For the 60th Time, 330 Bochurim Going on Merkos Shlichus

For the 60th time since the first ‘Merkos Shlichus’ this summer 330 Bochurim who completed their studies in yeshiva will be going out to places across the world to spread Yiddishkeit in small towns and places where there are no Shluchim or Rabbis.

Bochurim heard from Shluchim and rabbis about their personal experiences and success stories of Merkos Shlichus as well as practical advice on how to achieve the most possible from their outreach.

More pictures in the Extended Article.

Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Vice Chairman of Merkos Linyonai Chinuch MCed the event. In his opening words he told the Bochurim about the history of ‘Merkos Shlichus’. “in the later years we saw how the Rebbe was involved in every detail of the Bochurim’s travels to the different Chabad Houses” he told. “The Rebbe would show Rabbi Chadokov locations of Chabad Houses on a map; how and where to go; and more details that illustrated the Rebbes involvement”.

The first to speak was Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetzky, Shliach to Dnieperpetrovsk, he related how when dealing with Ukrainians “a smile is a ‘not so small’ tool to use when starting to talk to people” he said. “People like it when you talk to them heartily and happily, its one of the ways to their hearts”.

He also spoke about how important it is to learn Chassidus before Davening. “A Bochur who is out on Shlichus and is adamant about learning Chassidus every morning, it changes his entire day”.

Then Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky spoke about going to help a Shliach back when he was a Bochur. “One chance meeting with a Yid can cause such an awakening in an entire family and sometimes even more then that” he said. “There many such stories where Yidden had such changes and awakenings because of one meeting with a Lubavitcher Bochur”.

The Shliach Rabbi Mendel Greisman director of “Chabad of Northwest Arkansas” spoke about the great responsibility the Bochurim are taking on themselves, along with the merit. “There are small towns that any small peulah you will do everyone will be talking about it” he said.

Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan head Shliach to Maryland and a Vaad member of Merkos Leinyonai Chinuch spoke about some of the ‘problematic’ topics Bochurim face on Merkos Shlichus such as shaking a woman’s hand, the holocaust, Kashrus and more.

Rabbi Efraim Mintz, director of the Jewish Learning Institute spoke to the Bochurim about how to give a Shiur in a way that would interest a Yid.

More topics were discussed throughout the evening; Rabbi Asi Spiegel, a Shliach on campus in Eugene, OR, spoke about Halochos that cannot be forgotten. Rabbi Chaim Shaul Bruk, Shliach to Bozeman, MT, spoke about his experience on Merkos Shlichus and how he is on Shlichus to the same state he did Merkos Shlichus as a Bochur. Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky gave a short lecture about Jnet and Rabbi Shneur Lifshitz concluded the event with a lecture detailing the use of the new Merkos Shlichus website which will aid the Bochurim in keeping track of Yidden they visited.