ב׳ שבט ה׳תשפ״ו | January 19, 2026
The Rebbe’s Kollel Is Without Support: Who Cares?
It has now almost a year since the Crown Heights kollel, “Kollel Menachem She’al Yad Hamazkirus,” has paid a single monthly stipend to any of the yungeleit learning there. Where is the Mazkirus and the community?
By a Kollel yungerman
It has now almost a year since the Crown Heights kollel, “Kollel Menachem She’al Yad Hamazkirus,” has paid a single monthly stipend to any of the young married men learning there. For many of these families, this means trying to survive in Crown Heights with no kollel support at all, despite the kollel’s original mandate and the explicit intent of its founding.
In the year 5722, the Rebbe established a kollel for newly married men in Crown Heights, so that the first year of marriage, the shana rishona, should be spent fully immersed in Torah and Chassidus, laying a strong foundation for life. The Rebbe even allowed the kollel to carry his name, saying: “Establishing a kollel in Lubavitch is a chidush that I wanted to introduce. For 180 years, Lubavitch never had a kollel. I wanted to create a new phenomenon: that yungeleit should kuch zich in learning.”
To make this possible, the Rebbe appointed the Mazkirus to take responsibility for raising funds to support the yungeleit learning in the kollel. On various occasions, the Rebbe himself also contributed toward the kollel’s expenses.
For many years, this structure worked. One of the mazkirim fulfilled his mandate, and young couples who wished to begin their married life focused on learning were able to do so without constant financial anxiety. Indeed, thousands of couples established their marriage “al yesodei hatorah” literally, through full-time learning of the husband.
After that mazkir passed away, however, the Mazkirus let it go. Some others donated, but over time, their support dwindled when they couldn’t support it anymore.
Today, the kollel stipend has disappeared entirely. For close to a year, there has been no support at all for the yungeleit learning in the Rebbe’s kollel.
Even under normal circumstances, life for young kollel couples is tight. With a wife working full-time and a stipend of about $1,000 a month from kollel, families already struggle to cover rent, food, and basic living expenses in Crown Heights. There is rarely room for anything beyond essentials. When that modest stipend is removed altogether, covering even the basics becomes an intense and ongoing struggle.
Today, with rent and living costs so high, learning in kollel in Crown Heights is barely a viable option for most young couples. A moisad that the Rebbe worked to establish, and clearly cared deeply about, is in danger of falling apart at its very seams.
What makes the situation even more painful is that there appears to be no functioning address to turn to. The Mazkirus, who were tasked with sustaining the kollel, have not created any visible infrastructure for fundraising, not even a basic website or donation platform through which the community can help support the kollel and its families. As a result, kollel yungeleit are left without any means of support.
There are many yungeleit who sincerely yearn to dedicate a full year to Torah learning at the start of their married life. But without a functioning support system, this becomes an almost impossible decision for many families. The responsibility to fix this does not rest on the yungeleit themselves, but on the Mazkirus, who were charged with ensuring that the Rebbe’s kollel continues to flourish as intended.
It is long past time for a proper system to be put in place, one that actively raises funds, communicates with the community, and restores the kollel’s ability to support those learning within it. Without that, a central moisad founded by the Rebbe himself will erode entirely.
COMMENTS
So sorry to hear this, such an important stage that the Rebbe encouraged for yungerlite to set up their married life in the proper way… I would love to donate to this, I hope we can figure something out… is there any way we can help?
You can give to rabbi heller
What is needed is a full time fundraiser (or two full time fundraisers) who can articulate to the wealthy Anash of the world the fact that this is taking place. Most of our G’virim are totally unaware of this. We need fundraisers who can explain to our Anash how this effects the world of shlichus for without some quality time in Kollel many shluchim are simply not prepared to teach their Balaybatim neither nigla or Chassidus. Keep in mind that there are many other outreach organizations today and Baleybatim expect knowledgeable Shluchim.
There is enough money in the Chabad world to support this worthy project.
Aside from everything else The Kavod of the Rebbe is also at stake.
This is a real problem.
A few years ago we decided we wanted to support Torah learning. Wanting to support the Rebbe’s Kollel we tried reaching out to different people to find out how we can donate but everything led to dead end. Either they said they didn’t know or wouldn’t respond… it’s still something we would like to donate to monthly but have no idea how
My cousin didn’t get paid even one paycheck.
This disrespectful trash is clearly targeted at a certain individual and is quite nasty.
I also find it unlikely that the author is unaware that Lubavitch World Headquarters, including “Mazkirus”, has a website including a donation portal at Lubavitch.com, and a working phone line: 718-774-4000.
If the author is indeed concerned perhaps he should reach out through the proper channels instead of shamelessly writing anonymous pashkevilin on the open web.
