A historic occasion took place in Calabria, Italy, with the first printing of Tanya ever held in the region, where tens of thousands of mehudar esrogim are grown, which Lubavitcher Chassidim use each year for Sukkos.

As is known, the Rebbe requested that Tanya be printed in every place where Yidden are found. To date, more than 8,000 editions of Tanya have been printed around the world.

The printing was organized by Rabbi Shmaya Chatzkelevitch and Rabbi Levi Zarchi, with several dozen members of Anash traveling to take part. Mashgichim and others involved in the Calabria esrog industry were also present.

Among those present were Rabbi Mordechai Mushiashvili of Lod and members of Mesores Anash; the Rav of Anash Lubavitch in Crown Heights, Rabbi Yossi Garelik; the Rebbe’s Shliach to France, Rabbi Reuven Matusof; and Lubavitch author Rabbi Eliyahu Matusof.

Rabbi Yossi Garelik is the son of Rabbi Gershon Mendel and yblch“t Rebbetzin Bassie Garelik, the Rebbe’s Shluchim who established the Chabad presence in Italy. Rabbi Reuven Matusof has been involved with the Calabria esrogim for decades, helping oversee the kashrus and hiddurim of the esrogim shipped from the region.

As the freshly printed copies of Tanya came off the press, those present broke into song and dance, celebrating the printing of Tanya in this historic location. After the Tanya was printed, those present began learning from the freshly printed pages, in accordance with the Rebbe’s hora’ah.

Rabbi Yossi Garelik and Rabbi Reuven Matusof addressed the crowd and farbrenged with the participants for many hours.

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