Just a word about fundraising in Chabad that might help clarify.
For the most part, Chabad shluchim do not fundraise. As one shliach once put it to me, “I did a fundraising visit today with a donor. I went to his office and learned parshah with him for 20 minutes. A few months ago I put mezuzos on his doors. He puts on Tefillin with me once a week.”
Can you differentiate his behavior with this big donor and another member of his community?
Sure, wealthy people may have a leg up in being sought out more so as to enable shluchim to do their work and cater to those without means. But the fundraising effort is shlichus work in and of itself. Beyond the few minutes when actual money is discussed, you’re inviting the people over for a Shabbos, learning with them, and helping them grow in their Yiddishkeit.
Even events like dinners and benefits which have a decidedly fundraising nature, are commonly designed as “peulos” – that is, events to bolster the Jewish community in some way. In fact, events I have been part of that did not have that angle, and were purely money makers, did not do nearly as well.
The kinus is not a fundraiser. As stated, it costs Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch a pretty penny (I would estimate the budget for the entire weekend to be in the region of $1,000,000). Community members are given the chance to participate in the banquet which concludes the kinus. It is an extremely inspiring event – one that directly leads to an increase in Torah and mitzvos for many guests in attendance. For many shluchim who bring guests to the kinus, they don’t necessarily choose the ones with the most money, but the ones that are most likely to be inspired by the event.
Yes, it certainly helps build relationships with donors and no doubt leads to increased donations from some participants. But fundraising is not the goal. It almost never is.
