By COLlive reporter
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Ron Prosor and Israel’s consul general in New York Ido Aharoni were one of the many that visited International Sukkah at the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan built by the central Lubavitch Youth Organization.
“My name is Pros-Or, which [in Hebrew] means ‘spreading light,’ the same theme as the sukkah, as stated [in our prayers], ‘Ufros Aleinu Sukkat Shlomecha’– ‘Spread over us the sukkah [tabernacle] of Your peace’,” Prosor noted.
After the ambassador making the blessings on the lulav and esrog, Lubavitch Youth director Rabbi Shmuel Butman shared with him what the Rebbe told one of his predecessors, Chaim Herzog who went on to become the Israeli President.
“Rashi’s first comment on the Torah’s first verse addresses the complaints heard across the street at the UN, that “You are robbers for having conquered the land of the seven nations,” Rabbi Butman said.
“And Rashi gives the straightforward and powerful answer: “The whole world belongs to G-d; He created it… [and] He has given it to us.” The Rebbe emphasized that the Jewish people’s deep connection with the Land of Israel is an eternal one and if a Jew proclaims this with Jewish pride, his words are listened to and respected.”
Ambassador Prosor listened attentively, and commented how insightful the explanation was and that he would deliver this message in his speeches at the UN – with Jewish pride.
SUKKOS ACROSS THE CITY
In addition The International Sukkah, Lubavitch Youth (Tzach) erected Sukkahs available to the wider public at 6th Avenue, corner 32nd Street – one of New York’s busiest intersections – and downtown near Wall Street at Battery Park.
Jewish people working the those areas and many families on chol hamoed trips were seen stopping in to enjoy a meal or a quick bite.
The joy of the holiday did not remain behind the four walls as pairs of Chabad yeshiva students covered many of the city’s neighborhoods, working with typical Chassidic enthusiasm to bring the mitzvah of lulav and esrog to many thousands of Jews.
“This is an integral part of the Rebbe’s activities expressing his concern for every Jew, wherever he is,” noted Rabbi Yossi Butman, who coordinated the Sukkos activities together with a team of bochurim.
Another city-wide project was the annual “tahaluchos” visits to some 300 shuls in New York City’s five boroughs to bring joy on Simchas Torah. Over 30 shuls were added this year.
More than 2000 Chassidim and bochurim marched to Queens (3 hours each way), Howard Beach, (3 hours) Flatbush, Boro Park, Brighton Beach, Sea Gate (close to 3 hours) Lower and Upper Manhattan, Bronx ( 3.5 hours) Bensonhurst, Canarsie, and Sheepshead Bay.
The Tahaluchos were organized by Rabbi Yossi Butman together with Rabbi Yosef Goldwasser and Shaya Zalmanoff, in cooperation with the NYPD.
“The cooperation of the Police Department was phenomenal,” said Rabbi Yossi Butman. “They acted with friendship and dedication, responsibility and efficiency. They were a pleasure to work with.”
57th CONVENTION
The 57th international convention of the central Lubavitch Youth Organization, was held at 770 Eastern Parkway on the second day of Chol Hamoed Sukkos and included reports and words of encouragement.
The event opened with playing a public address by the Rebbe on the subject of the “Chassidic guests in the sukka” – the Chassidic leaders from the Baal Shem Tov until today – and bringing joy into the entire year. Seeing the Rebbe’s holy countenance and hearing his holy voice, everyone’s heart was aroused with a single prayer: “How much longer, O G-d?”
The convention’s chairman, Rabbi Shmuel Butman, director of central Lubavitch Youth Organization, stressed that it was the Rebbe himself who originally gave the directive to hold this convention, directing it to be held during the day on the first day of Chol Hamo’ed Sukkos, and that it serve as a welcome for the guests who had come for the Tishrei holidays.
