By COLlive Staff
For the first time in history, on the yahrzeit of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Tehillim and Mishnayos were recited all day and night – and minyanim for all three tefilos were conducted – at his gravesite.
For the past 18 years, since Chabad Shluchim arrived in Almaty, a special event has been held at the gravesite every year, commemorating Rabbi Levi Yitzchok as well as giving local residents the chance to understand his life and work and what he did for Russian Jewry in the Communist era.
Each year, the ohel (gravesite) would be open during daylight hours for people to pray and write notes (known as “panim”) with their individual requests.
Last year, two American Chabad businessmen, Avi Shaulson of Miami and Shmueli Stern of Crown Heights, visited the ohel and joined a farbrengen with the Head Shliach and Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen. The two had then suggested (well after dawn…) that in the coming year, a group of Chabad yeshiva students should be brought from Israel to learn Mishnayos and recite Tehillim at the ohel, and they immediately offered to cover all of the expenses that this would involve.
The idea was enthusiastically accepted and the work began. In the branches of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Tzefat and Haifa, a special learning campaign got under way. The students learned the works of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok and were tested on their learning. Those who excelled then took part in a lottery for a ticket to the ohel, to spend a week with the shluchim and the local Jewish community.
On 18th Menachem Av, 14 yeshiva students, accompanied by the head of Kazakhstan Jewry, Rabbi Moshe David Cohen, landed in Kazakhstan. They were greeted by local shluchim, while the preparations for the anniversary of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok’s passing went into high gear.
At the Chabad House, the boys followed a packed schedule of study and dedicated some of the day to learn with local people, who were impressed to see so many young Jewish students learning together. At the same time, preparations were made for the upcoming events, bringing equipment and setting up the area near the ohel.
When the big day came, the ohel had been bustling like never before. For 25 hours, from before sunset until after nightfall on the next day, the yeshiva students and the shluchim took shifts studying and praying at the ohel in groups in the otherwise lonely and eerie cemetery, ensuring that the tzaddik’s resting place was not left alone for even a moment. Advance notice among the community of this first-ever endeavor brought many locals to join the shifts throughout the night and day in addition to guests who had arrived from overseas to be at the ohel on this special day.
Arrangements were made to ensure complete access to the gravesite throughout the night: in contrast to the rest of the entirely dark cemetery, the path to the ohel enjoyed lighting; security guards were stationed nearby; and the cemetery gates were left open to allow vehicles entry around the clock.
In addition, another historic milestone was marked on Chof Av this year: for the first time in history, all three tefilos were conducted with a minyan at the ohel, fulfilling a wish the Rebbe had expressed over twenty years ago.
The annual event, too, proved to be a huge success. At 2:00 pm, when the expected congregation convened, Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen read a “pan” that had been written on behalf of the whole community. Afterwards, there was a “Seder Niggunim,” in which the yeshiva students, visitors, and local residents took part, followed by a communal Tehillim recital. Everyone then headed to the Chabad House where a large farbrengen was held for the whole community.
In addition to the generous sponsors, Avi Shaulson and Shmueli Stern, who indeed covered all the expenses of this monumental initiative, while propelling it forward through every stage, many guests from abroad enhanced the experience. Among the various Chabad personalities from around the world who attended were Rabbi Moshe Lipa Rabinowitz of Jerusalem (whose birthday is on 20th Menachem Av), shluchim Rabbi Yochanan Butman of Chadera, Israel and Rabbi Velvel Butman of Westchester County, New York.
Throughout the rest of the week, the students received an on-site, practical course on shlichus in faraway places with hands-on workshops delivered by the shluchim, covering various relevant topics.
Shaulson sees this year’s intensified attendance at this sacred place and time as the minimal respect due Rabbi Levi Yitzchok and hopes that it will increase in the future. “When a small group first made a pilgrimage to Uman,” remarked Stern, “no one – not even they themselves – had imagined what it would grow into.”
May all the tefilos be miskabel, in the zechus of this great tzadikm
B”H
You the man Shmuli,great endeavor, keep up the good work and increase
PS who handles your wardrobe design
Shmuel Stern is a light in an otherwise dark place. A true chossid and mekushar to the rebbe’s work, it should surprise no one to see Shmuel at the Ohel of Reb Levi’k on his yhartzeit davening not merely for his own needs but also for the needs of his close chaveirim,
Sammy u the man great stuff brother
I am happy that YG Tzfas/Hafia is in the news for a positive reason. Bochurim not only willing to go on shlichus to 3rd world countries, but are willing to do extra test’s to earn the trip. This is a very nice thing that the sponsor’s and shluchim arranged.
It’s so nice to see these shluchim doing what the Rebbe wants to the fullest extent.