“They really set
me on my feet in
learning...being
surrounded by
teachers who are
true chassidim and
who live with the
ideals and teachings
of the Rebbe in
each moment, has
a long-term effect
on each student.”
Rabbi Shmuel Altein, great-grandson of Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson,
ה"ע ,one the first Chabad activists in North America, was born
in chilly Winnipeg, Canada, where his parents Rabbi Avrohom
and Mrs. Brocha Altein, have been sharing the warmth of
Judaism with the local Jewish community since 1972.
When he arrived at Oholei Torah at the age of 19, he was
immediately enveloped by the warm atmosphere and brotherly
love that characterized the school. Rabbi Avrohom Gerlitzky
maintained a personal relationship with him and his fellow
students, at the same time encouraging and motivating them
to delve deeper into their studies. “He cared deeply about
us, and taught with genuine love,” Rabbi Altein recalls.
Rabbi Altein and his wife, Adina (née Duchman) joined his
parents on shlichus in Winnipeg, adding a youthful dimension
and spirited learning to the windswept city. Shortly after their
arrival, the community dedicated the new 14,000-squarefoot Chabad center, and Rabbi Altein became an integral part
of the community, bringing with him the Jewish Learning
Institute, the world’s preeminent provider of Jewish learning
in 900 communities across the globe, reaching 250 locals.
The Alteins have also initiated annual Shabbatons and other
exciting programs, including a most successful Torah Tots
school with an enrollment close to 75 young toddlers.
Shmuel Aaltein ‘03
Director, Jewish Learning Institute Winnipeg, Canada
Rabbi Gershon Avtzon began spending his summers
guiding and inspiring young students at the age of 18.
After he married his wife Fruma (née Simpson) and began
to look for shlichus, he realized that his energy and skills
would be best utilized in the field of education, and in
2006 he established Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati.
Rabbi Avtzon joined the Talmudical Seminary of Oholei
Torah in 2000, where he enjoyed the classes given by Rabbi
Moshe Wolberg and Rabbi Yisroel Friedman. “They really
set me on my feet in learning,” he says. “Being surrounded by
teachers who are true chassidim and who live with the ideals
and teachings of the Rebbe in each moment, has a long-term
effect on each student,” he adds. In particular, Rabbi Avtzon
recalls the personal care he received from Rabbi Shmuel Chaim
Bluming, which he tries to emulate now in his own yeshivah.
When Rabbi Avtzon opened the Yeshivah in Cincinnati, his goal was
to give the students a warm and positive education, in an idealistic
environment, with the necessary foundations of Torah and yiras
shomayim. Rabbi Avtzon has become known for his positive
influence on his students, as well as his care for their spiritual
and material needs. His lectures are frequently sought, and his
publications on Moshiach and redemption have become renowned.
Gershon Avtzon ‘01
Founder and Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati, Ohio
As Rabbi Mendel Azimov knows, living in France, where
virulent anti-Semitism is rampant can be difficult and
dangerous. His father, Rabbi Shmuel “Muleh” Azimov ה“ע ,the
unforgettable director of Chabad in Paris, never allowed the
Jewish community to hide. With 36 Chabad houses, across
the city, he encouraged the Jewish community to be proud of
their Yiddishkeit and to not surrender to anti-Semitism.
When he suddenly passed away in 2014, his eldest son Rabbi
Mendel, an alumnus of Oholei Torah, took over the reins,
including the network of Jewish educational institutions
with over 2100 students across four locations.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Rabbi Mendel Azimov
has continued to expand Chabad activities, adding 15
new shluchim over the past two years, with more in the
works. He has continued to bring pride to the streets
of Paris, even during particularly difficult times.
When, in 2016, Parisian officials wanted to cancel the
grand menorah lighting in front of the Eiffel Tower, Rabbi
Azimov refused to back down, compelling the authorities
to abandon their request. On Chanukah, 1500 locals
attended the menorah lighting, basking in Jewish pride.
Mendel Azimov ‘89
Director, Beth Loubavitch of France Paris, France
Every Friday, for many years, the voice of Rabbi Yechiel Baitelman’s
grandfather, Rabbi Shalom Ber Gordon, ה"ע ,could be heard on
WEVD radio, as he presented a short weekly program recapping the
happenings in Lubavitch and a lesson on the Parshah. He always
ended the program with a short appeal on behalf of Oholei Torah.
From at the age of three, Rabbi Baitelman studied in Oholei Torah,
where he was showered with the warmth of chassidishkeit and love
for Torah and mitzvos. To this day, when reviewing the Gemara that
he learned at yeshivah, he fondly remembers the “good old days.”
In 1993, Rabbi Baitelman and his wife Chanie (née Wineberg)
founded Chabad of Richmond, British Columbia. Because of the
education he received at Oholei Torah, Rabbi Baitelman is able
to teach and inspire others to live life as Hashem wills. Today
he is a proud father to children who attend Oholei Torah.
Following in the footsteps of their grandfather, many of Rabbi
Baitelman’s siblings have joined the Rebbe’s army of shluchim,
dedicating themselves to the spreading of Yiddishkeit.
Yechiel Baitelman ‘88
Director, Chabad of Richmond Richmond, Canada
Following in his
father’s footsteps,
Rabbi Mendel
Azimov has
continued to
expand Chabad
activities, adding
15 new shluchim
over the past two
years, with more in
the works. He has
continued to bring
pride to the streets
of Paris, even
during particularly
difficult times.