Shluchim Attend JLI Adult Education Conference

Over 550 Shluchim from across the globe gathered at the opulent Grand Prospect Hall in Park Slope for JLI’s annual Adult Education Conference and Expo. Participants enjoyed a day of professional training, idea-sharing, best practices, and brainstorming new ways of expanding all forms of Mivtzah Torah in their hometown communities for the upcoming academic year.

Highlighting the Conference was one of the world’s most effective social media experts, Sal Litvak; founder of the popular Facebook Page “The Accidental Talmudist,” Mr. Litvak described his personal journey toward Torah observance while outlining how he managed to build a webpage that shares Torah thoughts daily with over one million followers.

In his classic style, world-renowned orator Rabbi YY Jacobson lectured on the fundamentals of preparing a great class and how to really captivate an audience, before a large crowd of Shluchim which itself was riveted to the subject at hand.

Friend of Chabad and Yeshiva University Professor of Talmud Rabbi Benjamin Blech, shared with his audience the secret to dynamic public speaking, while New York University Professor Lawrence Schiffman, along with JLI’s course editors Rabbi Mordy Dinerman and Rabbi Naftali Silberberg, unveiled some of the content of JLI’s flagship courses for the upcoming academic year.

Also addressing the Shluchim at lunch were Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, Rabbi Zalman Abraham, Rabbi Hesh Epstein and local Shliach Rabbi Shimon Hecht.

Additional sessions included best-practices panels by Shluchim and JLI staff, including Rabbi Zalman Gordon, Rabbi Chaim Mentz, Rabbi Sholom Ber Cohen, Rabbi Yossi Mendelson.

Alongside the sessions and workshops was a well-visited expo, featuring dozens of booths displaying the multitude of educational offerings, curricula, and products available from JLI and other mosdos.

The Conference concluded with a much anticipated “Ten-Yad Talks”, to assist fellow shluchim with new, innovative ideas for Mivtza Torah. An enthralled audience enjoyed a series of powerful, concise and fast-paced talks by Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein, Rabbi Yosef Levin, Rabbi Yossi Serebryanski, Rabbi Abba Perlmuter Rabbi Zalman Margolin, Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin, Rabbi Yisroel Beenstock, Rabbi Ronnie Fine, and Mr. Sal Litvak.

Finally, as the day came to a close, Rabbi Yisroel Deren addressed the Shluchim, reflecting on the approaching day of Gimmel Tammuz and what we as Chassidim can do in the present circumstances.

Photos by Itzik Roytman