Chile Opens Its First Yeshiva With a Festive Celebration

The Jewish community of Chile, stretching along South America’s western edge, celebrated a historic milestone this week with the official establishment of its first Yeshivas Hashluchim. The festive evening drew local families, bochurim, and supporters.

The program opened with hatomim hashliach Motti Wenger, who outlined the many initiatives and activities that the new yeshiva will be launching, highlighting its role in strengthening Yiddishkeit and Chassidus across Chile.

This was followed by a special phone address from Rabbi Menashe Perman, Head Shliach of Chile, who expressed heartfelt joy at this long-awaited occasion. He encouraged the talmidei hashluchim to see themselves as pioneers carrying out the Rebbe’s vision, building a strong foundation of Torah and Chassidus in Chile.

The mashpia of the yeshiva, Rabbi Mendel Cohen, then shared words of inspiration, setting the spiritual tone and vision for the students.

The program’s sponsor, Mr. Ari Fried, spoke emotionally about his personal journey, recalling how his early encounters with Lubavitch bochurim left a lasting impression on him and ignited his love for Chabad. He expressed his deep joy and excitement at seeing a yeshiva now established in Chile, and how its bochurim will help shape and strengthen the Jewish community.

The audience was then uplifted by divrei Torah from hatomim hashliach Eli Hecht, who spoke about a sicha of the Rebbe on this year’s Masecht Bava Kama and explained how a שור מועד can be transformed back into a שור תם through a שינוי רשות, relating this lesson to our work with our נפש הבהמית by getting involved in the רשות of Torah and mitzvos.

The keynote address of the evening was delivered by Rabbi Osher Farkash, mashpia of the Chabad Yeshiva in Argentina. Rabbi Farkash shared a powerful teaching from the Rebbe’s father, Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, on the very name “Chile.” He explained that the word is made up of “צל” (shadow, darkness) and “א-ל” (Hashem), symbolizing the mission to transform darkness into light, and to illuminate Chile with the light of Torah and Chassidus. His words deeply moved the crowd and set a meaningful tone for the evening.

The program continued with a spirited farbrengen, led by Rabbi Farkash and opened by Rabbi Ishai Liberson, one of the shluchim in Santiago, and Rabbi Meir Perman, Shliach in Santiago and rosh yeshiva. The farbrengen lasted late into the night, with joyous dancing interspersed throughout, filling the room with achdus and simcha.

The establishment of Yeshivas Hashluchim in Chile marks a new chapter in Jewish life in the region, serving as a beacon of Torah, Chassidus, and light — transforming “צל” into “א-ל.”

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