A moving ceremony was held today at the Chabad House in Almaty, Kazakhstan, near the Ohel of Harav Levi Yitzchak, when a young Jew from the city of Kostanay agreed to undergo his Bris Milah.
A moving ceremony was held today at the Chabad House in Almaty, Kazakhstan, near the Ohel of Harav Levi Yitzchak, when a young Jew from the city of Kostanay agreed to undergo his Bris Milah.
After davening at the Ohel, the Bris Milah was held at the Chabad House. Philanthropist R’ Avi Shaulson served as the boy’s sandek. Shaulson and Shmuel Stern founded the yeshivas kayitz “Oholei Levi Yitzchok” which was established 11 years ago.
Next to the boy stood Rabbi Menachem Mendel Zalmanov, shliach to the boy’s hometown Kostanay. The Mohel was shliach to Alma Ata Rabbi Elchanan Cohen, representative of the Bris Yosef Yitzchak organization.
The young boy chose the name Chaim for himself, leading Rabbi Yeshaya Elazar Cohen, the Chief Rabbi and Head Shliach of Kazakhstan to declare that “This Bris is more evidence of the continuation of Jewish life (Chaim) in the country. We are reaping today what Rabbi Levi Yitzchak sowed in tears.”
Shlucha Leah Cohen, who directs the camp for children of Kazakhstan, said: “The power of Reb Levi’k. The boy Vanya came from Kostanay for the second year to participate in Camp Gan Yisrael. A month and a half ago we were at their place to perform a Bris for his baby brother while he himself was his Sandek. Vanya still refuses to be circumcised. The instructors at the camp tried in every way to convince him to have a Bris.
“Yesterday, at the event the counselors lifted him on their shoulders and sang “And the main thing is not to be afraid to get a Bris”… I stood in front of the screen that was in the women’s section and I filmed the scene for his mother to see how they dance with him.
She wrote back to me in response: Vanya wrote to me that he was thinking about having a Bris. And today, Boruch Hashem it was fulfilled.”
Chabad Houses in Kazakhstan – together with the central Chabad House located near Reb Levi Yitzchok’s tziyun are holding their annual fundraiser.
Donate now generously, and merit an abundance of brochos!
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