Fathers and Sons Join Shabbos Hakhel in Cincinnati

This past Shabbos, Parshas Teruma 5783, over 50 fathers from all across the US and Canada arrived at Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati for the annual “Father and Son” Hakhel Shabbos.

The fathers were greeted with a custom-designed welcome bag with information regarding the Shabbos schedule and program. The yeshivah is deeply grateful for the generous warmth and hospitality of the local community of Cincinnati, who hosted the many fathers who came.

The Shabbos weekend began with very lebedike “Adar dancing” on Thursday night. It continued, with Friday morning Shacharis in the Beis Medrash. After davening and a delicious breakfast, all in attendance participated in a captivating shiur on Hakhel by Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson, the yeshivah’s senior maggid shiur. The parents then went to their host families and many then went out with their sons on mivtzoim.

The Yeshiva moved into the local chabad shul for mincha and Maariv. The fathers learned a was followed by a heartwarming seder nigunim. After kabolas Shabbos, the fathers and sons took their seats in the Beis Medrash, specially set-up for the occasion under the direction of the Menahel Gashmi, Rabbi Eliyahu Morrison. The yeshivah extends heartfelt thanks to Rabbi Morrison for his great dedication and involvement in general, with extra appreciation for his attentive efforts toward making this Shabbos event successful.

During the course of the seudah, divrei Torah and Hisorerus were shared by hatmimim Yehuda Chakoff (NY) and Yisroel Melamed (CH) as well as shluchim Rabbi Levi Heber (CH), Rabbi Yehuda Spritzer (PA). The fathers and sons farbrenged together at length after the seudah, completing the evening’s program.

On Shabbos morning, Chaver Hanhalla Rabbi Shmuel Granovetter gave a special shiur Chassidus on a Purim Maamer. Following Shacharis, which included a strong chinuch-drasha by the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, all the fathers and sons joined together for a Shabbos seudah with the fathers’ host families as well as in Yeshiva. After Minchah, there was a special farbrengen in the Zal with Rabbi Levi Simpson, mashpia in Yeshiva. The farbrengen was followed by Maariv, a video of the Rebbe and dancing for Chodesh Adar led by musician Rabbi Dovid Altein (Kingston, PA).

Later that evening, a special Melave Malkah seudah took place in the yeshivah’s Boymel Rabbinical College. The parents saw a special slide-show presentation of the Rebbe’s Chasuna (as this year is 100 years since the Rebbe met the Rebbetzen) from Rabbi Zalman Hertzel and the Keynote: Veteran Mechanech, Rabbi Shmuel Heber.

On Sunday morning there was a chinuch seminar for the fathers, organized by the Menahel of the yeshivah, Rabbi Menachem Benarousse. The seminar was led by Rabbi Shmuel Heber. Later in the day, fathers had the opportunity to meet privately with the teachers to discuss their sons’ progress and growth.

The weekend concluded with parents, bochurim, and hanhalah alike inspired and energized to fulfill the Rebbe’s shlichus “to be mekabel p’nei Moshiach tzidkeinu bepo’el mamash!”