Yechiel Shlomo Levitansky

Sumy Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky said that the books were vital to helping relieve a book shortage for the congregation. A complaint was made to the European Parliament.

Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky, the rabbi of the Sumy Jewish community, denounced the decision, saying his congregation needed the shipment badly, because it currently did not have enough prayer books to go around.

"On Shabbat, around 40 people come to the synagogue to pray," he said.

In the city of Sumy, trends in Ukrainian politics had divided the government to such an extent that when Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo Levitansky mentioned that he wanted to put up a Menora in the city square last year, municipal leaders were not certain whom they should turn to.

Coming from S. Monica, California, where his father lights twelve giant menoras throughout the city every year, Rabbi Levitansky could not imagine Chanuka without a public Menora lighting.

With Chanuka quickly approaching, Rabbi Levitansky brought the issue to a Jewish official from the Governor's office who has been very helpful to the community and, for the first time in the official's life, put on tefilin with him right there at the local "White house."Afterwards, they spoke about how they could possibly find a way to erect the 12-foot-high Menora in the square, which Rabbi Levitansky had already constructed, certain that a mini-Chanuka miracle would take place and a solution could be found.
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Needless to say, the council member came to meet with Rabbi Levitansky and also put tefilin on for the first time.
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Rabbi Levitansky spoke about the significance of the final day of Chanuka and then lit the Menora, as the crowd applauded in excitement.Everyone sang traditional Chanuka songs as passers-by looked on.

The owner of the security company, who is also Jewish, was so impressed with this display of Jewish pride that he helped the community to resolve yet another potential problem.He happily offered to store the Menora, which weighs over a ton, by keeping it on display in front of his business all year round!
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Rabbi Levitansky lit the candles and spoke to the participants about the third night of Chanuka.All of the children attending the festive event approached the stage, where they received Chanuka gelt and a dreidel, presented to them by a Jewish official in the Sumy Regional Administration.The children recited verses of Torah and gave charity.

For many people who attended the Chanuka concert, it was the first time they ever tasted "sufganiyot" - jelly doughnuts traditionally eaten on Chanuka.The sufganiyot also involved a "mini-miracle": the local bakery allowed Rabbi Levitansky to kosher the facilities, ensuring that everyone would have had a happy and kosher Chanuka.

Instructor: Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky
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Instructor: Rabbi Yechiel LevitanskyPlease email RabbbiYSL@juno.com for details

Thursday:Gemara Shiur - 5:00 pmLocation: S. Johns HospitalInstructor: Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky

Rabbi and Mrs. Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo Levitansky1428 17th StreetSanta Monica, CA 90404 USAPhone: (310) 453-3011Email: rabbiysl@altavista.com

"I have had a chance to speak with him and he claims that he has not come to be a rabbi; he's here to make sure that the shul is built," says Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky, the city's official Chabad emissary, who arrived with his wife last fall from Santa Monica, Calif.

At the last minute, Levitansky was not invited to speak at the synagogue opening.He says Rabinovich invited him "as a member of the community," but Levitansky felt that if he were not to speak as the rabbi, it would be counterproductive to show up at all.

Levitansky will preside over a second opening ceremony at Rosh Hashanah.
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Levitansky expects to hold services there by Rosh Hashanah.
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In one closet-sized room, Levitansky was explaining the mystical aspects of laying tefillin to a dozen elderly men.Next door, 14 teenage girls, members of the Jewish community's youth club and singing troupe, were belting out a pitch-perfect rendition of "Go Down, Moses."

Chabad Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky, left, watches Mikhail Fisatidye milk his cow, as Galina Fisatidye looks on in Sumy, Ukraine, June 2005.
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Unlike the first Chabad families who arrived in Ukraine 15 years ago, Rabbi Yechiel and Rochi Levitansky have a choice: They could have Lubavitch-certified milk shipped to them in boxes.

"I have had a chance to speak with him and he claims that he has not come to be a rabbi; he's here to make sure that the shul is built," says Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky, the city's official Chabad emissary, who arrived with his wife last fall from Santa Monica, Calif.

At the last minute, Levitansky was not invited to speak at the synagogue opening.He says Rabinovich invited him "as a member of the community," but Levitansky felt that if he were not to speak as the rabbi, it would be counterproductive to show up at all.

Levitansky will preside over a second opening ceremony at Rosh Hashanah.
...
Levitansky expects to hold services there by Rosh Hashanah.
...
In one closet-sized room, Levitansky was explaining the mystical aspects of laying tefillin to a dozen elderly men.Next door, 14 teenage girls, members of the Jewish community's youth club and singing troupe, were belting out a pitch-perfect rendition of "Go Down, Moses."

"I have had a chance to speak with him and he claims that he has not come to be a rabbi; he's here to make sure that the shul is built," says Rabbi Yechiel Levitansky, the city's official Chabad emissary, who arrived with his wife last fall from Santa Monica, Calif.At the last minute, Levitansky was not invited to speak at the synagogue opening.He says Rabinovich invited him "as a member of the community," but Levitansky felt that if he were not to speak as the rabbi, it would be counterproductive to show up at all.Levitansky will preside over a second opening ceremony at Rosh Hashanah.
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Levitansky expects to hold services there by Rosh Hashanah.
...
In one closet-sized room, Levitansky was explaining the mystical aspects of laying tefillin to a dozen elderly men.Next door, 14 teenage girls, members of the Jewish community's youth club and singing troupe, were belting out a pitch-perfect rendition of "Go Down, Moses."