Mivtza
Purim in New York
Mivtza
Purim is one of the most difficult mivtzaim because Purim is only
one day. Nevertheless, Tzeirei Agudas Yisroel of New York outdid
themselves this year, visiting 45,000 homes, stores and offices, as well
as 46 jails and 52 hospitals. Altogether, tens of thousands of mishloach
manos were distributed! The newly published Purim guide explained
the mitzvos of the day and listed all the activities being
organized by the over 40 branches of Tzach in the N.Y. area.
In
addition, Lubavitcher Chassidim visited over 300 senior citizen homes,
through the kollel Tiferes Zekeinim, run by Rabbi M. Gerlitzky.
“Mivtza Purim had unprecedented success this year,
carried out together with the Irgun Talmidei HaYeshivos, bringing the
joy of Yom Tov to thousands of people,” said Rabbi
Shmuel Butman, director of Tzach.
Special
parties were organized in the offices of United Jewish Federation and
the Jewish Federation of N.Y., the United Jewish Communities, the
Organization of Jewish Charities, as well as Israel Bonds, the Israeli
Consulate and the Israeli Delegation to the U.N.
Wherever
they went, in addition to reading the Megilla and bringing the
joy of Purim, the Chassidim brought the Rebbe’s message that our
generation is the generation of Redemption, and that we must use these
final moments of exile in order to connect one Redemption to another –
the Redemption of Purim to the true and complete Redemption. “This is
how the Rebbe guided us, and this is what we convey wherever we go,”
said Rabbi Dovid Raskin, director of Tzach.
Among
its many projects, the work at the new offices of Tzach in the Empire
State building (5th Ave corner 34th St.) stands out. The Megilla was
read and a Purim party was held for those people working in the building
and nearby, as well as for tourists from around the world. The Tzach
office at the Empire State building also holds regular shiurim and
minyanim.
A
convoy of tanks was arranged for Purim, in which the Megilla was
read, and from which mishloach manos and Purim guides were
distributed around the city. “The warm reception we got wherever we
went is indescribable,” reported a tankist.
The
week before Purim, Rabbi Butman ran ads on WINS and WCBS describing the mitzvos
of Purim and conveying the Rebbe’s message: from the Redemption of
Purim to the final Redemption. These ads ran at various hours of day and
night and brought the Rebbe’s message to millions of listeners in the
metropolitan area. Rabbi Butman said that over the years, the Rebbe
greatly encouraged these broadcasts and even agreed to edit the script.
Rabbi
Kasriel Kastel, Tzach’s projects coordinator, said, “In all the
projects we saw the Rebbe’s blessings.”
“We
just have to do, and the Rebbe takes care of the success,” concluded
Tamim Sholom Shapiro.
“We
are certain,” said Rabbi Butman, “that these activities will further
hasten the biggest project of all, when the Rebbe MH”M will take us
out of exile.”
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