Lubavitchers Gather in Beverly Hills

By COLlive reporter
Photos by David Miller

More than 1200 men, women and children gathered for an evening of Torah, Tefilla and Tzedaka at the Beverly Hills Hotel for the Los Angeles Grand Citywide 30th Siyum HoRambam last week. The ‘achdus’ event, sponsored by West Coast Chabad-Lubavitch and more than 30 local Chabad centers, was the largest such gathering in the history of Jewish Los Angeles.

On the last day of Pesach in 5744 (1984), The Rebbe started a new campaign, Mivtza Limud HoRambam, to unite world Jewry by learning the Rambam’s magnum opus, the Mishne Torah. In Mishne Torah, the Rambam includes all the Laws of the Torah, those that apply now and also those that will apply in the times of Moshiach. This event marked the conclusion of the 30th cycle of this global study campaign, and the launch of the 31st cycle.

The citywide event began with remarks and greetings by Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, director of West Coast Chabad-Lubavitch, who introduced a special video presentation of The Rebbe encouraging the daily study of Rambam.

Special guest speaker Rabbi Gavriel Zinner, world-renowned Posek and Dayan, and author of the acclaimed “Nitei Gavriel” series, conducted the official Siyum—culminating with final words of Mishne Torah that describe the imminent redemption with the coming of Moshiach.

Rabbi Yehoshua Binyomin Gordon, director of Chabad of the Valley, emceed the evening. The Hascholo launch of the new, 31st cycle of Limud HoRambam was given by Rabbi Ezra Schochet, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad, and the Siyum and Hascholo of Sefer Hamitzvos was conducted by Dov Yehuda Spalter, age 10, of Cheder Menachem and Kol Yaakov Yehuda.

Philanthropist and entrepreneur Frank Menlo, who just concluded his ninth consecutive year of daily Rambam study, offered words of inspiration for the study of Rambam, encouraging all in attendance—Yeshiva students and business persons alike—to make time during their busy day to connect with Jews around the world through the sacred study of Rambam.

Rabbi Yecheskel Weinfeld, Rosh Hakolel and Dean of Kolel Lev Avrohom of Yerusholayim, delivered a fiery speech on the significance of the Study of Rambam, and its critical importance to our generation, as a way of preparing ourselves and the entire world for the coming of Moshiach.

The widely-attended gathering included prominent guests and leading rabbonim, including: Rabbi Aron Abend, Rabbi Yossi Baitelman, Rabbi Aron Begun, Rabbi Gavriel Cohen, Rabbi Levi Cunin, Rabbi Zushe Cunin, Rabbi Ezra Douek, Rabbi Mendel Duchman, Rabbi Mordechai Einbinder, Rabbi Naftoli Estulin, Rabbi Amram Farkash, Rabbi Mendel Greenbaum, Rabbi Avraham Halberstam, Rabbi Danny Yiftach Hashem, Rabbi Yochanon Henig, Rabbi Eli Hecht, Rabbi Moshe Kesselman, Rabbi Shloime Klein, Rabbi Shmuel Kornfeld, Rabbi Yankel Kreiman, Rabbi Menachem Kributz, Rabbi Aryeh Lang, Rabbi Mendel Lipsker, Rabbi Chaim Mentz, Rabbi Dov Newman, Rabbi Yitzchock Newman, Rabbi Yossi Mintz, Rabbi Herzel Peer, Rabbi Shimon Raichik, Rabbi Yossi Rimler, Rabbi Eli Rivkin, Rabbi Yosef Shusterman, Rabbi Mendel Simons, Rabbi Dovid Schmukler, Horav Avraham Teichman, Rabbi Dovid Thaler, Rabbi Avraham Union and Rabbi Moshe Weiss.

The evening included a special musical performance by the Cheder Menachem Boys Choir, under the leadership of Rabbi Leibel Cohen. Event participants were given 2 complimentary issues of “Chayenu”, as a way of encouraging new people to join the global movement of daily study.

The highlight of the event was the drawing of a very special raffle for all who undertook a hachloto to begin and strengthen their daily study of the 31st cycle of Limud HoRambam for a period of (at least) 31 days—culminating with Yud Aleph Nissan. The winner, Gavriela Cohen, age 10, of Bais Chaya Mushka, was awarded a round-trip ticket for her and her parent to NY for Yud Aleph Nissan, when she will personally present the hachloto resolution forms to The Rebbe. More than 200 men, women and children participated in this very special hachloto and raffle.

The event was co-sponsored by West Coast Chabad-Lubavitch and (in alphabetical order) Chabad of Agoura, Congregation Bais Bezalel Chabad, Bais Chana Girls High School, Bais Chaya Mushka Girls School, Chabad of the Beach Cities, Chabad of Bel Air, Chabad of Beverly Hills, Chabad of Beverlywood, Bikur Cholim of Palm Springs, Chabad of Burbank, Chabad of Camarillo, Chabad of Cheviot Hills, Chabad of Glendale, Chabad of The Hills–Beverly Hills, Chabad Israeli Center, Chabad of Larchmont, Congregation Levi Yitzchak Chabad, Chabad of Lomita, Chabad of Long Beach, Chabad of Malibu, Chabad of North Hollywood, Chabad of Northridge, Chabad of Pacific Palisades, Chabad Persian Youth Center, Chabad Russian Center, Chabad of Sola, Chabad of Studio City, Chabad Sherman Oaks, Chabad of Sunset Plaza, Chabad of The Valley, Cheder Menachem Boys School, Kol Yakov Yehuda–The Rebbe’s Diamond Daveners, Kollel Tiferes Menachem and Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad.

The Siyum was coordinated by Rabbi Simcha Backman, Rabbi Chaim Nochum Cunin, Rabbi Mendel Cunin, Rabbi Yossi Cunin, Tzvika Ferszt, Danny Fishman, Rabbi Levi Raichik, Rabbi Yaakov Shalman, Rabbi Mendel Simons, Rabbi Zalman Solomon and Rabbi Avraham Zajac. Special thanks was given to Rabbi Noach Fox of Crown Heights.