Members of Colel Chabad’s Chevras Tehillim gathered near the Kever of Dovid Hamelech on Har Tziyon in Yerushalayim for their annual seudas mitzva, held in connection with Dovid Hamelech’s yahrtzeit, marked on Shavuos.

The gathering took place in a hall near the Kever and brought together members of the daily Tehillim minyan, rabbonim, mashpi’im, and community figures who came to honor the long-standing initiative and the Yidden who keep it going every day.

The Chevras Tehillim was founded 84 years ago by the Frierdiker Rebbe during the dark days of World War II, when he launched a number of efforts to arouse rachamim for Yidden around the world. In a letter written at the time, the Frierdiker Rebbe wrote that through the recitation of Tehillim, the words of Ne’im Zemiros Yisroel, the mispallelim would protect Yidden and help ease the chevlei Moshiach.

In 5750, the initiative was renewed at the direction of the Rebbe through Colel Chabad. Since then, a daily minyan has gathered at the Kever to recite the entire Sefer Tehillim with concentration, mentioning names of Yidden in need of a yeshua.

Addresses were delivered by Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Halperin, chairman of the Association of Descendants of the Alter Rebbe; Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Slonim, rov of the Baal HaTanya Shul; Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Halperin, rov of the Chabad communities in Ramot Daled and Beis Yisrael; and Rabbi Chaim Sasson, author of numerous sefarim.

Also participating were Rabbi Eliezer Lichtenstein, a respected member of Anash in Yerushalayim and veteran mechanech; Rabbi Yosef Lipa Alperowitz, gabbai of the Beis Yosef Shul and a longtime mechanech in Yerushalayim; Rabbi Menachem Mendel Azdaba, the Rebbe’s shliach to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City; and Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Deutsch, representing the Colel Chabad administration and director of the Chevras Tehillim.

The speakers praised the members of the Chevras Tehillim for their steady commitment, coming throughout the year to recite the entire Tehillim and daven for Yidden in need of a yeshua. They also highlighted the devoted work of Rabbi Daniel Koenig, who coordinates the daily minyan, and thanked R’ Shmuel Mendelson for his assistance in arranging the gathering.