Yesterday was a holiday in Jerusalem. On Monday evening, a series of bar mitzvah events concluded for 122 orphaned boys from all over the country, including war orphans, on the occasion of the 122nd birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt"l - 11th of Nissan.
The traditional celebration was preceded by special accompaniment by 'Chesed Menachem Mendel', the educational arm of 'Kollel Chabad', which accompanies the orphans and introduces them to the big and exciting day of their lives, through spiritual preparation worthy of the big day.
In recent days, due to security tensions, there were concerns about its existence, but after consulting with security officials and other parties, the Kollel decided not to forgo the traditional celebration. The result was immense joy and great excitement.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
The celebration began early in the morning at the Western Wall, where the boys were welcomed with singing and dancing. The boys were lifted onto their shoulders, and circles of joy were formed around them by the happy families, who were honored to have their family member in this exalted position.
Each of the boys was personally given a pair of tefillin by the 'Kollel' staff, led by the dedicated director, Rabbi Shalom Duchman. His son, Rabbi Zalman, came especially from New York to bring his father's blessing. From there, the boys went to the morning prayer. One by one, the boys ascended to the Torah, next to the remains of our temple.
At the end of the celebration at the Western Wall, the boys, the Bar Mitzvah grooms, traveled to the Binyamin Ha'uma - where the festive ceremony was held, with the participation of the Chief Rabbis, ministers and honored guests, led by the Chief Rabbi of Israel, the Gaon Rabbi David Lau, the Rabbi of Jerusalem and the Rishon LeZion, the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Amar, the Rabbi of Bnei Brak, the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Yitzhak Isaac Landau, the Rabbi of Kiryat Gat, the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Hablin, the Rabbi of Be'er Sheva, the Gaon Rabbi Yehuda Deri, the Rabbi of Lod, the Gaon Rabbi Shimon Meir Biton, the Rabbi of the city of Safed, the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Central Rabbi of Tel Aviv and Chabad emissary Rabbi Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzk, the Rosh Yeshiva of Tomchei Temimim in Lod, the Gaon Rabbi Yitzhak Koenig, the Hasidic Gaon Rabbi Mendel Wachter of Kiryat Malachi, the Masfia Rabbi Mendel Gruner of Kiryat Gat and Chabad emissaries Rabbi Mendel Lieberman of Ashkelon and Rabbi Menashe Althuis of Moydon.
Also participating in the list of honored guests were: Minister of Construction and Housing Yitzhak Goldknopf, Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin, Minister of Welfare Yaakov Margi, Minister of Health Uriel Bosso, Minister of Religious Affairs Michael Malchieli, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yisrael Katz, Minister of Communications Shlomo Kari, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Moshe Aboutbol, Minister of Absorption Ofir Sofer, Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Deputy Knesset Speaker Moshe Solomon, Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman, Minister of News, Science and Technology Gila Gamliel, Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon, MK Ariel Kellner, MK Tzaga Malko, MK Avraham Bezalel, MK Yoni Mesharki, MK Asher Shekalim, MK Eli Dellal, MK Kati Shitrit, MK Sasson Guetta.
To read a chapter of Psalms for the benefit of the fighting forces and for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Holy Land, Chabad emissary to Ashkelon, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lieberman, and the son of the warrior Elisha Levinstern, who fell in battle in the Gaza Strip, the boy Eitan, were invited. During the moving event, the illuminating and special figures of Rabbi Amram Blau, z"l, and Rabbi Yitzhak Marton, z"l, who dedicated their lives to the orphans, with endless devotion, emerged.
The series of events is being organized with the assistance of the 'Ish Israel' Institute - for the repose of the soul of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Schlossberg, a donation from his son, the Hasidic Governor Rabbi Eliyahu Schlossberg. During the grand celebration, which was led by Rabbi Ephraim Kamisar and produced by Ma'am Productions, valuable gifts were presented to all those who had completed the mitzvot.
""Every orphan boy is a whole world," concluded Rabbi Shalom Duchman and Rabbi Mandi Blau from the 'Kollel' management, "This celebration was massive and large, but each and every one received personal attention, like an only child, something that came about through individual investment. We wish all the boys the privilege of taking this joy for the entire year and for the rest of their lives, with God's help.".
[gallery]
