- For the 19th century Rabbi see Yehudo Leib Krinsky.
Rabbi Chaim Yehuda (Yudel) Krinsky (born 1933) is a Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. He served for forty years in various positions as an important assistant to the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. He served as chief spokesman [1] for Schneerson and the movement, and was the sole executor of Schneerson's will, and has been at the helm of the movements finances since Schneerson's death. He was also his personal attendant and chauffeur for many years. According to Avrum Erlich, "Krinsky is probably the most powerful individual in the contemporary Habad movement."[2] Krinsky grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts, USA and was educated at the Boston Latin School. He arrived in New York City in 1946, and studied at the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva in Brooklyn, where he was ordained as a rabbi. He was called upon to join Schneerson's staff in 1957.
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Activities
In the late 1950s Krinsky was put in charge of the Chabad News Service and became the de facto public spokesman for Chabad. He was in charge of talking Schnnerson's weekly talks around the world via satellite.[3] He came to public attention in June 1983, when he accused Satmar of attacking certain Chabad hasidim. saying that the attacks were " ... definitely Satmar. Lubavitch is a victim of brutal attacks by Satmar. Their record of terrorism goes on."[4] In a letter to Time magazine he repeated this, arguing that it was false to claim that both groups were guilty.[5] Following the Chabad Library Controversy, Schneerson set about reorganising the financial structures of the Lubavitch movement and Krinsky was given a key position on each of the controlling boards. Krinsky is secretary Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, the movement's educational arm, a member of the umbrella organization Agudas Chasidei Chabad, and a member of the six person Central Committee which oversees the three central Lubavitch organizations Merkos, Machane Israel, and the Kehot Publication Society.
Messianism
In an interview with Time Magazine journalist Lisa Beyer he argued that the collapse of the Soviet Union could be a harbinger on the end of days and could "lead one to think that these extraordinary, shattering events are a precursor to something even more cataclysmic."[6] When a group led by Rabbi Shmuel Butman organized a "coronation" for Schneerson on January 30 1993 at which they hoped that would accept the role of messiah,[7] he also told the press that "The question of a successor "is not even a matter of consideration."[8] He conceded that some members believed Schneerson already had proclaimed himself the Messiah.[9] In 1992, during Scheerson's illness Krinsky commented on whether or not he was the messiah: In every generation there is a potential moshiach, in our generation, the best candidate is Rabbi Schneerson."[10]
Current Activities
After Schneerson's death in 1994, Krinsky made himself executor of the three central Lubavitch organizations, he has been active in helping to build new schools, and helping to expand the movement's reach around the world. [11] He has been active in efforts to retrieve a large library of books connected to the Chabad movement which are currently in the custody of the Russian government. Many of the books were seized from Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn as part of a Soviet crackdown on religion after the Russian Revolution. Krinsky garnered the support of Jon Voight and Sam Brownback for his cause.[12]
Family
Krinsky is married to Devorah Krinsky. Devorah is the daughter of the late Rabbi Zev and Ethel Kasinetz. Krinsky's son Rabbi Levi Krinsky is the director of Chabad of New Hampshire. Another son Rabbi Hillel David Krinsky married Shterna Sarah Garelik, daughter of Gershon Garelik the chief rabbi of Milan[13] and was instrumental in the broadcasting of Schneeson's weekly addresses around the world. Another son, Menachem M. Krinsky, married Miriam Turner from Chicago. A fourth son, Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky married Rivkah Gutnick, daughter of Australian commodities magnate Joseph Gutnick [14]. His oldest daughter, Sheine B., is married to Rabbi Yosef B. Friedman, director of the Kehot Publication Society [15]. His second daughter, Chana, is married to Rabbi Joseph Futerfas, director of Camp Gan Israel, New York.
Trivia
He was named among the fifty most influential living Jews in an article in The Forward in 2005.[16] He was named second among the fifty most influential US Rabbis by Newsweek in 2007, behind Marvin Hier.[17]
Sources
- ^ Jewish faithful flock to Brooklyn orthodox sect leader, Michael Sperter, New York Times Magazine, March 19 1992
- ^ The Messiah of Brooklyn: Understanding Lubavitch Hasidim Past and Present, M. Avrum Ehrlich, Chapter 20, KTAV Publishing, ISBN 0881258369
- ^ Rabbi using modern medium in call for tradional values, New York Times, January 23 1983
- ^ Attack on Rabbi brings anguish to Borough Park, Ari L. Goldman, New York Times, June 22 1983
- ^ Letters to the editor, Time Magazine, August 1 1983
- ^ Expecting the messiah, Lisa Beyer, Time Magazine, March 23 1992
- ^ Rabbi gives no clue on Messiah role, Kansas City Star, February 1 1993
- ^ Out of Brookyn, a Messiah?, Andrew Maykuth, Philadelphia Enquirer, February 14 1993
- ^ Hasidic movement awaits the messiah, The Intelligencer, February 1 1993
- ^ Rallying for a redeemer, Press Telegram, April 3 1993, Press-Telegram
- ^ Lubavitchers Learn to Sustain Themselves Without the Rebbe, David Gonzalez, New York Times, November 8 1994
- ^ Commission hears efforts to retrieve Jewish texts from Russia, Sam Hananel, Associated Press, April 6 2005
- ^ Marriage announcement for Hillel David Krinsky, New York Times, April 8 1981
- ^ Rivkah Gutnick, Shmaya Krinsky, New York Times, June 5 1994
- ^ http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F50E11F7355D12728DDDAA0894DC405B898BF1D3 Marriage announcement ofr Sheine B. Krinsky, New York Times, April 3 1979]
- ^ Rapper, Republicans, Relief Org. Heads and Rabbis Named to Forward 50, by America's National Jewish Newspaper., PR Newswire, November 10 2005
- ^ The Top 50 Rabbis in America, Newsweek, Michael Lynton, April 2 2007
