During a farbrengen held in Alma Ata in preparation for Chof Av, a young man from Kazakhstan took upon himself to have a bris immediately after Shabbos in honor of Harav Levi Yitzchok.
Tens of students from Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Moscow arrived last week to Almaty in honor of Chof Av, the 77th yahrtzeit of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok, the father of the Rebbe. R’ Levi Yitzchok is buried in Almaty, in the land of his exile, where he was sentenced for the crime of spreading Yiddishkeit.
The yeshiva students are participating in the yeshivas kayitz “Oholei Levi Yitzchok” which was established 11 years ago by Avi Shaulson and Shmuel Stern.
At the Shabbos farbrengen, Rabbi Elchonon Cohen asked one of the boys what his name was, to which he answered the Russian name “Misha”.
In the spirit of the Farbrengen, Misha took upon himself to get a bris immediately after Shabbos.
And so it was the very next morning, the bris was conducted by Rabbi Elchonon Cohen, with the participation of his friends in the Yeshivas Kayitz. “VaYikra Shmo BeYisroel- Michoel” he took on the Jewish name Michoel.
The festive celebration carried over to a Bar Mitzvah later in the afternoon. A local boy in the community turned 13 years old and his Jewish name is Michoel too!
Rabbi Yeshaya Elazar Cohen, the Chief Rabbi and Head Shliach of the Rebbe of Kazakhstan relates that the purpose of the Yeshivas Kayitz is so that there is learning at the tziyun around the clock on Chof Av. They spend the time learning from Rabbi Levi Yitzchoks’ holy teaching, commemorating his yahrzeit.
This program is in dedicated li’lui nishmas R’ Shmuel ben R’ Yehoshua Eliyahu Rohr A”H, who epitomized chessed and gave generously to tzedaka, and whose yahrtzeit is on the 17th of Av.
Rabbi Cohen adds that the community is getting ready for the hundreds of Jews who are coming from all over the world in honor of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok’s yahrtzeit on Chof Av.
“Every year the number of those coming in increases by leaps and bounds. They are coming to honor the Rebbe’s father and because of the miraculous stories that occur as a result of visiting the tziyun,” he said.
Chabad Houses in Kazakhstan – together with the central Chabad House located near Reb Levi Yitzchok’s tziyun are holding their annual fundraiser.
Donate now generously, and merit an abundance of brochos!
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