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Chabad Hasidism

Rebbes of Lubavitch

1. Shneur Zalman of Liadi

2. Dovber Schneuri

3. Menachem Mendel Schneersohn

4. Shmuel Schneersohn

5. Sholom Dovber Schneersohn

6. Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn

7. Menachem Mendel Schneerson

History

770 Eastern Parkway · 19 Kislev · Ohel

Chabad library · Crown Heights Riot · 11 Nissan

Brooklyn Bridge Shooting · 3 Tammuz

Organisations

Agudas Chasidei Chabad · Chabad on Campus

Tzivos Hashem · Chabad.org · Kehos · Library

Gan Israel · Sheloh · Jewish Relief Agency

Children’s Museum · JLI · Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch

Ohr Avner · Colel Chabad · Kol Menachem

Notable figures

Hillel Paritcher · Yehuda Chitrik · C. M. A. Hodakov

Itche Der Masmid · Manis Friedman · Yoel Kahn

Leib Groner · C. M. Schneerson· Shemaryahu Gurary

L. Y. Schneerson · Berel Lazar · Moshe Kotlarsky

Yehuda Krinsky · Z. M. HaYitzchaki · Nissan Neminov

Herman Branover · Zalman Serebryanski

Communities

Crown Heights · Kfar Chabad

Texts

Hayom Yom · Igrot Kodesh · Tanya · Likkutei Sichos

Tehillat HaShem · Shulchan Aruch HaRav

Schools

Bais Rivka · Hadar Hatorah · Yeshivah College

Oholei Torah · Tomchei Temimim · Ohel Chana

Yeshivah Gedolah · Beth Rivkah · Machon Chana

Rabbinical College · Ohr Avner · Mayanot

Outreach

Mitzvah Campaigns · Chabad house · Mitzvah tank

Tefillin · Noahide laws · Shliach · Letter in Sefer Torah

Terminology

Chitas · Mashpia · Meiniach · Farbrengen

Nusach Ari · Choizer · Chabadnitze

Related Topics

Strashelye · Kapust · Controversies · Messianism

v • d • e

A Chabad Lubavitch Mitzvah tank in New York

A Mitzvah tank is a large vehicle, usually a big van, travel trailer, recreational vehicle or campervan, sometimes even a pickup truck with a Sukkah on it, that is utilized by the Orthodox Jewish practitioners of Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism as portable “educational and outreach centers” and “mini-synagogues”, or when carrying a Sukkah as “Sukkah-mobiles”, to reach out to secular and alienated Jews in high-density population areas where the Lubavitchers seek to promote the practice of traditional Judaism by Jews.

Mitzvah tanks have been commonplace on the streets of New York City since 1974. Today they are found all over the globe, where the Lubavitch movement is active.

Contents

• 1 Terminology
• 2 Appearance and description
• 3 Purpose
• 4 External links

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Terminology

The word Mitzvah means a “commandment” of the Torah in Judaism, but also carries with it the connotation of a good deed. Lubavitchers use these vehicles to spread the teachings of Judaism to the Jewish masses in “military fashion” in which “campaigns” and battles are fought, hence the naming of the vans and trucks as “tanks”.

The strategy behind the Mitzvah tank “campaigns” was designed and encouraged by the seventh and last rebbe of Chabad Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994).

Appearance and description

Mitzvah tanks are usually seen on the eve of major Jewish holidays, or on Fridays prior to Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath). The vehicles often have large banners on them extolling some aspect of Judaism or something about Rabbi Schneerson. Some Mitzvah Tanks have external speakers attached which are used to play klezmer-style music. The tanks, usually manned by young Lubavitch men students in the Yeshiva of Tomchei Temimim, park in areas with heavy people-traffic and seek Jews to perform Mitzvahs by asking passers-by: “Are you Jewish?”

Purpose

Lubavitchers manning the tank will usually hand out brochures or cards with information about performing mitzvot. They will also assist those who are willing to perform religious rituals, such as the putting on of Tefillin (phylacteries) with men and boys, or provide the materials to do so, such as handing out candles and candle-lighting times to women and girls to light for Shabbat. They believe that the completion of enough mitzvot will bring the Moshiach (the Jewish Messiah), and view the Mitzvah tanks as a way of hastening this process.

External links

• History of the Mitzvah Tank
• Website for Rabbi Levi Baumgarten’s Mitzvah Tank
• Website of for the bi-annual Mitzvah Tank Parade, NYC

Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitzvah_tank”
Categories: Vehicles | Chabad outreach