Over 300 shuls in New York were treated on Simchas Torah to groups of Chabad Chassidim, inspiring young and old to increase in joy and celebrate the Simchas Torah holiday.
The phones at Lubavitch Youth Organization in Crown Heights were ringing constantly on Chol Hamoed Sukkos. Rabbis and community leaders from throughout New York were calling in with the same request, “please don’t forget us.”
They asked for a delegation of Lubavitcher Chassidim to visit their Shuls on Simchas Torah, a custom the Rebbe initiated to add simcha.
Some Rabbi’s asked to keep in touch throughout the year, so that the Lubavitch Youth Organization can send Rabbinical students when the Rabbis are away at times and the Shul needs a substitute Rabbi for a Shabbas. In addition others have asked for speakers to attend their Shuls through the year.
In addition, there are many small Shuls around New York, which have very small crowds and struggle with a Minyan. The Rabbi’s call on Lubavitch to make sure that these Shuls have a proper joyful Simchat Torah. Needless to say a special effort was made to accommodate and bring the true joy of the holiday to these important Shuls.
The Tahalucha was organized by Rabbi Yossi Butman with the help of Rabbi Yosef Goldwasser, Hatamim Shmuley Butler, and Hatamim Avremi Raichick. It was coordinated with the NYPD (as per an instruction from the Rebbe).
And out they went. Close to 2500 Chassidim and bochurim marched to over 300 synagogues and Shtibles to help dance and bring joy to thousands of Jews on Friday.
Chabadniks marched to Queens (3 hours each way), Howard Beach, (3 hours) Flatbush, Long Island City (3 hours), Sea Gate (close to 3 hours) Lower and Upper Manhattan (2.5 hours) Starret City, Bensonhurst, Canarsie, Manhattan Beach, Sheepshead Bay and Bay Ridge.
In many communities they were asked to speak about the significance of the day. Many Rabbis exclaimed that “without Lubavitch the Yom Tov would not be the same.”
One of the groups were dispatched to the Maimonides Medical Center in Borough Park, where for over 3 hours the jolly Lubavitchers visited each floor and spoke to the hospitalized men and women and their families. Other groups went to visit numerous Senior Centers. The Rebbe’s call to reach out and bring the joy of the holiday to every Jew and not to leave out anybody was the focus of the marchers.
Coming back through Williamsburg, some of the marchers were greeted with a hearty “Git Yom Tev.” Many said that they see that “Lubavitch is alive.”
“You can witness here the dedication of Lubavitch Chassidim to inconvenience themselves to a great extent only to fulfill the wish of the Rebbe,” said Rabbi Shmuel Butman, Executive Director of the Lubavitch Youth Organization.
“Lubavitch is not only alive, Lubavitch prospers and expands as the Tahaluchos (marches) become bigger and bigger each year.”
