Kids Inspire Community to Adopt Chabad’s Shabbos Custom

Long ago, in hamlets and villages scattered across Europe, the simple Jewish farmers and workers had a tradition. Every Shabbos, rain or shine, they would gather together in the shul to recite words of Tehillim. Many of these simple Yidden never learned how to read or write, so they would chant the words of Tehillim by heart. Their holy words, spoken with pure love for Hashem, burst through the gates of Heaven and soared to the loftiest heights.

Over the years, this beautiful practice was slowly lost. Many Yidden forgot about the power and holiness of Tehillim! Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, brought the tradition back by instituting that Chassidim should recite the Tehillim in shul every Shabbos Mevorchim.

Fast forward to the year 2020. Anshei Lubavitch is a shul in Montreal that was facing a big dilemma. On freezing winter mornings, it was hard for people to wake up early and trek to shul to say Tehillim. Many people were opting to say Tehillim at home instead. Nobody knew how to get people to come to Shul early on Shabbos Mevorchim!

The Midrash Rabah says that Hashem asked the Jewish people for a guarantor who would assure Him that the Torah would be studied and observed diligently. First the Yidden said, “Our fathers will be the guarantors.” But Hashem was not satisfied. Then the Yidden said, “Our leaders will be the guarantors.” Again, Hashem was not satisfied. Finally, they said, “Our children will be the guarantors.” This time, Hashem was satisfied! Hashem knew that the children would cherish and keep His Torah forever. Not only that— they would also influence their parents to do the same.

So Anshei Lubavitch of Montreal decided to put the fate of Shabbos Mevorchim Tehillim in the childrens’ hands. Five boys under the age of Bar Mitzvah formed a kids committee for the new Anshei Tehillim Club. These boys poured their hearts and souls into making Shabbos Mevorchim Tehillim a smashing success. They asked people to sponsor prizes, raffles and delicious treats. One sponsorship came from as far away as New York, when Mr. and Mrs. Osher Karnowsky sponsored five dollars per child in memory of their beloved son Shmuel Karnowsky OBM. The kids posted fliers around town encouraging other children to come to shul on Shabbos Mevorchim morning. They passionately told their friends about the importance of saying Tehillim, and encouraged everyone they knew to join.

In the first few weeks, the Anshei Tehillim Club had around ten children coming to shul every Shabbos Mevorchim. Pretty soon, word of the phenomenal program spread and the numbers grew. Kids from other shuls in the neighborhood started joining. Every child who came to say Tehillim received a fresh mezonos treat with chocolate milk, and entered a raffle for amazing gifts like segways, drum sets, spikeballs, and gift certificates to Seforim stores! The club became so popular that some of the young girls of Anshei Lubavitch decided to form a girl’s Tehillim club too!

“It’s a real team effort,” says Shraga Langsam, 10, one of the founders of the Anshei Tehillim Club. “Everyone on the committee is super excited about the club, and our hope is that it will expand to more and more cities around the world!”

Now, entering its second year, the Anshei Tehillim Club has an average of 130 children every Shabbos Mevorchim. The children come from different shuls in the neighborhood and gather together to recite the Tehillim in sweet and soulful voices. Of course, with all those children coming to shul early in the morning, plenty of parents are joining as well. And just like in days of old, their holy words of Tehillim, spoken with so much love for their Creator, are surely soaring up above and hastening the arrival of Moshiach.