Thousands of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries filled Brooklyn’s Major R. Owens Community Center on Thursday night for the opening general session of the Kinus Hashluchim, the international conference of shluchim, where speakers turned to security, Jewish pride and the challenge of sustaining Jewish life after October 7.

The closed session was built for internal reflection, giving shluchim a rare chance to speak candidly about the emotional and practical strains of their work, COLlive.com reported. Speakers addressed rising antisemitism and security threats, Jewish life after October 7, and the persistence required to build communities in circumstances that can change overnight.

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of the conference, opened the evening on the responsibility shluchim carry toward their communities and one another. “Look for a friend, look for someone who you can do a favor for, a fellow shliach in your area that needs a hug, that needs you to be there to support them,” Kotlarsky told the gathering.