Among the many innovative ways that people around the world will be commemorating the 26th anniversary of the passing of the Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—thousands of people around the world will be congregating on Zoom this Wednesday, June 24, at 2:30 p.m. EDT, for a global program focusing on the Rebbe’s teachings and ongoing influence.
“This will be the world's largest interactive Zoom event,” said producer Ronen Peled, explaining that each community joining from North America, South America, Europe, Israel and South Africa will be hosting a Zoom room. Thousands of participants will be joining each room, and then that room will be connected to the broadcast.
The event, which will feature speakers from around the world, is not without logistical difficulties—notably, that Zoom meetings are generally restricted to 500 participants per meeting, and organizers are expecting to welcome dozens of groups of 500 onto their online presence.
Peled is no stranger to the challenges of crafting simultaneous experiences for many thousands. He serves as the creative director of the annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries (Kinus Hashluchim), where more than 5,000 celebrants enjoy a sit-down gala dinner together, replete with state-of-the-art audio-visual presentations, multiple courses and the joy that comes from enjoying a meal with friends and colleagues.
“The staff at Zoom told us that they’ve never had a single event with so many virtual rooms connected with the same broadcast,” he said. “Until now, their platform had a cap of 1,000 people in a single room, or a webinar with 300 cameras, but the rest are passive viewers and are not seen.”
The program is expected to include Torah teachings and inspirational thoughts from around the world, including a musical presentation from Cantor Berel Zucker, whose 39-year-old wife, Raizel, recently passed away, leaving him to raise their eight children, the oldest of whom is still a teen.
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