Over 200 descendants of the Alter Rebbe gathered this Motzoei Shabbos, Chof Daled Teves yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe, author of Tanya, founder of Chabad Lubavitch Movement.
Rabbi Shmuel Butman, Director of the Lubavitch Youth Organization and Chairman of the Association of Descendants of the Alter Rebbe, was the MC.
He shared told participants this year’s yahrzeit fell was the same as “in the Year of the Histalkus.” The passing of the Alter Rebbe took place on Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Shmos, the 23rd going on the 24th day of Teves 5573.
The gathering was addressed by Rabbi Dr. Benzion Twerski, a descendent of the Alter Rebbe who spoke about the great psychological and emotional advantage being descendant offers. He also emphasized that it comes with a responsibility and the strength to live up to it.
A special Guest was the Gorlitzer Rebbe Rabbi Yitzchok Dov Jungreis, a descendant of the Alter Rebbe, who as a child lived with his parents in Crown Heights.
Rabbi Jungreis stressed that Chabad is an acronym for “Chessed Bli Dai” – Chessed without boundaries. “We saw this in the Rebbe” he exclaimed. “The Rebbe with all his unique and singular Scholarship cared day and night for the physical welfare of all Jews?
The main speaker was Rabbi Leibel Groner, the Rebbe’s secretary who is a descendant of the Alter Rebbe. He told a story about the Rebbetzin who said that “although she is the wife of the Rebbe she is a Chassidah of the Rebbe.”
Rabbi Groner stressed that special attention should be focused on learning Chassidus in preparation to the concealed part of Torah to be by Moshiach imminently.
The singing of the Alter Rebbe’s niggunim was led by the descendants Rabbi Sholom Ber Schneerson, his son Rabbi Mendel Schneerson, Rabbi Mendel Baumgarten his sons Cantor Zalman Baumgarten and the Shliach Rabbi Leibel Baumgarten.
“To hear the descendants sing the niggunim of the Alter Rebbe, especially the the ‘Daled Bavos’ was an eerie and extraordinary experience,” said one participant.
At the end of the evening, Rabbi Yossi Butman was thanked for organizing the event.
There are many non-religious yidden that are the Alte Rebbes descendants that might like to join also, maybe it should be advertised a little better.
… this a beautiful event, not a statement of being special. Unfortunately, most of us don’t trace grandparents past 5th or 6th generation – but if you had one like Alter Rebbe, would not you be proud of your ancestry.
THE BRONSTEIN FAMILY WAS TEHRE TOO 🙂
looks amazing wish i could be there
are you a decendent of him?
Just like the Alter Rebbe called the Besht his zeide, so should we all call the Alter Rebbe our zeide.
Does anyone else see some sort of family resemblance?!
(not that THAT is so important, just interesting)
if you want to meet then make your own thing the same way the alter rebbes einkelach did it wasnt other people it was rhem that did this
Why don’t the einiklach of Reb Elimelech Mi’Lizansk meet every year too, it would be beutiful to have yidden from all over, too.
Yasher Ko’ach Rabbi Yossi Butman… Tha man behind the scenes that makes Tzach run!!!
a very chashuveh head table!
Why dont the Barditchever einiklach meet every year also, it would be so nice to have yidden from all over.