By COLlive staff
Photos: Shneur Moryosef
Event producer: Galia Bender
The Shluchim Office held an Appreciation Brunch on the Sunday following Gimmel Tammuz, hosted by Mr. Yossi and Yael Michelashvili, co-chairs of the recent Shluchim Office fundraising campaign, recognizing the efforts of the many committee members, Shluchim and friends who joined to ensure the annual fundraiser’s success. Held in the spacious Shluchim Lounge, the committee members were joined by many key supporters and Shluchim.
Rabbi Yossi Groner, MC of the event and head shliach to the Carolinas, introduced Rabbi Mendel Lipskier, head shliach to South Africa and member of Agudas Chasidei Chabad, who spoke of the Rebbe’s sicha 32 years ago establishing the Shluchim Office, and how, “it is exciting to have been involved with the Shluchim Office from the beginning, and see the moisad as it is now after 32 years of expansion.”
He then called up Rabbi Yosef Greenberg, the head shliach to Alaska and a member of the Vaad of the Shluchim Office, who officially thanked the Michelashvili family and their friends for their support, and noted how, “everything that is being done for Shluchim today by the many moisdes, it all began here at the Shluchim Office.”
Mr. and Mrs. Michaleshvili were then presented an award by Rabbi Gedalya Shemtov, the director of the Shluchim Office. “I love supporting the Shluchim Office, because their dedication to the Shluchim is unmatched and literally fulfills a public request of the Rebbe,” Yossi Michelashvili said. “This is just the beginning, and next year we will double our efforts,” he said to great applause.
Rabbi Greenberg also spoke about Mr. and Mrs. Meyer and Lilian Nigri, a key founder and ongoing partner in the efforts of the Nigri International Jewish Online School, and recognized the tremendous work he continued to invest in the success of the school. Rabbi Dovid Tamezgui, of Beit Chabad Itaim in Brazil, received a gift on their behalf, and talked about the Nigri family’s dedication to Jewish education around the world.
Rabbi Asher Federman, shliach to the Virgin Islands, has his own children enrolled in the Nigri International Shluchim Online School, a virtual academy for the children of Shluchim and just one of the many projects that the Shluchim Office provides to aid and further the mission of the Shluchim. He expressed his personal thanks and appreciation to the Shluchim Office and to Mr. and Mrs. Michelashvili for their generous support.
Mr. Daniel Kestenbaum, owner of Kestenbaum & Company Judaica auction house, was recognized for his ongoing support of the Shluchim Office. He related how he has traveled around the world, staying at the homes of many Shluchim in exotic places, and has personally seen how they benefited from the Shluchim Office’s services.
Rabbi Yossi Groner then brought the event to a close with eloquent words on how the efforts put forth by the Shluchim Office have transformed the landscape of shlichus challenges, unlocking many more opportunities and allowing couples to go to places smaller and farther than would have ever been imaginable. “My wife and I received the Rebbe’s brachos to send our young children away from home, and that is what any shliach in arei hasede had to do,” Rabbi Groner said. “But the Shluchim Office changed that and made life and shlichus so much easier for the Shluchim and their families.”
