This year, for the 21st year on YWN, tens of thousands of viewers from around the world will be able to view the International Kinus HaShluchim banquet live on a broadcast made possible by the organizers of the Kinus. The live streaming webcast begins at 1:00PM on Sunday, Nov. 15, and is taking place at the The New Jersey Conference and Expo Center in Edison, NJ.

The highlight is always the traditional roll call of countries and regions which is followed by spirited dancing.

As we have done for many years, YWN has a team of photographers at the event and will be bringing you thousands of photos, as well as extensive video and photo coverage from the massive event.

The 41st annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries, also known as the Kinus Hashluchim, unites more than 6,500 rabbis and lay leaders from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries and territories around the world.

Each year, the conference is a springboard for new initiatives, from new Chabad Houses and Mikvaos to innovative platforms like OneMitzvah.org. Last year, just days after the murder of Shliach Rabbi Zvi Kogan HY”D, seed funding for 100 new centers were announced in his memory. These Kinus commitments reverberate well beyond the banquet hall, impacting Jewish life worldwide.

This year’s program will showcase powerful stories of resilience and outreach under extreme circumstances.

In Montego Bay, Jamaica, Rabbi Yaakov Raskin leads Jewish life in a setting marked by distance, limited resources, and violent storms. Just weeks ago, Hurricane Melissa tore through the island with 185 mph winds, blowing out windows and flooding the Chabad House. With power failing and communication cut off, the Raskins sheltered in the dark mikvah room, protecting their family and Torah scrolls. His segment, “Shlichus Through Fire and Water,” captures the quiet strength it takes to stand firm when everything else is falling apart.

In “From One Army to Another,” U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ben Crage and Air Force Chaplain Rabbi Levi Pekar reflect on the Rebbe’s call to stand up for Jewish life in every setting, especially those on the front lines. For Crage, the Rebbe’s teachings offered a framework to deepen his Jewish identity while serving; for Pekar, it’s a mission to help others do the same.

A Torah scroll will be completed and dedicated in memory of Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky A”H, the beloved Vice-Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and Chairman of The International Conference of Shluchim, who dedicated his life to fulfilling the Rebbe’s vision of building Jewish life across the globe and ensuring every Shliach had the support they needed to succeed.

The banquet will culminate with the iconic International Roll Call, in which representatives from every continent rise as their countries are named. From Paris and Sydney to isolated communities where Jewish life relies on a single Shlichus family. The climactic moment showcases a movement that spans the globe to ensure no Jew stands alone.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)