The annual gathering of Chabad Shluchim —bringing together 6,500 Jewish leaders, dispersed over all 50 states and 100+ countries—is now in full swing, has brought to the streets of Crown Heights a convergence of international Jewry. The ongoing war in Israel has, according to a recently released survey from Chabad.org, brought about a Jewish resurgence—despite an alarming rise in anti-semitism—which is sure to have a strong mark on the conference.
Thursday’s 50 workshops brought together representatives of the manifold range of world Jewry to discuss a fittingly diverse range of subjects. Topics included the pressing and the everpresent, ranging from crisis intervention to antisemitism, from growing the ranks of Hebrew Schools to counseling grieving families.
In light of the current situation, there were panel discussions on relevant perspectives on the Land of Israel and its eternal Jewish connection, alongside guidance for implementing best security practices.
Special mention is worthy for the workshops with veteran Chabad emissaries, who shared the ever-relevant guidance they received from the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, the most influential rabbi in modern history and leader of the Chabad movement.
“This year’s theme is to uplift ourselves, our environment, and, through that, the world,” is how Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky opened the evening’s general session. “The world today looks to us for answers, for leadership. Let’s focus these few days on the clarity the Rebbe showed us in challenging times. Returning to our respective locations dedicated to those ideals, we will surely be an indomitable uplifting force.”
Utilizing event spaces throughout Brooklyn, this year’s conference debuted focus-summits on high-priority categories. The Halacha Seminar was a full-day symposium equipping shluchim with essential knowledge on today’s most pressing issues.
The Wellness Summit, meanwhile, had renowned experts training Shluchim in essential skills to be pillars of support for their communities in times of crisis.
At the Youth Summit, shluchim focused on younger demographics networked and shared ideas to accelerate the growth of Chabad’s youth network worldwide. CKids and CTeen Networks, as well as growth and development strategies, were the focus topics of the summit.
Rabbi Shmuel Levertov, who heads Chabad of Leander, TX, describes the energy as ‘electrifying.’ “The forward-thinking techniques I learned from my peers today,” says Levertov, “demonstrate their absolute dedication to the Jewish nation. I look forward to spending the coming few days with the most powerful army for good, the unassuming individuals whose actions are changing the world.”
Video: Shalom Carroll – Kinus.com
