The Hasidim (1973)

[Music] I am Rabbi Kim dzen I've just returned to our synagogue in the crown height section of Brooklyn where I'll be meeting friends and relatives I haven't seen since I went to San Francisco youth director at congregation ad death Israel to this day our present beloved leader or as we call him the rebbe and all the administrative and educational officers of the worldwide luich kic movement located in these [Music] buildings the Jewish youth of today is longing and searching trying to find its Soul its identity who am I what many of them find never seems to give them lasting satisfaction the drug culture radicalism political activity occult religions they still remain unfulfilled a meaning in living a purpose for existence an ideal in life given with warmth and devotion that's what laich kabad is all about in this section of New York in 1940 our late leader Rabbi Joseph Isaac schneerson and a few of his followers settled after escaping from the persecutions in [Music] Europe the wordid in Hebrew means p the founder of the kidik movement was Israel benzer who was born in Poland in 1698 he is known as the Bal shemtov or the master of the good name by founding kism he elevated the spirits of the Jews in Poland and Russia who had been suffering spiritually and physically through false Messiah programs and persecutions his great message mess was that the Creator is present in every aspect of a Jew's life and can be worshiped With Every Act and every event that takes place that prayers should be offered with a pure and trusting heart that prayers of uneducated plain folk were of the same value as those of the powerful and learned we are called leedum because our movement was based for many generations in the town of luich in white Russia laich means the city of [Music] love Our House of Prayer in Brooklyn or as we call it our sh is the center of our movement each day many Kim come here to pray each Act each sacred article has intricate symbolic significance Aid wears a head covering at all times acknowledging the presence of the Creator above by wearing the Talis or large prayer Shaw a Jew unfolds himself self in the totality of the Torah and its 613 Commandments the Torah is the entire body of Jewish law the square leather boxes which are placed on the arm and head are called to Fillin or files they contain four sections of the Torah inscribed by hand on parchment one of the boxes is placed on the arm facing the heart and the straps are wound down to the hand the other is placed on the head this practice signifies that our intellect emotions and deeds are all sublimated to the service of the [Music] Creator in swaying while he prays he intensifies his concentration involving his entire mind and body in accordance with the teachings of the bmov late one winter during our perm season we were visited by the president of Israel Zan shazar himself he had a long meeting with the rebi and attended the mcgilla reading in aru the mcgilla recounts the story of M and Esther and the persecution of the Jews at the hands of hon of Persia whenever the name of hummon is mentioned we stamp our feet and make other noises to show our disdain on purm it is traditional for children to dress up in a fantasy of costumes and go from door to door in quest of gifts and to exchange mishos or food gifts [Music] on various occasions during the year the rebi publicly addresses his assembled followers and adherence this Gathering is called a fa [Music] [Music] the subject May range from difficult cabalistic or talmudic dissertations to currently important Jewish issues throughout the rebba exhorts US to Greater moral and spiritual Heights and to betterment of our relations with our creator as well as with our fellow man the rebba is the focal point ofic life each individual regards him as mentor and father whose inspiration and guidance he seeks whenever a change or problem arises in his spiritual or secular life [Music] [Applause] at the end of the faan the joyousness we feel in our hearts bursts forth in singing and dancing [Applause] h [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] during the week of sukus or Festival of the Tabernacles we come to the Suka every morning to make a blessing with the Lula VRI or palm branch and citen together with the myl and Willow the Suka is a temporary structure covered with which is cut vegetation such as branches or Reeds here the Jew eats drinks and rejoices during the holiday children come to the Suka in [Music] groups the Jewish Family is never closer or happier than during the Sabbath or chabas when every member young or old participates in the services reenacted here we light the candles to welcome the shabas queen and then we [Music] sing come my beloved to meet the bride the Sabbath let us welcome [Music] shabis is the heart of our faith and practice when the joy love and religious devotion which characterize theic Jew are most fervently expressed [Music] through chabas the religious link between young and old is strengthened and the young are inspired to dedicate their lives to the almighty by Faithfully following his [Music] Commandments Every Act performed during the ceremonies symbolizes Devotion to our creator or it recalls a miracle or a great event in the history of the Jewish [Music] people even the impoverished are touched by the Beauty and the serenity of chabas the weary are ref freshed and the downcast are inspired 12 times the Commandment to observe chabas is mentioned in the Torah and every time that we observe it we bear witness to the existence of the Creator and his creation of the world in six days he rested on the seventh day and commanded us to do likewise [Music] 1 hour after Sundown on Saturday when chabas comes to an end we recite the havdala which says Behold The Almighty is my help having given me such a dear and worthy treasure the chabas through which I will be safe calm and cheerful and not fear to step out into a new week [Music] oh [Music] [Music] a wedding symbolizes Our Hope for New Life To Worship the almighty in the way of the Torah it's an occasion for prayer and meditation as well as for joy and exuberance [Music] [Applause] [Music] la [Music] [Applause] the wom and Young girls of each laicha congregation form groups which meet periodically to discuss common problems so big deal don't you women from the United States and other parts of the world hold a convention in New York where they can be near the rebi rabis learn it Scholars and women involved in the many laer activities address the convention no one would have reacted every cidic family sends its children to religious schools the boys to Yeshiva and the girls to Bas Rifka the morning at B Rifka starts with the collection of arms for a charitable cause this is to teach the children to be compassionate and generous this prayer is called barar [Applause] [Applause] [Music] the school day is divided into religious and secular studies Jewish history is taught in eish and [Applause] Hebrew the boy Ziva runs from kindergarten to 12th grade [Music] daving or praying is part of the morning [Applause] program all graduates of both boys and girl schools take State examinations successfully thear asks keepy when do they argue answers I'm not finished meanwhile nothing happened of your de of the demonstrations and the war is still lasting already 10 years if you think demonstrations are right why doesn't it do any help I have spoke this debate is among fifth graders and deals with contemporary Jewish problems the F res sered a good Bose but nobody really explains what it is there anybody else help you to get the Soviet Jews out of Russia science English History and Allied subjects are taught during the secular portion of the day the if the person who is Accused what I mean not he's not accused yet but if he wants to can he have a jury he comes to he comes to council no jury it's the uh he comes to the counsel the judges at the general organization meeting in the library the students and teachers talk about secular School matters and plan activities and events the go as a whole Rabbi gari who is chief executive of the United lbab Chivas meets with the teachers periodically to discuss school problems going each day includes a period of [Music] recreation young men who wish to continue their Jewish studies May attend an advanced Yesa luich kism is a system of Jewish religious philosophy which teaches that the Creator may be more fully worshiped through the application of the three intellectual attributes ofma meaning wisdom Bina meaning knowledge and Das understanding cidic artists expressed through their work the joy and beauty of their religion Rabbi liberman paints scenes from his childhood in Russia as if they had happened yesterday uh when I little boy I like to drawing and I drawing much more I like it faces different typus faces old people young people girls also but not to much I drawing woman I drawing men's that men boys you know this I like it to drawing Z yes this is my favorite Bob I don't like drawing is he dancing said the whole this time I say the old people in synagog he pray he put the tal is and you put it f i just like it Rabbi kimman portrays in colorful bold Strokes the life of kidum in New York and around the world [Music] [Applause] AIT con consecrates his daily work to the glory of the Creator in whatever he does he expresses his love and devotion for the [Applause] almighty the man studying here is Mr perar an English Jeweler each day after he has finished studying in the synagogue he goes to his work which is designing and making jewelry the religion of the Jew is totally encompassing he serves the almighty 24 hours a day even when he works whether with his mind or his hands he is not severed from his faith he utilizes his time in study of Torah when he can free himself of his more worldly obligations and in helping others to come closer to their Jewish Heritage we are constantly reaching out to bring Jews closer to the faith of their fathers and to make them fully observant Jews Jews here as everywhere around the world we have set up a stand in New York where we invite passing Jews to put on to fill [Applause] in during the week of suas we take our Suk mobile to various parts of New York and other cities and invite passing Jews to pray with with us make a blessing and come inside to eat with some we have the opportunity to discuss religious matters so simply I have to bring out that everything that happens on this world is for a good reason I can't disagree with that Rabbi Joseph Goldstein is one of the numerous luich rabbis who conduct release time program for Jewish children under the opes of the laer educational program these children are released from school for 1 hour a week so they may be instructed in religion the children are seated during which Yus are distributed to the boys who have none of their own we recite the children's morning prayer all together the mod Ani and the sacred Shima Sha they are covering their eyes so as to concentrate on the meaning of the prayer [Music] [Applause] after prayer time I tell the children stories from the Bible and the Customs that are related to them the story I am telling now is the Redemption of the Jewish people from the bondage in Egypt the story of Passover the Heavenly Miracles the crossing of the Red Sea and finally the receiving of the Holy Torah on Mount Si beinging up when he knows that it fell from him [Music] and the number is let's have a roll of the [Music] drum [Applause] [Music] [Applause] 82 I'm blessed day of Kaneka the children from various release time programs in and around New York City came to ouro for festivities and the lighting of the Kaneka minura [Music] [Applause] they recited the afternoon prayers in the presence of the rebi [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] for [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] oh came oh [Music] [Music] the for [Music]