Banquet Held for Girls Who Arrived for Tishrei

Hundreds of guest, students of Chabad high schools and seminaries in Isreal, gathered for a festive event in the hall of the Jewish Children’s Museum, during which they heard fascinating speakers and inspiring speeches.

After two weeks packed with learning, programs and farbrengens all taking place in excellent conditions, and as a conclusion to a special program about Rebbetzin Chana in honor of her fiftieth yartzeit, the girls composed a touching song based on a story where the Rebbe said a rare expression about his mother.

The second part of the program included a special thanks and honorary certificates to the generous supporters who are backing this unbelievable Hachnosas Orchim: R’ Avrohom Lokshin, R’ Shneur Minsky, R’ Nachman Lokshin and R’ Shlomo Hershkop. Likewise, the girls expressed their great appreciation to Mrs. Sarah Labkowsky, principal of Machon Chana, who helped greatly in hosting the girls.

The staff, who take care of the girls throughout the month, put together a program that is interesting, chassidish and artistic. The theme of the evening was “feeling”: feeling Hashem, feeling the Rebbe and feeling others, based on the Hayom Yom about the 3 loves that are intertwined.

Niggunim were playing in the background as the girls trickled in to the upstairs hall of the Jewish Children’s Museum, centrally located across the street from 770. A tasty bar of food was all set out in bountifulness that has been prevailing all of the girls’ programs and farbrengens throughout the month.

Shaindy Butman, counselor, opened the evening right on time with a short introduction and invited Rabbi Levi Garelik to speak before the girls.

After being inspired by a truly fascinating speech, the girls opened the program in the theme of 50 years since the passing of Rebbetzin Chana.

The program, which included drama and video clips, helped the girls see for themselves how they can follow in Rebbetzin Chana’s footsteps. On the stage, were dilemmas from day-to-day life and the answers come up from JEM’s video about Rebbetzin Chana in which people relate stories about her Mesiras Nefesh for a life of Torah and Mitzvos and her dedication to her great husband, R’ Levi Yitzchok.

Mrs. Sarah Labkowsky, head of Machon Chana in Crown Heights, related personal stories connected to Rebbetzin Chana in light of the fact that Machon Chana was named after her and the special way the Rebbe cherished the institute and the hundreds of girls who passed through its doors.

Mrs. Labkowsky has an important part in the success of Bnot Chabad this year, being that she hosted the girls in the Machon Chana building on President st. and it is thanks to her efforts that the girls were taken care of in such a superb fashion.

She spoke to the girls about the great zchus they have to be staying at a house where the Rebbe himself visited, she spoke with great passion of the Rebbe’s personal visits to Machon Chana. The staff of Bnot Chabad honored her with a gift expressing their thanks to the thunderous applause of all the crowd.

The girls were then introduced to the song that was put together especially for the occasion about the woman who asked the Rebbe an interesting question: she would like to have children like the Rebbe. The Rebbe’s answer was no less surprising: For children like this, you need a mother like Rebbetzin Chana.

After the musical pause, Mrs. Mussie Feldman, who is running the gashmiyus aspect of hosting the girls, came up on the stage and invited the generous sponsors, who are supporting the girls with all their heart and soul, giving up their days and nights to make sure the girls get only the best in both the ruchinyus and the gashmiyus aspect.

The supporters, R’ Avrohom Lokshin, R’ Shneur Misnky, R’ Nachman Lokshin and R’ Shlomo Hershkop, heard first-hand from the girls themselves who voluntarily came up on stage one after to the other, wanting to share their experiences and personally thank those who made, through their generosity, made this possible. The supporters were then given honorary certificate a symbolic gift in appreciation.

The MC wishes to thank all those who stand behind the success of an all-inclusive program for the Bnot Chabad girls this Tishrei: R’ Mendy and Mushky Velner, R’ Yossi and Mussie Feldman, Mrs. Chaya walles, the dedicated counselors: Michal Malka, Chani Kubetshik, Mushka Grabsky, Shaindy Butman, Mushky Cheruty, Dvori Gopin, and all those helping out with logistics, speakers, shiurim, and more.

The supporters, the staff and the girls, left the event feeling uplifted and with lots of energy for the second half of Tishrei “zman simchaseinu”, with the hope that it will be the true joy when we will see the Rebbe with our very own eyes in the Geula hashlema.

Bnot Chabad would like to make special mention of the families who so graciously hosted the girls for the yom tov meals. In this aspect, the girls rely totally on the hachnosas orchim of the local anash families who proved themselves once again by happily hosting the girls. Thank you!

Photos by Itzik Roitman