Aliya, the Chabad house that “reaches in” has recently launched its fourth such Center – in Melbourne, Australia.
Rabbi Yakov Feiglin and his wife Mushkie (nee Feigenson), younger brother of Rabbi Moishe Feiglin, was inspired by his brother’s operation in Crown Heights and decided to duplicate it in his hometown of Melbourne.
Both brothers spent time as Shluchim in Wilkes Barre, PA as bochurim, before embarking on their own derivatives of Wilkes Barre Youth Development Program.
Following the success of Aliya in Crown Heights, Matisyahu Abarvanel started a similar operation in Miami, Florida and a couple of years ago Aliya helped launch a girls division of Aliya in Crown Heights run by Rabbi Meir and Chaviva New.
The latest addition is the Aliya Youth Space of Melbourne. Last week, celebrating Tu B’Av, they took advantage of Moishe Feiglin being in town for his grandfather R’ Shmuel ben Moishe Zalmen Feiglin’s Yorzeit. Reb Shmuel O.H. was the youngest son of Moishe Zalmen Feiglin O.H. who was the founder of Chabad in Australia) and got him to Farbreng with them. He brought the warmth, love and joy of Aliya in Crown Heights and shared many amazing stories of their sister-program until the wee hours of the morning.
It was amazing to see how the same special energy felt in New York and Miami, was now being duplicated in Melbourne.
The scene was similar to a typical Thursday night Farby at Aliya on East New York Avenue – a warm vibe, deep discussions about Hashem amid a background noise of pool table and foos-ball games, singing, and inspirational hachlotos being made – except this time the beautiful young faces around the table all had Aussie accents. Even Moishe’s Aussie accent came back in full.
Their father, Reb Mottel Feiglin together with this other two sons Yossi and Eli Feiglin were also in attendance to enjoy this revolutionary farbrengen. The Aliya boys relished the opportunity to get to know more of Yakov’s family, especially Moishe, the pioneer of what they now enjoy so much in Melbourne.
Rabbi Feiglin please keep up the good work that you do .
We had run out of ideas and didn’t know who we could turn to.
Thank G-d that your Moised is now here for our mishpocha as well as for all of the other mishpochas that desperately are in need of the warmth and inspiration that Aliya is providing these boys.
Wow! wonderful to see that the full spectrum of the community is being catered for.
I dont know the Feiglan family but from what i see they are good people. Hashem should bless them.
You are awesome!!! Aliya is an essential Shluchos in our community. Thank you Feiglins for your work.
i think every community should have a branch of aliya
Its berish ,berel , berry!