R. Goldshmidt is banned from Moscow

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Ban this! Kinus Hashluchim photos by Shmais.

Yirmy commenting to the The house of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Paris post: Tzemach, this is off topic but since you have addressed this before I would like to respectfully ask if you can verify the following info from your Moscow sources. Apparently Rabbi Pinchas Goldshmidt chief rabbi of Moscow has been told by the Russian government that the reason he was barred from entry into Russia is that he is a 'security' risk. Since this is so patently absurd, it seems to point clearly to members of a rival Jewish association who view Rabbi Goldshmidt as a challenge. Rabbi Goldshmidt is not affiliated with Lubavitch at all...(this was reported on the Israeli chadrey charadim site off of hydepark).

Yirmy, this was not only reported on "chadrey charadim" but on JTA as well. I called Moscow and allegedly there is little know beyond of what is currently published. My source in Moscow is puzzled by the developments. The original version that Slutsker was settling his scores with Goldshmidt is problematic because he has been replaced in his RJC role by Kantor. Members of RJC like Michael Freidman of Alpha Bank, a number two oligarch in Russia, must have a high level connections in the government and should be interested in reinstating the visa for Goldshmidt. The fact that they were not able to do so points to a very high level government official who is behind the ban.

There have been no traces of this affair linked back to R. Berl Lazar yet allegedly R. Lazar has not taken a position. It appears that considering his stature as an official Chief Rabbi of Russia he must have an opinion on the banning of the Chief Rabbi of Moscow. I called Boruch Gorin, Lazar�s spokesman and was told that Boruch is traveling. If any of the readers see R. Lazar or Gorin in Crown Heights this weekend for Kinus HaShluchim please ask them to comment. Let us know what you find out. We will be watching this story.