First Tanya Printing in Talbiya with Guest Speaker Rabbi Nissen Mangel
By Bernice Fogel
This past Monday evening, Chabad of Talbiya-Mamilla organized a very well attended event at the David Citadel. The evening opened with the first ever printing of Sefer ha'Tanya in TalbiyaMamilla in honor of Yud Tet Kislev. This date serves as the Rosh Hashana l'Chasidut and the anniversary of the release of the Alter Rebbe, the first Chabad Rebbe, from incarceration in Russia.
The evening was arranged by Chabad shluchim Rabbi Eli and Chanie Canterman for which President Reuven Rivlin prepared a very moving tribute to be printed in the forward of this new edition of the Tanya. This tribute to Rabbi Eli and Chanie and to Chabad shluchim around the globe was read out to the crowd by Mr. Arthur Fogel. President Rivlin made reference to his father whom the Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged to print the books and writings of the chassid Eliya Yosef Rivlin, the patriarch of the Rivlin family who lived in the Jewish settlement of Chevron. In his letter, the president quoted the Rebbe as saying "Reb Eliya's teachings are the light of Torah, good and sweet. Those who help to print his teachings will have much merit. I hope that you will study those teachings and influence your surroundings in this direction".
The Tanya printing was followed by a performance of Niggunim sung by Chazan David Caytak and thirteenyear-old Chaim Zippel, who showed the maturity of his voice even at this young age. Guest musicians included flutist Shmuel Allouche, pianist Avia Greenberg and Yitzchak Attias on percussion.
Participants were captivated as Rabbi Nissen Mangel of New York (formerly of Slovakia) spoke of his survival in Auschwitz and of how as a child of ten years he stood up against Dr. Mengele on two separate occasions. The audience was held in an awed and humble silence as Mangel discussed his topic of The Triumph of Mind Over Matter. He relayed his personal triumph, whereby he survived the horrors of the holocaust with his religious strength and conviction intact. His narrative was an inspiration for everyone who had the privilege to hear him speak.
The writer was one of the sponsors of the event.