PSA: Children’s Hakkafos in 770

The following notice was sent by Rabbi Sholom Ber Baumgarten regarding a special Hakkafos for children which will take Monday evening place in 770:

Dear Members of the Crown Heights Community,

Simchas Torah is primarily a Yom Tov which is celebrated as a family. Fathers dance happily together with their children and the Sifrei Torah. However, as Chassidim, the Rebbe has taught us the importance of being mesameach other Yidden, and therefore the men and older boys go on Tahalucha, leaving the women and children at home, with little opportunity to participate in any Hakofos.

For this reason, we are making a special Hakofos in 770 where children will be able to experience Hakofos in the Rebbe’s Shul. The Hakofos will only be on Monday night, the night of Tahalucha. In order for this to proceed in a respectful way, please follow these instructions:

• Women and girls will have the Zechus of kissing the Rebbe’s Sefer Torah, OUTSIDE 770 between 5:00pm and 7:30pm.

• All carriages are to be left on Eastern Parkway. Please do not attempt to bring them into shul.

• In 770: Very young girls children stay with their mothers. The older girls (under Bas Mitvah) will stand with madrichos.

• All women and girls over Bas Mitzvah who are not taking care of children will not be allowed downstairs. They are welcome to watch from the Women’s shul and before hakofos they will have a chance to kiss Rebbe’s Sefer Torah.

• The older boys will stand on the bleachers behind the Rebbe’s davening bima.

• The downstairs Shul will be open for women and children at 7:00pm.

• Marriv will begin at 7:06pm. After Marriv Kiddush will be made, the children will receive flags, and Hakofos will begin.

• After Hakofos the boys will have the Zechus of kissing the Rebbe’s Sefer Torah.

We would like to thank Rabbi Velvel Karp & Rabbi Yitzzi Hecht who initiated this peuloh and has worked tirelessly to see it come to fruition. We would also like to thank the gaboim of 770 as this would have been impossible to arrange without their help.

It is our sincere hope that the plans will be changed and we will all have hakofos together with the Rebbe in the Beis Hamikdosh Hashlishi.

Gut Yom Tov,

Rabbi Sholom Ber Baumgarten