Youngsters Wow, Enjoy Mexico

By COLlive reporter

30 Chabad children who attend Kol Yakov Yehuda -The Rebbe’s Diamond Daveners in Los Angeles headed to Tijuana, Mexico, for their annual Shabbaton.

The minyan is a unique Shabbos davening program that gets local children involved in the davening, and in fact in the running of their entire congregation.

Within the adult shul of Congregation Levi Yitzchok, they have their own Sefer Torah, a president, a gabbai, a “rabbi,” social events, and other shul-type activities. And every year they take a trip to an exciting locale.

This year, they were hosted by Rabbi Mendel Polichenco and his wife Dini of Chabad Without Borders center in Tijuana, Mexico (they also serve the nearby community of Chula Vista, California).

The kids were picked up at Cheder Menachem after davening with their fellow students and headed to the U.S.- Mexico border just south of San Diego.

They kept busy during the two-hour bus trip with a Chassidishe version of “I Spy” and a Chanukah Trivia Game. Meeting them over the border was Rabbi Polichenco and his large Mitzvah tank.

Together they headed to the largest Tijuana tourist-oriented mall to do mivtzoim, followed by a bargaining shopping spree, which they really enjoyed.

YOUNG SHLIACH SPEAKS

Shabbos is taken in earlier in Mexico, so they traveled on to the Chabad campus and were assigned their accommodations. And then, the Shabbos that will remain with these kids for a lifetime has began.

The local community, over 125 people, greeted them, first for Kabbolas Shabbos and then for the meal in their large and spacious social hall. The entire Shabbos meal had a chassidishe atmosphere with a Mexican touch in food, divrei Torah, and in song – a new experience for the boys.

Then came the highlight of the evening, when the Shliach asked Efraim Schmukler, a Diamond Daveners and son of the Shluchim in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to address the community.

Schmukler, who attends Cheder in Los Angeles, eloquently held forth in a 12-minute speech, which included a Dvar Torah and a detailed explanation of what the Diamond Daveners is. He received a standing ovation.

Once the community departed – a farbrengen just for the boys was held, followed by seder nigunim.

MEXICAN CHOLENT

The early birds woke up early to enjoy the Mexican sunrise and fresh air, and then headed to the Shul for Chassidus.

Shabbos day again saw a beautiful local crowd, and an emphasis on these young guests who came to spend a Shabbos away from home — and to get a glimpse and a hands-on “shlichus” experience.

Addressing the congregation right before Musaf was Efraim Levenberg, the newly elected President of the Rebbe’s Diamond Daveners who spoke with such enthusiasm that locals were amazed at the confidence and knowledge that this 13-year-old displayed.

Again a beautiful Shabbos Seuda was served which included a Mexican Cholent.

Following a “Stump the Shliach” session and a Mesibas Shabbos -the Junior L.A. Congregation headed to the hills of Tijuana, led by the Shaliach himself, Rabbi Polichenco, who besides being a talmid chochom, is also known as a hiking outdoorsman.

Once on the mountaintop, Rabbi Mendel Duchman, founder and leader of Diamond Daveners, held a rally highlighted by the 12 Pesukim, which echoed strikingly throughout the hills.

The kids sang their way down the mountain, singing out their pride: “Everywhere we go, people want to know, who we are, so we tell them: We are the Rebbe’s Diamond Daveners!”

Joining the kids on this inspiring Shabbos shpatzier were local children and several Israeli backpacker visitors, guests of the Polichencos.

“On the one hand, we wanted our Mexican Shabbos to continue forever, on the other, we had a blast right after Shabbos with an outdoor swim, chassidishe dancing and lastly a two-hour circus spectacular performed especially for us,” commented Levi Weiss.

“And then, to top it all off — we gathered on the front lawn for a grand campfire, singing the night away from a specially-printed Shabbaton song book, cooking our own marshmallows and listening to a midnight story of the Baal Shem Tov told by Rabbi Duchman, not only in words but with his acting out some of the parts of the story.”

Nobody wanted to go to sleep that night — but after Kriyas Shemah and a Magnificent Pillow Fight, the Diamond Daveners were finally out cold for what was left of the night.

Sunday morning, the young congregants davened with the community, helped some men put on tefillin and joined them for a breakfast.

The meal was a farewell ceremony as the community had enjoyed interacting with these Lubavitcher kids — something they hardly see– who behaved with dignity and derech eretz.

Upon arriving back in Los Angeles, they headed to the Pizza Maven restaurant, both to welcome the kids back to America and to thank them for the tremendous Kiddush Hashem they made in Mexico.

Kol Yakov Yehuda thanks Rabbi and Mrs. Mendel Polichenco, Habochurim Yitzy Zakon and Sholom Ber Gelerenter, Shluchim of YOEC, and Reb Alan Stark, for making this Shabbaton the incredible success that it was.

The Shabbaton was partially funded by “Unzere Kinder”, an L.A.-based organization whose purpose is to empower Lubavitcher Anash children with Chassidishe leadership skills.