This past Shabbat, Parsha Tazria, the Ohr Natan Youth Minyan organized an action packed Shabaton to Lakewood, New Jersey for eighteen of their young members. Lakewood is currently home to 55 Bukharian families, a tremendous increase from the last time Ohr Natan founder Rabbi Nahum Kaziev hosted such a Shabaton 25 years ago when there were nearly no Bukharian residents. At that time, the attendees dined with Ashkenazic and Sephardic families, but did not have the authentic Bukharian experience. Now, the boys had a vastly different experience meeting many of the local traditional Bukharian families living as shining examples of Benei Torah.
The program began Friday afternoon with a tasty lunch at the home of Yosef Dovid Musheyev, a Bukharian avreich residing in Lakewood, that brought in the taste of Shabbat with hot kugel and cholent. Next, the group enjoyed a thrilling visit to a local bounce house that included an exhilarating game of dodgeball and hoop shooting. It was lots of fun for all to navigate the acrobatic obstacles.
For the Shabbos evening seudah, attendees gathered at the homes of event co-organizer Nerya Yakubov and Rabbi Yisraelov who both served delicious meals and shared inspiring zemirot and words of inspiration. Yakubov then opened his home for the entire group to join in an uplifting Oneg Shabbat with heartfelt songs. Shabbos day, after stimulating Tefillot, Natan Fuzailov, a noted moheI and Bukharian avreich, invited the group to his home for a top tier kiddush. Fuzailov addressed the group with his personal journey of growing up an unaffiliated Jew in Atlanta, Georgia to his current commitment to Torah day and night as an avreich in the Lakewood community.
Rabbi Weg, a respected Lakewood posek, delivered a thoughtful shiur to the group prior to Mincha on Shabbos. A lavish Seudah Shelishit was at the home of Abbo Zavalunov, a well-known etrogim retailer in Queens.
Motza’ei Shabbat activities kept the boys entertained with riveting games of table pool in a relaxing lounge followed by an enriching kumsitz at the residence of Binyamin Abramov with delicious homemade pizza and lasagna and the company of other community members.
To culminate a marvelous Shabbat experience, the boys davened Shacharit at Beth Medrash Govoha together with HaGaon HaRav Malkiel Kotler. Afterwards, the group was welcomed into Rav Kotler’s private study for a one-on-one meeting that included stimulating divrei brachah and a private question and answer session. A meaningful learning seder followed in Bais Aharon beit midrash of BMG.
Before heading back to Queens, the group returned to the Yakubov home for a farewell barbeque that included Bukharian plov and a birthday celebration for the host!
Rabbi Natan Kaziev, Yakubov’s co-organizer, commented, “The bochurim came to Lakewood with one perspective and left with a fresh standpoint on the Torah community at the end of the beautiful uplifting Shabbat.”
By Shabsie Saphirstein
Lakewood Shabbat of Chizuk Held For Bukharian Youth
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