Posted to Chabad News on
by Yossi Friedman

SYDNEY, Australia [CHI] — Close to 1000 people attended the ‘Chanukah with the Stars’ carnival organized by the Sydney Tzemach Tzedek community on Sunday 29 Kislev. This event turned out to be one of the most successful of its kind in this congregation’s history. However, this great event would have been reduced to failure, if not for the occurrence of an unexpected miracle.

More pictures in the Extended Article! (Photos By: Shmueli Tuvel)

Nes Gadol Hayah Sham!!

by Yossi Friedman

SYDNEY, Australia [CHI] — Close to 1000 people attended the ‘Chanukah with the Stars’ carnival organized by the Sydney Tzemach Tzedek community on Sunday 29 Kislev. This event turned out to be one of the most successful of its kind in this congregation’s history. However, this great event would have been reduced to failure, if not for the occurrence of an unexpected miracle.

More pictures in the Extended Article! (Photos By: Shmueli Tuvel)

Hours of planning and vigorous preparations were made prior to the Chanukah event. Ten Shules were brought into the project, designed to attract thousands of Jews to celebrate the 6th night of Chanukah. Despite the poor weather forecast, thousands of doughnuts were purchased and tens of amusement park rides were hired and erected. The event even hosted Australia’s largest spinning dreidal!

However, all of this was put under threat.

As the day unfolded, the weather person’s predictions materialized. The horizon of the event turned dark and gloomy as rain started to fall. The time was 4pm – a mere half an hour before the event was due to begin. Large black clouds loomed overhead and the first few drops quickly became a steady drizzle. People began to mouth heartfelt tefillos and started to chazer perokim of Tanya. Letters were written to the Rebbe and people looked on in disbelief, waiting hopefully for the Rebbe’s blessing to pierce through the darkness. What would become of the mivtzah of Pirsumei Nisah?

4:15 came and still no change. 4:20. 4.25. But then, the unexpected happened. The clouds started to part and the rain began to lessen. By 4:30 the rain had completely stopped and the clouds were seen fleeing over the horizon. The forecast had even predicted hail, and it actually did hail in the nearby suburbs. Yet the Rebbe’s Shlichus prevailed again, and the sky remained clear for the duration of the event.

And here we have it – another miracle for the festival of Chanukah!

However, all is not yet said and done. The event then proceeded beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. One by one the rides were reassembled and the grillers were reignited. Being that the carnival was organized in conjunction with 10 other Sydney Shules, it attracted people from all different backgrounds and affiliations. In no time people began streaming into the Baracluff Park in Sydney’s Bondi suburb from all directions. What a sight it was! Chabadniks, Litvaks and secular Jews were seen dancing hand-in-hand to the music of the well known ‘La Tantz’ band. Immediately afterwards, the beating of the ‘Drum-Café’ united the Australians, Americans, Israeli’s and South Africans as they all shook their shakers and clapped their music sticks. The feeling of achdus was unreal! The festivities then carried on into the dark with the lighting of the large 20 foot Menorah

The picture being painted would not be complete without mentioning Benny Amzalak, Lawrence Hoffman and Schneier Lange who were truly ‘stars’ as they demonstrated their abilities in making this event one of the greatest successes of the Tzemach Tzedek Centre yet!

But that’s still not the end of it!

This entire event was all part of the major effort exerted by the Tzemach Tzedek Bochurim/Shluchim, to bring the light of Chanukah into the homes of all Jews. Every night the Bochurim went from door to door combing the entire Bondi area, making sure that no Jew was left without the light of Torah and Mitzvos in his home.

The response was mind boggling! Every night the Bochurim divided into groups, taking along the local children, to spread the light and joy of Chanukah. Throughout the 8 nights, over 600 Menorahs were distributed along with hundreds of doughnuts, dreidels, and chocolate Chanukah Gelt. Giant Menorahs were also set up around the different shopping centres, lighting up the streets of Bondi and giving hundreds of onlookers the opportunity to participate in the wonderful Chanukah experience.

May the light of Chanukah pierce through the darkness of Golus, and bring about the true lighting of the Menorah, together with the Rebbe, in the Beis Hamikdosh Hashlishi NOW!

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29 Comments

  • boruch

    we dont see pictures but lets not forget a big yeshar koach to the head shliach rabbi pinchos feldman and his son rabbi yossi feldman

  • H.

    I am not sure why this event is being given such attention. This ‘community’ is a group of people who are going against the Rebbes Head Shliach in Sydney and do everything to undermine the Rebbe’s Mosdos in Sydney.

    Lest we forget…

  • Sydneysider

    Fine day of celebrations and community! Each shule was involved, with only one or two exceptions. Lots of fun was had by all.

    Delighted kids smiled for the cameras. Many enjoyed the rides and attractions.
    A live band kept everyone liebedik with chassidishe tunes. No-one was left out of the fun (almost!).

    I enjoyed the chance to play with my friends in such a chassidishe environment. Seeing the Rebbe’s work all the way in Australia was inspiring.
    A real Kiddush Hashem.

    Forgetting the little issues our community has with achdus, the many shules came together for a celebration of Chanuka. United for a simchah, we realised that there wasn’t much tachlis holding us apart. Chanukah is a time of Jewish unity, and I think the carnival took our community one step closer. Keeping our holy mitzvah of Ahavas Yisroel, we made the Rebbe proud. Throughout the day, stories of our Rebbeim inspired our communities. An amazing day all round.

    Redeem us all speedily in our days! Days of Moshiach are just around the corner!

  • MENDL

    looks like lubavitch is doing a great job down there in sydney making a dira loi BTACHTOINIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • S.Dechter

    Yitzchok Barber, you look great up there just like back in New Haven. Keep up the great work.

  • Sydney Resident

    B"H

    For records sake, the day of the event experienced heavy rains well into the mid-afternoon until the Rebbe’s Shliach HoRav haGeon Yehoram Ulman wrote to the Rebbe asking a Brocho for the rains to cease because his grand public menorah lighting was to take place. And so it did, with over 1000 russian and israeli Jews in attendance. A real Kiddush Shem Shomayim and Shem Lubavitch. Moshiach Now!!

  • TT-s in the Holy Land

    Yasher koach to everyone at TT…. families, TT shluchim and kids amazing to see that it was such a ‘lichtige’ day. I shep nachas seeing and reading the updates. imyh all the wonderful events will continue.
    zei gezunt

  • londoner

    Great to see all the communities in sydney ( except maybe 1 or 2) getting along.too bad the others can’t get over their small issues and join what looks like an amazing community.

  • Missing Sydney

    Omg, I have tears in my eyes
    This is such an incredible Kiddush Hashem for Sydney!!!!

  • a chosid of the rebbe

    a nice event,however,its sad that real achdus is not there.the rebbes appointed head shliach and those who are committed to the principles of the rebbes shlichus,are not there.a program of mushrooms can be nice but it is not shlichus.may the organizers be inspired to follow the rebbes directive for shluchim and achieve real achdus. we all want moshiach now!

  • Sdynite

    "boruch wrote:
    we dont see pictures but lets not forget a big yeshar koach to the head shliach rabbi pinchos feldman and his son rabbi yossi feldman"

    the reason u dont see the pictures is because these people had nothing to do with the event, its time to start giving hakoros hatov to the people who deserve it!!

  • anon

    This aint just a lubavitch event it was with all the communities, it was at the park next to bnei

  • aidle

    its important to note each community put aside there differences and showed tremendous ahavas yisroel great job
    shmulie great pics