Close to 1000 people attended this year’s INSPIRE – HAKHEL event held at the large campus of the JFS school in London on Sunday with two special guests from New York, renowned educator and lecturer Rabbi Shais Taub and Tzivos Hashem Director Rabbi Shimmy Weinbaum.
The event started with a choice of four tracks of study, including a book launch of renowned author and lecturer Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson’s new book “People of the Word – 50 Words that Shaped Jewish Thinking,” a string quartet playing Nigunei Chabad, a crossfire panel and study sessions about Hakhel and Hafotzas Hamayanos.
A Q & A session with Rabbi Shais Taub and Rabbi Shimmy Weinbaum was held for teens.
This was followed by the main session, at which Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov launched the book “The Basics of Chassidus” followed by a keynote Hakhel address by Rabbi Shais Taub, in which he brilliantly explained how Judaism needs to be a living experience. As a souvenir, each person was given the Basics of Chassidus – Hakhel.
Simultaneously, there was a children’s concert with R’ Ephraim Chen, and a children’s rally led by Tzivos Hashem’s Rabbi Shimmy Weinbaum who flew in, especially for the occasion. The room was pulsating with vibrant chassidishe energy as Rabbi Shimmy led with his unique passion.
The feedback was great – one participant wrote, “Thank you VERY VERY much for this – thank you for a true Hakhel which united so many diverse people – beautiful atmosphere!”
Leading a team of 20 volunteers who worked with tremendous dedication, the event was organized by Rabbi Getzel Itzinger and Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov.
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Just like the rest of his books. I enjoy reading his books, and they are very meaningful gifts to give to others, as well.