By COLlive reporter
Photos: Sadya Liberow/COLlive
The historic Rally for Israel on Tuesday, during which an estimated 290,000 people from all walks of Jewish life gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was not only a massive sign of unity and support for the people of Israel, but was also the largest day ever of Mivtzoim in the US Capital.
Hundreds of Lubavitch men and bochurim as well as girls and women who attended headed out to the rally armed with Tefillin and Shabbos candles ready to assist the hundreds of thousands of Jews present to do a Mitzvah in the merit of Israel.
Dozens of Tefillin stands and Mitzvah tanks were coordinated by American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), and many Lubavitchers also did their own personal Mivtzoim in the crowd.
Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Senior Shliach to Washington, DC and Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), shared that approximately 20,000 Jews were given the opportunity to do a Mitzvah through the above efforts- estimating that 11,000 men donned tefillin and 7,500 Shabbos candle kits were distributed, according to reports submitted as part of a comprehensive duch – report as well as other counts.
American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) was also involved in several areas of helping organize the event, and encouraging the organizers to ensure Orthodox Jewish groups would be more comfortable attending. This included upholding halachos regarding kol isha during the event, as well as a section cordoned off into separate areas for young women and men who wished to attend while maintining standards of tznius. They also encouraged attendance at a large Shacharis Minyan – with a Mechitza – in front of the White House on Tuesday morning.
In the event’s closing speech, jointly presented by the event’s main organizers Eric Fingerhut – CEO Jewish Federations, and William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Daroff reminded the crowd that we must remember Torah, Tefillah and Tzedakah, as the guidance during this time of extreme challenge.
the Rebbe’s Shita in connection to the Israeli flag and hatikva
There are baruch Hashem many joining chabad who donot know the Rebbe’s stance on these matters or how it causes losses on our side rachmono litzLon
If you haven’t filled out a duch for the rally, here is the link
https://forms.gle/aLverKEgN2KSspzNA