By COLlive reporter
On Thursday, spontanous celebrations continued to be held in frum Jewish communities to mark the release of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, imprisoned by the American legal system.
The news of his commutation by President Donald Trump and his departure from the Otisville prison in New York quickly spread around the world, even leading the server of COLlive.com to briefly crash.
In Moscow, the news came as locals were waking up. Spontaneous dancing erupted in the central shul in Marina Roscha, with more and more people joining as they arrived at shul for Shacharis and Chassidus.
Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, long acquainted with Rubashkin, spoke emotionally before the crowd, quoting the verse “Yodu laHashem Chasdo.”
He told that during the years of Rubashkin’s imprisonment, tefillos were said for him at the gravesite of the famous chossid and activist R’ Mordechai Dubin, after whom Sholom Mordechai was named.
Visiting Moscow was the famous prisoner of Zion, Nathan Sharansky. He joined the Lubavitchers and spoke emotionally about the miracle of his own release from the Russian prison 35 years ago.
After the dancing and official speeches, people present sat down to a big farbrengen which lasted for many hours, thanking Hashem and getting ready for the true redemption together with Moshiach.
The “Tzaddik from Leningrad” Rabbi Yitzchak Kogan also joined the farbrengen which went on and on, with everyone praising and thanking Hashem for His many miracles.
In Maryland, Shluchim gathered together at Chabad of Howard County for a farbrengen led by Head Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan celebrating the “miraculous release” of Rubashkin.
There were dancing in Postville, the Jewish community that the Rubashkin family established in Iowa around the Agriprocessors kosher meat-processing plant they once owned.
Bochurim at the Chabad Yeshiva in Postville also danced in front of house where Rubashkin lived and went to the home of his brother, Heshy Rubashkin.
In Melbourne, community members gathered at the Yeshiva Shule for joyous singing and dancing.
“It was even more lebedik than Simchas Torah,” one community member told COLlive.
VIDEOS:
770
Rabbi Akiva Hirsch from Satmar dancing with Rabbi Braun in 770
Rejoicing in Postville
Dancing and singing Melbourne, Australia
Yaakov Shwekey dedicates song to Rubashkin at Boca Raton Concert
Singer Yeedle Werdyger celebrating in 770
Dancing in Montreal late into the night
Lakewood celebrates
Celebrating with the Rosh in Los Angeles
Bais Rivkah in Crown Heights dancing
Schoolchildren in France celebrate Rubashkin release
Dancing in Moscow
לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵל לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל.
ריקודי השמחה, התודה והברכה להקב״ה, כעת בהתוועדות וסעודת ההודיה בהיכל ביהכנ״ס המרכזי.#Rubashkin pic.twitter.com/NjEUfSdoq1— שייע shiye (@shiye10) December 21, 2017
Thursday evening, Rubashkin arrives to daven in 770 and the dancing continues:
we want Moshaich Now
Hakadosh Boruch Hu, Anachnu Ohavim Otach!!!
I second the motion
Well said.
OBAMA WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR DUPLICITY IN PARDONING , NOT COMMUTING, HUNDREDS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN DRUG ADDICTS AND VIOLENT CRIMINALS, BUT TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE GROSS INJUSTICE HANDED OUT TO SHOLOM.
THANK G-D YOUR OUT OF OFFICE AND G-D BLESS PRESIDENT TRUMP