Chazaq Emergency Tehillim Gathering For The Nisanov Family

Over 500 Unite In Prayer For A Refuah Shleimah For Aviva Bracha Bat Ora

Our hearts and tefillot remain with the Nisanov family during this painful time. The community is asked to continue davening for a refuah shleimah for Aviva Bracha bat Ora.

This past Tuesday evening, Chazaq organized an emergency Tehillim gathering that drew over 500 participants from Queens and beyond. Convened within hours of the tragedy, the program was dedicated l’ilui nishmat Rachel Aliza (“Racheli”) Nisanov, a”h, and for the healing of her sister, Aviva Bracha bat Ora.

Chazaq Operations Manager Mr. Robbie Aboff served as master of ceremonies, thanking participants for joining on such short notice and urging everyone to share the program so that even more Jews could unite in prayer.

The program featured deeply moving words of chizuk from Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox, Director of Chai Lifeline’s Crisis and Trauma Department, who joined live from South Africa in the early morning hours. His willingness to address the community despite the difficult timing underscored the urgency and weight of the evening.

Rabbi Fox focused on the Torah’s phrase “Hashem hu sehilatecha, v’hu Elokecha” — “Hashem is your praise, and He is your G-d.” He noted how difficult this is even to translate. What does it mean that Hashem is our prayer? And why must the Torah remind us that He is our G-d, something already known?

The Ramban, he explained, teaches that when Jews take a siddur or Sefer Tehillim and turn only to Hashem, that act itself becomes our highest praise of Him. In response, Hashem looks at His people and declares: “You are My praise.” The willingness of klal Yisrael to gather in sorrow and direct its pleas upward transforms us into Hashem’s own glory.

 Rabbi Fox emphasized that in moments of fear and loss, Jews do not despair. Instead, we gather, lift our voices together, and proclaim: “Hashem hu Elokim” — Hashem alone is our King. He concluded with a powerful charge: “Hashem is our tefillah. We are Hashem’s tefillah. And through our tefillah, we make Him King.”

He also reminded participants that tragedies can leave people shaken and in need of personal support. He encouraged anyone struggling to reach out to Chai Lifeline’s crisis team at 855-3-CRISIS (855-327-4747), stressing that no one should carry this burden alone.

The gathering then continued with the communal recitation of four chapters of Tehillim—פרק כ, קכא, קל, and קמב—led verse by verse by Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, CEO of Chazaq. Across hundreds of screens, participants followed along from their siddurim, united in prayer.

The evening closed with a heartfelt plea to persist in tefillah. “Don’t stop storming the heavens,” Rabbi Meirov urged. “Enough suffering. May we merit only besorot tovot from here on.”

To sustain this spirit of unity, Chazaq created a dedicated Tehillim WhatsApp group, encouraging the community to continue davening together in the days ahead.

May the zechut of our united tefillot bring a refuah shleimah to Aviva Bracha bat Ora and an aliyat neshamah to Rachel Aliza (“Racheli”) Nisanov, a”h.

By Shabsie Saphirstein