Chief Rabbi Draws a Crowd in Michigan

The Sara and Morris Tugman Bais Chabad Torah Center in West Bloomfield, MI celebrated its 38th annual dinner on Monday night, May 21, at the Novi Sheraton Hotel.

An overflow crowd of over 500 friends and supporters was mesmerized by guest speaker Rabbi Israel Mayer Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and currently Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and Chairman of Yad Vashem Holocaust Center in Jerusalem, who was introduced by Dr. Dov Schuchman, president of the synagogue. Rabbi Lau talked about his personal experiences after being liberated from the Buchenwald concentration camp at the age of eight years old, and poignantly related the story of a fellow nineteen year old survivor who saw himself as the embodiment of Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones that were returned to life.

In their remarks, Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg and Rabbi Shneur Silberberg gave tribute to the contribution of Holocaust survivors in establishing Bais Chabad 38 years ago, and spoke about the Rebbe's mission of building a community based on the importance of valuing each individual and bringing him or her closer through Torah education and Ahavat Yisrael.

In a surprise and very exciting announcement at the dinner, Mr. Martin Goodman announced that an anonymous donor had commissioned the writing of a Sefer Torah in honor of Rabbi Elimelech Silberberg and the entire congregation.

Dinner honorees were Dr. Ken and Marilyn Kohn who received the Keser Shaim Tov – Crown of a Good Name – award, and Dr. Stanley and Sandra Boykansky who received the Chovevei Torah - Lovers of Torah – award.

Rabbi Lau visited the Zekelman family Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills earlier in the day, and attended a luncheon there sponsored by Mr. Alan Zekelman.