‘Keynote’ Inspires Home Crowd

By COLlive reporter

The annual “Inspire” Yud Tes Kislev Celebration in London UK was a beautiful occasion with over 700 people participating, held at the Prince and Princess banqueting suite in Edmonton.

The evening began with the recitation of Tehillim by Chief Rabbi of Holland Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs, who was in London for his son’s wedding. This was followed by a fascinating presentation by Rabbi Saul Djanogly who explained what brought him close to Chabad and learning Chassidus.

Saul is an ordained rabbi and educator but had never been exposed to Chabad. One day he picked up Kuntres Inyono Shel Toras Hachassidus from the Rebbe and when he learned it , it “blew his mind.” Under the guidance of Rabbi Shmuel Lew, he now learns Chassidus daily and is about to publish a book entitled “The Kabbalah of Money”, and he is a member of the Beis Gavriel Shul in Hendon whose Rav is Rabbi Menachem Junik.

At the end of his presentation, he made an offer to the audience that he had 14 free Hayom Yoms to give out if the person coming to get them would take on to learn Hayom Yom every day. There was a rush of people to the podium to claim the Hayom Yom’s, and Saul gave out his email address and asked people to connect with him and he would supply them with all the online links to learn chassidus. He reported that immediately over 30 people had requested the links.

The Nigun Pada Vesholom was sung by Chazzan Eli Sufrin after which there was Simchas Torah-like dancing enjoyed by all.

The Guest Speaker was Rabbi Yossi Lew who enthralled all by talking about “food” and how we need to look past the external veneer and utilize the G-dly spark within. Rabbi Lew told many touching stories of how food was used to make Baalei Teshuva and how we can reach out to people and touch their neshomos by the offer of food. He cleverly linked this with the theme of Yud Tes Kislev – and after the main event carried on with a farbrengen at the Yeshiva Gedola until the wee hours.

Over Shabbos, Rabbi Lew was Guest at a Shabbaton in Wimbledon – Friday night with students and young professionals in the home of Rabbi Dovid and Sora Cohen and Shabbos day at the Chabad House. On Motzei Shabbos he addressed a group of post-seminary girls after which he was the Guest Speaker at the Siyum HoRambam in Lubavitch House Stamford Hill.

The Inspire event was enhanced by the publication of Shaar Hachassidus – three chapters of introductory essays in Chassidus – attached.

The evening was organised and chaired by Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov, Shliach in Wimbledon, South London.