By COLlive reporter
The Young Jewish Leadership Mivtzoim Program, which mentors young bochurim for success in outreach and mivtzoim, will hold an event Sunday, 4:00 PM ET, marking the bochurim’s achievements.
The Young Jewish Leadership program was created by Rabbi Mendy Wolf, a Crown Heights educator, who wanted to create a structured program for the weekly visits to offices and businesses offering men the opportunity to put on Tefillin, which for decades has been done by Chabad bochurim on Friday afternoons.
Bochurim traditionally set out in small groups, heading out by Subway to various “routes,” in New York City, each group visiting the same businesses for months, and sometimes years, teaching them about the Torah and Judaism. The bochurim’s visits lead to friendships and warm relationships with the people they meet, with many lives impacted and changed for the better.
“Bochurim have been going on Mivtzoim for years, but this is the first time it is being done in a structured, organized manner,” Rabbi Wolf told COLlive.
“The goal of the program is twofold: to ensure that bochurim have a chance to get a route, and to make sure that younger boys have a chance to join as well,” he said.
Rabbi Wolf worked to organize dozens of new routes – with the goal being 300 in total, so that all boys in grades 6, 7 and 8 who would like to join the program will have an area to visit and make an impact. He also assigns younger bochurim to join the older groups, so all who would like to can participate, no matter their age.
The program also trains the boys in maintaining friendly conversation, confidently teaching Dvar Torahs, and politely thanking all they meet, from the office building security personnel to the office staff.
A major factor of the successful visit is the Challah gifting program, in which the bochurim deliver freshly baked Beigel Challahs, bringing the warmth of Shabbos to everyone they meet.
“The people are so happy to see the boys, and so much look forward to the visits, that they soon begin agreeing to put on Tefillin,” Rabbi Wolf says.
But the recipients of the visits are not the only ones benefiting from the program, Rabbi Wolf says.
“Mivtzoim brings out strength and courage in these young boys,” he says. “They are gaining confidence, learning to greet people with poise, and training to become the future Jewish leaders,” he says.
One young bochur explained how he had been feeling shy to give a Dvar Torah in one of the office visits.
“I was feeling very shy, until I saw the smile on the person’s face. That’s when I lost all my embarrassment,” he said.
Today, the Young Jewish Leadership project will celebrate an event to mark the achievements of the bochurim throughout the year.
Due to COVID 19, the event will be streamed online, and will feature addresses by Rabbi Shimon Freundlich, Shliach in Beijing, China and Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Director of Merkos Suite 302, Cteen, Ckids, and numerous other projects.
Join the event and see the great impact the bochurim have with their weekly visits, through videos of bochurim as well as the friends they meet on their routes.
Join Live on ZOOM.com
ID: 982 1420 7180
Password: YJL
Rabbi Wolf thanks Oholei Torah in Crown Heights for bringing the program to the school, and to the school administration for encouraging the bochurim’s involvement. The teachers as well deserve thanks, he says, for being flexible with the boys’ schedules to facilitate their leaving on time for Mivtzoim.
The project, partially sponsored by the Mochkin family in memory of R’ Laibel Mochkin OBM, has distributed 30,000 Challahs to date, as well as provides weekly MetroCards for the bochurim. The program relies on sponsors to operate.
To donate to the program, visit yjlnyc.com.
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Looking forward to joining!