Bulletin05.07.2011 - Emor

Inspiration, Insights & Ideas
Bringing Torah lessons to LIFE!
Saturday night, 30 hired hands, of which 15 were chefs, and a large
number of Israeli tourists arrived at Chabad to help for the Seder, all
under the guidance of Yael Kripor. Cleaning, washing, cooking,
checking vegetables for bugs. A small group was also drawing the
Seder steps on large placards. This work lasted until Monday
afternoon.
Monday at 2pm, a truck came to the Chabad House to haul all the
food and equipment to the hall in which the Seder would take place.
We too, finished our preparations and took a few pairs of tefillin with
us, and drove to the hall.
On the way, Rabbi Ofer told us that in the morning he met with the
Cusco sheriff and 12 colonels regarding security for the event. When
we neared the hall, we saw that all the surrounding streets were
blocked off, so we parked the car and walked the distance to the hall.
Police forces were spread across the entire area, and we saw snipers
on rooftops. We passed no less than three security screenings before
being allowed into the hall itself, where we met a security agent
contracted for this project from the Israelis. He told us that there
were some 170 of Cusco’s police and 30 Israeli tourists – themselves
veterans of special unit forces of the IDF – dispersed the breadth of
the area to secure our Passover Seder event. He confirmed that his
superiors in Israel had advised him that this would be the “biggest
Seder in the world.”
An Astounding View
The sight of the huge hall, set with 1,200-plus seats was stunning. At
around 4:30pm the guests started arriving. At the hall entrance, we
opened our tefillin bags and started wrapping tefillin with the guests.
There was no rest until sunset.
When the hall was full, the women lit holiday candles and the men
went to pray the maariv evening prayer. Guests then made their way
to the tables. Rabbi Ofer divided the hall between us (eight students)
into four groups, making each pair of rabbinical students “in charge”
of 300 people.
The Rabbi himself got up on a chair in middle of the hall and spoke
loudly, laying out the schedule. He requested that no one take
photos during the event out of respect for the holiday. At the end he
raised the first large placard: Kaddesh. The eight of us followed with
our placards.
The enormous hall filled with more than 1200 people was silent. The
waiters came in and filled every individual's cup and the Rabbi made
Kiddush reminding everyone to drink their Kiddush while reclining.
We proceeded with Urchatz, Karpas, Yachatz.
Maggid was extraordinary. Each of the four groups sang one of the
Four Questions of the Ma Nishtana, and so we continued the
haggadah while every page and a half, the entire hall joined the
singing.
What amazed me and my friends was that we indeed did not see a
single camera throughout the duration of the Seder, which added
immensely to the spirit of holiday. Clearly, Rabbi Ofer had the ear and
respect of his guests.
The Rabbi lifted the placard of Rachtza and everybody got up to wash
while the waiters rushed in to bring everyone their matzah. Silence
again. The Rabbi made the blessing and all followed. No one spoke,
as is the tradition, while they broke and ate the first of the matzah.
And so the Seder continued: marror, korech...
Chad Gadya
Shulchan Orech. The evening moved along without too much
Recently in the News
17
interruption. The kitchen staff moved like clockwork. There was
plenty of food for everyone. Salads, soup, chicken . . . I and the other
rabbinical students went table hopping, giving us a chance to chat
with groups of guests and share some of the Rebbe’s insights on the
Haggadah, tell stories and sing.
Towards the end, Rabbi Ofer got up on a chair and announced that
most of the evening is now behind us, “but the best part is yet to
come.” We weren’t sure what he meant until the hall reverberated
with the Chad Gadya. I haven’t experienced such lively spirit in a very
long time. It was as if the entire Cusco was singing and dancing
together with us.
Slowly people started to leave. We remained with a small group of
people, singing holiday songs and discussing Torah thoughts deep
into the night. On my way out, as I passed Rabbi Ofer speaking with
the heads of the Israeli security personnel, I overheard one of them
tell him, “The cords of my soul were vibrating to the songs of this
Seder.”
Next year in Jerusalem.
T
he Sanhedria Children's Home in Jerusalem is a residential
rehabilitation center for extremely disadvantaged boys aged 6-
18 years old. The children suffered severe forms of emotional
and physical abuse and neglect in their early childhood and
subsequently were removed from their parents custody by court
order. Sanhedria is these children's first experience in a loving and
stable home. A dedicated professional staff provides the boys with
skills to manage their pain. Therapeutic programs and activities,
many with the participation of yeshiva and seminary volunteers
brighten up the children's orbit. Miriam Braun, director of program
development at Sanhedria visited Florida earlier this year and spoke
at our Rebbetzin's Parsha class where she told of the children's plight.
One of The Shul's members, who asked to remain
anonymous, hooked Sanhedria up with Soles for Souls, an
organization that provides shoes for the needy. The new sport shoes,
lovingly repacked and shipped to Jerusalem by our congregant
arrived over Pesach and the children delighted in their new gear! In
addition to meeting a physical need, the beautiful new shoes lifted
the children's spirits and feelings of self-esteem.
To find out how you can help the children, please visit Sanhedria's
website at: www.sanhedria.co.il or call their U.S. toll free # 866 409
5718. Our members are also invited to visit the facility and meet the
children when in Jerusalem. Visits should be coordinated with Ms.
Braun at Israel cell 0504 566526 or via e-mail:
tara_br@netvision.net.il