordings of traditional Chabad songs on their albums of contemporary Orthodox Jewish music. Bluegrass artist [[Andy Statman]] has also recorded Chabad spiritual melodies ({{Lang|he|niggunim}}).

Reggae artist [[Matisyahu]] has included portions of Chabad {{Lang|he|niggunim}} and lyrics with Chabad philosophical themes in some of his songs.

In 2022, an Israeli theatrical company produced a Chabad-themed musical ''{{ill|HaChabadnikim|he|החבדניקים_(מחזמר)}}'' which follows two young men from [[Kfar Chabad]] who go to live in [[Tel Aviv]]. The musical runs for 140 minutes.<ref>[cameri.co.il/%D7%94%D7%A6%D7%92%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A7%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99/10899/%D7%94%D7%97%D7%91%D7%93%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%9D "HaChabadnikim." ''cameri.co.il''. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.]</ref>

=== Literature ===

In the late 1930s, Dr Fishl Schneersohn, a psychiatrist, pedagogical theorist, and descendant of the founder of Chabad authored a Yiddish novel titled ''Chaim Gravitzer: The Tale of the Downfallen One from the World of Chabad''. The novel explores the spiritual struggle of a Chabad Hasid who doubts his faith and finally finds peace in doing charitable work.<ref>{{cite web|url=ingeveb.org/texts-and-translations/chaim-gravitzer|title=חיים גראַװיצער (די געשיכטע פֿון דעם געפֿאַלענעם): פֿון דער חבדישער װעלט &#124; Chaim Gravitzer (The Tale of the Downfallen One): From the World of Chabad|website=In geveb}}</ref>

Novelist [[Chaim Potok]] authored a work ''[[My Name Is Asher Lev|My Name is Asher Lev]]'' in which a Hasidic teen struggles between his artistic passions and the norms of the community. The "Ladover" community is a thinly veiled reference to the Lubavitcher community in Crown Heights.<ref>{{cite web|url=atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/hirsch-succeeds-with-theatrical-production-of-my-name-is-asher-lev/|title=Hirsch Succeeds with Theatrical Production of 'My Name is Asher Lev'|date=29 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cochrum |first=Alan Morris |title=CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: JACOB FIGURES AND THEMES IN THE NOVELS OF CHAIM POTOK |url=rc.library.uta.edu/uta-ir/bitstream/handle/10106/5378/Cochrum_uta_2502M_10893.pdf?sequence=1 |access-date=22 October 2023 |website=ResearchCommons}}</ref>

Chabad poet [[Zvi Yair]] has written poems on Chabad philosophical topics including {{Lang|he|Ratzo V'Shov}} (spiritual yearning).

The American Jewish writer and publisher, [[Clifford Meth]], wrote a short science fiction story depicting the future followers of the "70th Rebbe" of Chabad and their outreach efforts on an alien planet called Tau Ceti IV. The story is told through the eyes of a young extraterrestrial yeshiva student.<ref>{{cite web | url=mycomicshop.com/search?TID=325901 | title=Aardwolf (1994) comic books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=comicsbulletin.com/main/sites/default/files/meth/116414408594091.htm|title=Comics Bulletin - Clifford Meth: Meth Addict - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Library}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The American Jewish writer and publisher, Richard Horowitz, wrote a memoir, The Boys Yeshiva, describing his time teaching at a Chabad yeshiva in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=amazon.com/gp/product/B08WJN28TF?pf_rd_r=TX7RWCA3B2YC1K40SEE1&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=d1db7338-a252-4e1e-b10b-ce6107bf082a&pd_rd_w=QssvI&pd_rd_wg=4sHt7&ref_=pd_gw_unk|title=The Boys Yeshiva: A Memoir|first=Richard|last=Horowitz|via=Amazon}}</ref>

===Film and television===

The Chabad-Lubavitch community has been the subject of a number of documentary films. These films include:

* ''The Spark'' – a 28-minute film, produced in 1974, providing an overview of the Lubavitch and [[Satmar (Hasidic dynasty)|Satmar]] of New York.<ref name="PBS hasid"> Documentary Films about Hasidism. PBS. [web.archive.org/web/20150503052544/pbs.org/alifeapart/res_film.html/ Archived May 3, 2015]</ref> The film was directed by [[Mel Epstein]].<ref name=NYmag80s>{{Cite magazine|url=books.google.com/books?id=QOcCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA176|title= Movies: Theater Guide |magazine=New York|date=September 15, 1986|page=176|via=Google Books}}</ref>

 

 

== References ==

[[Category:Articles]]