Rabbi Asher Anshel Katz, the elected Viener Rav (whose headquarters is in Williamsburg) is facing the same challenge as that reported on HasidicNews.com with regard to Pupa. He wants to install his children and relatives as prominent functionaries within the congregation. The congregation, however, under the leadership of Mr. Israel Fromowitz and Mr. Simha Friedman is resisting his efforts bitterly. Vien has long been known as one of the only remaining congregations that have not succumbed to the lure of hasidic-style hereditary dynastic succession. Now, even Vien is facing tremendous pressure by its hired Reav to have his offspring appointed to positions of authority, ultimately leading to their assumption of the crown jewel, the very rabbinate itself.
It is reported that on one Shalosh Seudos sermon the Viener Rav wept and cried bitterly over this matter, bemoaning the resistance some of the members are putting up against his efforts to strenghten the fabric of the congregation and its ongoing activities. He urged his listeners to stand behind him in upcoming board elections so that a new board may be elected that is favorable to his agenda and his appointees in particular. Ardent followers of his then canvassed voters on his behalf and signed up many new members, employing a well-known tactic (also used by Aaron and Zalmen in the Satmar Succession Feud) to manipulate control of a congregation board. The election results indeed has given the Rav a victory and the board is now on his side.
Before Shavuos the Rav stayed in Borough Park for one Shabbas. When his the old-guard board members did not welcome him to their shul (probably realizing that it's a sinister tactic to try to shore up public support for his dynastic schemes), he rented a hall to pray in. However, there was such a great outpouring of support for him among congregants that the main Viener shul in Borough Park had difficulty obtaining a minyan -- a quorum for conducting public services.
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