Chabad-Lubavitch
Hasidic Jewish movement based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, distinguished by its global emissary (shluchim) network and the messianic veneration of the late Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson (d. 1994). Outward-facing; internally high-demand.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — outward-facing Hasidic movement; high internal demand on shluchim (emissaries) but more openness toward outsiders.
Profile facts
In context
Chabad-Lubavitch under the late Rebbe Schneerson built a global network of ≈3,500+ emissary couples (shluchim) running synagogues and centres in nearly every country. Internally Chabad maintains strict Hasidic gender norms, restricted secular education for boys, and intense devotion to the Rebbe. The post-1994 Meshichist faction explicitly identifies the deceased Rebbe as Moshiach. Chabad's outward-facing mission produces an unusual openness to non-observant Jews and outsiders.
Key control doctrines
- Hasidic Tanya as foundational text
- Veneration of Lubavitcher Rebbe (Meshichist faction: Rebbe as Moshiach)
- Outward kiruv (outreach) mission
Recovery resources
- Footsteps — Supports people leaving Haredi communities including Chabad-Lubavitch; peer support, scholarships, mental-health referrals.
- Hillel (Israel) — Israeli ex-Haredi support organisation.
- The Forward — Yiddish/English Jewish journalism; covers Chabad shliach-departure stories and Meshichist controversies.
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Notable public ex-members
- Faitel Levin (academic critic)
- Various Tablet/Forward profiles of departed shluchim
Legal cases & controversies
- Internal Meshichist / non-Meshichist tensions
- Crown Heights riots (1991, external)
This profile is in progress — history, deeper BITE evidence and survivor voices are still being added. Contributions welcome via GitHub.
Timeline
- 1775Schneur Zalman of Liadi founds Chabad school within Hasidism
- 1940Sixth Rebbe relocates to USA
- 1951Menachem Mendel Schneerson becomes Seventh Rebbe
- 1994Schneerson dies; succession deliberately not appointed
Sources
- Sue Fishkoff, 'The Rebbe's Army' (2003) search ↗
- Chaim Miller, 'Turning Judaism Outwards' (2014) search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗ runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch E: per-group recovery resources curated. 5 verified entries — Footsteps, Hillel Israel, The Forward, ICSA, Freedom of Mind.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
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We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.