A major milestone in Chinuch was marked last Thursday night in Kfar Chabad, where 198 Lubavitcher yungeleit gathered after completing a special training program preparing them to enter the field of Chinuch.

The program, arranged by Reshet Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch, was created to train suitable yungeleit for the responsibility of educating Chabad children with both professional skill and a clear chassidishe approach. The ceremony was held at Beis Zlata in Kfar Chabad, on the eve of Yud Beis-Yud Gimmel Tammuz, the Chag Hageulah of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

The evening opened with the new mechanchim seated around set tables, with chassidishe niggunim playing in the background. Rabbi Dov Halperin chaired the event, and Rabbi Avraham Gechtman of the Sha’anan branch and Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Pizem of the Talpiyot branch were honored with reciting the kapitelach of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin.

Rabbi Eliyahu Kritchevsky, director of the Reshet, spoke about the growth of the Chinuch training initiative and the great need for more capable yungeleit to dedicate themselves to this shlichus. He emphasized the Reshet’s goal of preparing mechanchim who can enter the classroom with the proper tools, clarity, and chassidishe approach.

Participants then watched rare videos of the Rebbe speaking about the Chag Hageulah of Yud Beis-Yud Gimmel Tammuz.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gluckowsky, rov of the Chabad community in Rechovot and a member of the Reshet’s hanhala, addressed the crowd on the Rebbe’s approach to Chinuch, sharing stories and lessons that brought out the responsibility and privilege of educating a Jewish child.

Veteran mechanech Rabbi Naftali Hakohen Roth also spoke, sharing memories and insights from the Rebbe’s special attention to children and to those entrusted with their Chinuch.

One of the moving moments of the evening featured Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Lison, the Rebbe’s shliach and longtime mechanech at Talmud Torah Tzivos Menachem Chabad of Haifa and the Krayot, who recently recovered from illness. Together with Shmulik Sofer, he sang his father’s niggun “Ki Rega B’apo,” followed by “Ashrei Adam Boteiach Bach.”

The keynote address was delivered by Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Landa, rov of Bnei Brak, who spoke from decades of experience in shlichus and Chinuch. He focused on the need to approach every talmid individually, especially in our generation, guided by the Rebbe’s hora’os.

The highlight of the evening came when the 198 graduates were called up to receive their certificates from the program coordinators, Mendy Arad and Shimon Levin, marking the completion of their training.

The program concluded with lively dancing, as the new mechanchim marked the completion of their training and prepared to bring their new tools and energy into Chabad classrooms.

Photos: Mendi Tuito