Video, Photos: Large Crowd Celebrates Mendy Rubashkin’s Bar Mitzvah

[Video and photos below.] 13 year-old Mendy Rubashkin celebrated his bar mitzvah last night, but his father was not among the many guests. Though hundreds of guests filled the room in New City, NY, the absence of Reb Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin was palpable.

Sholom Mordechai is currently held at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Otisville, NY, after being unfairly sentenced to 27 years on bank fraud charges.

The only way Sholom Mordechai could participate in his son’s bar mitzvah was through a phone call during which he addressed the crowd of his family and friends.

Present at the event were Mendy’s mother, Mrs. Leah Rubashkin; his siblings; his zaida, R’ Aaron Rubashkin, and his uncles, Moshe Rubashkin and Heshy Rubashkin.

Among those present were Rav Menachem Meir Weissmandl, rov of Nitra-Monsey; Rav Don Ungarischer, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Elyon; Rav Pinchos Lipschutz, publisher of Yated Ne’eman; Rav Lipa Brennan, among others.

A number of singers arrived to add to the joy of the occasion. They included Chazan Yanky Lemmer, Lipa Schmeltzer, Yehuda Green, Michoel Schnitzler and Benny Friedman.

Their performance comes after the launch of the much anticipated “Unity for Justice” song that united tens of music artists in a tribute to the release of Sholom Mordechai.

The bar mitzvah was catered by L’Chaim (Meal Mart) Caterers of Monsey, NY.

The talented French acrobatic twins performed as well.

See below for photos by Boruch Ezagui:

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Click below for a video of Lipa Schmeltzer singing at the bar mitzvah:

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{COLlive/Matzav.com Newscenter}