Chaim Baruch Halberstam

Rabbi Chaim Baruch Halberstam (born 5708) is one of those responsible for the Vaad Bedek HaBayis at Beis Chayenu – 770. He assisted for several years as a Mashbak in the home of the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin. He founded the "Broadcasting Room" and WLCC – the Chabad Communications Center – which operated the video recording and broadcast system that documented the Rebbe’s farbrengens throughout the years. In recent years, he sold the entire archive to JEM.

Distribution of dollars on 11 Tishrei 5752 for children under bar mitzvah age only. From left to right: the Rebbe, his secretaries Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner and Rabbi Binyamin Klein. On the far right stands the photographer, R. Chaim Baruch Halberstam, with the regular camera and a video camera.

Life History

Born in Eretz Yisroel on 3 Cheshvan 5708 (1948) to his father Rabbi Meir Halberstam, the Rebbe of Tshechov, a descendant of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, founder of the Sanz Chassidic dynasty, and to Tzivia Rachel Halberstam.

In his youth, he became close to Chabad Chassidus and enrolled in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Lod. In 5726 (1966), he came to study at the central Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva at 770. On the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5727, he was asked by R. Amram Malka (who served as Mashbak in the Rebbe's home) to help with holiday preparations. When the Rebbetzin, Nechama Dina, saw him in her home, she asked for his name. After reading the note, she told Chaim Baruch that they were related and invited him to have breakfast at her home. From then on, Chaim Baruch became like a member of the household and assisted the Rebbetzin regularly. This also gave him the merit to serve as a Mashbak during the holiday meals that the Rebbe would hold in the home of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

The Rebbetzin and her sister would praise him for every bit of help he provided in the Rebbe’s home, and the Rebbetzin even referred to him as “the Rav, son of a Rav.”

He married Mindy in 5730 (1970). After the wedding, the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka gave him a pair of silver candlesticks and a silver fruit basket. In honor of his wedding, the Rebbetzin sent him a congratulatory telegram to Italy, where the wedding took place.

For a time after his marriage, he made a living operating a restaurant called “Ess Un Bentch” ("Eat And Bentch) near 770, together with his eventual partner in WLCC, R. Shalom Ber Heber. At one point, when his father entered yechidus with the Rebbe, he expressed concern that his son was involved in the restaurant business, saying it was not fitting for the Halberstam family, descendants of the Divrei Chaim. The Rebbe responded with surprise: “What’s the problem? Didn’t our grandfather also have a restaurant?” His father did not understand the Rebbe’s meaning, as he knew of no such precedent in the lineage. The Rebbe immediately clarified: “Avraham Avinu had a restaurant—he hosted guests and served food to all who came.”

In 5730 (1970), he was among the organizers of the first live broadcast of a farbrengen of the Rebbe. Over the years, he developed and expanded the broadcasting system from 770. At that time, he founded the Communications Room and WLCC, which operated the video and broadcast system for many years, recording the Rebbe’s farbrengens. Eventually, the system expanded to include video cameras in 770, documenting thousands of hours in the Rebbe’s presence. R. Chaim Baruch also filmed everyone who passed by during the distribution of dollars on Sundays and other special occasions, both in video and still images. Once, when R. Chaim Baruch went upstairs in 770 carrying a camera, the Rebbe saw him and remarked (paraphrased): “Here too? Not enough downstairs?...”

The Rebbe presents R. Chaim Baruch with the Smirnoff bottle he had taken from him while he was under the influence.

On the night of Simchat Torah 5743 (1982), Chaim Baruch became intoxicated from a large bottle of Smirnoff he was holding. He approached the Rebbe’s platform and asked for another pour. The Rebbe attempted to take the bottle from his hands, but in his drunkenness, Chaim Baruch pulled it back. One of the chassidim present, R. Chaim Blachman, helped the Rebbe retrieve the bottle. The next day, during the farbrengen, the Rebbe came down with the bottle beside him. During the distribution of kos shel bracha, when Chaim Baruch passed by, the Rebbe handed him the bottle and said with a smile, “Don’t drink it all by yourself — share it with everyone…”

During the Seforim affair that led to the Chabad holiday — 5 Tevet — in the year 5745 (1985), he worked alongside R. Yitzchok Wilhelm and R. Yitzchok Springer in trying to uncover who was responsible for the disappearance of seforim stolen from the Chabad library. After R. Chaim Baruch installed a hidden camera in the library ceiling, the thief was exposed.

In the late 5760s (2000s), he sold his entire archive of video footage and photographs to JEM (Jewish Educational Media), comprising thousands of photos and hours of video.

In recent years, he transformed the "Broadcasting room" into an active Chabad House for the many visitors to Chabad headquarters, offering building tours, explanations about its development, and the opportunity to perform mitzvos like putting on tefillin.

He is a member of the Vaad of the Keren Bedek HaBayis of 770.

In recent years, he purchased a home in Queens and moved to live near the Ohel, where he spends Shabbos and Yomim Tovim.

His Family

• His younger brother, R. Chesed Halberstam, served as the Mashbak of the Rebbe.
• Another brother, Rabbi Shmuel Halberstam, serves as the director of the international Mifal HaShas.
• His brother-in-law is Rabbi Chaim Freed.
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Hershel Gourarie, is a shochet u'boidek and the director of Camp Pardes Chana in Montreal, Canada.
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Shimon Kramer, is a shliach in Merrick, Long Island.
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Eliyahu Shifrin, is a shliach in Little Neck, Queens.