Rabbi Jacobson Inspires Southern Hemisphere

During a two week lecture tour of the Southerm Hemisphere, world renowned speaker Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson spent time with the Chabad communities in Melbourne, Australia and Cape Town, South Africa, among others.

Melbourne, Australia

Close to 400 people from across the spectrum of the Melbourne community came together to hear a lecture by the internationally renowned speaker. The lecture, held on Motzei Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Elul was a joint project of Kollel Menachem Lubavitch and the Yeshivah Centre.

Rabbi Jacobson captivated the audience with a powerful address on the timely topic: Real Change – Making this Elul Different. Exploring the meaning of vidui and weaving together sources from the Gemora, Chassidus and Medrash, he explained the focus of self-introspection and the path to meaningful growth.

Director of the Kollel and Head Shaliach, Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Groner, opened the evening with Divrei Brocha. He emphasised the contribution of the Yeshivah Mosdos and specifically the Kollel, in advancing Limmud HaTorah and Yiddishkeit in Melbourne. He recalled how his father, Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner z”l, considered the Kollel to be the jewel in the crown of the Chabad Institutions which he built in his 50 years of Shlichus.

Rosh HaKollel, Rabbi Yonason Johnson spoke about the Avodah of Chodesh Elul. The King is in the Field accessible in our daily lives, but the Avodah of Elul is still one of self-motivation. How do we pull ourselves away from our busy, material lifestyles to inspire ourselves when we feel spiritually depleted? Rabbi Johnson shared the advice of the Rebbe Rashab in Hemshech Ayin Beis: When we learn Torah, its light gives us the strength to reveal our Neshomos within, despite the concealment of the world and our Nefesh Habehamis.

The evening was the official launch of the Kollel’s program of Adult Education as preparation for the Yomim Noraim. A brochure listing the shiurim and lecture series, covering the Yomim Tovim in halocha, Chassidus and Tefillah was distributed and is available online at www.kollelmenachem.com.au/tishrei.

Going Global

A highlight of the program is the Daily Halocha Learning Program. Participants will learn many of the key halachos of Rosh Hashona, Yom Kippur, Sukkah and Lulav from the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Oruch. The halachos have been divided into daily sections which can be studied in under 15 minutes and fit easily into a busy schedule. A similar Pesach program attracted hundreds of participants from around the world and across Melbourne.

The Tishrei program begins this Sunday Elul 8. The learning booklet and audio shiurim are available online at www.kollelmenachem.com.au/tishreihalocha.

Kollel Menachem is a Kollel where newly married Yungeleit can advance their learning of Halocha Beiyun in a structured learning program. It also serves as a centre for Adult Education in which the Yungeleit serve as active Shluchei Torah within the community.

Cape Town, South Africa

Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson spent a day in Cape Town, South Africa. After lecturing to a packed shul in this beautiful city, Rabbi Jacobson sat down to farbreng with the Shluchim of Cape Town at the home of the head Shliach Rabbi Mendel Popack.

The lecture in Cape Town was titled, “Yes to a Better Year,” and was arranged by the Shliach Rabbi Pini Hecht.

Close to 300 Jews attended the hour-long lecture.

From left to right: Many of the shluchim to Cape Town at a late night farb with Rabbi Jacobson. Rabbis: Levi Popack, Mendel Popack, Y.Y. Jacobson, Dovid Wineberg, Asher Feldman, Levi Silman, Asher Deren. Many of these young Rabbis serve as the Rabbis some of the largest synagogues in Cape Town.