Four Mitzvah Tanks paraded through the streets of Montreal this past Tuesday, in honor of Yud Alef Nissan, marking the Rebbe’s 114th birthday.
The first parade to take place this year celebrating the occasion, it was organized by Mitzvah Tanks Montreal which is under Lubavitch Youth Organization and led by Rabbi Mendy Wilansky and Hatomim Yisroel Cohen.
As this year is Hakhel, both schools, the Yeshiva and Beis Rivkah had their students from all grades ride along with the tanks and see hands on what is done during Mivtzoim. In them, they gave Tzedoaah and made a bracha.
The Yeshiva boys had a special project to do in honor of 11 Nissan, aside from Mishnayos Bal Peh, and there was a raffle for each class and the winner was then able to go for a ride on the parade in a limousine.
Members of the Jewish community in Montreal helped sponsor it in an effort to inspire as many Jews as possible to do a Mitzvah and attend a Pesach Seder.
The ‘tanks’ were armed with dozens of bochurim who with Matzos, Tefillin, and Shabbos candles set out upon the city and gave them out to hundreds of unaffiliated Jews.
Saluting the parade, aside from all the people who stared in wonder, were the children from Tomchei Temimim, and Beis Rivkah who came out to salute the parade and the Tankistim.
A thank you is given to the Tankistim, Rabbis Yitzchok Lebovics, Mendel Zilberstein, Shlomo Lison and Nuty Rivkin, and a very special thank you to Chabad activist Rabbi Dovid Cohen who helped and worked on getting the necessary permits from the city and Police of Montreal.