In the years 1976, 1977, and 1978 - the Rebbe sent special groups of Shluchim to Eretz HaKodesh. The groups of Shluchim arrived in Yerushalayim and Tzfat, and subsequently spread throughout Eretz HaKodesh, giving tremendous momentum to Chabad activities by establishing yeshivas, educational and chesed institutions, Chabad houses in major cities, and strengthening the hiskashrus of Anash in Eretz HaKodesh to the Rebbe. Some of the Shluchim took on official rabbinic positions under the Rebbe's direction.

History[edit | edit source]

In 1976, the Rebbe decided to send a group of 22 Shluchim to Eretz HaKodesh - 11 to Yerushalayim and 11 to Tzfat.

The condition for being sent to Eretz HaKodesh was to be either an older bochur or young avrech. The Rebbe announced that any bochur or avrech who wanted to participate in the shlichus should register at the Rebbe's secretariat, and from those who registered, 22 would be chosen.

After some time, the secretariat informed the chosen Shluchim of their selection, and they prepared for departure on their shlichus.

The Shluchim departed on 11 Shevat 1976, following a "farewell farbrengen" conducted by the Rebbe on 10 Shevat, the day before departure.

To these Shluchim, the Rebbe distributed the new volume of Likkutei Sichos that was then in the middle of printing - Volume 11. He also gave Tehillat Hashem siddurim to the wives and children of the Shluchim.

At a special farbrengen in 1977, the Rebbe said that due to the great success of the 1976 group, another group would be sent to Eretz HaKodesh, consisting of six Shluchim, this time only to Tzfat.

This group departed on 28 Shevat 1977 from 770 to Eretz HaKodesh.

In 1978, the Rebbe sent an additional 15 Shluchim. These Shluchim merited to receive the Kuntres Ahavas Yisrael with the Rebbe's holy signature.

In total, 43 Shluchim were sent to Eretz HaKodesh. The Shluchim established families and spread throughout the country.

The Group of 1976[edit | edit source]

The first group of Shluchim numbered twenty-two, eleven were sent to Yerushalayim and eleven to Tzfat. The group members included the Chassidic Rabbanim:

Levi Bistritzky - Tzfat
Yosef Kramer - Teverya
Yosef Rosenfeld - Tzfat
Alter Eliyahu Friedman - Tzfat
Aharon Eliezer Zeitlin - Tzfat
Yitzchak Goldberg - Migdal HaEmek
Yosef Yitzchak Gurevitch - Migdal HaEmek
Shalom Duchman - Kollel Chabad
Yisroel Yosef Hendel - Migdal HaEmek
Shalom Dov Ber Levkovsky - Kfar Chabad
Yosef Yitzchak Wilshansky - Tzfat
Shmuel Greizman - Yerushalayim
Eliyahu Yochanan Gurary - Holon
Yaakov Reices - Yesod HaMaala
Tzemach Menachem Mendel Lieberman - Ashkelon
Avraham Baruch Pevzner - France
Shalom Dov Ber Shor - Yerushalayim
Chaim Nachum Yonatan Luria - Kfar Chabad
Shneur Zalman Goodman - Ashdod
Yitzchak Yaakov Rosenstein - Yerushalayim
Yehuda Leib Eidelkopf - Nachalat Har Chabad
Zev Avraham Slavin - Kfar Chabad

The Group of 1977[edit | edit source]

In this group, only 6 Shluchim were sent, all to Tzfat. The group members included the Chassidic Rabbanim:

Yosef Yitzchak Pikarsky - Tel Aviv
Yosef Yitzchak Volosov - Ramat Yishai
Yosef Yitzchak Chitrik - Tzfat
Yosef Hecht - Eilat
Yehuda Yirmiya Schildkraut - Haifa
Shalom Dov Ber Brod - Crown Heights

The Group of 1978[edit | edit source]

Members of this group merited to receive the Kuntres Ahavas Yisrael with the Rebbe's holy signature. The group members included the Chassidic Rabbanim:

Meshulam Zusha Alperowitz - Kiryat Gat
Avraham Shmuel Bukiet - Kfar Chabad
Yosef Yitzchak Ginsburg - Nachalat Har Chabad
Yaakov Shlomo Lieberman - Kfar Chabad
Yosef Yitzchak Liberow - Kfar Chabad B
Menachem Mendel Gluchovsky - Rechovot
Menachem Mendel Grunner - Kiryat Gat
Yehoshua Shlomo Tzirkind - Yerushalayim
Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzky - Tel Aviv
Yehuda Leib Popack - Tzfat
Mordechai Tzvi Dubrawsky - Rishon LeZion
Avraham Mordechai Kastel - Rechovot
Gavriel Marzel - Tzfat
Yosef Yitzchak Rivkin - Carmiel
Yosef Yitzchak Deren - Pittsburgh

Special Treatment from the Rebbe[edit | edit source]

When the Shluchim departed in 1976, 1977, and 1978, the Rebbe distributed to them Volume 11 of Likkutei Sichos (1976), Volume 12 of Likkutei Sichos (1977), and the Kuntres Ahavas Yisrael (1978).

