www.jewishwestport.com | Blogs | From The Desk of Rabbi Yehuda

The Best Choice

Fri, 7 Aug 2026 10:00:00 AM

“I had no choice”.

We’ve all said those words and ironically those words themselves were by our choosing.

A quick google shows that we make an astonishing, 35,000 decisions per day.

Clearly we all have choices. It’s our greatest Divine gift. The freedom to choose.

At times it can be pretty anxiety inducing. So many choices, so many decisions — so much upside, yet so much downside.

I recently read of former hostage Rom Braslavski describing his efforts to rehabilitate himself and to deal with the tremendous post trauma stress that he’s suffering from.

“My question is this: Am I going to return to life, or am I going to remain a captive in Gaza? Am I going to get up and strengthen myself again and again and not let them win, or am I going to lock myself in my room and not let the sun come in? Because if I do that, they’ve won—not me.”

“They’ve won—not me—if I fall into depression and sadness. That’s not something I’m willing to accept. Every day I make the choice to open the blinds, get up early, and let the sun into my life. To let the sun brighten my dark face. Dark on the inside, bright on the outside. And the light on the outside slowly seeps into my soul.”

Choice!

Divinely gifted! AI can not make a choice and decide the direction of our lives. It never will be able to — because choice is the greatest gift that we were given and that specifically requires personal grit, reflection and conviction!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

The Perfect Combo!

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:00:00 AM

There’s nothing like a fresh start. Pristine, untainted and blissfully ignorant.

Except —there’s also nothing like the wisdom gained from experience. Tried and true, nuanced and focused.

Walking through Gan Izzy, one gets to see the “fresh start”, all over the place. Many firsts, many new experiences — in a warm and all-embracing setting. The potential and the future of Am Yisrael on full display!

Yet for there to be a future — there needs to have been a past. A past that endured, that built, that preserved and in turn shared it with the next generation.

We are consistently part of the past and a bridge to the future. As long as we preserve what has so painstakingly been preserved for millennia, the future is bright.

The greatest stumbling block of course is ego and Moses in this week’s Parsha warns his nation not to slip into the seemingly natural disposition of, “look at what I did; see how accomplished I am; it’s all because of me”. He speaks from experience and his nuanced and focused message is the result of decades of leading the Jewish nation.

Yet the Parsha doesn’t stop there and the key to maintaining healthy humility is also shared.

Thankfulness. Gratitude. Specifically as it manifests itself in “Grace After Meals” also known as Birchat Hamazon or Bentching.

A simple paragraph composed by Moses himself recited after a meal, to thank the true source of the food, Gd, for his bountiful blessings.

Fast forward a few thousand years. The freshness of Judaism remains. The foundation of Judaism is stronger than ever. Ego may still be an issue — gratitude and thankfulness still the tonic.

Is it cliche to say “Am Yisrael Chai?

Hardly! A quick stroll around Gan Izzy will resoundingly reinforce it and for that I’m profoundly thankful.

Am Yisrael Chai!!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

The Morning AFter

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:00:00 AM

The mourning after.

It’s not a typo — yesterday was the saddest day on the Jewish calendar ( Tisha B’av) but today is the morning after and life, as ordained by Jewish wisdom, continues vigorously.

I walked through camp yesterday, stomach rumbling and all (it was a fast day) yet what I experienced was the antithesis to what one would think the day represents.

Rebuilding. Life. Energy. Future.

I observed a large amount of children engaged in a project with LEGO collectively building the very edifice that we were mourning the destruction of. Hardly a day of mourning — the greatest display of rebuilding!

The physical edifice of the Temples destroyed yet the heart and soul of the Jewish nation pumping stronger than ever!

Jewish life today, does have some challenges to be sure — that is the definition of Exile. The lack of revelation and dominion that exists in times of redemption.

Yet even then, the soul of the Jew can’t be extinguished. The physical edifice, perhaps — the essential core, never!

The mo(u)rning after. It’s morning. It’s fresh. Full of hope and potential. All it takes is U.

You see, Jewish life is vibrant because of all of us. We’ve survived the millennia due to the collective efforts of the entire Jewish nation. Each of us contributing another piece of LEGO on the proverbial structure of Jewish life.

Microcosmically too — each mitzvah we do, irrespective of what we don’t do — adds another piece of LEGO so to speak, to the individual quest and mission that we each individually have in this world.

It follows then, that a fitting morning after resolution is — to add one more mitzvah to our lives. Another mitzvah to our routines. Another Shabbos celebration, Mezuza or Torah podcast — each act truly rebuilding the Third Temple — may we merit the rebuilding speedily in our days, amen!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

How?

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:00:00 AM

I recently noticed that the word “how” and “who” have the same letters yet very different meanings.

Apparently, linguistically, the word “who” is used more frequently — yet the word “how” is more associated with change.

The how to get something done or to move forward, far more pivotal than the “who did it” that so often gets associated with blaming or relying on another.

