By COLlive reporter
If there is one place in the world to be for Yud Shevat this year (besides for New York, of course) it would surely be the booming Chabad community in the Los Angeles area.
While located a stone’s throw away from the epicenter of American culture, members of the community are clearly focused on advancing themselves spiritually as they mark the day the Rebbe assumed leadership of Chabad Lubavitch.
The 10th of Shevat is also the anniversary of the yartzeit in 1950 of the Frierdiker Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, whose dedication and self sacrifice for Judaism and Torah in Communist Russia and later in the United States are legendary.
Events in the most populous city in California began on Thursday with a Yud Shevat Farbrengen and Siyum Harambam ceremony at the Moshe Ganz Hall on North LA Brea which was co-sponsored by 15 Chabad shuls and centers and intended for both men and women.
Addressing it was Rabbi YY Jacobson, one of the most sought-after orators in the Jewish world and Dean of virtual study center TheYeshiva.net.
Chabad of South La Cienega (SOLA), run by Rabbi Avraham Zajac, will be holding a special Shabbos day farbrengen with the title “Bringing heaven down to earth.”
The special guest will be Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet of the Mill Hill Synagogue in England, whom the Jewish Chronicle called “one of the most outspoken Rabbis in the world.”
On Shabbos, Congregation Bais Bezalel Chabad on West Pico Boulevard will be hosting Rabbi Yaakov Lieder who has been involved in education for the past 28 years in a variety of positions in Israel, the U.S., and Sydney, Australia.
Then on Monday evening, one of the top Chabad officials will be on stage at the Congregation Shaarei Tefila on Beverly Blvd. for an interview conducted by Rabbi Moshe Weiss, Shliach in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, who served as the Rebbe’s secretary for over 40 years and Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and Machne Israel, Chabad’s educational and social services arms, will also take questions from the crowd.
FIRST EVER CONVENTION
Perhaps most exciting of all is the Unzere Kinder Convention, the first ever Chabad children’s conference taking place over the weekend in Los Angeles with 456 children from all over the State of California.
For the last six weeks, dozens of volunteers have been working overtime to prepare for this convention which serves to salute and empower the leaders of tomorrow, says the organizer Rabbi Mendel Duchman.
Organizers secured various shuls and catering halls in order to accommodate all the boys and girls (with proper separation as required in halacha).
“We are so grateful to the entire Anash Community from Los Angeles who have opened their homes (literally) to take in these children who are coming to the Orthodox Hancock Park neighborhood for a Shabbos experience they don’t get in their smaller communities,” says Mrs. Nechama Munitz, coordinator of the Convention Housing Committee.
The 35 hour convention will be featuring rabbis, educators and experts in youth upbringing who will be presenting lectures and workshops. Its guests are Rabbi Shimmy Weinbaum, program director of Tzivos Hashem International, and his wife Mrs. Zeldie Weinbaum, who grew up on Shlichus in Long Beach, CA.
The children will be divided into various bunks with the Head Counselor for the boys being Arye Perlstein, former Head Counselor of Camp Gan Israel of Florida, who will be flying in specially from Montreal.
Head Counselor for the girls division will be Mrs. Srula Chaiton, coordinator of the Convention and Youth Director of the Ezras Noshim.
Culminating the convention will be a musical Melave Malka Farbrengen by Shmuly and Bentzi Marcus, the lead singers of the world renowned 8th Day Band, which will take place in the beautifully designed sanctuary of Sharai Tefilah congregation.
Get Shochet and Jacobson out here a little more often
Substance, humor, inspiration. It’s no wonder they’re top dog in Chabad today
all ur hard work was worth it- i experienced the best shabbaton ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You were great
Keep coming back!!!
You rock, you are intelligent. Funny. Serious. Toichendik
This was the best event I have ever seen in LA since moving here! People got together with simcha and ahavas yisroel and just connected, to celebrate their connection to the Rebbe.
Thank you Rabbi Levin and crew!
simply the best!
on Friday night and heard Rabbi Shochet speak. I was inspired. I don’t often go on Shabbat day but I did and heard him again. The guy’s got energy but his message is what really got me. I will be attneding more often
I kept on poking into the convention on both days by davening
By the meals by the workshops to check up on my son
As this was the first time he was on his own
What struck me most was the perfection in both worlds the world of ruchniyois and gashmyoos
Very very balanced for the kids to see and more important to be part of it.
Rabbi lieder thank you
You inspired me
You touched my soul
You made me laugh
You made me cry
Your messages will stay with me
For a very very long time!
You Are a great man
A great soul
Thank you
there is one detail you missed-
you should of flown out your shvoger Rabbi Shimon hecht-
that would of completed the replica rally-
to walk in last night into the main sanctuary and see over 500
unzer kinder was pretty impressive- BUT then to see Rabbi Weinbaum of Tzvison hashem-NY run the rally and the PESUKIM -all i can imagine was 770 has arrived to la
To me the highlight of the whole convention was motsay shabboss, @ the main session when
suddenly the auditorium went dark and the cheder chior march in with lamp in there hands and suspenders.
Which said “lamplighters”
Those faces wow
so i just picked up my 3 children from the weekend convention, and my fist question was – what was the BEST part of the event?
and together they responded- THE WHOLE THING-
i simply couldnt calm them down on our one hour drive.
they were so uplifted,enegized,and excited.
all i could say to ALL the organizers- A JOB WELL DONE
we know in our chabad house WHEN a peula- reaches it fullest hatzlacha- based on my drive home – with my children in the back – i can say – hatzlacha INDEED!!
chazak chazak V’nizchazaik!!
go rabbi lieder
As a parent lucky enough to send his children to Kol Yaakov Yehudah, I wish that I had the opportunity to learn to Daven with such a Chayus as a child. What Rabbi and Rebbetzin Duchman (along with their entire family) have done for our children is nothing short of amazing. They are an inspiration and are true soldiers of the Rebbe. They should all be zoche to continue inspiring the next generation of fortunate Los Angeles Kinder.
Thank you for davening with our girls
Eating with our girls
Beautiful Workshops with our girls
You sem girls made this Shabbos!
LA is one lucky city, all the movers and shakers are there
Always thinking of you
love JJ
This is so amazing to see people work so hard for OUR children and give them these amazing experiences.
Kol hakavod to the entire Duchman Family for all your hard work and dedication that you give to our community! May Hashem bentch you with all the brochos!
To have Rabbi Mendel Duchman and family organizing this amazing shabbaton! A special thanks to Yizchock and Chaya 😉 !!!!
I was at Beis Bezalel on Shabbos. Rabbi Lieder and the shul’s new Rabbi Moshe Levin were uplifting and inspiring. Our community received great chizuk.
Your the best, LA is blessed to have him speak
You forgot to mention,
Run by Rabbi Moshe Levine,,
You forgot to mention the post sem shabbaton with rabbi rubenfeld ammmmaaazing!!
You forgot to mention Rabbi Zalman Lipsker from Philly, who came to THE LIBRARY SHUL in Pico for Shabbos to farbreng!
Went Thursday night to hear Jacobson. Heard Leider last night and Schochet today. My best and most sspiritually uplifting Shabbos/Yud Shevat ever! Thank you to all the organisers.
I have the best zaidy ever. from your grand son in toronto i wish i can be there
What an amazing endeavour. Kol hakavod to rabbi Duchman and his team. Hopefully other communities can learn from the emphasis Rabbi Duchman puts on inspiring our children because it is the children who are our guarantors.