National
Shluchim Convention In Eretz Yisroel A Great Success
The
national Kinus HaShluchim in Eretz Yisroel began on the
22nd of Adar Rishon at the Tzameret Hotel in Teveria Ilit. 125 shluchim
and directors of Chabad Houses gathered to exchange ideas and to fortify
themselves spiritually in their work.
Immediately
after registration and lunch, the shluchim went to the Golan
Heights to show their support for the beleaguered people living there.
Their tour began with a visit to Mitzpeh L’Shalom and Har ben Tal,
where they could see across to the Kinneret and view the valley at the
foot of the Heights. They could easily see for themselves the
ramifications of returning the Golan Heights to our enemies.
In
Kitzrin, the shluchim participated in an evening’s salute to
the residents of the Golan. These included Rabbis Yitzchok Yehuda
Yaruslavsky, M.M. Gluckowsky, Yaakov Reitzes, the rav of Kitzrin,
Rabbi HaLevi, and directors of Tzach and shluchim in the Golan
Heights. Rabbi Noam Schwartz of Kitzrin and Rabbi Yisroel Heber of
Chispin were among the participants. All speakers affirmed the need to
fight the return of the Golan Heights through Torah, tefilla, and
tzedaka, as well as various forms of protest.
After
dinner in a local restaurant, the first session of the kinus
began, entitled “Kiruv and Communication with Newcomers.”
Rabbi Schneur Zalman Garelik, accomplished shaliach in Be’er
Sheva, presented various programs to be mekarev Yidden,
tailored to different audiences.
The
first session of the second day of the kinus was entitled
“Shnas HaYovel – 50 Years.” Rabbi Yisroel Brod suggested that each
Chabad House resolve to open new mosdos as a gift to the Rebbe
for fifty years of leadership.
Forms
were distributed and each shaliach outlined a new project for the
coming year. In less than half an hour the forms were collected,
enumerating plans for nursery schools, elementary schools, Kollel
Tiferes Zekeinim, a soup kitchen, various gemachs, etc. – about
100 mosdos in all!
Rabbi
Brod announced a new initiative of Merkaz Tzach to encourage the
constructions of new buildings using 770 as a model to serve as centers
of Torah and outreach. Tzach promised to underwrite the architectural
costs for any Chabad House undertaking such a building project in the
near future.
Each
director of a Chabad House was asked to specify an appropriate location
near his center of operations for new shluchim. The goal is to
target cities or towns that do not yet have shluchim, and to
bring Chabad families there.
Rabbi
Baruch Wilhelm of Naharia presented various innovations in spreading the
besuras ha’Geula. He presented several successful methods of
teaching inyanei Moshiach and Geula. For example, viewing
slide shows or illustrations of the Beis HaMikdash is a
pleasant way to introduce the subject. Rabbi Kasriel Sugarman emphasized
that the Beis HaMikdash is not just a topic for the Three
Weeks. We should continue to refer to it and learn about it throughout
the year.
On
Wednesday, the final day of the kinus, there was a special
session concerning dealing with anti-religious sentiment. Shluchim
who have confronted anti-religious activity in their cities presented
the difficult lessons they had learned on the most effective ways to
address this type of problem. A discussion ensued addressing such issues
as the motives behind anti-religious activity, how anti-religious
organizations operate, how to deal with them, how to react to the media,
etc.
Videos
were shown of a demonstration sponsored by an organization named Am
Chofshi against the building of Chabad mosdos in Rechovot, and of
Rabbi Orachman of Akko teaching the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei
Noach to Moslem fishermen.
Fortified
by good resolutions and heightened inspiration, the shluchim returned
to their shlichus with plans for intensifying their work of hafatzas
ha’maayonos, with the primary emphasis on preparing the world to
greet Moshiach.
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