A melave malka and farbrengen in Los Angeles marked the shloshim of Harav Shimon Raichik, beloved rov of the Chabad community, with rabbonim, mashpi’im, shluchim and family members recalling how Rabbi Raichik led the community with his deep wisdom and care.
By Anash.org reporter
A melave malka and farbrengen in Los Angeles marked the shloshim of Harav Shimon Raichik, beloved rov of the Chabad community, with rabbonim, mashpi’im, shluchim and family members recalling how Rabbi Raichik led the community with his deep wisdom and care.
Rabbi Raichik, who served as the rov of Congregation Levi Yitzchok in Los Angeles, was renowned for personifying a ‘chassidisher rov’, with his wisdom, deep knowledge and scholarship matched only by his wit, warmth and care for each member of the Chabad community in Los Angeles and beyond.
Hundreds gathered at the shloshim in Los Angeles, held in Moshe Ganz Hall, right next to the shul he led for decades. The head table was graced by local rabbonim, both from the Chabad communities across California, and from other communities who also benefited from Rabbi Raichik’s leadership.
The evening began with a short address by Rabbi Chaim Hanoka, shliach to Pasadena, and siyum by Rabbi Sholom Raichik, shliach to Upper Montgomery County, MD, followed by a hadran by Rabbi Yisroel Noach Raichik over video. The assembled then sang the ‘Benoini’ niggun, a favorite of Harav Raichik. Emceeing was Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Raichik.
Addressing the large crowd were Harav Yosef Shusterman – rov of anash in California and shliach in Beverly Hills, Rabbi Moshe Weiss – shliach to Sherman Oaks, Rabbi Mendy Schapiro – mashpia in Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad, Dr. Alan Dauer, Harav Ezra Schochet – rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad.
Rabbi Abba Raichik then announced a number of initiatives the family would be launching in memory of their father. His “The Chodesh” newsletter, which marked special days on the Jewish calendar, would continue on WhatsApp. A mivtzoim organization begun by Rabbi Raichik would be expanded, offering anash the opportunity to spread Yiddishkeit to the tens of thousands of Yidden in California.
In addition, a new mikvah tahara would be built in the area of the Levi Yitzchok Shul, fulfilling a long-wished-for dream of Rabbi Raichik. R’ Abba said that over a million dollars have already been pledged for the mikvah, and a fundraising campaign will be launched in the coming weeks.
Throughout the evening, video tributes to Rabbi Raichik were played, with community members relating how he had helped them and gone out of his way at every opportunity to help another b’gashmius ub’ruchius.
A memento, containing a chapter from a book on Hilchos Shabbos in English, that Rabbi Raichik had written and prepared for publication, was distributed to all participants. The full book is in the final stages of preparation and is expected to be published for the first yahrzeit.
Following the official program, a chassidishe farbrengen was held with Rabbi Schapiro, continuing late into the night.
Text (323) 842-0068 to sign up for ‘The Chodesh’.
Click here to download the preview of Rabbi Raichik’s sefer.
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