(Courtesy of Bris Avrohom) This past Monday night and Tuesday were the 19th of Kislev, and the 19th of Kislev is celebrated as the new year for chasidut. On this day 224 years ago, the founder of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, Rabbi Shneur Zalman Liadi, was released from jail and all Chabad communities around the world dedicate this day to say thanks to Hashem for this great miracle and, more than that, to make resolutions to study chasidut, especially the first book of chasidut, the Tanya, whose author was Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, also known as the Alter Rebbe.

Bris Avrohom in Hillside celebrated this past Monday night with guest speaker Rabbi Ben Zion Krasnianski, who spoke about the whole history of the arrest of the Alter Rebbe, as well as the celebration of the release. He encouraged all of the participants to dedicate time every day or, at minimum, a few times a week, to study chasidut, specifically the Tanya, which is printed in over 7,000 locations throughout the globe and is translated into many languages, to give an opportunity to every person to be able to learn and understand it.

The celebration was done as a four-course festive meal and organized and sponsored by the Bris Avrohom community. Close to 200 people attended and enjoyed the celebration.