Baruch Shlomo Eliyahu Cunin

Rabbi Baruch Shlomo Eliyahu Cunin (born 5700/1940) is the head shliach of the Rebbe to the state of California.

Biography

Born on the 14th of Elul 5700 in the Bronx, New York to his father R' Dovid Cunin (Bronx) and his mother Mrs. Rachel, as the grandson of the chossid R' Menachem Mendel Cunin. His maternal grandfather is the Chabad chossid R' Mordechai Wilsker from Philadelphia. The shadchan for his parents was the chossid R' Mordechai Chefetz HY"D. In his childhood, while studying in public school, the Rebbe sent Rabbi Shalom Mendel Simpson to learn with him and his older brother (by one year) R' Pinchas A"H every day in the Bronx.

From the age of 12, he went to study in the Chabad yeshiva.

In 5725/1965, he was sent to California by the Rebbe to "conquer all of California." The first thing he and his wife Miriam Adel did was travel by car throughout California from north to the southern end, and he opened the Chabad Center in Los Angeles—the first in the world—while also presenting the key to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe established that this would be the model for the entire world. Today, the empire under his leadership includes more than two hundred Chabad houses, and he is one of the Rebbe's most well-known shluchim in the world. Every year, he hosts a special broadcast called "Telethon"—a Jewish musical broadcast—in which he reviews sichos, major singers perform, and substantial funds are raised for Chabad houses.

In Tishrei 5738, he merited to visit the Rebbe, and after the Rebbe suffered a heart attack, he was privileged to be part of the minyan in the Rebbe's room.

He was one of the major activists in the Vaad of 71 institutions and established ten institutions out of the 71.

At the "Telethon" event, he merited to adapt several niggunim based on the Rebbe Shlita's kapitlach. He is a member of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in the United States and Agudas Chassidei Chabad in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Due to his extensive activities to return the collection of manuscripts of the Rebbe Rashab, he was appointed by the Rebbe as vice chairman and member of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The Rebbe once remarked about him that he was the only one who truly understood and implemented the Rebbe Maharash's directive of "Lechatchila Ariber."

He farbrengs at 770 regularly every Motzei Shabbos Mevorchim. He has a custom to prepare a niggun each year for Yud Alef Nissan based on the Rebbe's kapital (where he doesn't compose a new niggun but takes an existing one and adapts the words to it).

In the last fifteen years, he has participated in the financial maintenance of 770, funding the water and electricity bills and ensuring the renovation of Beis Chayeinu.

Family

• His son-in-law Rabbi Aharon Begon
• Rabbi Tzemach Yehoshua Cunin ע"ה - was a shliach to Century City.
• Rabbi Mendel Cunin

Further Reading

• The Promise and the Test of Faith and Victory, Beis Moshiach Weekly, Issue 27 Sivan 5780, page 20
• Mendy Kortes, The Shliach of Lechatchila Ariber, Kfar Chabad Weekly, Issue 1994, p. 22
• Shalom Magidman, "Shlomo, Conquer All of California", Kfar Chabad Weekly 2028, page 64

External Links

• Letters and Responses Received from the Rebbe Regarding His Shlichus, within the memento from his descendants' wedding, Elul 5776
• Establishment of Institutions in California - R' Shlomo Cunin, on the Diaries website
• The Rebbe Saves Rabbi Cunin from Death
• Documentation on American Television: Shliach Rabbi Cunin and the Homeless on the COL website
• Telethon 5769 ● Sparkling Gallery
• The True Pioneer • On the Stormy Character of Rabbi Shlomo Cunin • This is the Mysterious Shlichus the Rebbe Assigned to Rabbi Cunin on Seder Night • How Did the Rebbe React to a Mixed Yeshiva? And to Meditation? • This is How the Small Room was Built for the Rebbe at the Holy Ohel • Fascinating Article within the 'Pioneers of Shlichus' series for Yud Shevat 5780
• Rabbi Shlomo Cunin, Nothing is Impossible, My Story - JEM Issue 251 • Seder Night at the Other End of the City - Issue 357 Eve of Pesach 5782
• Standing Over Him, interview in 'Avodas HaShlichus' magazine
• "Chabad Opened a Drug Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles" - article about Rabbi Cunin's activities for the rehabilitation of Jews from drugs in Los Angeles. Maariv, 16 Shevat 5740, p. 17, on the Historical Jewish Press website.