By COLlive reporter
What does it take to paint a memorable photo of the Rebbe glowing with a smile during Kos Shel Bracha on Motzoei Rosh Hashana in 5736?
120 hours.
That’s how long it took Chabad bochur Shmulik Sofer to recreate the image of the Rebbe taken by the photographer Levi Freidin at the main shul of 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.
Sofer has been drawing since he was a young boy in school and has especially focused on drawing the Rebbe. His paintings have already been sold to wide praise.
He began working on this painting half a year ago. He began with painting the Rebbe, and then followed by painting the Rebbe’s aides, Rabbi Leibel Groner OBM, the mashbak Rabbi Meir Harlig, Rabbi Binyomin Klein OBM, as well as 770 Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mordechai Mentlick OBM.
While he was working on the painting, Sofer read an article in the Kfar Chabad magazine that recounts the background of this black and white photo.
Rabbi Yossi Chitrik, Director of the Beit Chana Seminary in Tzfas, was a bochur at 770 at the time. He wrote how uncommon was the working style of Freidin when he first arrived in Crown Heights to photograph the Rebbe that year.
“He had a lot of courage and was quite bold, having already photographed presidents, prime ministers, etc,” Rabbi Chitrik recalled. “His style was unfamiliar to us and even very upsetting to us. He constantly pushed forward and came face to face in front of the Rebbe, standing with his camera at every opportunity.”
“In retrospect,” Rabbi Chitrik admitted, “we owe a great debt to Freidin for the thousands of photos that he left us, and for opening the ‘channels’ for other photographers who came after him.”
In any event, on that Motzoei Rosh Hashana, Rabbi Chitrik was particularly bothered when Freidin stood on the opposite side of the farbrengen table, as the Rebbe was bentching Bracha Acharona.
“It was the epitome of chutzpa in my eyes,” Rabbi Chitrik wrote. “I couldn’t hold back and jumped behind him and hugged him as I fell back. Just then, he began screaming to the Rebbe, “Rebbe, they’re hounding me!”
“The Rebbe looked at him, and with a wide smile he asked Freidin to take his picture…”
The final painting, sized 90x60cm, is available for purchase by emailing: [email protected]
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What a talent!
I’d loveto see more of this art m. Does he sell his art
Yes. [email protected]
Amazing! So accurate.
Such a talent and beautiful story behind.
Thank you to rabbi chitrik.
Insane!!
Impressive!
Beautiful, continued success!
Painting or drawing?
wish i was that talented!!