Lubavitcher Yeshiva Celebrates Decade of Community-Wide Arainfirenish

A special and meaningful milestone took place Sunday at Tomchei Temimim in Crown Heights, as hundreds came to take part. The children wrapped in Talleisim, were brought in with care so they would not see anything inappropriate beforehand. As the Frierdiker Rebbe explained, the Arainfirenish of a young child is considered his personal Matan Torah.

The program began with Rabbi Yosef Simpson, Menahel Moised, who read the Rebbe’s letter, in which the Rebbe gives a bracha that the children should grow to be Yirei Shamayim, Chassidim, and Lamdonim.

The program was led by Rabbi Yisroel Langam together with Rabbi Chaim Levi Goldstein, a veteran mechanech who guided the children through each step. Rabbi Goldstein is well known for his expertise in this area, having authored a guide outlining the details of an Arainfirenish according to Minhag Chabad. It was especially meaningful to see three generations of his talmidim present at the event.

As is the custom, each child tasted the sweetness of Torah by placing honey on the alef-beis and licking it. The children also received specially prepared honey cakes with the letters engraved, to resemble the Luchos, into which the Aseress-HaDibros were specifically engraved, along with an egg inscribed with Pesukim.

Each child also received his own personalized Alef-Beis chart, along with a Tomchei Temimim lego set, giving the boys an excitement for beginning their journey in Tomchei Temimim. As is well known, the Rebbe said to the boys of Tomchei Temimim: “Ir lernt in dem Rebbe’s Yeshiva, zent ir doch dem Rebbe’s kinder” instilling from the very beginning a deep connection and pride in being part of Tomchei Temimim.

In the words of one parent who joined:
“It was an incredible program. As parents, the practicality aspect could not have been more appreciated. The areinfernish itself was so beautifully executed. Every detail was arranged in the most Bakavodik way, preserving this minhag in such a memorable way.”

“We were blown away and so grateful to have been a part of it. Thank you for the amazing memories this has created for us and our child.”

Tomchei Temimim is now approaching nearly a decade of hosting a community-wide Arainfirenish. What began as a vision has grown into a well-known and widely followed initiative.
The Arainfirenish is held each year in memory of Rabbi Shmarya Katzen a”h, who served as a Pre-1A Rebbi in Tomchei Temimim for over 40 years. His impact on generations of talmidim continues to be felt today.