He noted how Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Isaac Hodakov, director of the central Chabad organizations Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and Machne Israel, and the convention’s main speaker every year, repeated the Rebbe’s expressed desire to attend the convention personally, but since he was unable to do so, the convention should be held by day and continue with the Rebbe’s farbrengen in the evening.
In the middle of those annual farbrengens of Simchas beis Hasho’eva, during the earlier years of his leadership, the Rebbe used to invite the convention’s chairman, to give a report of the convention.
Among those chairmen were Rabbii Yitzchak Groner, Rabbi Tzvi Gansbourg, Rabbi Sholom Ber Gordon and Rabbi Yosef Wineberg – all of blessed memory – and Rabbi Pesach Goldman, may he be well, who was unable to attend the present convention.
The chairman spoke with nostalgia about the Chossid, Rabbi Dovid Raskin, of blessed memory, director of central Lubavitch Youth Organization since its founding. He was a Chossid of the Rebbe with every fiber of his soul, who was utterly immersed in the Rebbe’s activities and for whom there was nothing else in life but fulfilling the Rebbe’s desire. May this organization that Rabbi Raskin built and raised over the years be forever a beacon of light on his behalf.
Rabbi Kasriel Kastel, program director of central Lubavitch Youth Organization, summarized the organization’s broad range of activities throughout the year, and also the activities of the present week – sending groups of Lubavitch adults and students to lead Sukkos celebrations in many localities in greater New York and further afield. He also noted Lubavitch Youth Organization’s tremendous expansion, with almost 200 shluchim working out of over 50 Chabad Houses in New York City and its environs. He went on to relate several anecdotes from the “field” to illustrate the far-reaching significance of what might seem, at first glance, to be just a single activity.
Rabbi Shimon Bekerman, member of the board of Tze’irei Agudas Chabad of the Holy Land, reported on that organization’s widespread activities there, and spoke about the amazing things we realize by examining the results of the Rebbe’s words and activities. It becomes clear how the Rebbe was concerned for every Jew in the world, working to reach every Jew and not giving up on any Jew in whatever situation. He emphasized how the Rebbe guides us at all times, but we need to be aware of this constantly.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Ginsbourg, mashpia of Yeshivat Tomchei T’mimim in Rishon Letziyon, Israel, described the successful activities with youth from all segments of society, and how befriending them in the classic Chabad manner reaps huge success over time. He also related a personal story in full detail to illustrate how the Rebbe takes care of us and guides us at all times.
Rabbi Berel Mochkin, Chairman of Lubavitch Youth Organization of Montreal, discussed the special mission the Rebbe has given our generation, and emphasized the advantage of this convention, which gives everyone present a sense of belonging to the Rebbe’s army. He told how the Rebbe guided his development from his early youth, through his student years and adulthood, until he went out into the world, giving him guidance at every step over the years. These conventions, he said, remind us who we are and what we need to accomplish, what mission has been given to us and how we can fulfill it as the Rebbe desires.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Wilhelm, director of Chabad activities at the Eged Bus Company and the Ports Network in Israel, described the great success of Chabad summer camps throughout the Holy Land, and the continuous activities in all branches of Eged and Israeli ports, and particularly this Sukkos, when over 2000 Jews received sets of lulav and esrog for their daily use on this holiday!
Rabbi Yitzchak Yadger, Chabad shaliach for the Taanach region, described the immense success of Chabad shluchim in the north of the Holy Land. As usual, he went on to speak about the present era of the Redemption, how all signs given by our Sages show that the ultimate Redemption will be here imminently, and how we must increase our activities in preparation for the great and exalted day when Moshiach will be revealed, may it be immediately.
The participants left with an urge to fulfill the great task given by the Rebbe to all Lubavitch Youth Organization members, as he wrote in the founding letter of the central organization, “to prepare oneself and others for the true and complete Redemption.”
The chairman noted how Rabbi Dovid Raskin used to conclude his closing speech at every year’s convention, “May the Rebbe become enclothed in a physical body and lead us out of exile!”
Repeat the first Rashi in the Torah in front of the un assembly.