After a full day of sessions and meetings, the hanhalos and chavrei tzevet of the Lubavitcher Yeshivos came together Monday evening, 28 Tammuz, for a banquet supper at Anshei Lubavitch in Crown Heights.

This is the part of the Kinus where the learning of the day gives way to sitting together, a room full of mechanchim who carry a great deal through the year, finally at one table.

The Kinus is organized by Igud Yeshivos Lubavitch, a division of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, and draws the staff of a network of 62 yeshivos in twelve countries.

Rabbi Mendel Itzinger, director of Igud Yeshivos, opened the evening with words of welcome.

Between the courses, a series of short videos highlighting guidance that various educators, mashpiim, even bochurim, received from the Rebbe, followed by an address from leading hanholas, bringing the idea ideas presented on the video into practical guidance today.

The addresses kept returning to the heart of what the men in the room do. Rabbi Moshe Binyomin Perlstein, Dean of Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago, spoke on caring for every need of the bochur, the whole bochur and not only his learning.

Rabbi Nochum Kaplan, Director of the Merkos Chinuch Office, spoke on the mesirah u’nesinah the work asks of a mechanech, the giving that has no clock.

Rabbi Nota Gerlitzky brought regards from the yeshivos of Eretz Yisroel and spoke on following the counsel of the mashpia.

Rabbi Shloima Zarchi, Menahel Poel of Central Yeshiva 770, encouraged participants to rededicate themselves and see each boy for his particular needs.

The evening continued with a central session for mashpiim, addressed by Rabbi Nachman Yosef Twersky, Rabbi Nachman Shapira and Rabbi Dov Ber Korf, and moderated by Rabbi Yisroel Noach Lipsker. It brought the mashpiim of the yeshivos together around the heart of what they do, the quiet, personal work of a mashpia with his talmidim, the work that rarely makes a schedule but holds a bochur together.

Well past the official end of the evening, anyone walking past Albany Avenue late Monday night would’ve seen clusters of educators huddled in groups, excitedly continuing the discussions, networking, and addressing the next steps to bringing the days discussions into their classes.