On Tuesday, the night of 28 Shevat, a gathering of appreciation was held for donors of the Shuvu Banim synagogue.  The gathering was held in our Beit Midrash with the participation of Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a.

The event started with the singing of "Shirei Regesh (songs of emotional arousal)" and niggunim.  The rabbis of the community spoke about the great merit of donating to the Beit Midrash.  Afterwards, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a entered and gave a shiur for around fifty minutes.

After the shiur, Moreinu HaRav shlit"a blessed the donors and gave each one an apple which the Rav blessed as a segulah for protection, bounty, and blessing.

Here is a summary of the topics covered in the shiur:

When snow falls, it's a sign that all sins have been forgiven.  In the merit of your donations to the synagogue, we merit to forgiveness for all sins, because the Rebbe of Tash said that today the Kotel is in the hands of the Zionists, so the synagogue of Shuvu Banim is the loftiest place and all prayers ascend there.  Purim is Yesod of Aba and higher than Yom Kippur.  If Shaul had waited for Shmuel, he would have received the monarchy forever.  After the age of 20, everything that a person eats is from boredom; a person needs to receive their vitality only from the letters of the Gemara.  Haman wasn't willing to be like Pharaoh and Antiochus, that there would be many days of Purim; therefore, he said, "in one day," but he didn't succeed, because Purim can begin on 11 Adar [the first day it's possible to read the Megilah], and it ends on 17.  Because of three steps that Nebuchadnetzar ran, he merited to eternal kingship.  This was the argument between Vashti and Achashverosh -- in whose merit, he ruled over 127 countries.  Vashti couldn't come because it was her father, Betshetzar's, yahrzeit.  Eli did not understand why Chanah prayed but her voice was not heard.  The Zohar says that Achashverosh didn't touch Esther.  The same thing with Yael and Sisra -- he didn't touch her.  With Rivka, the jug jumped for her and was filled by itself with water.  The Rambam says that if a person cuts two simanim (the throat and esophagus), this doesn't impart impurity and a person can sanctify a wife.  Rabbi Akiva would talk about the most miracles.  A person needs to tell about as many miracles as possible every day.