Editor’s note: Many tragic passings in the Chabad community were among the most viewed articles, but at the request of many, we are not including them on this list to allow the families to grieve.
1. Trump @ Ohel
Ivanka Trump Prays at Rebbe’s Ohel in Late Night Visit
First Daughter Ivanka Trump visited the Rebbe’s Ohel following the presidential debate in Nashville. Democrat Joe Biden went on to become the 46th president of the United States. Of course, if you asked her father Donald Trump, he thinks otherwise…
2. Hatzalah-Thon #2
Second Hatzalah-Thon of Entertainment and Unity
The second Hatzalah-Thon was also the second most viewed article on COLlive.com this past year. Held on Lag BaOmer with the Jewish music stars, the fundraiser raised an astounding $18 million from 81,145 donors for chapters of the volunteer emergency medical service organization serving Jewish communities around the world.
3. Run for life
Mother Escaped With Children Right Before Surfside Tower Fell
The sudden collapse of the Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside, Florida, has sent shockwaves well beyond the Jewish community. With so many missing, it was viewed as a national tragedy and a personal one for Lubavitchers with the deaths of R’ Tzvi and Itty Ainsworth OBM. The story of one woman, Sterna Sarah Nir, who managed to escape with her children, was a beacon of hope amid the rubble.
4. Rashbi + 45 kedoshim
Multiple Casualties in Meron After Stampede on Lag BaOmer
One of the most joyous days on the Jewish calendar turned into Israel’s deadliest civil disaster. 45 Jewish men and children who came to Mount Meron to celebrate Lag BaOmer at the kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai were killed in a deadly crowd crush. About 150 more were injured. Not long later, 2 more were killed in Jerusalem when bleachers at the Stoliner Beis Medrash collapsed.
A note that was written by school teacher R’ Shimon Matlon OBM and given to a friend before he was killed in Meron was one of the most read articles of this past year.
5. Shabbat, Shalom
Amazing Tale of a Lubavitcher Stuck for Shabbos in Kiryas Yoel
The story of a Lubavitcher chossid not making it on time to spend Shabbos with his family in the Catskills has moved many readers of COLlive.com. It wasn’t only that he was graciously hosted by a Satmar chossid and his family in Kiryat Yoel. It was the confession on Motzoei Shabbos that brought chills to those who read it.
6. The book of life
Global Event Marks Siyum for Unity Torah
Just like the Hatzalah-Thon, the Siyum ceremony of the “Unity Sefer Torah” featured music stars and drew viewers from around the world. The Torah was written as a segulah (merit) during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the recent flooding in New York, the Torah was ruined beyond repair. Organizers were quick to commission a new one.
7. WWMN
Jews Around the Globe Unite in Prayer for Moshiach
Chabad House Johannesburg in partnership with COLlive.com hosted a global prayer broadcast asking Hashem to bring Moshiach and bring an end to the tragedies and suffering. In addition to prayer, it encouraged people to visit a special website wewantmoshiachnow.net
8. Turbulence of another kind
Spirit Deplanes Orlando Flight Because of Unmasked Toddler
Spirit Airlines deplaned an entire Orlando-New-York flight on Monday because a 2-year-old Jewish girl wasn’t wearing a facemask. A similar case happened on a Frontier flight. Passengers deplaned after a Jewish family was asked to leave the flight because their 15-month-old infant did not have a mask.
9. Highway reunion
New Jersey State Trooper Pulls Over a Long Lost Friend
Crown Heights entrepreneur Rabbi Shloime Greenwald was driving back home from a day of work in Delaware on Wednesday when he was pulled over by a New Jersey State trooper. The encounter turned out both surprising and moving…
10. The big 10
Tenathon Spectacular Evening of Entertainment
Over 600,000 people tuned in to watch the Tenathon, starring Avraham Fried, Shulem Lemmer and Eli Marcus, accompanied by a 60 piece philharmonic orchestra. The spectacular live concert promoted the annual auction of the Ten Yad organization in support of Hachnasas Kallah.
