A Visit to Rebbe’s Brother’s Kever

By COLlive Staff

Camp YTT for teen girls, directed by Mrs. Miryam Swerdlov, visited the Kever Achim of the Rebbe’s brother Reb Dovber, who was murdered by the Nazis in 1942. This is the first time a group of Chabad women and girls visited this Kever, where a stone marker stands to mark the spot.

“It was so emotional to stand there as the representatives of all Chabad, at the very place where Reb Dovber was murdered by the Nazis in 1942,” said one camper. “We felt the responsibility of representing all who could not be there.”

The group sang Reb Leivik’s nigun, said Tehillim, and “tried to include all of Chabad in our tefillos and thoughts,” she said. “After all, we were the first womens’ group to be there. Ever.”

The trip to many parts of Ukraine included a stay at the incredibly magnificent Menora Center in Dnepropetrovsk, where they saw firsthand the work of Rabbi and Mrs. Kamenetzki and all the other Shluchim. Everything, including the meals, were top of the line.

The group also visited Charkov and Zhitomir, and spent Shabbos in pastoral Mezibush by the Baal Shem Tov.

“Being by the Alter Rebbe was holier than I can describe, here is where we are really from! This makes us who we are! Thank you Rebbe for teaching us about the Alter Rebbe and instilling in us to say Chitas every day,” exclaimed another teen camper.

At the Kever of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Maggid, Reb Zushe and Reb Levi Yitzchok of Barditchev, each place they learned a piece of their teachings and how it applies to us today.

“It was like a five day farbrengen with 19 women, 48 campers, counselors and staff,” describes Mrs. Swerdlov.

After the trip to Ukraine, the experience was not over, by any means.

The group then traveled to Israel for 4, over the top, weeks.

“We swam, we kayaked, we tubed, we climbed, we hiked, we danced, we snappled, we jeeped, we went camel back riding – we experienced Eretz Yisroel in all its glory,” a camper described.

“Imagine, Hashem put every kind of topography in such a tiny land, so that every Shevet would have what every Shevet needs,” she said.

“We studied and understood the map, the happenings in chronological order, we know the Bais Hamikdosh well, we are ready to help build it. We even studied Modern Israel and the Rebbe’s opinion on it. Eye opening.”

Shabbosim were spent at Miron with the Rashbi, Kfar Chabad, and the highlight: an unforgettable Shabbos in Chevron with Shluchim Rabbi Danny and Batsheva Cohen.

“All in all, this was life changing. We felt connected to the Rebbe, we became better Yidden, better Chassidim,” says a camper. “We all want to thank our parents for giving us the opportunity to grow, to see that you can have a very Chassidish very good time. Believe me, it was a great investment, you will see the dividends till Moshiach comes.”

Thank you Shosh for all the arrangements, thank you Mrs. Swerdlov for all the insights and farbrengens.

Thank you Malka Friedman, Rochel Raitman and Shari Junik for being great counselors.