Moses in this week’s Parsha asks the “how” or in the original wording “eicha”— when questioning of Gd, regarding the overwhelming burden of leadership.

The response was fast in coming — set up courts of law, delegate judicial decisions and empower a subset of leaders to shoulder the burden.

How as a catalyst for change. How as a catalyst to take a step forward — opening ourselves up to the Divine blessing.

Next week we mourn the destruction of the two Temples that stood on Temple Mount — on the saddest day of the year, called Tisha B’av. We read of the book of Lamentations — called Megilat “Eicha”.

There we have it again, Eicha. The “how” that’s associated with life. The “how” that’s associated with challenging times.. the how in the most painful of times —the “how” that drives change, and it’s change that guarantees, future!!

Speaking of future — it’s all in the children — see here in photo form the tremendous future that we have here locally with the campers at Gan Izzy — Am Yisrael Chai!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

Life!

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:00:00 AM

The Journey of life.

It may sound cliche — but it’s hardly so. Life truly is a journey — many stops along the way. Each stop representing a significant moment in our life’s mission on this earth.

Though we love to see things in real time, at best, we get a mere glimpse of a deeper more transcendent plan — mostly recognizable in hindsight.

I was very moved recently when hearing of 100 year old holocaust survivor Kurt Marx, who read from the same Torah that he read from at his Bar Mitzvah, just two months before Kristallnacht.

“ When I read the same portion I read as a child, before my life was turned upside down, it felt as though all the years in between disappeared for a moment.”

“The remarkable reunion with the Sefer Torah began when Marx discovered an old document recording its arrival at a London synagogue in 1939”

Standing once again before the Sefer Torah from which he had read as a 13-year-old, Marx described the moment as far more than rediscovering a treasured object.

“It was restoring a living connection to my family, my community, and the world the Holocaust tried to destroy,” he said.”

A living connection. The Torah the connector. Generations melting away. Location irrelevant. The connector. The center of gravity. The beachhead. The Truth. The Torah!

As we traverse our journey some things travel with us. It merely requires cognizance and appreciation for them. It makes the journey all the more meaningful and ultimately enduring and eternal.

Walking through the halls of Gan Izzy and hearing the fun, the joy, the chants together with the wide array of exciting and creative activities, I know that what’s being created is way more than a fantastic summer; more than memories which too begin to fade at some point. Rather, It’s melting away the constraints of time and place — connecting us all to the past and creating a powerful future!

The journey. Many stops, many stages. Many choices, many challenges. Many memorable moments with many we’d love to forget. Yet most of all — it’s the story of our lives that continue to live on in perpetuity!

Am Yisrael Chai!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. We are looking for sponsors to help us make Gan Izzy even better. If you’d like to explore the opportunities that will bear fruit for generations to come — please email me. We’d love to hear from you! Or here’s a link for a quick donation to our effort — here.

Who Am I?

Fri, 3 Jul 2026 10:00:00 AM

Who am I?

The ultimate question that constantly accompanies every person, throughout their lives.

This week Gan Izzy started. It was an amazing week if only a little too hot.

Watching the carefree nature of the campers engaged in a plethora of activities and shows, is always gratifying. Yet it’s what’s “not” seen that’s the most gratifying.

Identity. It comes from the core and is then built upon. The more aligned the outer layer and behavior calibrates with the core — the stronger the identity becomes and the deeper joy in life is revealed.

“Because I’m a Jew, a proud one too” — these words echoing throughout the joyous walls of Gan Israel of Westport!

Yet it’s “not” what’s heard inside the walls that’s the most gratifying it’s what’s being developed and nurtured inside out of the camper’s that resonates. Resonates for generations that is!

Who am I?

Perhaps the answer can be found in the opening words of this week’s Parsha. The protagonist is Pinchas.

Who is Pinchas? The Torah tells us with detailed genealogy. He’s the son of Elazar who in turn is the son of Aharon the first High Priest. ( the brother of Moses)

So who is he? It seems circuitous to introduce his parents and his grandparents when introducing who he is.

The answer is simple. He will shortly display to us who he is. Yet it all begins way before he performs — it starts in his home. His parents and his grandparents, his environment — his nurture.

Today we celebrate America250. Though Australian, I feel hugely patriotic. America is simply a great country founded on Biblical principles as stated in the Declaration of Independence. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Incredible principles. Yet these principles are truest when we live our lives for who we are and what we represent!

Who am I?

“Because I’m a Jew, a proud one too”, the Gan Izzy campers know it and with that we can all rest assured that the future is bright — now let’s make sure we all know who we are!

An Yisrael Chai!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

Now, Now, Now!

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:00:00 AM

The Guinness World Records just announced a new record breaking achievement of the loudest “shout”, clocking in at 122.4 decibels.

What struck my attention is “not” that this shout is as loud as jet engines taking off or louder than an emergency vehicle siren. Rather, the word that he shouted in order to break the world’s record.