The Shluchim and their families merited special treatment from the Rebbe which was expressed in various ways. The Rebbe guided the Shluchim in detail in all their matters and through his representatives in Eretz HaKodesh, ensured to inquire about their wellbeing.

The Rebbe would send letters to the Shluchim and their families, encouraging them to take on Torah positions and blessing them with success in their shlichus.

The Rebbe also sent regular blessing letters for the Shluchim's gatherings, and starting from Pesach 1985, sent financial support to each of the Shluchim for holiday needs twice a year, around Pesach and around the month of Tishrei.

The Shluchim Association of the Holy Land[edit | edit source]

The Shluchim Association of the Holy Land was established by Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Bukiet, one of the shluchim to the Holy Land, and he led it until his passing, together with Rabbi Shmuel Greizman.

The Shluchim Association organizes the annual conference of the Rebbe's shluchim to the Holy Land. Throughout the years, they merited that the Rebbe would send special letters explaining the lessons that could be derived from the chosen location of each conference.

The organization also operates a publishing house for books and pamphlets, which was headed by Rabbi Bukiet. Over the years, additional rabbis worked alongside him, including Rabbi Mordechai Menashe Laufer.

Publications by the Organization[edit | edit source]

The Story of Shlichus - Tenth Shluchim Conference, Kfar Chabad 1990
Tzfat the Holy City, Kfar Chabad 1997
Chevron the Holy City - 19 Kislev 1999
The Glory of Shlichus - Kfar Chabad 2000
The Rebbe's Words to the Children of Israel, Kfar Chabad 2000
The Shlichus to the Holy Land, Kfar Chabad 2000 (final edition)
Crown of the Maggid of Mezritch, Kfar Chabad 2001 (second edition)
Laws and Customs - Daily Life Conduct, Kfar Chabad 2002
Tiberias the Holy City, Kfar Chabad 2002 (second edition)
Chassidic Conduct in Daily Life, Kfar Chabad 2003
The Educator and Education, Kfar Chabad 2004
Poalei D'Yemama Anan - Kfar Chabad 2004
Crown of Tanya - Learning Tanya by Heart, Kfar Chabad 2007
Crown of Tanya - Sayings and Aphorisms, Kfar Chabad 2008
Crown of Tanya - Various Dates, Kfar Chabad 2008
Crown of Tanya - Appreciation Articles, Kfar Chabad 2009
Those Who Make the Many Righteous Like Stars, Kfar Chabad 2010
Those Who Make the Many Righteous Like Stars - Paths in Education, Kfar Chabad 2014
Chassidic Pesach - Kfar Chabad 2014 (13th edition)

The Shluchim Today[edit | edit source]

After the completion of the three groups' shlichus, the Rebbe sent a special letter to the shluchim in 1979 instructing them to obtain rabbinic ordination and take rabbinic positions, along with additional instructions regarding their role.

Following this instruction, many of them formally completed their rabbinic ordination to meet the Chief Rabbinate's standards and began filling various rabbinic positions.

Most of the shluchim entered institutional management roles, some in institutions they founded themselves, and some in existing institutions. A significant number of shluchim began serving in educational roles, and some went on shlichus to various cities.

Unfortunately, some shluchim have passed away, or left their places of shlichus for various reasons, and some settled in Chabad communities and began private occupations.

The Shluchim Conference[edit | edit source]

Since 1981, the shluchim hold an annual conference where all the shluchim families gather. This conference was the first of its kind and received special attention and affection from the Rebbe, who would send a special letter to the conference each year and mentioned it several times in sichos.

Following this conference, the Rebbe requested to organize similar conferences, which led to the establishment of the International Shluchim Conference, the Shluchos Conference, the Shluchim Conference in the Holy Land, and additional regional conferences.

Today, the conference is organized by the Shluchim Association of the Holy Land, headed by Rabbi Yehuda Leib Aidelkopf.

The Shluchim to Eretz HaKodesh

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