Kesher Nafshi Shabbaton KN12

Kesher Nafshi's inspirational trip to kivrei tzaddikim in Poland and Hungary a resounding success

Let’s try and envision the incredible, other-worldly scene.

The place? The kever of Reb Shayale of Kerstir, an ohel that has absorbed centuries of tears, tefillos, hopes and dreams.

The assembled? Some three hundred  parents from the US, Stamford Hill Golders Green , Manchester and Eretz Yisroel, all of whom share a painful bond, as parents  Kids in Pain who are on their derech, and have taken us along for the ride. The cries and pleas from the depths of our hearts at these holy sites rent the very heavens.

Once again, we merited to take part in yet another iconic weekend of tefillah and song, of storming the Gates of Heaven at kivrei tzaddikim in Hungary and Poland, orchestrated by Kesher Nafshi.

Founded and led by the dynamic and tireless Reb Gedalia Miller, the parent of a struggling child, and guided by the renowned Rav Shimon Russell LCSW from Eretz Yisroel, Kesher Nafshi has become a source of chizuk &Guidence for thousands of parents.

There is something incredibly empowering about spending Shabbos with kindred souls, with parents who share our journey, with whom we can exchange but a glance that is worth a thousand words.

The Czarny Potok Resort and Spa in Poland was the setting for a rejuvenating weekend that breathed new life into our weary souls, creating bonds of courage and everlasting connection.  Yet there were so many highlights, powerful moments that shall remain with us for a lifetime. 

The weekend began on Thursday morning, when, after a hearty upon our arrival in the Budapest Airport, we began our travels. Our first stop was in Ratzfert, known as Ujfeherto,  where Rav Sholom Leizer Halberstam, son of the Divrei Chaim, was the Rav. He was tragically sent to the gas chambers hy’d, but left his mark upon the city. We davened by the kever of Rav Naftoli Hirzka of Ratzfert, a talmid of the Divrei Chaim, and other tsaddikim.

Our next stop was in nearby Kaliv, (Nagykallo,) to the kever of the beloved Rav Itzikel Kalever, the composer of the famous song sala kokosh mar, a niggun filled with  yearning for the golus. We davened, and the men sang his niggun with musical accompaniment as tears flowed freely.

Finally, late in the afternoon we arrived in Kerestir, or Bodrogkereztur,  to Rav Shayala Steiner, a devoted talmid of Rav Tzvi Hirsh of Liska.

We had a delicious dinner in a special tent set up by Go Gold And  Elli Friedman productions, who catered the entire weekend. We heard divrei chizuk by Reb Gedalia Miller and Harav Benzion Twersky Shlita . After a heart wrenching Mincha in Rav Shayale’s kvittel shteeble , the room where people sent him kvitlach, as the sun set, we took a shuttle up the hill to the kever where so many have come seeking solace.

Soon the dam broke and our collective sobs, emanating from the deepest, purest place, the hearts of parents who witness their children struggling with unfathomable pain, ascended heavenward. The Limanover Rav offered powerful divrei chizuk, and led the olam in selichos and the recital of tehillim.

After the intense, two hour avodah at the tzion, we felt cleansed, uplifted, empowered. We made our way to the shuttles accompanied by the strains of song, “hust gepoilt ales gits.” May you have achieved everything you set out to do.

We boarded the buses, and made a late night stop at Aujhely, or Ihel, visiting the kever of Rav Moshe Teitlbaum, the Yismach Moshe, one of the talmidim of the Chozeh of Lublin where we davened as well.

Our travels to Poland lasted until the wee hours of Friday morning, when we arrived at the resort where a delicious hot repast was waiting. After a few hours of rest, we were treated to several hours of incredible programs, including incredible speeches, workshops, and live music to usher in the holy Shabbos.

The entire Shabbos was a whirlwind of nonstop dveikus and depths of connection. From the incredible nigunim to the upscale meals, the heartfelt talks by those in the trenches, (every speaker, nearly without exception, is the parent of a child on his or her derech,) and the opportunity to spend time with parents from all over the world sharing the same struggle. These Kesher Nafshi parents are some of the most noble, refined, and holy Yidden who were handpicked for this most painful of challenges.

Speakers during the Shabbos included Rabbi Shimon Russel, Rav Benzion Twersky, Rav Yitzchok Schwartz, Rav Yaakov Shlomo Meisels, also known as the Limanover, Reb Motteh Frank, Rabbi Ahron Friedman, Rabbi Shalom Yaakov Wosner, Rabbi Shloimy Ehrlich, Reb Isaac Leib Miller, Mr. Chaim Bin Nun, and many others. Rebetzin Tzivi Tukachinsky and Mrs. Shani Lisser inspired the women, while C.B. Weinfeld and Esther Ratzy Sprei shared their experiences with the women on Friday night. There was melodious singing and an unforgettable Motzei Shabbos kumzits with Miriam Israeli, who joined us from Eretz Yisroel.

On Motzoei Shabbos after the z’man we drove to nearby Sanz, to the tzion of the holy Rav Chaim of Sanz. First we spent some time in the refurbished shul, where we opened the Aron Kodesh where Rav Shimon Shneebalg Shlita led the crowd  to a Thunderous Liduvid Mizmor ,Rav Twersky held us spellbound with a powerful address. We then walked to the kever, in a thickly wooded area, and remained at the Ohel for a while, our tears flowing freely. The Limanover Rav led us in selichos of Motzoei Shabbos and tehillim as we beseeched the One Above for a yeshuah.

Later that night, we were treated to melodious melava malka with live song and short takeaways by some of the popular speakers.

We checked out of the resort early on Sunday morning, heading either to the airport, or to our one extension at kivrei tsaddikim in Poland.

The first stop of the day was in Rimanov, where we davened by Rav Menachem Mendel and his talmid, Rav Hershele of Rimanov, who are lying at the top of a hill in two separate ohels. We heard beautiful divrei chizuk from Reb Shloimy Ehrlich about these two great tzaddikim.

It was late in the afternoon when we arrived in Dinov, to the kever of the Bnei Yissachar, located in an ohel on a scenic hill. The men davened mincha and sang at the kever, and Rav Twersky spoke.

Our final stop, late at night, was to Lizensk, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the hachnosas orchim. We then headed to the kever of the Noam Elimelch, Rav Elimelech ben Eliezer Lipman, where it is said that every visitor to the kever will merit doing teshuvah before they leave this world.

We arrived in Kracow late in the evening where we ate a Lavish  dinner in a restaurant in the Jewish quarter, followed by a visit to the ancient Kracow shul. We visited the kevorim of the Rema, the Tosfos Yom Tov, the Bach, Rav Yossele the holy Miser, the Megale Amukos, and others. On Monday morning before our ride to the airport, some of us took a tour of the Jewish quarter of Kracow, where sadly the remains of tombstones have been built into the wall by the Nazis. We flew home exhausted, yet satiated and filled with strength for our journey that lies ahead.

Although we have barely returned, the Kesher Nafshi are already hard at work coordinating the program for the next highly anticipated weekend, to take place at the Armon Hotel (formerly Crowne Plaza) on the weekend of Dember 15-18th   We are looking forward to another incredible four days of connection, of kindred souls uniting to draw strength and comfort from our shared nisayon, one of the most painful ones in this difficult golus.

For more information and to listen to our Lectures or to register, please contact__ www.Keshernafshi.org

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