This year, for the 20th year on YWN, tens of thousands of viewers from around the world will be able to view the International Kinus HaShluchim banquet live on a broadcast made possible by the organizers of the Kinus. The live streaming webcast begins at 12:30PM on Sunday, Nov. 30, and is taking place at the The New Jersey Conference and Expo Center in Edison, NJ. The highlight is always the traditional roll call of countries and regions which is followed by spirited dancing. As we have done for many years, YWN will be bringing you thousands of photos, as well as extensive video and photo coverage from the massive event. The 41st annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries, also known as the Kinus Hashluchim, unites more than 6,500 rabbis and lay leaders from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries and territories around the world. The Kinus is an annual event, replete with the workshops on topics running the gamut from mental health to fundraising, and social media to end of life counseling. The four days together culminate with the gala banquet, which brings all of the Chabad rabbis and their guests together in a giant conference center in New Jersey. At this year’s Kinus Hashluchim, taking place less than a week since the tragic murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan HY”D, the program will celebrate five decades of growth and success. Held in the midst of the Shiva, when Rabbi Kogan’s family and the global family of Shluchim are still in mourning, his loss will be deeply felt throughout the gathering. While the gala finale on Sunday is live-streamed to the public, showcasing Chabad’s annual activities to the masses, Thursday evening’s program is dedicated to the Shluchim themselves. Empowering stories of individual Shluchim will be shared, uplifting their fellows with the vivacious drive to continue making this world a dwelling place for Hashem, one mitzvah at a time. “R’ Moshe [Kotlarsky] OBM was intimately involved in picking the theme for this year’s Kinus,” says Rabbi Simcha Backman, Shliach in Glendale, California, and Kinus organizing committee member. “We sat together for hours, shortly after Pesach, ironing out various details. He was passionate about ensuring the Shluchim had the ultimate experience both physically and spiritually.” Only months after Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky OB”M’s passing, the Kinus will commemorate the crucial role he had in growing the Kinus from a small gathering in 770 to the flagship of Jewish outreach it now represents. “My father’s voice is inseparable from the Kinus Hashluchim and the Rebbe’s ten mitzvah campaigns,” shares Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, who has now stepped into his father’s role as director of the Kinus. “He dedicated his life to supporting the Shluchim in their mission and advancing the Rebbe’s vision. His commitment was evident in moments of triumph and in times of sorrow, always ensuring that every Shliach felt supported.” “The Shluchim are the global support system of the Jewish people, providing critical aid in situations where no one else does,” says Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, who undertook his father Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky’s role as director of the conference after his passing this year. “From war in the Middle East and Ukraine to natural disasters, and a shocking increase in antisemitism, the Shluchim are there for every last person.” In a […]