By COLlive reporter
It has been decades since a Chuppah stood under the skies of Lubavitch – the village in the Smolensk Oblast of Russia that is – and a Jewish wedding was held according to halacha.
That rare occasion happened this week when Moshe Yishai Vitenberg gave a ring to Ofra Finogenova and smashed a glass cup with his shoe.
Vitenberg is a former student in the Yeshiva of Chabad Rabbi Tzvi Kaplan in Kiev and today a regular of Chabad in Karlsruhe, Germany, directed by Rabbi Mordechai Mendelson.
The Kallah is a former student of Rabbi Yeshaya Geiser and an active member of the Jewish community in Smolensk, headed by Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Mondshein.
Being is such close proximity to the village which was the former headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch and home to the Rebbes, the couple decided to hold their wedding there.
Family and friends came from far and near to partake in the wedding at the courtyard of the Lubavitch Museum – a Chabad-owned building that showcases the local history.
Mondshein’s son Menachem Mendel played the traditional niggun Daled Bavos as the couple was led to the Chuppah.
The crowd danced with joy that reenacted the former life in the shtetle,” Rabbi Mondshein told COLlive.com.
Mazal Tov, Mazal Tov et Barouh Hachem,
Enfin, des Loubavitch à Loubavitch, Que hachem vous bénisse et vous protège, amen.
Haïm HADDAD de Villejuif
Dear Chani & Levi Moonshine ,my dear grandchildren . I am very proud and excited to see your dedication to the Rebbes shlichus and work. When I was in Smolensk for Shavous I saw with my own eyes your holy work that you are doing to bring משיח closer. I also heard of the construction of the mikvah . and the new Shul being started . the one “man” band mendele is unbeliveable is he accepting resevations for simchos a real profetional let us know . may you grow from shtrenth to strenth may u continue to grow in your… Read more »
mazal tov to the couple and thanks to lubavitch for sharing tha simcha
MAZZAL TOV!!
love this!
Mazal Tov to the couple and to the sheluchim and to all of klal yisroel. This kind of articles should always be on your web site.
Mazel tov Chanie, Levi and family it looks very nice, especially Mendel playing the violin.
Lots of Nachas
Mazel Tov to the couple. Kudos to Chanie Levi and co- hard working shuuchim of the Rebbe in Smolensk Russia
were shepping nachas
wow to the shluchim for pulling this off, but even more wow to the couple for being honest enough to see the kedusha of a wedding here and not in some fancy hotel. We are proud of our shluchim but we should also be proud of our Jewish brothers and sisters who are able to take this courageous step.
wow mazal tov .. all the reabbiem were there 2 ,,4 sure
Were so proud of the amazing shluchos you do in Smolensk. Raising a community and your kinderlach so far from it all, yet they are the mot Chassidishe, Emsedik children.
Way to go Chani & Levi
You biggest Ma Fans
bynian ade ad amen.
it takes a lot of sacrifice for a shlucha to live there. wow. they should go mchayil el chayil w many brochos
Hatan and Kallah were gread humble and very Chassid.
really beautiful!
Beautiful!! Mazel Tov to the Choson and Kallah – may they have a wonderful life together IY”H in the path of the Rebbe and the shluchim! Kol ha’Kovod to the Mondshein’s for their fantastic work – the details that are seen in the pictures show how much went into putting this chosena together in Lubavitch!!! What an inspiring event!!!
Wow amazing.. Im sure your giving the rebbe loads of Nachas! True Shluchim!
Mazal Tov on the Chassunah, I can see the work that went into it. we are shepping nachas here in CH. Batsheva
Very well put ! You’re right on target !
mazal tov to the couple.
This is the real deal, hard core shlichus; no glamour,sitting around a table with milliionaires, ordering in platters.
Not to minimize anyone else’s shlichus. However, Rabbi Mendel and Chanie Mondshine are doing work and are in a place with no gashmiusdike benefit to them in any way. On the contrary, it is hard labor in every way.
They, and those like them, are truly remarkable human beings in the tradition of the great ( and unsung ) self-sacrificing Jews throughout our history.
truly amazing
so special! mazal tov!
Chani, you are amazing…all that food…we finally get a glimpse into your courageous life in smolensk.
WOW!!!!! I was there in Lubavitch, and can tell exactly where they are.
Absolutely beautiful simcha!!!!
MAZAL TOV. THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR SHLICHUS WITH YOUR FAMILY IN CROWN HEIGHTS.
SPECIAL THANKS TO MENDEL MONDSHINE A PROUD SON ON SHLUCHUS, ALWAYS HELPING RUN THE SHOW.
THANKS FOR GIVING US A GLIMPSE OF “LUBAVITCH”.
What a beautiful simcha! Mazal tov! You can feel the kedusha just looking at those pictures. That is a beautiful wedding!
I wonder when the last one was…
Cool!
go mendel mondshein
LOOKS AWESOME!!!!!!
so proud of our shluchim!!