Video Surprises Rostov Shluchim

By COLlive reporter

The Jewish community in Rostov gathered this past month at the Russian city’s main synagogue for a family celebration that each felt as if it was their own.

The Upshernish haircutting ceremony of 3-year-old Meir Simcha Danzinger, son of the city’s Chabad Shluchim Rabbi Chaim and Kaila Danzinger, was seen as a community event.

Participants were invited to each cut a snippet of hair on the child, as customary in Jewish tradition.

The event carried the theme of “being a lamplighter,” a saying by the Rebbe Rashab that each chossid should illuminate the world around him and her.

It was a fitting tribute to the 5th Chabad Rebbe whose resting place is in Rostov and whose yartzeit was on the 20th of Cheshvan, the date the Upshernish took place.

What the Danzingers didn’t expect was for participants to exemplify that same theme and project it during the celebration…

In honor of the Shluchim, a group of young adults filmed a short video in which each has taken upon themselves a new Mitzvah that they will be doing regularly in honor of the occasion.

“It was a tremendous and heartwarming gift,” a moved Rabbi Danzinger commented. “Most of these youth come from assimilated homes and have had their first Jewish encounter in recent months and years.”

Among the resolutions taken were putting on Tefillin, coming to shul on a weekly basis, and observing Shabbos once a month. A 26-year-old student even announced at the event that he will undergo a bris in the coming weeks.

In response, Rabbi and Mrs. Danzinger announced that they will accomodate all the youth who took upon themselves to keep shabbos once a month. “We will be offering accommodations as most live far away from shul,” they said.

Participants then broke out in dance, singing the Chassidic melody “Rostov niggun,” and later make a trip together to visit the resting place of the Rebbe Rashab.