Yes and this makes him a hero exactly how? He is a bitter, angry, vindictive little man who was waiting his turn in line to become Chief Rabbi after the KGB apparatchik Shayevich, and Berel Lazar "stole his rabbinate" like the zionist "stole Palestinian land."
Chabad/Lubavitch have strong ties to Putin. Is this a good thing?
Zinovy Kogan has strong ties to Gussinsky. Is this a good thing?
It's amazing how many people are more then willing to jump in bed with communists or their stooges as long as they can fulfill their manic hatred for one man Putin (or maybe it's for Russia and Russians in general?).
Gusinsky did not get to appoint the Chief Rabbi. Putin did. This is not appropriate. That is a job for the Jewish Community not a secular governement.
"He is a bitter, angry, vindictive little man"
You know him personally?
Let's be honest here. You have already stated that your immediate family has ties to the Chabad organization in Russia.
Me: "Rabbi Kogan lived throught the Soviet repression"
You: "Yes and this makes him a hero exactly how?"
With all due respect, have you gone through it?
I did not start by saying Rabbi Kogan was a gedolai ha'dor, but neither would I smear him with sinat chinam.