500 Get Inspired in Los Angeles

By COLlive reporter

“If we, who do not specifically identify as Chabad, are ever dismissive of you; if we ever speak negatively, I want you to know it’s because you threaten us; it’s because you make us question if we are passionate enough about our Judaism whether we’re doing enough for Klal Yisroel…”

These were the opening words of Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn, dean of Yeshivas Yavneh, at the Gimmel Tammuz symposium hosted by Maayon Yisroel Chassidic Center in Los Angeles, in conjunction with Sha’arei Tefilah.

Last Sunday night, in an incredible show of unity, over 500 members of the Los Angeles Jewish community came together to commemorate and reflect on twenty years since Gimmel Tammuz.

Five distinguished rabbis, representing various sectors of the Jewish community, shared their perspectives on the Rebbe and his lasting impact on world Jewry. The evening was emceed by Rabbi Moshe Kesselman, rav of Sha’arei Tefilah.

Noted historian and dean of YULA girl’s high school, Rabbi Avraham Lieberman, spoke of the unparalleled vision and influence of the Rebbe, and encouraged the audience to take advantage of the Rebbe’s many published works, specifically on Rashi.

Rabbi Einhorn, who is also the creator of the WINGS consulting group for synagogues in the USA, discussed the Rebbe’s Torah scholarship, giving two examples of his brilliant chiddushim. In the past, he presented “7 powerful ideas from the Rebbe that can change your life” on the Yeshiva University’s website.

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, noted scholar and professor at Loyola University, began with a disclaimer that ideologically and temperamentally he stands as far away from Chassidus as possible, however at the same time he considers the Rebbe’s leadership unique in every respect. He emphasized that unlike other Jewish leaders, the Rebbe was concerned about every area of life that affected the Jewish people and the world as a whole.

Rabbi Moshe Bryski, head shliach in the Conejo valley, spoke about the challenges the Rebbe faced in his early years of leadership and how He lifted an entire generation, one Jew at a time, one mitzva at a time.

Rabbi Reuven Wolf, director of Maayon Yisroel, discussed the Rebbe’s mission, as the seventh and last generation before moshiach, of reaching the lowest places and breaking through the last barriers of concealment in this physical world.

Throughout the evening the audience was treated to moving performances of the thirteen nigunim that the Rebbe taught us, played by pianist Rabbi Dovid Lipson and violinist Ami Levi.

VIDEO: Full footage of the event