It Inspired: 700 Mark Gimmel Tammuz in Downtown Seattle

700 people joined an evening of tribute to the Rebbe by Chabad of Washington State. with former Chief Rabbi of Israel Yisrael Meir Lau. It led one participant to do something special the next morning... Full Story, Photos, Video

July 5, 2019 – 2 Tammuz 5779

By COLlive reporter

More than 700 people from the State of Washington packed into the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Downtown Seattle to pay tribute to the Rebbe on the 25th yartzeit on Gimmel Tammuz.

This year was the second mega event in Seattle titled “One People, One Heart – An Evening of Unity & Inspiration Commemorating the Teachings & Impact of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory.”

Upon entering the hall attendees received a bag with a beautiful magazine called “Judaism 101” as well as a small “ARK” Tzedaka box as the Hachlata of the evening was Mivtza Tzedaka.

The event was presented and organized by the Shluchim of Washington State and created and directed by Rabbi Shmuly Levitin of Chabad of Downtown Seattle. Support for the event was provided by Steven Baral, Alter and Debbie Levitin and the Holocaust Center for Humanity.

The Master of Ceremonies was Eli Almo, CEO of Era Living, with remarks shared by Head Shliach to the Pacific Northwest Rabbi Sholom Ber Levitin, Senior Shulcha Mrs. Chanie Levitin, and Mr. Baral, a businessman and Yad Vashem Board Member.

The keynote address was given by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, the former Chief Rabbi of Israel who survived the Holocaust and now serves as the chairman of the board of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Lau spoke very inspirationally and passionately about his relationship with the Rebbe and the Rebbe’s special & powerful Ahavas Yisroel.

“It was very impressive, especially with all of those people,” one participant commented. “I felt the speakers were all well selected, and I really enjoyed Rabbi Lau’s keynote.”

The morning after the event, organizers received an email that demonstrated the Rebbe’s motto that every endeavor should have an actionable impact on others.

“My husband and I really really enjoyed all the speakers and seeing the footage of the Rebbe,” a community member wrote. “My husband had stopped putting on tefilin regularly about a year ago, and this morning he got up and davened again. It was thanks to the event that inspired him to do so, and it sparked curiosity in our son. So thank you, it was a great night.”

VIDEO:

Participating organizations:

Regional Offices of Chabad-Lubavitch of the Pacific Northwest & Seattle
Rabbi Sholom Ber & Chanie Levitin
Rabbi Yechezkel Devorah Kornfeld (Adult Education)
Rabbi Avraham & Shprintza Kavka (Camp Gan Israel)

Chabad of Northwest Seattle
Rabbi Yoni & Mushka Levitin

Chabad of Whatcom County-Bellingham
Rabbi Avremi & Nissa Yarmush
Rabbi Yosef & Miriam-Noa Truxton

Chabad Capitol Hill
Rabbi Levi & Rivka Levitin

Chabad of Downtown Seattle & CYP Seattle
Rabbi Shmuel & Chaya Levitin

Chabad of Central Cascades -Issaquah
Rabbi Berry & Nechama Farkash

Chabad of Kirkland
Rabbi Chaim Shaul & Sarah Rivkin

Chabad of Snohomish county -Lynnwood
Rabbi Berel & Goldie Paltiel

Chabad of Mercer Island
Rabbi Nissan & Mushka Kornfeld

Eaststside Torah Center- Bellevue
Rabbi Mordechai & Rochie Farkash
Rabbi Sholom Ber & Chaya Elishevitz

Friendship Circle of Seattle
Rabbi Elazer & Esther Bogomilsky

Chabad of Thurston County – Olympia
Rabbi Yosef & Rivky Schtroks

Chabad Jewish Russian Center – Shoreline
Rabbi Yechezkel & Ora Rapoport