Miracles of Hurricane Andrew to Be Celebrated Tomorrow

by Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus

Tomorrow, Thursday, 25 Menachem Av, we have much to celebrate, and to be grateful for.  

32 years ago, on the 25th of Menachem Av, 5752/1992, we experienced Hurricane Andrew – and the tremendous miracles/Nissim that took place after the Rebbe instructed us to stay put and not to evacuate.  

At the Kollel D’Rav Pinchas Hirschprung, located at Congregation Levi Yitzchok-Lubavitch/Chabad of South Broward Headquarters, L’Chaim will be said and breakfast will be served from 8:30-10:30am. 

The Kollel opened on 3 Tishrei, 5784, and plans are to expand the Kollel hours and the Chavrusah learning and Shiurim in the upcoming New Year. Currently, Chavrusah learning at the Kollel and Shiurim takes place weekdays from 5:30am until 12 noon. An average of 40-50 men attend the Kollel each day.  

It is customary for Chassidim and all Yidden to be Makir Tov, to show appreciation for a good thing that happened to them, and for this reason, Chassidim and Jews in South Florida and throughout the world, will once again celebrate the wondrous advice and salvation that tens of thousands of Jews received from the Rebbe on this day 32 years ago.  

In a report to the Rebbe 32 years ago, I wrote: During Hurricane Andrew, that took place on 25 Menachem Av, we merited to see כה מנחם. 

I continued in my report: May we immediately merit to see and say: זה מנחם!

Every Yom Tov, we celebrate not only an event that happened in our illustrious history. We actually relive the day or days! So too with the 25th of Menachem Av. We actually “relive the day”, and give thanks to HaShem that we were indeed part of a huge miracle that literally saved our lives and the lives of so many others. 

Rabbi Shmuel Heber שליט״א, my first out of town Rosh Yeshiva, called me a few days after Hurricane Andrew, to ask all the details of the Rebbe’s incredible advice and repeated advice, for me and my community to stay put during Hurricane Andrew. He was speaking in 770 (I believe at a Siyum in a Halacha of the Rambam) and he wanted the details from the first person who called the Rebbe’s office.  

Many people told me, that for Chassidim worldwide, Hurricane Andrew was a pivotal day after 27 Adar Rishon, 5752, that infused Chassidim with strengthened Emunah and Bitachon, that the Rebbe was 100% guiding us as always. 

Now too, after Gimmel Tammuz, Chassidim continue to believe that the Rebbe guides us, blesses us and directs us, with even greater vitality than ever. 

Indeed, may we go from כה מנחם to זה מנחם with the revelation of Moshiach, NOW!