Anash and mekuravim in Boston, MA, gathered at the Shaloh House for a Rosh Chodesh Kislev farbrengen with Rabbi Elchonon Cohen, shliach, shochet, mohel in Almaty, Kazakhstan, who shared inspiration and incredible stories of brissen that he performed under extreme circumstances.
By Anash.org reporter
In honor of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the Shaloh House in Boston hosted a memorable farbrengen for the Boston community with shliach to Almaty, Kazakhstan Rabbi Elchanan Cohen.
With the speaker delayed by traffic on the way from New York to Boston, the farbrengen began by reading out fascinating excerpts from Rabbi Groner’s diary about the miracle of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, sharing many details that many had not known before.
Rabbi Cohen farbrenged in English and shared moving stories from his makom hashlichus in Kazakhstan. Being himself both a Shochet and Mohel, he recounted several amazing experiences in performing brissen for all kinds of Yidden in a variety of circumstances.
L’chaims were made for shluchim in need of a refuah sheleimah, and heartfelt brachos were extended to those attending. Rabbi Yossi Lebedev shared divrei hisorerus on the matter and they sang stirring niggunim.
The farbrengen also served as a homecoming of sorts for Rabbi Cohen. Reminiscing his time as a shliach at the Lubavitch Yeshiva in Boston 35 years ago, he took the opportunity to revisit the yeshiva after the farbrengen.
The farbrengen was arranged by Rabbi Dovid Zaltzman, shliach in Watertown, MA, who knew Rabbi Cohen from his time in Kazakhstan.
The event was meticulously organized by Rabbi Dan Rodkin of the Shaloh House in Boston, who besides hosting the event, served a delectable spread of farbeisen for the diverse crowd of attendees from the Boston community.
Photos and video by Jonathan Schapiro
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