The following statement of concern was issued by Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters on 30 December and forwarded on for publication by our ever-vigilant correspondent ChabadGirl:
On December 21, the Lithuanian tabloid Vakaro Zionios ran a front page photo of Lithuania’s Chabad representative, Rabbi Sholom Ber Krinsky, with the headline “The Jews” and in smaller letters, "see no need to pay their social security taxes."
The image and the headline were misleadingly placed for maximum effect, conveying the impression that a visibly religious Jew, Rabbi Krinsky, is the worst offender in this regard. In fact, readers who bother to peruse the article will find that 10 companies, among them businesses including Western Union, are the most delinquent in their tax payments.
We condemn this news item as a vicious, transparent act of anti-Semitism. We implore readers and watchdog agencies to vigorously protest this dangerous provocation.
More importantly, we condemn the lack of any response by the Jewish Community of Lithuania, its officers, and their related supportive Jewish organizations. They have made themselves conspicuous in their stunning silence.
The indifference of individuals who sit at the helm of the well-funded Jewish Community of Lithuania, meant to serve the Jewish people, begs scrutiny by the media, the broader Jewish community and the government of Lithuania.
All over the Diaspora
All over the Diaspora anti-semitism is growing at all levels, while Jewish leadership cannot and will not do anything about it.
Stop this whining and squaking.
Educate Jewish youth that the exile is over, and Jews must return to their only safe and true HomeLand.
Anti-semtism is God's message to leave the step-mother of exile and come home to the real mother- Eretz Yisrael.
Chabad must stop this strengthening of Judaism chutzLaaretz.
Outreach programmes must emphasize the supreme mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael. Redemption will move at a much more rapid pace if young Jews would populate Judea and Samaria, rather than strengthen a dying Diaspora.
There is a clear similarity
There is a clear similarity between the position of Lithuanian Jewry and S.African Jewry, regarding the silence of leadership on anti-semetic remarks made by the authorities.
It would be very interesting to hear what Chabad S.A. have to say about the remarks of the Cosatu Jew-hater.
Todays edition of Arutz Sheva highlights this story.
Chabadgirl, What is your view? Should Chabad get involved in this matter?