Mecha’ah Geluyah… BeKesher im Hopha’ath… Admor Shlita [Protest against a false broadside relating to the imminent arrival of the Lubavitch Rebbe to Jerusalem].

“The authentic leaders of Chabad Chassidism in Eretz Israel decry false declarations. Efforts have been made to discover the identity of the culprits and to bring them to a Din Torah. In the meantime, the public is warned not to pay credence to any unsigned announcements.” One can only speculate as to the nature of the bogus announcement. Within the context of the day, is not unreasonable to assume that it was issued by Jerusalem anti-Zionist zealots, perhaps somewhat mistrustful of Rabbi Schneersohn’s position vis-a-vis Chief Rabbi Kook. On the other hand, it is equally possible that certain Chabad Chassidim who belonged to Rabbi Kook’s camp and were identified with the Religious Zionist movement, attempted in some way to co-opt Rabbi Schneersohn to their cause. Our broadside is endorsed by the elders of the Chabad community in Eretz Israel: Rabbis Shlomo Yehudah Leib Eliezrov and Menachem Mendel Na’eh. Though presently residents of Jerusalem, both men had their roots in the historic Chabad community of Hebron, founded in 1840 by Rebbetzin Menucha Rachel (daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe, Dov Baer) and her husband R. Jacob Slonim (Culi).