On Monday, erev Rosh Chodesh Elul, a grand tribute event was held at the Bnei Brak City Council Hall, to mark thirty years since the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The event also recognized the Rebbe’s shluchim who work tirelessly throughout Bnei Brak, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Honoring the event as honorary guest was Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, invited by Bnei Brak Mayor Rabbi Chanoch Zeibert. The gathering was led by prominent Chabad rabbonim and activists, local rabbonim, shluchim, heads of institutions, gabboim, and elder chassidim of Bnei Brak. The event was masterfully MCed by the city’s CEO, Rabbi Yisrael Ernshtain, who praised the shluchim’s work and highlighted the collaboration between the mayor and the Chabad community.
The city’s Rov, Rabbi Yitzchok Aizik Landau, sent his blessings for the event, since he could not attend in person, being abroad for shechita and kashrus. Rabbi Yehoshua Greenfeld of the Mayonei Yisroel shul read a perek of Tehillim for the safety and salvation of Jews in the Holy Land. Chairman of Aguch and Tzach in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Aharonov, read a special letter from the Rebbe sent seventy years ago with the establishment Tzach in Bnei Brak in Elul 1954. In his letter, the Rebbe expressed his wish for the Bnei Brak branch to “increase its size in quantity and ascend higher and higher in quality.”
Mayor Rabbi Chanoch Zeibert delivered an emotional speech, recalling his encounters with the Rebbe during visits to New York and praising Rabbi Lazar’s incredible accomplishments on behalf of Russian Jewry. He noted the ongoing collaboration with the Chabad community throughout the year. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kastel, the director of Chabad in Bnei Brak, presented the mayor with a special photo of him receiving a bracha from the Rebbe in Tammuz 1988.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Belinov, the rov of central Bnei Brak and rosh yeshiva of the Central Tomchei Temimim in Kfar Chabad, spoke about the famous parable of the Alter Rebbe about Elul, where “the king is in the field and welcomes everyone with a smiling face.”
Representing Chabad rabbonim in the Holy Land, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gluckowsky, encouraged the audience to strengthen their commitment to the Rebbe’s missions during the thirtieth anniversary of the Rebbe’s passing, as we continuously see how the Rebbe continues to lead us.
The main speech was delivered by the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Lazar, who praised the mayor and council members for their support of the shluchim and the Chabad community. He shared greetings from Russian Jews and urged everyone to intensify their efforts as they mark seventy years of Chabad’s presence in the city. At the end of his speech, Rabbi Lazar received an award and a special gift from Mayor Zeibert, and the shluchim in the city were also honored by the mayor.
The event concluded with Rabbi Kastel summarizing the development and expansion of Chabad activities in Bnei Brak since 1954. He thanked the organizer of the event, Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Filmer, shliach in West Bnei Brak, who is dedicated to the activities year-round. At the end of the conference, the shluchim presented certificates of appreciation to the mayor, the city manager, and the council members for all their support throughout the year for theirextensive activities.
During his visit to Bnei Brak, Rabbi Lazar was invited to meet with leading Litvish figures, Roshei Yeshiva of Slabodka Rabbi Dov Landau and Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsh, to discuss pressing issues. He also held an extended conversation with Rabbi Meir Mazuz of Yeshivat Kisei Rachamim. The rabbonim expressed deep appreciation for the ongoing work of the shluchim in Russian Jewry under Rabbi Lazar’s leadership, noting the continuous development and expansion of their efforts.
Photos: Berish Filmer
