Kinus HaShluchim In Eretz Yisroel Concludes Successfully

The 21st Kinus HaShluchim in Eretz Yisroel took place on Parshas R’ei at Yishuv Shavei Shomron. The shluchim who attended had been sent by the Rebbe MH”M to Eretz Yisroel in 5736-38.

As soon as the shluchim arrived at Shavei Shomron, which is near Sh’chem, they toured the area. They went up Har Eival where they saw the altar Yehoshua built (Savo 27:5). It was a special moment when the portion about Har Grizim and Har Eival was read that Shabbos, because at that location, the mountains referred to were visible from the shul.

The shluchim gave encouragement to the resident settlers, who are experiencing a very difficult time as of late. Before Kabbalas Shabbos, Rabbi Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzky of Tel Aviv spoke about shleimus ha’Aretz. The next day too, before Krias HaTorah, Rabbi Avrohom Baruch Pevsner of Yerushalayim spoke about the sidra, encouraging the settlers, as well.

Between Mincha and Maariv, Rabbi Alter Eliyahu Friedman of Tzfas gave a class on the teachings of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, for the kinus was taking place shortly after his yahrtzeit.

Rabbi Y.Y. Chitrik of Tzfas read the latest letter the Rebbe sent to the Kinus HaShluchim – in place of Rabbi Bistritzky, the rav of Tzfas, who wasn’t well.

There were many speeches and farbrengens throughout the weekend, as well as a special program for shluchos and for the children of the shluchim.

According to the original itinerary, the shluchim were scheduled to visit the kever of Yosef HaTzaddik in Sh’chem on Sunday, but incidents in the area on Motzaei Shabbos caused that plan to be cancelled.

The shluchim expressed their appreciation for the tremendous amount of work the Slavin family put into preparing the kinus. This Shabbos invigorated the shluchim to complete the call of the hour – preparing their city for the coming of Moshiach.

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During the farbrengens on Shabbos, some amazing stories were related:

It Will Happen in 5760
Years ago, a man from Yerushalayim had written to the Rebbe that because of the Holocaust, he had lost contact with his sister. He asked for a bracha to see her again. The Rebbe replied that he would find her in 5760. One week ago, a woman came to work in his house, and to his great joy, she turned out to be none other than his long-lost sister!
 

Before the Rebbe — as a Kohen
Binyamin, a resident of Yerushalayim, arrived at 770 for Yom Tov. He tried to get close to the Rebbe, but it was so crowded he was unable to do so. He saw that the crowd allowed the Kohanim to get through in order to duchen. Binyamin decided to use that passageway, but he was rushed up to the Kohanim’s bima and he found himself squashed among the Kohanim facing the Rebbe.

After Birkas Kohanim, the Kohanim began returning to their places, passing the Rebbe, who told them “yashar koach.” Binyamin couldn’t get out of the line and felt terrible about having the Rebbe bless a non-Kohen.

The Rebbe blessed the Kohen in front of him, skipped him, and then turned his head and blessed the Kohen behind him!
 

Answer In Real Time
Someone had the opportunity to run a mental health clinic in a certain city in the United States, but there were no Jews living there and no Jewish community. He couldn’t decide what to do, because he wanted to use his profession to help Jews.

He decided to ask the Rebbe. That day he saw a video of the Rebbe giving out dollars. He heard the Rebbe say that the Rambam was a great doctor who used his medical expertise not only for Jews, but for gentiles as well.