EDISON, N.J.—Sunday evening saw some 5,000 Jewish women leaders and guests from around the world gather for the gala banquet of the 35th annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Women Emissaries.
Held at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center on the eve of 22 Shevat, the 38th anniversary of the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, of righteous memory, and streamed live at Chabad.org/Kinus, the glittering event brought together emissaries from some 100 countries for a night of prayer, remembrance, celebration and rededication to their mission serving Jewish communities across the globe.
Before the program began, a candle was lit in memory of the Rebbetzin as the names of all female emissaries who had passed away in the past year were read.
The program opened with a video exploring the leadership of Jewish women through the ages, including Miriam the prophetess leading the women, tambourines in hand, during the splitting of the Red Sea, and then the women rushing to melt their jewelry down for the building of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. A clip of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, followed, in which he explained that this generation—the first in the era of redemption—embodies the spirit of the women who left Egypt.
In his address to the room, Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch—the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement—quoted the Mishnah: “An assembly of the righteous is beneficial for those in attendance and for the entire world.”
He recalled the first women’s conference in 1991, when the Rebbe was so pleased that he distributed two dollars to all attendees and then delivered a talk addressed specifically to the women, offering his blessings.
Voices From Bondi
Three young women from Sydney, Australia, then took the stage to lead the assembly in recitations of chapters of Psalms.
Chaya Dadon, 14, who shielded two children with her body during the terror attack at Bondi Beach last Chanukah, introduced herself simply: “I am a youngshlucha (emissary of the Rebbe) from Sydney, Australia.”
She spoke of the harrowing moments when bullets rained down at the Chanukah event, but emphasized that her actions didn;t come from courage. “It came from deep within my neshamah, my soul,” she told the crowd. “I heard G‑d’s voice guiding me.”
This, she explained, is what it means to be a shlucha of the Rebbe: “When the moment comes, you find the strength to act, to be there when it matters most.”
A video presentation then featured Priva Schlanger, eldest daughter of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was murdered in the attack, alongside Mina Levitan, daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, who was also killed that day. The video showed the young women in their roles as budding Chabad emissaries in Sydney.
“When you’re a shlucha, everything you do becomes part of something bigger,” Mina stated.
Priva spoke of lessons learned from her father: “When you involve your kids in your community work, it leaves such an impact on your kids and the community … and it’s so inspiring for us kids because we feel it’s ours.”
She told the audience how proud she was to be raised in a home of shlichut, adding that her father would be so proud seeing her address the gathering of women and that doing one more mitzvah brings the redemption closer.
The three young women then came together on stage to lead the room in reciting chapters of Psalms: Priva recited Chapter 124, the chapter corresponding with the Rebbe’s age, for the health and safety of Jews in Israel and around the world. Chaya recited Chapter 125, the Rebbetzin’s, praying for the success and safety of emissary families. Mina recited Chapter 121, asking for blessings and complete healing for all who need it.
Representing the World
A video tribute honored Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, who chaired the gathering each year until his passing two years ago. His son, Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, then addressed the crowd with “The Call of the Hour,” thanking the women emissaries for their dedication.
“Shlichus is not what you do,” he told them. “It’s who you are.”
In one of the evening’s most powerful segments, two Israeli women—Mrs. Nava Slonim of Modi’in and Mrs. Anat Harari of Eliav—shared their intertwined story of opposition transformed into partnership.
Anat described her early years as a “regular” Israeli who, in 1992, entered what she called her “political stage.” She joined multiple peace advocacy groups, became involved in activism and protests, and advocated for a two-state solution. While working for one of these organizations, she moved to Modi’in, where she encountered the Slonims.
The video detailed the Slonim family’s years-long battle to build a Chabad center in Modi’in, facing fierce opposition from residents. Anat had been among the most vocal opponents. She recalled confronting Rabbi Slonim directly: “You’ll have your Chabad center in Modi’in when hair grows on your palm.”
Years later, Anat attended her first Kinus Hashluchot. Sitting with Israeli emissaries on Shabbat, she heard someone mention Modi’in.
“Are you Slonim?” she asked. “Do you remember me? I was the one who opposed you!”
“How did I waste my whole life opposing such a beautiful thing?” she wondered aloud.
She went home and told her husband: “Find out what it takes to become a shlucha. I want to be a shlucha!”
Now, standing together in New Jersey, Anat thanked the Rebbe for “his vision and blessings that I have the privilege to be a shlucha.”
In a video, Tzivia Myers of Budapest, Hungary, spoke of attending her first prayer services at age 11 and never looking back. She became observant through the guidance of Rabbi Boruch and Batsheva Oberlander, and when the time came to choose a Hebrew name, she chose Mushka in honor of the Rebbetzin, looking to her as a model for how to run her days.
Today, Tzivia hosts a television show on local Hungarian TV, teaching Judaism to viewers across the country.
A series of emissaries representing different regions of the world then took the stage to introduce the evening’s Roll Call.
Shterna Sarah Friedland from Mykonos, Greece, spoke about her work on the island. Chani Aziza from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, described how she and her husband built their Chabad center one person at a time, including bringing a non-believer close through persistent Shabbat packages. That man later had a son who became the first brit milah performed in Tanzania.
Mushkie Levinson from Caracas, Venezuela, spoke of raising the fourth generation of emissaries in Venezuela, following in her mother’s and grandmother’s footsteps. Chanale Pink, who grew up in Paraguay, explained that even growing up “far” from Jewish infrastructure, she never felt she missed out on anything and always dreamed of returning to Paraguay; Miriam Ferris from Berkeley, California, spoke of her 44 years working with students; Racheli Tabib from Taipei, Taiwan, spoke of her work there.
The evening concluded with the iconic International Roll Call, the dramatic annual highlight of the gala banquet, where emissaries from dozens of locations around the world rose to be recognized, country by country, state by state.
The 2,464 U.S. emissaries were called last, and the room broke out into song and dance.
“The entire world is represented in this room tonight,” Levinson said in closing. “Let’s lift our voices in joy and dance with our tambourines as we march out of this galus with the revelation of Moshiach right now!”
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