Five Shabbatons Invigorate Young Shluchim
In the past three months, over 120 young Shluchim participated in five different regional Shabbatons across the country that ware organized by My Shliach.
When spending Shabbos afternoon with friends involves seven hours on a bus and a plane ride home, every moment is maximized and cherished. That’s why MyShliach ensured that 11-year-old Cirel Levertov, shlucha to Santa Fe, New Mexico, would be in good company and coordinated a shabbaton for her and 19 other young shluchos in Boulder, Colorado, hosted by local shluchim Rabbi Yisroel and Leah Wilhelm. One of five similar regional shabbatons for 120 young shluchim in the last three months, the girls enjoyed exciting games and activities, spirited davening and learning, delicious meals, and late-night schmoozing with newfound friends who share a life devoted to brightening the lives of others without peers their age living nearby.
Nine-year-old Meir Kaminetsky was thrilled to host 15 fellow young shluchim from throughout Colorado and New Mexico for a parallel-running shabbaton for boys in his hometown of Taos, New Mexico. The boys spent three memorable days invigorating themselves with pride and chayus in being shluchim of the Rebbe.
“This is MyShliach’s third year in a row coordinating a shabbaton for the yaldei hashluchim in our region,” shared Mrs. Goldie Litvin, shlucha to Louisville, Kentucky, whose daughter Rivky attended the shabbaton in Cincinnati, Ohio, together with fellow young shluchos from throughout Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. “This year’s shabbaton was a long-awaited reunion with dear friends who she’s kept in touch with ever since meeting them at the first shabbaton.”
“The purpose of these shabbatons,” explains Rabbi Mendy Shanowitz, director of MyShliach, “is to address one of the greatest challenges for children living on shlichus far away from established Lubavitch communities, namely, the lack of like-minded friends nearby. Through the regional shabbatons, together with the various other programs we run throughout the year, we hope to fill this gap for young shluchim, as well as provide them with the Chassidishe kochos with which to continue carrying out their important shlichus.”
Additional shabbatons throughout the past three months included one for young shluchos to Rhode Island and Connecticut, hosted by Rabbi Yaisef and Yehudis Wolvovsky in Glastonbury, Connecticut, and one for young shluchim to the state of Texas, hosted by Rabbi Moshe and Chana Naparstek in Dallas, Texas.
The girls’ shabbatons were coordinated by Ms. Sara Basya Jacobson and led by Fraidy Rosenblum, Batsheva Rivkin, Rivky Levertov, Sarale Pevzner, and Chayale Morozow. The shabbatons for boys were coordinated by Rabbi Zushi Rivkin and led by Tzviki Pruss, Levi Mishulovin, Mendy Heber, and Shaya Itkin.
MyShliach is a project of Merkos Suite 302, directed by Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky and run by his son Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky. MyShliach thanks the hosting shluchim for graciously opening their homes and Chabad Houses and for all of the time and energy they gave to host the shabbatons. Many thanks to Shmuel Eliyahu Hakohen ben Bracha for sponsoring the shabbatons.
