By COLlive reporter
Chabad Shluchim from across the Midwest region of the United States, including Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky, gathered this past Shabbos for the Midwest Regional Kinus Hashluchim.
Hosted at the Chabad at the University of Illinois in Champaign, directed by Rabbi Dovid and Goldie Tiechtel, it featured a packed schedule of farbrengens, Shabbos meals, and shiurim. It made for a warm and vibrant atmosphere that brought the Shluchim together in true “sheves achim gam yachad.”
The Kinus was dedicated in memory of Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky OBM, Vice Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch who coordinated the regional Kinus conventions and would often personally attend them.
“The Rebbe had a lot of nachas from the regional Kinusim,” commented Rabbi Tiechtel. “In fact, the Rebbe shared with Rabbi Kotlarsky that since the International Kinus in New York can only feature a few speakers, the regional ones allow every Shliach who attends a chance to share.”
He said that in line with this directive, the schedule was planned in such a way that every single participating Shliach was asked to speak during the Shabbos, whether it was a Dvar Torah, an insight, or a story.
The program began on Friday afternoon with a group picture and words of welcome from Rabbi Tiechtel followed by a shiur by Rabbi Moshe Perlstein, Dean of the Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago. After maariv, the Shluchim were treated to a gourmet Shabbos dinner emceed by Rabbi Moshe Rapoport of Mequon, Wisconsin.
A lineup of speakers shared thoughts and divrei Torah at the meal and farbrengen including Rabbi Meir Shimon Moscowitz, Head Shliach of Illinois; Rabbi Aryeh Kaltman of Columbus, Ohio; Rabbi Yitzchok Wolf, Dean of Cheder Lubavitch Chicago and Rabbi Yoseph Samuels of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Shluchim also heard the incredible story of how the Chabad House building they were sitting in came to be and the brachos that Rabbi Tiechtel experienced along the way.
Farbrengens continued throughout the night while Tehillim for Shabbos Mevorchim began bright and early. During davening, Rabbi Dov Lisker of Mequon, Wisconson delivered a fascinating shiur on the topic of free choice and its connection to the parsha.
The Shabbos seuda was led by Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov of Meunster, Indiana during which Rabbi Yosef Posner of Skokie, Illinois shared points about the early regional Kinusim and their hachlatos. Farbrengens with Rabbi Binyomin Scheiman of Niles, Illinois, Rabbi Yona Matusof of Madison, Wisconsin and Rabbi Shlomo Litvin of Louisville, Kentucky lasted through the afternoon until mincha.
Toward the end of Shabbos, a moving seder niggunim was spent together with the bochurim from the Lubavitch Mesivta of Monsey who are spending their summer in Champaign.
An inspiring Shabbos was followed by a grand melave malka dedicated to Rabbi Kotlarsky OBM. His sons Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky of Merkos 302 spoke over Zoom, and Rabbi Dovid Kotlarsky of Lakeview, Illinois, shared details interesting about the first regional Kinusim in the Midwest and the Rebbe’s guidance about them.
The program also featured two nephews of Rabbi Kotlarsky: Rabbi Mendy Alevsky of CWRU University in Ohio, who discussed the lessons he learned from him, and Rabbi Shmuely Wineberg of Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago, who shared some of his personal encounters and the importance of connecting mekuravim to the Rebbe.
Many Shluchim who were unable to join the Kinus for Shabbos drove in and participated in the melave malka, as well as others who joined over Zoom. The Kinus concluded on Sunday morning with a lavish breakfast and a chinuch session by Rabbi Sender Lustig, Menahel of Mesivta Lubavitch Monsey.
“It was truly a beautiful Kinus and everyone left feeling energized and inspired by the time spent together,” said Rabbi Tiechtel. “It was especially moving to see older senior shluchim who moved out decades ago farbrenging with younger shluchim who began their shlichus just a few months ago.”
Before their departure, the Shluchim were presented with a Tanya that was printed at Chabad at the University of Illinois as well as a copy of the group picture as a memento from the Kinus.
Participants thanked Rabbi Shneur Nejar, Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky and the entire Merkos 302 office, as well as the Vaad of the Midwest region – Rabbis Zalmanov, Rapoport, Tiechtel, Avrohom Litvin, Yisroel Pinson and Yossi Friedman.
Thank you shulchim, who gave up there lives to living in middle of nowhere just to fulfill the Rebbe’s Ratzon! I think these are the shulchim who are giving up the most! Living in middle of nowhere takes a lot more mesiras nefesh then a lot of other shlichos!!!! Amazing.