40 Years of Shlichus Honored

A special new Sefer has just been released entitled “Venichbesha Ha’aretz” and was printed in honor of 40 years since the beginning of the Shlichus of Bochurim ‘Shluchim’ to Melbourne, Australia.

It is well known that the ‘Shlichus’ to Australia takes a very important place in the history of Shlichus, and merited tremendous attention from the Rebbe in his Sichos, letters, and countless answers in person and in writing. This very Shlichus that started over 40 years ago carries on till today, as six select ‘Temimim’ are sent for a two year period to the Yeshiva Gedolah in Melbourne.

The idea behind the Sefer was, the many times the Rebbe spoke about the Shluchim as being one continuum, a chain of one group after the other to illuminate an entire country. This idea was expressed in many rare ways by the Rebbe himself, such as instructing the Shluchim to mention all their predecessors on their visit to the ‘Kosel Hamaaravi’.

In spirit of the main mission the Shluchim have – “to conquer Australia through Torah learning,” – a decision was made to unite all the Shluchim by publishing a Sefer of ‘Pilpulim’ (Torah articles) written by the Shluchim themselves in honor of this occasion, as well as articles by the staff of the Yeshiva.

As an introduction to the Sefer, there appears a collection of the Sichos and “Yechidus” that the Shluchim merited, as well as letters and answers from the Rebbe – many being published for the first time. This is followed by a wealth of stories and personal experiences, shared by the Shluchim throughout the years, culminating with a list, recording the name of every Shliach.

The sefer was compiled last year by two of the Shluchim to Melbourne, Shmuel Shuchat and Mendel Dubov.

“The project started to unfold after a unique Farbrengen in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Shlichus,” say the editors, “after which we sent letters to all the Shluchim – who serve today as Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshivos, Mashpiim, and Shluchim around the world – asking them to participate.”

“The response was amazing. What a great feeling it was to sense the excitement that filled everyone. Soon the ‘Pilpulim’ the Shluchim wrote started coming in, accompanied by much of the material to be printed as the introduction to the Sefer.”

“For editing purposes we spoke to many of the Shlucim on the telephone, and the conversations would usually turn into a small ‘Farbrengen’ about their days as Shluchim in Melbourne, many of them asking to send regards to people whom they brought closer to Yidishkeit and Chasidus, who have now established Chasidishe families of their own.”

In the Sefer there is a special section in memory of one of the first Shluchim – Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kaplan A”H – marking his 10th Yartzeit, as well as a letter from Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Groner A”H – Shliach of the Rebbe to Melbourne and Rav of the Chabad congregation – who was known for his fondness and love to the Shluchim.

The printing was sponsored at large by the board of Yeshiva Gedolah headed by Rabbi Yoseph Yitzchak Gutnick, as well as other benefactors. The Shluchim would like to extend much thanks for their support, and wish them great success in all they do.

And on the same note the Shluchim would like to thank all those who gave from their precious time, and worked tirelessly for the Sefer to be published in a complete and beautiful manner, and wish them much success.

An important goal in publishing the Sefer was to guide and invigorate the ‘Talmidim Hashluchim’ in general, especially the Shluchim going on this special Shlichus to Melbourne. The editors, in the name of all the Shluchim, would like to extend their blessing of great success to them, and that we should see imminently the purpose of the Shlichus coming to its fulfilment, with the coming of Moshiach now!

For more information about the Sefer you can contact the editors – [email protected].