By COLlive reporter
SimXa Company conducted another successful Shabbaton over Shabbos Chanukah in Marina Del Rey, California, making it their 21st annual Shabbaton for Russian-speaking and English-speaking Jews.
It infused participants with Torah learning, inspiration, and the light of Chanukah. As a first-time attendee, Mordechai Yosef Feldman, put it, the Shabbaton is “a meaningful and fun experience for the whole family, the best way to relax, get inspired, and connect with awesome Jews of various backgrounds.”
This year’s speakers included Rabbi Aryeh Katzin, Director of R.A.J.E. and founder of Sinai Academy from New York; Mrs. Miriam Yerushalmi, counselor and author from Los Angeles; Rabbi Reuven Wolf of Maayon Yisroel Chassidic Center in Los Angeles; Katya Kapelnikova, a songwriter and performer from Chicago’ and Rabbi Yossi Eilfort, founder of Magen Am USA from Los Angeles.
A first-time speaker at the Shabbaton, Rabbi Eilfort says, “The experience at The Marina Del Rey Hotel was uplifting for the Mind, Body, and Spirit. From the views to the Fellowship, we felt the warmth of Shabbos embrace us.”
A highlight of this year’s Shabbaton was a wedding celebration that took place on Thursday night. The groom, Abokhai Chulpaev, had attended SimXa Shabbatons in the past with his extended family. He says that he and his bride, Lina, wanted to “sanctify our Jewish marriage together with … this holy organization.”
Working together with the Shabbaton organizers, Esther and Moshe Davidoff, the couple arranged a beautiful wedding, which was enjoyed by their family and friends, as well as the Shabbaton attendees.
This year’s children’s program, headed by Chana Leah Schuraytz, was the biggest since the Shabbatons’ inception, as 50% of the attendees were children. The schedule was packed with activities, games, arts and crafts, and local trips. The children especially enjoyed the Motzei Shabbos kumzitz with smores and guitar by one of the boys’ staff counselors, Yosef Benjamin.
The attendees found this year’s Shabbaton enjoyable and inspiring.
Elvira Begelfer has been attending the annual retreats for many years now. “We started going when our daughter was 8 and our son was 4,” she says. “Now, thank G-d, our family has grown, and we are joining the Shabbaton with our married daughter and her family, grandchildren, and my parents. All generations really enjoy this annual reunion filled with learning, warmth, and good friends.”
Begelfer adds, “No matter how much we grow spiritually, I always walk away from the Shabbaton inspired and refocused for the year ahead. This year the Shabbaton was held at a very beautiful location. We all enjoyed a wonderful surprise of a beautiful wedding. The kids had a great time at the kids’ program and allowed their parents to have some time to relax. One of the highlights for my parents was the Klezmer music. Rabbi Katzin’s classes are always so illuminating and inspiring. Of course, for the women, one of the highlights is enjoying Katya’s beautiful concerts. We are very grateful for Esther and Michael spending so much time and resources organizing this event year after year.”
“Every year’s Shabbaton is special and meaningful,” says Esther Davidoff, “but this year uniquely, since it is the Year of Hakhel, and the event happened on Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Chanukah, not to mention the beautiful and elegant wedding we had the honor to host at the start of our retreat, we felt ourselves elevated to ever greater spiritual heights. The challenges to overcome in planning and conducting this event vary from year to year, but with every Shabbaton, and even more so this year with the open miracles of Chanukah, we feel Hashem’s Helping Hand guiding us from its very inception to its final completion. It is a wonderful and comforting feeling.”
Moshe Davidoff adds, “By the time we were able to secure the beautiful Marina Del Ray hotel, we had less than four weeks to make it happen because Chanukah was just around the corner. It took an enormous effort of focus to pull everything together in such a short period of time. In addition, of course, there were obstacles to overcome along the way. Baruch HaShem, it was all worthwhile as the event brought together Jews of many walks of life in a truly happy and meaningful way. We are looking forward to many more meaningful gatherings like this in the near future, b’ezras Hashem.”
An attendee, Jessica Yuz, summarizes the event, “the Davidoff family put together yet another excellent Shabbaton! Everyone enjoyed the delicious food, inspiring speakers, and engaging kids’ program. The beautiful views of the Marina from the guest rooms and conference area were just icing on the cake. Our kids are already excited to go back and see the friends they made. Thank you so much!”
