First Sefer Torah in a Decade Welcomed at the Ohel

A historic and unique Siyum Sefer Torah was held Sunday at Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch in a small and intimate gathering attended by family members, friends, Rabbonim, and community members.

The new Sefer Torah was donated by Mr. Mike Koba, owner of Koba Capital LLC, in memory of his grandparents. The event was intentionally kept private, with no public advertising or signage, making it a personal and meaningful occasion for the family.

The Siyum was organized by the shliach to the Georgian community in Queens, Rabbi Aharon Chen. The event began at Mr. Koba’s home in Roslyn, Long Island, where a tent was set up with a catered meat lunch and L’Chaim, and the selling of letters, words, and parshiyos, followed by the final letters of the Sefer Torah being written. Following hagbah and gelilah, the participants broke out in a lively dance of the Rebbe’s father’s niggun.

From Long Island, they made their way to the Ohel, where they were greeted by Rabbi Abba Refson with sifrei Torah, and the new Sefer Torah was welcomed amid dancing and great joy.

“Mr. Koba wanted to donate the Torah to the Ohel because of the special significance of the location,” Rabbi Mendy Hecht, shliach to Forest Hills, Queens, who has collaborated with the family on chessed projects and attended the Siyum, told Anash.org.

“The Ohel is a place where thousands of people come to daven for yeshuos, and the donor wanted the Torah to have a permanent place in this unique setting, to honor the Rebbe.”

The Koba family has a longstanding connection to the Rebbe. Mike Koba’s father, Dovid, had a yechidus with the Rebbe in 1976. He has related that he received much guidance from the Rebbe and that everything the Rebbe told him was ultimately fulfilled. He continues to hold a deep appreciation and love for the Rebbe.

At the Siyum, Dovid Koba called on those present to join in a special dance in honor of the Rebbe. “He described the dancing as a way of ‘calling up the Rebbe’ and dancing together with him,” Rabbi Hecht said.

The Siyum also marked what is believed to be the first Sefer Torah brought to the Ohel in approximately a decade.

At the Siyum, Mr. Mike Koba also announced the establishment of the new Koba Foundation, which will support a range of Jewish projects around the world. Among the initiatives envisioned are assistance for those in need of Sifrei Torah, support for Jewish books and seforim, and other projects that strengthen Jewish life and Torah learning.

Rabbi Yaakov Reiter, one of the shluchim to Roslyn and rabbi of the Roslyn Sefardic center and Rabbi Shraga Zalmanow, shliach to Queens were present at the siyum as well. The shluchim used the oppurtunity to wrap teffilin with the attended.

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