Rare Machzor To Be Raffled Off

Elul 5669/September 1939
Otwotzk, Poland,

To an outsider, it is a seemingly normal day. The weather is warm, the suburban streets calm and quiet as people go about their daily lives.

In distance a group of children walk through the streets.

To the bystander, they seemed to be a group of children like any other, enjoying a day out, one final day of good weather.

But a discerning eye would note that this group was different, these children seemed resolute, their eyes showing an uncharacteristic maturity and understanding.

Something only brought about by life’s most difficult experiences.

These are Refugee children, from a “Kinder-Transport”, stopping off in Poland on their way to safety. Physical safety – for their pain was as strong as ever.

Broken hearts, broken spirits. Questioning if anyone would ever love them as a parent again.

Actually, there was someone.

And they were about to meet him.

Unbeknown to them, they are on the way to a house – small in stature, but large in spirit.

In it lives someone who truly loves them as a parent. He is the leader of world Jewry, the Rebbe Rayatz.

As they file into the room, their sadness seems to evaporate, the Rebbes warm smile, penetrative look filled with genuine care, fills their heart with a warmth they thought would never be there again.

They need to leave… they have a deadline by when they have to get to the station to begin the next leg of their tiring journey…. But they don’t want to.

They want this love to stay forever.

And it does.

For as they are about to leave, the Rebbe hands each child a small Machzor as a memento – a physical reminder that someone really does care for them as a parent.

So, as they travel from country to country, and move from home to home, This Machzor accompanies them, lifting them, and warming their broken hearts.

And after the war, as they settle and marry, their homes get filled with the warmth of children. And slowly slowly, the Machzor gets tucked away safely.

Away, but not forgotten, for only the Machzor knows that its mission has not yet ended, and it will need to be there for the parent each time the wound reopens.

Sadly, it’s original recipient recently passed away.

But the journey of the Machzor continues.

Because, for the 2nd year in a row, a new organization – Igud Mesivtos V’Yeshivos Lubavitch has made it their mission to ensure that personal growth is something accessible to each Bochur.

300 Bochurim are working to finish Gemora.

Another 200 are toiling to learn Halocha.

Different style ‘heads’, different personalities, one goal.

They will gather on Monday in NY for a general test on the topic they are learning.

There, the Machzor will be raffled off and presented to one of the young Bochurim working so hard in his mission in life.

And the story of the Machzor will continue.

Thank you to Rabbi Odom Brandman, of Chabad Buckhurst Hill, UK, whose passion to ensure every Bochur is happy and successful, passed this Machzor to us – for the benefit of the Bochurim.