Chabad: Difference between revisions

== Geography ==

The [[geography of Chabad|geography of the Chabad movement]] spreads across the world. Chabad maintains a strong presence in every significant Jewish community across the world. Although the Chabad movement was founded and originally based in the Russian Empire and Eastern Europe, various Chabad communities span the globe, including [[Crown Heights]] in [[Brooklyn]], and [[Kfar Chabad]] in [[Eretz Yisroel]]. Chabad communities are present in many other countries, as are Chabad shluchim in many more remote places.

* '''Russia and Eastern Europe''' - Initially, Chabad was based in Liozna and Liadi before being centered in Lubavitch. The Chabad movement was at times 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. The Bolsheviks also imprisoned, exiled and executed many Chabad Chassidim. And many were sent to Siberia for years of hard labor. Between the two World Wars, Chabad communities were reestablished and strengthened across Eastern Europe, including in Poland, where the Rebbe Rayatz settled. During the Second World War, the Rebbe Rayatz was rescued and came to America. Many Chabad Chassidim evacuated to the Uzbek cities of Samarkand and Tashkent where they established small centers of Chassidic 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, and the Chabad movement openly leads the rebuilding of Judaism in Russia. Similarly, the Chabad presence in other Eastern European countries have grown since the fall of the Soviet Union.

== Spreading of the Wellsprings ==

=== Mivtzoim ===

Chabad outreach includes activities promoting the practice of Jewish commandments in the form of the [[Mivtzoim]] (Campaigns), and this call is aimed all Jews: "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>Chabad.org "The Rebbe's 10-Point Mitzvah Campaign" Accessed 2010-05-12.</ref> The original campaigns, included Jewish women and girls from the age of three [[Mivtza Neiros Shabbos Kodesh|lighting candles before Shabbos]], Jewish men putting on [[Mivtza Tefillin|Tefillin]], affixing a [[Mivtza Mezuzah|Mezuzah]] to all doorways of the home, [[Mivtza Torah|regular Torah study]], giving [[Mivtza Tzedakah|Tzedakah]] (Charity), [[Mivtza Bayis Molei Seforim|filling one's home]] with sefarim (holy Jewish books), [[Mivtza Kashrus|observing Kashrus]] (Kosher dietary laws), keeping the [[Mivtza Taharas Hamishpacha|Laws of Family Purity]] (Hilchos Niddah), [[Mivtza Ahavas Yisroel|loving every Jew]], supporting [[Mivtza Chinuch|Jewish education]]. A special campaign for non-Jews aimed at educating the masses about the [[Seven Laws of Noah|Noahide Laws]]. In addition, the Rebbe emphasized spreading awareness of preparing for and the coming of the [[Moshiach]], and that it was the responsibility to reach out to teach every fellow Jew with love, and implore that all Jews believe in the imminent coming of the moshiach as explained in the halachik writings of the Rambam (Maimonides). In honor of the Rebbe's efforts in education the United States government established the Rebbe's Hebrew birthday of Yud Aleph Nissan (11 Nissan) as "Education and Sharing Day".

== Holidays and customs ==

=== Holidays ===

There are a number of [[Chabad holidays|days marked by the Chabad movement as special days]]. Major holidays include the dates of the release of the Rebbes of the movement from Russian persecution, others corresponded to ''Yom Huledes'' (birthday), ''histalkus'' (passing), and other life events. The days marking the leaders' release, are celebrated by the Chabad movement as ''Yemei Geulah'' ("Days of Liberation"). The most special day is [[Yud Tes Kislev]]—the liberation of the Alter Rebbe, the founder of the Chabad movement. The day is also called ''Rosh Hashanah LaChassidus'' ("New Year of Chassidus").<ref name="sichoscustom"/> The birthdays celebrated each year include [[Chai Elul]] (18 Elul), the birthday of the Alter Rebbe,<ref name="Elul customs">September 6, 2012. Dalfin, Chaim. Chabad Elul Customs. Shmais.com. Accessed January 13, 2015.</ref><ref name="ChaiElul">Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. chabad.org. Chai Elul: Breathing New Life Into Our Divine Service. Accessed January 13, 2015.</ref> and [[Yud Aleph Nissan]] (11 Nissan), the birthday of the Rebbe, 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 days of passing (histalkus or [[yartzeit]]) celebrated each year, include [[Yud Shvat]], the ''histalkus'' of [[the Rebbe Rayatz]], the sixth rebbe of Chabad,<ref name="YartzCust">Yahrtzeit Observances. Chabad.org. Accessed January 13, 2015.</ref> and [[Chof Beis Shvat]] (22 Shvat), the ''yartzeit'' of [[Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson]], the wife of the Rebbe.<ref>www.chabadinfo.com. Chof Beis Shvat. ''Chabad.info''.Archived December 16, 2013.</ref>