Kinus Melava Malka Turns Fun

By COLlive reporter

This year’s Motzei Shabbos Melava Malka, a usual part of the annual International Kinus Hashluchos in New York with a fully catered meal and lengthy speeches, ended on a high note with lighthearted fun for participants.

1,300 Chabad Shluchos filled two separate halls in Oholei Torah, and were tested on their knowledge of trivia questions and asked their opinions of hypothetical scenarios, which they were to answer via text message.

Two large screens in both halls presented the question, and through a high-tech system, showed live results as SMS messages came in, from young and old participants who used their mobile phones to answer.

Questions ranged from how should extra money be spent to how much did Chasidim pay for 770 when it was purchased.

The program, which was MC’d by Mrs. Brocha Sapochkinsky of Westlake Village, California, included speakers Mrs. Leah Gurevitch from Argentina, Mrs. Chanie Serebryanski from Denver, Colorado, and Mrs. Estie Marozov from Paris.

A VOICE FROM THE PAST

One of the inspirational segments of the evening was an audio recording of Rebbetzin Bassie Azimov, the late powerhouse Shlucha who with her husband Rabbi Shmuel Azimov built and empowered the large Chabad community in Paris, France.

The recording was of Azimov’s memorable keynote speech “Merci – Mercy” at the 1992 Kinus Hashluchos, thanking the Rebbe for reviving the generation and at the same token for allowing Lubavitchers to go on Shlichus.

The emcee noted that the Rebbe, ill at the time after Chof Zayin Adar 5772, went out on his balcony in the back of 770 Eastern Parkway to hear Azimov’s speech.

Following the audio, Azimov’s daughter Mrs. Estie Marozov, a Shlucha in Paris, spoke about being raised in a chassidic home devoted to the Rebbe’s missions – at all times of the day.

“My mother did not preach to us about ‘Rebbe’ and ‘hiskashrus’. She led by example and by showing us how a chossid’s life revolves around the Rebbe,” she said.