Eretz Yisroel and Shluchim Memorial at General Session

Thousands of shluchim joined together for a dinner and general session on Thursday night with powerful addresses and the annual memorial for shluchim who passed away, usually held during the Gala Banquet.

By Anash.org reporter

Thousands of shluchim joined together for a dinner and general session at the Bedford Armory on Thursday night after a day full of workshops and Kinus programs.

Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Chairman of the International Kinus Hashluchim, opened the event with a powerful and moving address. As he began, thousands of shluchim gave him a standing ovation, saluting him for his decades of efforts on behalf of shluchim worldwide. Focusing on the Kinus’ theme this year, to uplift ourselves and the entire world, Rabbi Kotlarsky urged the shluchim to lift their communities and surroundings. Especially now, at a time when the entire world is looking for guidance, the shluchim need to strengthen and encourage themselves, their surroundings, and indeed the entire world, he said.

Rabbi Levi Jacobson, shliach to Thornhill, Ontario was the emcee, and also delivered a heartful address about the health and needs of Shluchim, and the methods and resources that are available to help with it.

The kapitalach of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin were recited by Rabbi Moshe Ariel HaCohen Rot, shliach to Be’er Sheva, followed by birchas kohanim. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lieberman, shliach to Ashkelon, led Tehillim for Eretz Yisroel.

Representing Vaad Rabbonei Chabad was Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld, Head Shliach of Chabad of Western Pennsylvania.

Rabbi Lazer Gurkow, shliach to London, Ontario, introduced the hachlata of Thursday night: ‘The Alef’, a new program created by the Moshiach Office of Merkos 302 which will provide workshops and classes for Chabad Houses to teach about Moshiach.

Tzfas’ Rabbi Chaim Kaplan spoke energetically about the situation in Eretz Yisroel, recounting the Rebbe’s words to his father, renowned Tzfas Head Shliach Rabbi Leibel Kaplan. Sent on shlichus in 5733, he came to Eretz Yisroel just months before the Yom Kippur War. During the war, the Rebbe told a certain individual that “I have my general [in Eretz Yisroel], referring to the senior Rabbi Kaplan. We are all the Rebbe’s generals, Rabbi Chaim Kaplan told the shluchim. The Rebbe trusts us and believes in us to lead during these trying times, he said.

Rabbi Asher Yaras, shliach to University of Rochester, NY, spoke about the challenges on campus today.

The annual memorial for Shluchim who passed over the past year, usually held during the Gala Banquet, was moved this year to the Thursday night general session. Alongside with the slideshow of names and faces, touching niggunim were played as the shluchim reflected on their bother whom they lost over the past year.