Historic Chof Av Marked in Alma Ata with Largest Crowd Ever

Record numbers of anash, shluchim and mekuravim, gathered this year in Alma Ata for Reb Levik’s 80th yahrtzeit. The annual pilgrimage was initiated by businessman Mr. Avi Shaulzon, who raised awareness and supported the endeavor, leading to the huge turnout for Chof Av.

Hundreds of Lubavitchers, balebatim, and members of the Almaty Jewish community gathered this past weekend in Kazakhstan to honor the yahrtzeit of the chossid and mekubal Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, the father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of his passing. 

Reb Levik was buried in Kazakhstan, a Muslim country where he was exiled by the Soviet regime for the crime of spreading Torah and mitzvot throughout the former Soviet Union, particularly in the city of Yekaterinoslav, where he served as chief rabbi, and later more intensively during his exile in Kazakhstan.

The throngs of visitors arrived in Almaty after many hours of travel; most of them from New York, Florida, and California in the U.S., and from Israel, with others coming from France, Argentina, Australia, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and even Thailand and South Korea.

The central farbrengen for the 80th yahrtzeit began at the Chabad House in Almaty, marking 30 years of dedicated service to the Jewish community in Kazakhstan, led by the chief rabbi of Kazakhstan, head shliach Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen, together with the shluchim Rabbi Elchanan Cohen and Rabbi Mordechai Cohen.

In Kazakhstan, 12 families of shluchim are actively engaged in seven cities, revitalizing the spiritual landscape and, as it is said, “reaping with joy” what Reb Levik, “sowed in tears” during his four years of exile there.

On Friday, the main aliyah to the holy tziyun took place, with the recitation of the pan kloli. 

On Shabbos, lively farbrengens were held alongside a marathon of shiurim dedicated to the teachings of Reb Levik —both at the central Chabad House, where hundreds of guests, including rabbanim, mashpiim, shluchim, and Yidden from around the world, gathered together with the local community, as well as at the luxurious Rixos Hotel. 

Throughout Shabbos, many walked from the hotel, an hour-long walk, to the ‘Levi Yitzchak’ shul and the smaller shul adjacent to the kever, without fear or hesitation. 

Although Kazakhstan is known as a very tolerant country with no history of antisemitic incidents, security forces increased their presence along the route due to concerns about potential threats from foreign agents. 

During the Shabbos farbrengen, many noted that this is a clear manifestation of the principle “the advantage of light over darkness”: “Eighty years ago, during the funeral of Reb Levik, the authorities provided an escort only to later harass those who attended, but miraculously no one was harmed; and now we witness the respect and protection provided by the government and security forces to safeguard those davening at the kever of a Jewish leader buried in this country.”

It is worth recalling that during Chanukah of the year 5760 (2000), the Kazakh government granted Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen, a “Certificate of Exoneration,” clearing Reb Levik of the false accusations leveled against him by the Soviet authorities who severely oppressed religious practice.

Alongside the shiurim with the guests, a series of engaging classes were held for hundreds of members of Jewish communities across the country who gathered in Almaty for the yahrtzeit, with the locals joining in unison, “K’ish echad b’lev echad.”

On Motzei Shabbos, a banquet was held at the Rixos Hotel to honor the shluchim in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), initiated by businessman Mr. Avi Shaulzon, who has played a significant role in raising awareness and encouraging the large turnout for the 20th of Av. After Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen, inspired the audience with his words and bentched them with birchas kohanim, he invited Rabbi Grami to speak. Rabbi Grami said, “I have come in honor of the Rebbe, I have come in honor of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. We are all shluchim of the Rebbe, and the Rebbe is our father.”

On Sunday evening, the final banquet took place at the central Chabad House in Almaty, with the participation of about 500 members of the local Jewish community. During the event, recognition was given to Mr. Yosef-Yitzchak Cohen from New York and Mr. Moshe-David Cohen from Beitar for their significant support over the past 30 years.

Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen said, “Rebbetzin Chana, the devoted wife of Reb Levik, once remarked after his passing that he was a great Yid and should not be forgotten. The masses who have come with great mesiras nefesh from all corners of the world are the proof that her wish has been fulfilled.”