11. Zoom Kinus
International Kinus Hashluchim Grand Event 5781
The Grand Event, a virtual stand-in for the Gala Banquet of the International Kinus Hashluchim, included inspiring speeches, tributes to Covid-19 victims, moving video productions and live music. As always, it was one of the most viewed broadcasts on COLlive.com. For the first time, the Kinus itself wasn’t held in person but on Zoom.
12. Boston strong
Chabad Shliach Stabbed Outside Shaloh House of Boston
Chabad Rabbi Shlomo Noginsky was stabbed 8 times outside of the Shaloh House of Boston in yet another antisemitic attack on U.S. soil. He was successful in fending off his attacker – Khaled Awad, a 24-year-old Egyptian – and keep him away from children. Noginsky has since addressed the No Fear Rally in front of Capitol Hill and vowed to open a smicha program.
13. City task farce
NYC Health Inspector Caught Writing Summons in Empty School
Two inspectors of the New York City Health Department were caught on camera writing a summons to Yeshivat Shaare Torah in “Red Zone” Midwood. The building was empty and the school director confronted them about it. It only added to the feeling in Jewish circles that they are being unfairly targeted during the pandemic (like Mayor Bill de Blasio’s tweet to the “the Jewish community”).
14. 770 2.0
Initiative Drafts Plans For Remodeling of 770 Eastern Parkway
A private initiative has commissioned architectural plans by a firm in Brooklyn for the long-awaited remodeling of Lubavitch World Headquarters – 770 Eastern Parkway in New York. A draft was leaked to COLlive.com and sparked the public’s imagination (and opinion, of course).
15. Pro Palestinian?
Kamala Harris Vows to Reopen the PLO Office in Washington
Democrat vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris told Arab American News she plans to reinstate financial aid to Palestinians and reopen the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) office in Washington, DC. It had pro-Israel supporters concerned about a shift in policy from the friendly Trump administration.
16. Matters of zoology
“Call Me a Sheep Who Complies With Rules”
Mrs. Nechama Vardi, a baalas teshuva now living in Crown Heights, wrote one of the most commented op-eds of the year. She shared her thoughts about the street clash between bochurim and the NYPD at the unsanctioned Simchas Beis Hashoeva – footage of which was shared on social media.
17. Anti the anti
Chabad Headquarters Delists Shliach Over Anti Vax Statements
The delisting of a Chabad Shliach isn’t a matter taken lightly or one that happens often. In the case of Rabbi Michoel Green of Massachusetts, who was on a warpath against COVID vaccines and spoke disparagingly about Shluchim who follow health regulations, the move almost seemed inevitable.
18. Mivtza Trump?
Another op-ed that was widely viewed and commented on was the one discussing a Chabad song being played on a loudspeaker of a vehicle in a Jewish car parade supporting the reelection campaign of Donald Trump. “It was just a moment later that it became clear to me what a churban this is,” the Lubavitcher wrote.
19. Fake frum
American Family in Jerusalem Revealed as Christian Missionaries
An American man who had a full beard and payos and dressed as a frum Jew has been revealed as a Christian missionary trying to infiltrate the Jewish community. He wrote tefillin and mezuzos as a softer stam and lived with his family the French Hill neighborhood of Jerusalem.
20. Lasting tribute
Wife of Yudi Dukes Writes: Hashem is Still With Us
The passing of Rabbi Yehuda Dukes at the age of 36 following a long and brave battle with Covid and its effects was heartbreaking. A huge crowd attended his levaya and davened in his memory. “I couldn’t believe that G-d would actually allow this to happen,” his wife Sarah Dukes wrote in a widely read public letter.
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Wishing you all a kesiva vachasima tova. May you be inscribed for a happy and healthy new year and may we share good news!
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No covid news made it to the top?