Not for the first time, a person collecting money on erev chag for Lemaan Achai in a local shul, Masaas Mordechai, was stopped by a shul gabbai (who is also an official officer of a different local tzedaka organization) and evicted from the premises. Part of the incident was recorded (with the gabbai's knowledge and acceptance) but it does not add anything significant to the basic story.
1. Masas Mordechai has a very open-door-policy to all sorts of tzedaka collectors. There are literally dozens of people, from all over, who collect there for themselves and/or for organizations and are even permitted to make ad-hoc appeals from the pulpit. Lema'an Achai, as far as I know, is the only tzedaka which is banned.
2. Many/some families from Masas Mordechai receive assistance from Lema'an Achai. (so I am told)
3. Many/some of the people who daven there would be happy to donate to Lema'an Achai - given the opportunity.
The main issue, I think, is the first listed above. With every Tom, Dick, and Harry, being allowed to collect in the shul, for whatever need they might have, to throw out representatives of a local tzedaka organization collecting for local poor people is incomprehensible. "Lemaan Achai shuls" have never, to the best of my knowledge, banned collectors from other organizations, including the Kupa, from collecting within. And, to the best of my knowledge, other "Kupa shuls" have not banned collectors from Lemaan Achai from collecting within, even if in some of them there is only a minimal or occasional presence by Lemaan Achai.
I don't expect Masas Mordechai to be changing their policy on this. This has been going on for a long time. I do, however, wonder if you think this policy of Masas Mordechai (be it official or unofficial) is justified or acceptable/reasonable? Maybe there is something I am missing on this issue?
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