By COLlive reporter
The Global Yarchei Kallah in New York, which has been the venue of scholarly discussions in Torah during the summer, will not be held in person for the first time in 46 years.
The high-level conference of rabbis, Roshei Yeshivos and Mashpiim was established in 1974 (5734) to honor the yartzeit of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, father of the Rebbe and chief rabbi of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnipro in Ukraine).
Under the auspices of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International chaired by Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, Yarchei Kallah would be held for 4-5 days at Camp Gan Israel, the first Chabad-Lubavitch overnight boys camp in Parksville, NY.
With the closure of New York area camps due to the pandemic and travel still restricted, Rabbi Shemtov has announced that the Yarchei Kallah will be held entirely online, giving the wider public the opportunity to participate in the in-depth learning.
It will be taking place on Monday, 20th of Av 5780 (August 10, 2020), beginning in the morning and provide a full day of shiurim in Torah, halacha and Chassidus presented by some of the respected participants of the annual Yarchei Kallah.
In doing so, Rabbi Shemtov explains, the Yarchei Kallah will provide a throwback to its origin approximately 1800 years ago when the Sages and many Jews would gather together for collective Torah study in Babylonia.
When Rabbi Shemtov renewed this age-old custom, the gathering was accepted and approved by the Rebbe and the Rebbe himself identified with this initiative. Once, in the midst of a farbengen held on the same Shabbos as Yarchei Kallah, he referred to the gathering and said: “This is my project.”
When Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Hirschberg, chief Rabbi of Mexico, reported that he had participated in the Yarchei Kallah, the Rebbe highlighted the connection to his own father, explaining that the mitzvah of honoring one’s parents continues after their passing and that the most consummate honor that can be paid is the study of the Torah.
This year’s Yarchei Kallah will be broadcast from Camp Gan Israel, the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch in Kfar Chabad, Israel, and from the locations of each of the speakers who will be joining from around the world.