And the kollel HAS NOT BEEN PAID. That is the message. And it is accurate. Where is the accountability?
There is no place where one can specifically donate to Kollel. Machine Israel doesn’t list kollel as one of their projects one can donate to, though they proudly sit on kollel letterhead.
I learnt in the Kollel 37 years ago. We could go without receiving cheques for months. So I approached the Secretary concerned on a regular basis in a friendly and gentle prodding. Which worked , as long as I was in Kollel, to receive the cheque’s on time. In 1989 we received $220 a month, whilst rent for a half a floor was $450 and $650 for a whole floor. The secretary claimed, that $220 doesn’t even pay the rent. So I told him, that it would pay food and some utilities. He then took me seriously.
When I was in kolel are talked to him a lot and I saw firsthand that he was the only one who took the Kolel seriously and worked tirelessly to fundraise for it.
And the building on Union street has been flattened!
As a current Kolel Guy who sits here every day . The kolel guys got some funds over time and most were paid recently thru the efforts of Reb Menacham Heller the Menahel. Now there is a full group of guys getting paid full time and on time monthly.
As of now we were told the funding cannot support 115 guys a month like before but a smaller more diligent group and that group is getting paid monthly. Also the place is packed BH with guys learning from wall to wall.
The fact is that there is currently no mosad in Crown Heights for a yungerman to learn in if he wants to be able to live (without support from parents or tzedaka)
A few guys get paid? That’s great! But there is no motivation for anyone else to sit and learn from morning to night when they know there is no accountability
And anyone getting married now knows they will either live off tzedaka, get a job instead of full time kollel, or get illegal government assistance
This comment is completely out of place
A poor jew who receives government assistance is all of a sudden doing it “illegally”?!
We are only paying taxes for the goy down the block?
Why are you calling government assistance illegal?
If you qualify and apply, what in the world is wrong?
This is not the topic of the article, but I just want to explain what I mean.
Of course there are legal ways of getting government assistance, and it’s great if a yid is able to use that!
My point was that many people who don’t qualify, but need the money, feel pressured to get food stamps etc in ways that aren’t too kosher
This is categorically false.
I as well sit in Kollel, Kollel is in fact full, however, No one has been payed.
I am not sure where you received this information that a smaller group is being paid monthly. This is simply not true. I also sit in Kolel and know what’s going on. There has been a one time $500 Tishrei donation to some of the yungerleit. But other than that, no checks have been received since Nissan.
It is sad that Lubavitcher yungerleit getting married today do not have a place to go to for Kolel as the Rebbe wanted. Rabbi Heller called the current situation a “צרת רבים״.
Many of these yungerleit are in serious financial distress after continuing to learn without pay. I am not ח”ו pointing fingers at anyone though, and understand that it is not a simple task to fundraise such large sums. May Hashem help us.
This is totally not true. I sit in kolel every day and no one is getting paid
As someone who learns there daily, it’s worth noting that a significant number of those sitting and learning are actually 770 buchrim, or married guys in shana rishoina that learn in kollel only on a part time basis, as הרבה עשו כרשב”י ולא עלתה בידן. to make ends meet many [like myself] are forced to find another part-time source of income.
Yet somehow the status-que, social/chassidishe expectation remains that a yungerman must learn full-time in kollel! or else he is like somewhat inferior. I find myself apologetically explaining again and again to raised eyebrows of relatives and acquaintances “Nu, so you’re doing kollel now?” that in fact kollel isn’t paying and I am forced to work part time. the response: “really? kollel isn’t paying anymore? I had no idea, they were when i was there in the 80’s”
If I’m not mistaken, girls in shidduchim are still being taught to expect their chassidishe husbands-to-be to plan to be learning full-time. while ideal, the reality on the ground is different. unless you have a rich shver or 40k in savings, a responsible man who commits a kesubah will need to find another source of income, and he shouldn’t need to feel “Chassidish inferiority” for it.
Kudus to whoever wrote this, bringing awareness to to this important issue that many are unaware of.
Kudos to YOU, for writing THIS.
Throughout the decades, many able bodied chasidishe yingeleit (including myself), went to kollel out of the exact social pressure you describe. (I was not shayech to sit and learn all day, but G-d forbid to get a job….) they were already 25 years ago paying only a small part of rent.
And it’s a shame.
We started out our financial lives in the minus with stress etc etc that took years and years to repair.
Perhaps it’s time to rethink and take the shame out of chasidishe guys going to work
The Rebbe wrote clearly that kolel is only for those who are devoted to full time learning.
