Boro Park Satmar Community Prepares for Shabbos with Rebbe shlit”a

Feverish preparations are underway, as the Satmar community prepares for the presence of the Satmar Rebbe, who will be traveling from Kiryas Yoel to spend Shabbos in Boro Park this week. His last Shabbos here— for no other reason than to spend Shabbos with his chassidim, to strengthen and inspire  them—was 3 years ago.

 Since that time, the Satmar mosdos in Boro Park have flourished and expanded, under the Rebbe’s guidance.

 It was only last week, when the decision was made by the Rebbe to spend this Shabbos here, and the logistical preparations commenced immediately—and have gone on around the clock since then. Although the Shabbos is geared for the Boro Park chassidim, it is customary for many chassidim from Williamsburg, and elsewhere to join what promises to be an incredible, spiritually-charged Shabbos ‘b’tzeil hakodesh,’ in the shadow of holiness—and it is an enormous undertaking to accommodate them all.

 Davenings and tischen will all take place at the large Satmar Beis Medrash on 53rd Street.

 The Rebbe is known to have a particular affinity for Torah, and his innovations and programs in Torah for balebatim are well-known. It is thus fitting that he has dedicated the Friday night seuda exclusively for the bachurim of the yeshivos in Boro Park.

 In Satmar, mesorah is everything, and the memory of the Rebbe, Rav Yoilish zy”a, is a central presence which is constantly evoked. Thus, Chevra “Ahavas Kedumim,” referring to the category of men aged 60 and above is a kind of society of those who remember the Rebbe, zt”l. They will spend the Shabbos morning seuda with the Rebbe, where he will share divrei Torah and chizuk.

 Every moment of the Shabbos promises to be super charged with Torah, avodah, deveikus… moments that will be remembered long after the Rebbe returns home to Kiryas Yoel.