By COLlive reporter
Photos: Levik Hertzel
Tishrei by the Rebbe just became incorporated.
A group of Crown Heights residents were told this week that the responsibility for hosting the many bochurim coming to spend the month in New York lies on their shoulders.
They were gathered Monday night at the home of Avremel and Tobi Lokshin, owner of properties and the Pomodori eatery, in what ended up to be a symbolic “handing over of the reins.”
Entrusting them with the task was Rabbi Yitzchok Yehuda Yaroslavsky, Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Malachi and son of Rabbi Moshe Yaroslavsky OBM, founder of the Hachnosas Orchim accommodations by the Rebbe.
After reviewing how his father began the activities, Rabbi Yaroslavsky said, “I am now giving it over to Reb Avremel and his friends here to do it the right way.”
In recent years, the hospitality was arranged by the “Chabad World Center to Greet Moshiach,” directed by Rabbi Mendy Hendel.
The Vaad Hatmimim organization, enjoying the backing of the Chabad establishment and the hanhalos of Yeshivos worldwide, are providing an alternative this year.
As reported on COLlive, the Vaad is providing sleeping accommodations, regular meals in 2 locations, shiurim, farbrengens and regular sedorim to keep the bochurim in check while being in 770 or at the Rebbe’s Ohel.
Heads of the Vaad, Rabbi Tzvi Altein and Rabbi Schneur Reinitz screened video clips of Tishrei by the Rebbe and original footage showing R’ Moshe receiving mashke and cake from the Rebbe to give out to the guests.
To emphasize the importance of the move, Rabbi Yaroslavsky presented Lokshin with an original letter from the Rebbe written to his father R’ Moshe and blessing him for the holy work of greeting guests.
Deeply moved, Lokshin encouraged the people gathered to “get involved with a full heart and not just by donating.” He thanked his brother Nachman and Toby Lokshin of Cedarhurst for partnering with him in this initiative.
Participants included real estate owners Shaya Boymelgreen and Yossi Popack, NCFJE Chairman Rabbi Shea Hecht and framing entrepreneur Schneur Minsky. Life insurance agent Duddy Farkash emceed the gathering.
“This is a tipping point in the activities of Vaad Hatmimim,” Altein commented to COLlive.com.
Can something be organized for the English speaking bochurim in American yeshivas, who would like to be by the Rebbe for Tishrei?! Why is there no organized programming for this demographic? – There are plenty of bochurim from Australia, south Africa, England, California, Florida, Canada, – who make up a huge portion of the guests for Tishrei, who don’t have shiurim/farbrengens/meals/sleeping arrangements organized for them. Why should these bochurim fall through the cracks? Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I get the impression that only the Israeli bochurim are really being catered for.
Thank you Schneur Minsky and Shloimi Hershkop for all the great work you are doing to help these Bochurim, during Tishrei and all year round. May you be a good example to others!!
you should have shnas hatzlocha and it should only bring you lots of brochos full of good.
Keep up the good work
another store owner up the ave.
Yasher koach to the new donors for taking on the achrayus. I hope you will make sure that all the current activities are supported, as well as the new ones.
People, this is huuuuge! No longer will the bochurim from the north part of Israel be able to push and torment young innocent bochurim into taking on their wild beliefs.
In the past these bochurim would tell the young and innocent that if they go to Ohel they will be thrown out of their sleeping quarters or not allowed into the dinning room. I know this is true because I witnessed it.
Yesh Tikvah!!!
avremel , you always manage to find more ways to help its certainly amazing to see how your there for the rebbes work, and little do people know the amazing things you have done kvc”t
naftali
can you please post a copy of the Rebbe’s letter
as your neighbor and best friend ( i just peaked your interest ! )
This is great news but we know u well and you are a man of doing and i know you will work hard to make sure everyone has a place to stay and eat for YT!!! great work
Seeing the Temimim who were gathered, it is indeed heartening and hopeful, for Crown Heights, that things may finally be moving in a cohesive and positive direction. Thank you all.
Avremel, you always do everything with an open Heart and an open Hand. You are always trying to help other people and never want to take credit. HASHEM should Bless you and your Family with Health,Happiness,and very much Success in everything you do. Ksiva Vachsima Tova Shana Tova umesukah…MS
The real donors to our community, the people who give millions a year without fanfare, aren’t wasting their time pr’ng themselves on collive every week like these guys, who talk a lot and in actuality don’t do much compared to what they can do.
Every Crown Heights resident should be celebrating this momentous occasion. Awesome.
I am not sure if everybody understands how incredibly significant of a step this was in restoring normalcy and order into the neighborhood of “kan tzviva” and — by extension — all of Chabad around the world.
This is probably the biggest news of the past ten years.