Two Young, Accomplished “Kids”

Rabbi Levi Garelik tells Anash.org:

The night of 13 Tammuz marks 60 years from when the Rebbe spoke a sicha about a young shluchim couple and Camp Gan Yisroel: They were Rabbi Gershon Mendel and Rebbetzin Bassie Garelik. My parents, may they be well.

Interestingly enough this seems to be the only Sicha (that we know of) where the Rebbe:

• 1. Praised a Shliach.
• 2. Mentioned his name.
• 3. Mentioned his wife.
• 4. All of the above in their first year of Shlichus…..

Also, the Sicha was said in 5719/1959. My parents heard it for the first time in 5735/1975! Some 16 years later.

Rabbi Gareik continues:

“When I went to Yeshiva, the eltere (older) Bochurim told me that there is a sicha about my parents, so I researched until I found a “reel,” one of those old tapes that played on an old-fashioned tape player. Then I had to find a machine that would play the reel, and finally, I had to record it onto a cassette and bring it home when I went home for Pesach.

Listen to the clip where the Rebbe mentions them by name. (Starts at 2:50).

The Gareliks had only gone off to Italy that year. The Rebbe spoke a sicha the Shabbos before they left – Yud Kislev – about the advantage of going on shlichus and that davka those that travel far away have the essence of the Rebbe with them. That Yud Gimmel Tammuz the Rebbe mentioned the Gareliks by name and said that the young couple – him born in Russia and her in America – had done more than the Chassidim in Europe and the “Shpitz Chabad” sitting there…

The Rebbe goes on to sing the praises of that Gan Yisroel particularly, being in Italia Shel Yovon, and how the children going to that camp will bring home the lessons they learned in school and share it with their parents.

At the end of the sicha the Rebbe instructs the kids of Gan Yisroel present at the farbrengen to give Gan Yisroel a cheer and a triple hurray!