Members of the Chabad-Lubavitch worldwide movement gathered in every corner of the globe this week to hold a farbrengen -- a night of Torah learning and celebration to raise up one's soul -- as the High Holy Days draw near.
The Lubavitchers, as they are called, gathered to mark "Chai Elul" -- the founding of the Chassidic movement on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Elul. "Chai" -- which translates to "life" in Hebrew -- equals the number 18 in numerology. The date also marks the anniversary of the birthday of the Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement, and Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad-Lubavitch.