By COLlive staff
The British love their holidays, and as they are so particular about it, when the 25th of December falls on the weekend, they extend public holidays during the week. This year, with Hashgacha Pratis, the final day of the holiday fell on Chof Daled Teves, and the Chabad community took the opportunity to join a special morning of learning.
With many off of work due to the holiday, a morning of learning was held in Heichal Menachem, located in Golders Green, which currently hosts the local Yeshiva Gedola as well, which is under construction following major flooding a few months ago.
“The New Jersey Shliach Rabbi Sholom Ber Gordon once said a vort, that ‘the English love a holiday, because they turn it into a holy-day,'” said Rabbi Yechiel Wilhelm, who organized the event under the direction of the shul’s Rov, rabbi Gedalia Lieberman. “And yesterday, we could really see that here in our community. So many people came out to learn, it was very inspiring for all.”
The morning kicked off with a Chassidus Shiur with Rabbi Mendel Gordon, Mashpia in the Yeshiva, who gave an in-depth shiur on part of the famous maamar from the Alter Rebbe called the “frummer vaeira.”
After Shacharis and a full breakfast, the crowd was treated to a Shiur with Rabbi Leibush Heller, who taught a halacha from the Tzemach Tzedek on netilas yodayim, based on the Alter Rebbe’s psak.
Rabbi Yosef Weinberg, popular local Rov and maggid Shiur in Yeshiva Ketana Lubavitch, gave a fascinating overview of a posuk in last week’s parsha, with insights from midrashim, poskim and more.
In the evening, close to 100 members of Anash, Shluchim and Temimim from across London joined for a 4 hour Farbrengen. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Kesselman, Mashipa from Johannesburg, who is visiting London, led the farbrengen for over 2 hours. Reb Pesach Nussbaum, member of Anash in Montreal, retold stories from his personal growth in Yiddishkeit and his many interactions with the Rebbe.
