Thousands of preschool, kindergarten and grade school children from Chabad-Lubavitch institutions across Israel gathered in the village of Kfar Chabad on Wednesday in honor of the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, the anniversary of the 1950 passing of the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory, and the subsequent ascendancy of his son-in-law, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, to the leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch.

Featuring songs and the recitation of verses from the Torah, the ceremony at the village’s life-size replica of Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York recalled the life of the Sixth Rebbe and his successor’s efforts at strengthening Jewish life across the globe.

Students throughout the international Lubavitch school system, meanwhile, learned tractates of the Talmud and Chasidic discourses in honor of the day.

In keeping with traditions encouraged by the Rebbe, hundreds of Jewish communities throughout the world also held inspirational Chasidic gatherings and were expected to host more throughout the week. …