Philanthropist Gennady (Zvi Hirsch) Bogolubov, one of the biggest supporters of Chabad shluchim worldwide, will be the guest speaker at the banquet of the Kinus Hashluchim, according to an announcement today by Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky on behalf of the Vaad Hakinus.
In 1998, Mr. Bogolubov was elected President of the Jewish Community in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. With his election, Mr. Bogolubov began to invest in the Jewish community in Ukraine by directing resources to the future generation – specifically through advancing education and Jewish pride. His approach has become a model for leaders in other Jewish communities.
Over the years, Mr. Bogolubov became much closer to Judaism through the rav of the community in Dnepropetrovsk, Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky. The long relationship developed into a close friendship between the two, and Mr. Bogolubov became acquainted with the activities of Chabad shluchim worldwide.
His love and affection for the shluchim has been evident since his early years, when he did everything he could to help them build synagogues, schools and more. In 2008 he established the Bogolubov Simcha Foundation, which was established to help shluchim celebrate family simchas. Since the establishment of the fund, grants were given to 3,952 shluchim all over the world, for births, bar mitzvahs and weddings – totaling over $10 million.
This year before Tishrei, in honor of the birth of his daughter Dina, Mr. Bogolubov bestowed a one-time grant of $500 to all Shluchim for the holidays, amounting to a total of $2 million.
During the upcoming banquet, the culmination of the annual Kinus Hashluchim at which more than 4,000 shluchim and their guests are expected to attend, Mr. Bogolubov will share the story of his relationship with Chabad, as well as his personal perspective on the activities of shluchim around the world.
In previous years, guest speakers at the banquet included: Dr. David Luchin. Mr. Yehuda Avner. Mr. Lev Leviev. Mr. Sami Rohr and Dr. Alan Dershowitz.
It is a well desrved honor bestowed upon Reb Gennady. Hashem should repay him for his chessed.
GO YONAH!
Will he be speaking in English? I brought my biggest BB when it was Leviev and he couldnt understand a word, and the earphone translation had terrible reception
This is great, anyone that has a ba’al Habos that has potential to help Chabad as a whole should bring them…. and realize that you will get much more for yourself when you open them up to the whole chabad movement!
As a recipient of his generosity, both when we had a baby and when he had a baby, I say kol hakovod!
Someone who helps the “rich n’ famous” Shliach as well as the “down n’ out” Shliach