In 228 days, 17 hours, and 41 minutes, on the 26th of Cheshvan (November 23, 2011) the 28th International Conference of Shluchim will begin.
More than seven months before the conference begins, while everyone is busy cleaning and preparing for Pesach, the executive committee began the preparations last week, with a meeting in the conference room of the Jewish Children’s Museum
Seated around the table discussing, planning and debating were Rabbis Moshe Kotlarsky, Lipa Brennan, Daniel Moscowitz, Mendel Kotlarsky, Simcha Backman, Levi Klein, Yehuda Weg, Schneur Nejar, and Ephraim Mintz.
“Today the annual Shluchim convention has become a highlight, a most anticipated and prominent event in the global Jewish calendar,” said one member of the committee. “Last year, more than 30,000 viewers from all over the world tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the gala banquet, while tens of thousands of others participated through various forms of communication and social media.”
“The Rebbe put tremendous emphasis on the Kinus and for the thousands of Shluchim who arrive from all over the world it is an opportunity to meet fellow Shluchim and benefit from top of the line lectures and workshops. It is our job to make sure that every detail of this weekend runs smoothly and in sync, to give them the best experience possible. We try to enable them to be refreshed physically and spiritually, to keep focused on their mission.”
During the meeting they covered all aspects of the Kinus from registration, food, workshops and a trip to the Ohel, to general sessions, group photograph, the gala banquet and many other essentials. These discussions were based primarily on past experiences and feedback from a survey collected by the Kinus Office at the end of last year’s conference with personal requests and suggestions from hundreds of Shluchim.
“An event of this magnitude has many intrinsic details with the potential to pose many problems,” says Rabbi Mendel Kotlarsky, one of the Kinus producers, smiling. “The small details that seem insignificant to the public are the concern of the Vaad, and the reason why many Shluchim invest hundreds of hours in the planning, starting today. We work hard on perfecting it every year, and, Baruch Hashem, significant improvements can be seen. There are always new ideas that enable us to upgrade and develop the program for the benefit of the Shluchim.”
The Kinus is the one time a year that all the Shluchim come together and we can do something for them. “That’s why we make sure every detail is accounted for. We try to make sure that the breakfasts are satisfying and nutritious, the décor at the banquet is pleasant, the program at the Kinus is interesting original and invigorating, and the registration process is quick and efficient. These, combined with hundreds of other components are the things that we take care of for the 3000 Shluchim that arrive at the conference.”
There will be many new and exciting changes this year. Wait and see.
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