By COLlive reporter
Photos: Itzik Roytman
The esteemed participants of the Global Yarchei Kallah taking place at Camp Gan Israel in Parksville, NY, typically greet each other with a warm greeting of “Sholom Aleichem.”
When Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Kuperman arrived this week at the annual scholarly gathering of Chabad’s Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshiva and Mashpiim, his colleagues expressed their condolences.
Rabbi Kuperman, Mashpia of Yeshivas Chabad Tomchei Tmimim in Kiryat Gat, Israel, has been sitting Shiva after the passing of his mother Mrs. Perel Kuperman OBM last week.
On Wednesday, he and his brother visited her gravesite at Har HaMenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem. Hours later he was already on a flight to New York and taking a ride to the Catskill Mountain to join the Yarchei Kallah.
“I didn’t have a question in my mind that I should be here,” Rabbi Kuperman said. “My mother wouldn’t have wanted me to miss the opportunity to be at the Rebbe‘s Ohel and at this gathering honoring the Rebbe’s father by learning Torah.”
Rabbi Kuperman is one of the 50 rabbis that came from around the world for the Yarchei Kallah, established to honor the yartzeit of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, father of the Rebbe and one of the greatest Talmudic and Kabbalistic scholars of his time.
First presented by Rabbi Avraham Shemtov in 5734 (1973), Yarchei Kallah was approved and cherished by the Rebbe. Once, in the midst of a farbengen held on the same Shabbos as Yarchei Kallah, the Rebbe referred to the gathering, saying “This is my project.”
During the summit, each participant is honored with presenting a shiur or pilpul. Rabbi Kuperman said the prohibition against studying Torah during the mournful days of Shiva faced him with a challenge.
“Preparing the shiur was tough since I couldn’t learn,” he admits. “But I was able to study Hilchos Aveilus because its about mourning and came up with a shiur based on that.”
During the evening session on Thursday, one of 6 study sessions taking place, Rabbi Kuperman indeed discussed the laws of reading the Torah while being in mourning. The shiur was dedicated in memory of his mother.
The Global Yarchei Kallah is generously sponsored by philanthropist Ronald O. Perelman in memory of his parents. It is organized by Rabbi Avraham Shemtov and hosted by Camp Gan Israel directed by Rabbi Yossi Futerfas and catered by Rabbi Shlomo Futerfas.
Yarchei Kallah is coordinated by Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin, a Chabad Shliach and Associate Rabbi of Cong. Young Israel of Tucson, AZ, with the assistance of Shneur Shemtov, Benzion Pearson, Matisyahu Edrey, Mendy Saidov, and the dedicated staff of the camp.
The public is invited to participate in the Melave Malka of the Yarchei Kallah this Motzoei Shabbos, 23rd of Av 5779 (August 24, 2019), 10:30 PM at Camp Gan Israel – 487 Parksville Rd, Parksville, NY 12768.
It will feature speeches and a Siyum Haramabam by the Rebbe’s Choizer, Rabbi Yoel Kahn; Rabbi Shemtov and Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Kalmenson, Rosh Yeshiva of Chabad in New Haven.
