This past Shabbos, Parshas Teruma 5782, over 60 fathers from all across the US and Canada arrived at Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati for the annual “Father and Son” Shabbos. Despite the ice storm that pounded the midwest, every father made it.
The fathers were greeted with a custom-designed welcome bag with information regarding the Shabbos schedule and program. The yeshivah is deeply grateful for the generous warmth and hospitality of the local community of Cincinnati, who hosted the many fathers who came.
This special Shabbos was also the “Chanukas Habayis” for the newly renovated Yeshiva (Internally and the building of “770”) and the purchase of the new dormitory adjacent to the Yeshiva.
The Shabbos weekend began with very lebedike “Adar dancing” on Thursday night. It continued, with Friday morning Shacharis in the Beis Medrash. After davening and a delicious breakfast, all in attendance participated in a captivating shiur by Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson, the yeshivah’s senior maggid shiur. The parents then went to their host families and many then went out with their sons on mivtzoim.
The Yeshiva moved into the local Chabad shul for mincha and Maariv. The fathers learned a was followed by a heartwarming seder nigunim led by Rabbi Levi Simpson, mashpia and maggid shiur in yeshivah.
After kabolas Shabbos, the fathers and sons took their seats in the Beis Medrash, specially set up for the occasion under the direction of the Menahel Gashmi, Rabbi Eliyahu Morrison. The yeshivah extends heartfelt thanks to Rabbi Morrison for his great dedication and involvement in general, with extra appreciation for his attentive efforts toward making this Shabbos event successful.
During the course of the seudah, divrei Torah and Hisorerus were shared by hatamim Broruch Elkayam (FL) and Avremel Weingarten (MI) as well as shluchim Rabbi Avraham Chakoff (NY), Rabbi Moshe Druin (Miami), Rabbi Benny Rappaport (PA) and Rabbi Avrohom Simpson (CH). Per yeshivah tradition, the temimim, their fathers, and anash farbrenged together at length after the seudah, completing the evening’s program.
On Shabbos morning, Chaver Hanhalla Rabbi Shmuel Granovetter, gave a special shiur Chassidus on the famous Maamer of V’ata Tetzave. Following Shacharis, which included a strong chinuch-drasha by the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, all the fathers and sons joined together for a Shabbos seudah with the fathers’ host families. After Minchah, there was a special farbrengen in the zal with Rabbi Aharon Ginsburg, shliach of the Rebbe to Boro Park. The farbrengen was followed by Maariv, a video of the Rebbe and a presentation by the Talmidei Hashluchim.
Later that evening, a special Melave Malkah seudah took place in the yeshivah’s Boymel Rabbinical College. The parents heard from Shliach Rabbi Yossi Grossbaum (Folsom CA) and the Keynote: Rabbi Shais Taub.
On Sunday morning there was a chinuch seminar for the fathers, organized by the Menahel of the yeshivah, Rabbi Menachem Benarousse. The seminar was led by Rabbi Shais Taub.
Later in the day, fathers had the opportunity to meet privately with the teachers to discuss their sons’ progress and growth.
The weekend concluded with parents, bochurim, and hanhalah alike inspired and energized to fulfill the Rebbe’s shlichus “to be mekabel p’nei Moshiach tzidkeinu bepo’el mamash!”
