Goldschmidt, in the conclusion to Race and Religion Among the Chosen People of Crown Heights, notes that “In the end we are all chosen people. We are all somewhat stiffnecked, in one way or another.” I do, however, believe that the award for ‘stiffnecked-ness’ belongs to the Lubavitchers, for better or worse. I am not making a judgment about their right to be insular. Right or wrong, it just is!
It seems to me that the Lubavitch will not change their ways in order to interact or integrate with their Black neighbors in Crown Heights. They have remained in the neighborhood because their revered Rebbe ordered them to do so. They dress the way they do and observe the commandments because their religious observance is paramount. In fact, they argue that dressing differently, eating only kosher foods and strictly adhering to Jewish law is what has preserved them throughout the years and this is what will keep them intact in the future, in anticipation of Messianic days.
Given this outlook on the world, how can one expect them to actively engage with their Black neighbors? It seems most unlikely. Is there anything that will convince these Hasidim that learning more about their neighbors and interacting more with them will not spell their demise as a religious group?
Is it okay for the Lubavitch Hasidim to isolate themselves and make few if any attempts to interact with their Black neighbors in Crown Heights? I am not sure. On the one hand, they have every right to remain insular and disinterested in the Blacks of Crown Heights. On the other hand, do they have an obligation to reduce tensions and avoid conflicts? Could this be a case of Pikuach Nefesh (saving a human life)? I doubt they have thought about it this way and I am certain I could not make the argument to convince them of this. They will hope for the best and pray for G-d’s intervention.
