By COLlive reporter
Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar made sure his 50th birthday will be long remembered and have lasting impact by turning it into a “Community Day.”
Thousands of Jews, of all ages and backgrounds, came to a festival that lasted for 6 hours, held at the “Jewish square” between the Jewish Museum, the Sharei Tzedek Charity Center and the Talmud Torah Cheder Menachem in Moscow.
The celebration began with the welcoming of a new Torah donated by the Simanov family and the inauguration of a new Aron Kodesh in the Mesivta, where hundreds of students learn. It was coordinated by Rabbi Yossi Lipsker, Director of the local Jewish educational institutions.
Live Jewish music welcomed participants as they headed to a tent to personally wish a happy birthday to Rabbi Lazar, the Chabad Shliach who helped the unprecedented revival of Jewish life in the former Soviet Union.
Five booths set up nearby, designed by Mrs. Elya Segal, offered a wealth of information about the services, programs and activities Chabad offers in Russia’s capital, from synagogues and education to kosher food, soup kitchens and humanitarian aid.
A highlight of the festival was the presentation of five new vehicles that will join the fleet of cars of the Sharei Tzedek center to deliver food and nutrition to the elderly and lonely in the community. It was donated thanks to the help of Rabbi Alexander Boroda, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia.
There were many guides and booklets given out to participants, including a personal Tehillim translated to Russian, coordinated by Rabbi Schneur Halperin.
Later, during a farbrengen, Rabbi Lazar was presented with a unique gift: The printing of 1000 sets of the Biurim B’Maamarei Rabeinu, the series of commentary on the Rebbe’s chassidic discourses, in his honor.
The books will be published by the Gutnick Institute and will include over 30 maamarim explained and annotated by a staff headed by Rabbi Mendy Ashkenazi of Kfar Chabad, Israel. They will be sold at a 40% discount.
“This is the best gift I’ve ever received,” Rabbi Lazar commented. Members of the Jewish community in Moscow might add that this was the best “birthday party” they’ve been at in a while.
Mazal Tov, Rabbi Lazar! You are AMAZING!! You do everything you can to help the entire Jewish Community of Russia!! It is amazing that you are responsible for the entire Jewish community of the ENTIRE RUSSIA, which is HUGE!! Happy 50th Birthday! I give you a Brachah that you should be extremely successful in all that you do , everything that you wish Hashem should grant you, you should continue being the amazing person that you are, and you should be zoche to have Arichas Yomim L’shanim, in good health, until the age of 120, and you should have much… Read more »
now thats how u throw a birthday party!
Yaarich Yomim al Mamlachtoi.
What a Previous Rebbe and our Rebbe !- who enabled yiddishkeit to survive – and all the thousands who gave their lives al kiddush Hashem and Torah and mitzvos – and now the so talented shluchim of the Rebbe who have been doing the job! – Go, Rabbi Lazar!
Ashreinu mah tov chelkainu! Happy is our lot!
amayzing! kidush Hashem!
I wish we had that in privious years, when we as a little kids werent allowed to know that we are jewish and anything abot judaism. Its just Moshiach Time. Its unbelievable to see such a kdusha in such strict, tumha state. Baruch Hashem. Thank God for chosing us to be his nation and help us to observe his mitsvos. Thank God.
what nachas for the rebbe!
I was lucky enough to be there. There was an amazing atmosphere of achdus and jewish pride throughout!
There weren’t 5 stands as you write, but 50! Fifty stands with Jewish content! There were hundreds of people there! It was a wonderful way for the community members and shluchim who worked hard together to show appreciation to our amazing head shliach! May Hashem continue to give him koach and gezunt to keep on going higher and higher!
mazal tov!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re the guy!!!
מזל טוב 180
Happy birthday, Rabbi Lazar. Looking at the pictures, I can’t believe this is Russia. May Yiddishkeit continue to flourish there, unimpeded. Eat your hearts out Czars and Commies.