“ללמוד בכולל בלי משכורת – אינו ענין”
אג”ק חכ”ז ע’ שמח
Translation: “it is not advisable to study in a kollel if they don’t provide you with a salary (eternal joy vol. 3 Pg. 17)
regarding the social pressure: C”V to say that now that the new seder is that yungeleit should start working. I wish that i can learn full-time and I resent the hours that I’m working [in kodesh btw, teaching gemara in a cheder.]
All I’m saying is now that an integral part of the Lubavitch system is missing, [imagine if Shiur Daled OT were to close down..] if a responsible husband who doesn’t want to build cc debt and [after speaking with his mashpia, like myself] needs to leave kollel part time he shouldn’t need to be looked down upon by his peers and beyond as if he’s missing in his hiskashrus. hopefully this is a very temporary situation and kollel will start repaying soon.
Nobody should have shame for anything they do. You addressed the problem very well but the solution is not addressing the problem. The Rebbe made it a requirement to go to kollel for one year after marriage. The problem is no money so the solution is get more money, not stop learning. There is currently no link for someone to donate to. So many people want to give. Instead of making a solution that is clearly NOT what the Rebbe wants, why not just find someone who can create a link and get the money where it’s meant to go? I think this article is going on the right direction and hopefully will lead to action
He should have been much sharper. Machane was in charge of paying for Kolel before Gimmel Tammuz and even till recently the checks were written under their name (although they didn’t fund any of it), so to reach out to them is quite pointless they know they haven’t signed checks in months. And even when there was money for Kolel we had to wait weeks sometimes just for it to get signed, or it had to go through another account.
Your comment was also anonymous. Also, you didn’t answer his tayne. It’s a valid tayne.
I connect well with the writer, as i myself had to leave a few months ago because of this
If you are referring to the three older people (in their 50’s), (cause NON of the yungerleit get paid, and that’s a fact) well the rebbe spoke about kollel for people in their first year of marriage…
I wanted to go to Kollel for 1 year but did not for fear of not having enough to make ends meet.
I started working and tutoring right off the bat and regret that I didn’t find a way to make it work.
I would wholeheartedly send monthly support for those in their Shana Reshona to go to Kollel for one year if a campaign was made public
I find it odd that the author of this article does not mention the Mazkir, Binyamin Klein AH who was in charge of it.
Although the pay was super low 20 years ago, it worked somehow. He made it work.
Machne Yisroel/Merkos has become completely ineffective on many fronts unfortunately. Very sad state of affairs. R”L.
B”H Lubavitch itself has begun to run from the inside out, not from top down systems that are ineffective.
Chassidim with the Rebbe are effective, not systems.
Maybe R Heller can comment on this status?
Kollel was truly a fundamental part of our Shana Rishona. It is such an important transition from learning full time as a bochur to going into the world. It is clear why the Rebbe saw the great need for a Kollel. It is sad how many yungeleit don’t go to kollel these days. And to add insult to injury is the lack of payment to the few guys left who are going to Kollel
A) Why not make a charidy? It can be done right now!
B) there needs to be a clear system to match the kolel salary with the rent levels in the shechuna, which is updated yearly
C) How can you expect yungerlite to learn “diligently” if they have daagos!
D) there should be a maamad from every single lubavitcher to support the central place where labavitcher yungerlight learn torah, this is the foundation of every single family in lubavitch!!! There is no higher cause than this, this is greater than any other mitzvah you can think of, to make sure every lubavitch home has a solid torah foundation
Unfortunately I relate too much with this article. I spent my Shana rishona in the kolel, was not paid for several months, and was always worried about paying my bills. After a few months I had to take some time off of learning to tutor, and even with that I had to use up all my chassunah money in Shana rishona and got into credit card debt. It did not do well for my marriage either as we were always stressed about money until I was not able to continue in the kolel any longer. Why should yungerleit have to start off their life in this situation? I am thankful for the months I have been paid and kudos to Menachem Heller for doing what he’s doing. But maybe it’s time for a better system to be put in place?
Why doesn’t the chjcc get involved to fix the situation
We went on to lubavitch.com there is no way to donate to the kollel PERIOD. you can donate to the most random things like the “lamplighter podcast” and a bunch of other random stuff, but NOT THE KOLLEL!!!
One person with money to step up to the plate. Just one.
The author is right but he can also act. There are thousands of Lubavichers that learnt in Kollel and have really good memories.
If someone would just call up and ask for a monthly donation I’m sure you’d have hundreds who will give.
I am not a man of means but I’d still give a monthly donation to Kollel.
We need someone to act. Minimum is to create a link to donate.
