At a magnificent event in Yerushalayim, the ‘Mayonei Yisroel’ community unveiled plans and raised funds for a $10M center that will serve as headquarters for hafotzas hachassidus within the broader chareidi community. A novel gift was given to donors.
By Anash.org reporter
Less than a year ago, ‘Mayonei Yisroel,’ the umbrella organization that unites Yidden of all stripes who learn Chassidus Chabad, completed the purchase of a large site in a central location in Yerushalayim and began major renovations. The center will serve as the headquarters for the activities throughout Eretz Yisroel, a shul, and a kollel.
The move gives a stamp of permanence to what was until now a group of loosely affiliated idealists and spiritual seekers. An abstract vision has been made concrete, giving the deserved prominence to a vibrant movement.
At a fundraising conference and dinner in support of the new building, 8 million NIS, over $2 million, was successfully raised.
The program began with an exhibition displaying how Mayonei Yisroel went from an impromptu pop-up organization in 5767 (2007) to the current community across Eretz Yisroel with ten shuls and over a thousand families.
From there, MC R’ Meir Levinger invited the attendees to enter the elegant ballroom. The dinner was opened by the Rosh HaKollelim of Mayonei Yisroel, R’ Mendel Fogel, who read a letter of the Rebbe how giving tzedakah empowers a person to be able to give more the future.
After greetings from Mayonei Yisroel’s senior mashpi’im, R’ Chaim Sholom Deitch and R’ Zalman Gopin, keynote addresses were delivered by two distinguished guests: R’ Moshe Wollberg, Maggid Shiur in the Kfar Chabad yeshiva, and R’ Shabtai Slavaticki, head shliach to Belgium. The speakers highlighted the historic significance of the gathering, as a way to ensure the ever-widening reach of Chassidus, as well as to maintain the ongoing success.
The actual appeal was conducted by the mayor of Elad, R’ Yisroel Porush, who has developed a close connection to Chabad.
A unique gift was given to all those who pledged over 36,000 NIS: a silk gartel sewn with threads from the Rebbe’s gartel. Throughout the event, a chassidishe tailor prepared the gartels on full display.
When the fundraising dinner ended, the crowd sat down for a chassidishe farbrengen late into the night.
wow! may this be a Nachas ruach for the Rebbe amen!
kol hakavod R aaron & R Mordchai Yoel on a successful project, may it be a Zechus for yourself and your families!