27/05/2025
CBA TAKES UKRAINE!!!
Here’s a detailed report of our trip:
Monday - off to Ukraine!
CBA boarded the plane to Moldova at around 7:30 pm. 23 people. Some of us were excited, some of us were nervous, some of us didn’t know what to expect. We were going in as a Yeshiva
looking to make the most of every single moment of the week ahead.
For the weeks leading up to the trip we prepared ourselves. הכנה - preparation, is a cardinal theme in chassidic tradition and it plays a big role in a Chossids trip to visit a Rebbe. Chassidim of old would spend months if not years preparing themselves for an encounter that in time would only last a few minutes but its effects would last a lifetime. As the Shpoler Zayda once relayed to the Alter Rebbe: “when I was three years old the Bal Shem Tov placed his hand on my heart and from that time onward I felt warm”.
After landing in Moldova and waiting outside in the freezing cold for our bus to arrive, we set out for our first stop: Chabad of Moldova.
Arriving at Chabad, the Shliach welcomed us with a warm smile. He was so kind. We had a delicious meal and recharged. Each boy received his own handbook which included stories, teachings and life lessons from all the different Tzadikim we were about to visit.
Tuesday - Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berdychiv, Kiev and the Shtetl of Hanitovka:
We set out for the Ukrainian border at about 3:00 am and cleared the border at around 9:00 am. We rested on the bus to make sure we would have energy for the day.
We arrived in Berdychiv at around 11:00 am. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast that was packed for us by the Shliach of Moldova. We davened Shachris. Some boys found a river to jump into for Mikvah (too cold for most of us :)) while others went to the Mikvah built near the Kever.
We went into the Kever and Davened our hearts out to the Tzadik who was known as “The advocate of the Jews”. A Tzadik who went leaps and bounds to defend the sinners of the Jewish nation. We made sure to dance after. We felt uplifted and lucky to be able to Daven at a Tzadik of this magnitude.
One boy told over his experience: “When I went to Reb Levy