Massive Crowd of Gerrer Chassidim Host Event During Live Hookup of Rebbe’s Lecht

A massive crowd of Gerrer chassidim gathered on Sunday morning at the Ateres Golda Hall in Boro Park to coincide with the lighting of the Rebbe’s lighting the eighth Chanukah lecht in Yerushalayim. The uplifting event was broadcast by live satellite hookup.

Preparations for the elevating experience began on Motzei Shabbos, with askanim in both Eretz Yisroel and New York working to transmit the proceedings without compromising on kedusha, despite the technical difficulties and enormous costs involved.

By 7 o’clock in the morning, hundreds of chassidim, young and old, children and bochurim, were seen flocking to the Ateres Golda hall in the center of Boro Park to prepare for Shacharis.

The event began at 8:05. For Shacharis, the chazzan was Rav Yosef Palluch shlita, the respected menahel of the yeshivas. He was followed for Hallel by Hagaon Harav Yaakov Chaim Baruch Abramovich shlita. A choir conducted by Rav Yosef Yallas and Rav Aryeh Charish sang the special niggunim, with the entire crowd joining in.

The veteran gabbai, Rav Sander Schechter shlita, called up the following rabbanim of the kehillah for aliyos and the other kibbudim: Rav Yisroel Halevi Rubinfeld, Rav Nosson Zev Nusbaum of Lakewood, Rav Yehuda Aryeh Segal, Rav Yehoshua Lebkowitz, Rav David Kampinski, the rosh kollel Rav Meir Widislavsky and Rav Avraham Dov Jung. The veteran baal korei Rav Shaul Barzhikovski leined from the Torah.

The Rav of the Gerrer kehilla in New York was in Yerushalayim with the Rebbe.

To Cherish the Chachmei Hatorah

After Shacharis, a lavish spread was served to the crowd for breakfast.

As a hachana to the tzinden, the renowned mechanech, Rav Eliezer Boim shlita, gave an emotional address. The crowd conducted themselves with great respect throughout the duration of the event, and when the Rebbe stepped forward to light the lecht, silence prevailed in the hall.

When the tzinden concluded, a fiery speech was given by Hagaon Harav Shimon Rothstein shlita, the rebbe’s son-in-law who has a gift of speech. He captivated the audience as he revealed the effect seeing the visage of a tzaddik can have on a chassid.

The mashpiah, Rav Itche Meir Tauman shlita, then repeated some of the Rebbe’s divrei Torah related to Chanukah.

The crowd remained enthralled when watching the “adurch gein,” the huge crowds passing the rebbe, which lasted for over three hours on this evening.

Four Hours of Uplifting Exaltation

A crowd of women and girls also gathered at a nearby hall, allowing them to participate in the lecht tzinden. Chartered buses were organized to bring them to the location.

At the event’s conclusion, warm thanks were expressed to the directors of the Ichud Mosdos Gur and its chairman, Rav Yonasan Bornstein shlita, for the great efforts and tremendous investment made to ensure the success of the broadcast and the entire program. Appreciation was also offered to Talmud Torah Imrei Emes and its menahel, Rav Avraham Schmidt shlita, for their assistance in producing the event, and to all the donors whose contributions helped cover its expenses.

Photos by: Issac Y., & Eli Whol