‘Thank You for My Holiday of Joy’

By M.

I was taught in Yeshiva that whoever hasn’t seen the joy of Simchas Beis Hashoeiva in the Beis Hamikdosh- has never seen real joy in his life.

The last few years, as Sukkos rolled around and the Tishrei energy around me was at its strongest level, I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing out on something, i went to Kingston avenue to dance, but I knew that part of me was not connecting.

Yes, a lot of my friends were there, and we would dance throughout the night together, but the pure joy I was hoping to feel, the joy I saw on the faces of some of my friends as well as the other teens my age just seemed to elude me.

Two years ago, I thought it would be the same, but then leil Hoshana Rabbah something changed.

I was walking with a friend down Montgomery street back from Simchas Beis Hashoeivah, when I heard music and singing coming from the alleyway.

We obviously went to check it out, and I found many of my friends were there, in what people called “the Chanin sukkah”.

I took-in the sight with a mixture of excitement and yearning, in front of me was a beautiful Kumzitz with niggunim and short inspirational messages being sheared between the tunes, everyone was so involved, I saw boys from all the different style yeshivas, the black hats and the t-shirts, the ones who I danced with just previously on Kingston, and the ones who I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

As someone who went to Wilkes-Barre and JETS Yeshiva, I felt at home and welcome there, the unity, the singing, the farbrenging, the blessings being given from one to another, and saying Tehillim together was something special, it lit up my Tishrei, I felt it- the joy I was longing to feel!

This year Rabbi Aizik Chanin (TAG Academy) kept on making sure that everyone knew that it was a hakhel event as well.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank some of the people who make my Succos so amazing on a yearly basis!

Thank you Rabbi Zalman and Mrs. Chanin for hosting this annual Hoshana Rabbah get together! Avraham Avinu would be jealous!

Thank you Chanin brothers – Mulleh (Sam), Moishe (Life coach and Neshamos podcast host), and Fulleh for always making sure there is food to go with musical farbrengen, as well as guitaring away with the legendary Rabbi Aizik!

Thank you to the many musical guests and musicians who’ve performed over the past years, you bring much joy into the world!

And thank you Rebbe for inspiring our generation to be lamplighters!