Chabad rabbis from Detroit and across 100+ countries gathered for the Kinus Hashluchim, a global summit of Jewish outreach and inspiration.
Jewish leaders from across Detroit and the state of Michigan joined some 6,500 Chabad rabbis from around the globe gathered in Brooklyn, New York, from Nov. 13-16 for the annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries, the largest Jewish conference and rabbinic gathering in the world.
Rabbi Menachem Caytak, director of Chabad of Troy, speaks at a panel discussion at the International Conference of Chabad Emissaries on Nov. 13.
The conference, known as the Kinus Hashluchim, unites rabbis and lay leaders from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries around the world for four days of workshops, networking and spiritual uplift. Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries, known as Shluchim, are husband-and-wife teams who dedicate their lives to strengthening Jewish life in communities big and small worldwide, sometimes in remote locations far from established Jewish infrastructure.
The greater Detroit area was represented by its own Chabad rabbis, including Rabbi Yudi Mann, Rabbi Yishai Eliefja, Rabbi Shalom Shomer, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Rabbi Elchanan Ruvinov, Rabbi Mendel Stein, Rabbi Shimon Druk, Rabbi Yisroel Weingarten, Rabbi Sholom Ber Galperin, Rabbi Yecheskel Stein, Rabbi Dovid Brekan, Rabbi Leibel Shemtov, Rabbi Hershel Finman, Rabbi Bentzion Geisinsky, Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, Rabbi Levi Dubov, Rabbi Avrohom Susskind, Rabbi Berel Grossbaum, Rabbi Schneur Greenberg and Rabbi Zalman Zweibel.
A Weekend of Learning and Connection
Coming two years after Oct. 7, when antisemitism increased dramatically around the world, the conference highlighted the post-Oct. 7 surge — where rather than retreating or shying away from Jewish life, Jews of all backgrounds have engaged with their faith in record numbers. The conference’s workshops and lectures focused on how to serve families, college students and young people who are seeking out Jewish connection and community in unprecedented ways.
Rabbis and Jewish Leaders pray at the Ohel — the Queens, New York, resting place of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of Righteous Memory — on Friday, Nov. 14.
Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, executive director of Chabad Lubavitch of Michigan, says that interest in Chabad programs has indeed surged since Oct. 7, when many previously unaffiliated Jews in the area woke up to the importance of their Jewish identity. “Even though it’s two years later, Jews in Detroit are still seeking out community, tradition and meaning, and that’s what we’re here to provide.”
The conference featured workshops on issues facing Jewish communities, including utilizing artificial intelligence in outreach, responding to antisemitism, disaster relief, effective Jewish education and building campaigns to support Chabad’s remarkable expansion. Conference attendees who serve college campuses participated in a special track addressing the surge in engagement Chabad has seen among students over the past two years.
Rabbi Menachem Caytak, director of Chabad of Troy,was one of the panelists at a workshop on sustainable development and vision planning. He opened the session by redefining how we quantify and assess Jewish engagement. Traditional tactics for community building, he stressed, are not as effective as they once were.
“Jewish engagement nowadays is about actively connecting with Jews on a one-on-one basis. We can no longer afford to plan events and hope that people show up,” he said. “We have to actively knock on their doors, especially in areas that don’t have a strong Jewish presence. It’s through these interactions that we’ve created a community of over 900 families and counting.”
Prayers at the Ohel
The Friday visit to the Ohel in Queens, New York, marked a spiritual high point of the conference. The Ohel is the resting place of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, the most influential rabbi in modern history.
Thousands of rabbis pose for a group photo in front of Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2026.
Yisroel Teitelbaum / Chabad.org
Approximately 1 million people — Jews and non-Jews — visit the Ohel every year, making it the most visited Jewish site outside of Israel. The Chabad emissaries prayed for their families and communities, carrying with them countless prayer requests from Jews around the world.
The emissaries spent the Shabbat in prayer and camaraderie, in the company of family and friends. For many, the Kinus is the sole time of year when Chabad emissaries get to reconnect with siblings, cousins, parents and friends, who often serve as emissaries in cities and countries across the globe. The opportunity for learning, spiritual renewal and reconnection at the conference make it a uniquely meaningful experience. Shluchim describe it as a one big family reunion, drawing strength from their colleagues who understand what it means to be a Chabad emissary.
Sunday morning saw the snapping of the annual “class picture” under the iconic facade of 770 Eastern Parkway, the headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The photo, featuring thousands of traditionally clad Chasidic rabbis, represented the many faces of Chabad rabbis who bring Judaism to the world. Rabbis from war-torn Ukraine to Israel’s frontlines, from college campuses to quiet towns, all posed in a portrait of Jewish unity. Now an annual iconic New York tradition, the photo is a massive display of Jewish pride, sending a message of resilience, confidence and strength to Jewish communities around the globe.
Inspiring Presentations
The capstone of the conference was the gala banquet, held at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison. With 6,500 rabbis from more than 100 countries and thousands more lay leaders sitting down for a meal all in one room, the gala captured the global mood and pulse of Jewish communities worldwide, offering perhaps the best opportunity to grasp the magnitude of Chabad’s impact and the spirit behind it at one time.
The program featured moving presentations. Chabad Emissary to Jamaica, Rabbi Yaakov Raskin, shared the harrowing story of surviving Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that devastated the island in late October. He described the frightening experience of barricading his doors with mattresses and bed frames to stave off vicious 200 mph winds and relentless rain, and his gratitude for the Divine protection that kept his family safe. “Even as the walls shook, I knew I was not alone,” he said. “I remembered the Rebbe’s words: ‘A Jew does not find himself in a situation. A Jew makes a situation.’”
Despite the Chabad House sustaining severe damage and losing electricity and running water for nearly a month, Rabbi Raskin immediately pivoted to providing aid to fellow Jamaicans. His inspiration was his grandfather, a legendary Chabad emissary in Morocco who never abandoned his dwindling community.
The banquet ended with a spontaneous session of spirited Chasidic singing and dancing. The palpable joy of 6,500 rabbis united in their mission to spread light and strengthen Jewish life around the world filled the room, and left attendants with a renewed resolve to continue in their mission.
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