It’s been three years since the Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois’ Lag b’Omer Festival has inspired thousands. With restrictions lifted, the community anticipated a return to routine, but what they got was even better.
Lag b’Omer was back and better than ever!
Lag b’Omer means outdoors. Lag b’Omer is fun. And Lag b’Omer means I am a Jew and I am proud!
It’s been three long years since the much anticipated Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois’ Lag b’Omer Festival has inspired thousands of Illinois Jews. Covid caused greater creativity and Rabbi Yosef Moscowitz, Executive Director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois and Chairman of the Lag b’Omer festivities, devised creative alternatives that were pandemic-acceptable.
Now, Baruch Hashem, with the restrictions lifted, the community anticipated a return to routine, but they didn’t get that – they got something WAY BEYOND ROUTINE! They got Lag b’Omer 5782, Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois style!
A new venue, new rides, new attractions, more food, more music, more marching bands and even a siyum HaRaMBaM, made Lag b’Omer 5782 way!! more than routine.
Logistics is always the biggest issue. Working together with Rabbi Klein of Chabad of Evanston, a new locale was identified and secured; then Rabbi Yosef Moscowitz did what he does best – created a dazzling event. Working together with a committee of shluchim, they arranged for the rides, organized the caterer, assembled the volunteers, and put in a special request for unseasonably beautiful weather. To make sure it all came together, Rabbi Moscowitz traveled to the Ohel that morning and asked the Rebbe’s brocha for a beautiful day, and BEAUTIFUL it was.
A crowd of more than 2,500!!! showed up and ate the food, listened to the bands and rode the bumper cars and slip and slides. The kiddie park allowed for the 2 and 3 year olds to kick off their shoes and jump on the bouncy castles while their older brothers and sisters rode the giant slide and ate snow cones. Moms and Dads sat in the warm sun and listened to music and got a chance to put on tefillin, learn about their local Chabad House programming and see the impact of Jews loving their Judaism and sharing the joy of togetherness!
“Wow, we missed this,” commented a happy Mom as her kids ran from event to event, “two years of shelter in place and isolation were too much. It’s wonderful to be together and watch the kids have fun in a safe and joyous atmosphere. Only Chabad can do this!”
“Zoom was ok,” explained 6 year old Ruthie, “but I missed being together with friends and this fair is just the GREATEST.” And with that, she was off to ride the zip-line.
“It was exhausting and exhilarating and reminded us of the power of being together – we loved it!”
Lag b’Omer 5782 was way more than back to normal; it was a leap to the future!
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