I was in kolel from mem aleph to mem gimmel. I had to go to Binyamin Klein a”h a number of times to get the checks for the yungerleit. The one who signed off on the checks was Rabbi Hodakov a”h. I never got the impression that Rabbi Klein was fundraising for the Kolel
It’s fairly simple and many would love to do it
Give a thousand a month and it goes straight to the yungerman.
I struggle myself and would happily do this!
Lets make a page for the youngerlite!
Considering how big the community in Crown Heights has become and that it’s the “flagship community for modern day Lubavitch” – especially because Lubavitch doesn’t usually support Long Term Kollel – there is a pressing need to support Rabbi Heller’s Kollel and open many more Kollelim in the neighborhood.
We know how to go to street corners on Fridays to do Mivtzoim , but we were meant to be learning the rest of the week.. .
We welcome the world here to see what Lubavitch is for many exciting Shobbosim –
Lubavtich’s focus on the outside sometimes makes us forget to check our own vitals .
Other communities across Brooklyn , have completely rebounded because they set up Kolellim (not just for life , but for most people who will be a part of the working class too) . People learn for 3-5 years , some people longer . The results are amazing . in adulthood when you have life experience and a developed brain, and being settled in your life path (being married) .
Especially because Lubavitch prides itself with being home to so many Yidden who just got to start the path of Ruchniyus , we need to make sure rest of greeting them actually have the rigorous and high standards of Yedios HaTorah which we don’t have as a community without Kollel Youngerleit.
May we make up and save our community’s vital organs
Kollel always gave about half the average cost of rent (which is about what 1k today would be)
While the idea the chaver hakolel sheyichye wrote is completely on point, just one comment about the wording (without getting into who/what/where).
Mazkirus and the chavrei Hamazkirus (-the mazkirim) were always (rightfully) looked at with ATMOST respect, as they were literally representatives of the Rebbe with every word (yes some more then others.. depending what there job was..),
Maybe it comes from “recent” politics etc etc (and maybe as some suggested this article is directed at one person – maybe rightfully..) but after everything the hand which writes such words should tremble.. “where is Mazkirus?!”… if not respect for people who don’t deserve it at least pick your words carefully.
That said גם אני הקטן מצטרף לכהנ״ל וכו׳ and I also may have lasted longer in kolel if not vchulu vchulu
You can get a part time job or even a full time job. Or go on shlichus.
Many big shluchim today didn’t make it past 4 months of kollel anyways.
If shluchis etc. isn’t your thing, go use this time – before you have a bunch of kids to feed – to build your career.
In every career (and shlichus too) people start small. They don’t earn much at first. If you can be in kollel without reviewing money, you can also start at the bottom of a career. By the time you need the money iy”H you’ll have it.
Let’s face it. Most of the time in kollel is anyways wasted. Most youngelite dont take learning that seriously. You certainly won’t become a rov or a rosh yeshiva (there’s a select few who may become a rover, but mass majority won’t).
Instead of wasting time, go support your family and don’t rely on foodstamps. If you start now, iy”H when you really need the money, you’ll be at a point in your career where you’ll have it.
You will be a chassidishe baal habais and be koveah itim la’Torah. You can do so much shlichus and mivtzoim with the people you meet through business.
It’s irresponsible not to have a plan. Do you yourself a favor and don’t be a fool. USE YOUR TIME WISELY. Once you have kids, things dont get easier. Figure it out now.
The Rebbe promoted full time kolel after marriage as a prerequisite for Shlichus. You must fill up yourself before you can give to others (otherwise you will be just a kiruv professional). Yes, there were some exceptions to whom the Rebbe gave permission, but as a rule, the Rebbe required kolel.
Not to say this ideal situation, but before this gets fixed. I think it’s a real Kiddush Hashem and impressive that there are over a hundred Yungerleit sitting and learning Lishma Mammesh!! where else do you see such Mesiras Nefesh for Torah!!
Missing from this whole conversation is the fact that the Rebbe very much wanted people to learn for at least a year after they get married but he also clearly said that this is not a way to support one self, and it can only be done if a person has other sources of income.
I have learned the Rebbe’s sichos on Kolel and have never seen this.
In answers to people that wanted to go on shlichus there were the answer that a year of learning is needed first.
It was an answer to someone complaining about the small amount they were getting.
If anyone knows anyone working on solving this problem please email [email protected]
Maybe adopt a kollel ungerman monthly. This is a great starting point.
An idea that we would have really enjoyed during our Kollel year, was that a Keren should be set up for Yungerleit to be paid in a form of a loan that is expected but not demanded, if this would have been set up properly I would have been 100 supportive and so would many of my friends.
This can be done with a genuine commitment of the Yungerman, along with a monthly reminder or follow up until it’s paid in full.
Don’t think this is a solution, but I do think I would have benefited, along with many of my friends.