NOW!

According to a quick online search, the protagonist practiced shouting several words with his daughter until he realized that the word NOW allowed him to project the most force.

NOW!

It’s actually not surprising if you think about it.

Jewish wisdom from thousands of years ago as recorded in the Mishna teaches us the following:

“If I am not for myself, who will be? Yet if I am primarily for myself, what am I? And if not NOW then when?

Yes, when? Yes, am I too into my own self and missing things around me? Or perhaps, am I neglecting myself, my marriage, my relationship with my family, my spiritual growth, my commitment to our cherished Heritage — Torah and Mitzvot, my legacy?

Expediency in the right context is critical and advisable. Doing good, achieving a goal, growing spiritually and all those things that we may be pushing off for a better time — should be done today.

NOW! And I’m NOT SHOUTING!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

One Size, Many Lessons

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:00:00 AM

Recently, I used an unusually quiet moment to order some clothing online — feeling great that I was thinking ahead to the changing season.

Alas, despite thoughtful ordering, every single item fit poorly, leaving me with the arduous task of returns.

So much for the idea of, “one size fits all”.

It doesn’t and it shouldn’t.

Gd didn’t design the world that way. With tens of thousands of differing species of birds and hundreds of thousand different plant species — topped off with “billions of trillions” of stars in the universe — it’s clear that “one size doesn’t fit all”.

Microcosmically too, no human being is the same. Each of us endowed with our own unique qualities, talents, soul and mission!

Individualism at its best. Endowed by God and personalized by ourselves.

In this week’s Parsha we read of a mutinous uprising against Moses by his own cousin no less. It was a contest of leadership. Not Moses’s position, rather some other elevated position that Korach felt belonged to him. The problem was, Gd had chosen otherwise.

One would think that this would suffice for Korach, yet in his contest, he questioned whether his lost position was truly from Gd or it was Moses’s doing. It seems that nothing really changes in life. I’ve encountered many a successful person, harboring some resentment about life and all the opportunities that seem to have been awarded elsewhere.

Yet Korach aside — I’m coming off a day, yesterday that is — spent in reflection and inspiration on the 32nd Yartzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

You see, the Rebbe’s approach was radically different. In every encounter he tapped out the latent potential of the other. He refused to accept the status quo. He was the biggest believer in the power of each individual. The sky not even the limit.. (a few interesting links here to see the Rebbe's style - a) 6 people , b) a variety of links)

The results of this empowering truth show for themselves. Both in the network of Chabad Houses that he directly inspired, coupled with the millions of others that upped their game and achieved things that would ordinarily not have —as a result of his conviction and his engulfing message to all. “Live your individual & unique mission” for only you can be you. Only you can achieve the Divine mission gifted to you — the world therefore need you!

One size doesn’t fit all after all — it doesn’t and it shouldn’t. It’s no more than an empty slogan.

As for me, lesson learned and USPS is a great beneficiary of this!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. I still haven’t found the mystery purchaser of the sandwich…

No Big Deal?

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:00 AM

I wonder who this was?

Yesterday, someone I don’t know made a donation to Chabad of Westport with the following note attached.

“In honor of the congregant who bought me a kosher brisket sandwich at the historic Knicks game”.

It intrigued me so I reached out to this individual and asked him for some particulars. To which he responded.

“As a member of the Chabad of East Hampton and East Boca I was happy to reciprocate the generosity of one of your congregants who bought my dinner at the kosher stand at Madison Square Garden. (I advised him to order the brisket over the pastrami). I told him I would repay his kindness with a donation to his shul. Not more than that. Kindness begets kindness. Keep up the excellent work”.

Not more than that. Kindness begets kindness.

What a powerful truism! The chain reaction of a good deed — that inspires and results in more good deeds being done.

Not connected or perhaps connected — I received a text this week from a neighboring Chabad Rabbi who was seeking funds to pay for the burial of a “Mr David G..” OBM.

David had passed away without anyone to arrange and pay for his burial —he died penniless. The hospital didn’t know what to do with the body; fortunately they reached out to this Rabbi who immediately committed to giving Mr G a kosher Jewish burial. He was now out of pocket serious funds the he didn’t have and needed help covering the expense.

Knowing our generous community and the level of Mitzvah associated with the burial of another, I committed to send over a significant portion of the expenses to ensure a dignified and kosher Jewish burial. The reaction of kindness getting pushed further down the chain.

I immediately sent an email to a small group and the balance was raised immediately. No more than that. Kindness begets kindness. The chain reaction fully engaged!

Our tradition teaches that not only does a good deed trigger kindness in this world but it actually inspires kindness from On-High — triggering a downward flow of compassion upon the one engaged in kindness. A win win all around.

I don’t know who bought the sandwich at MSG and I don’t know Mr G but that’s hardly the point for the effects of our deeds are way more powerful than we could ever quantify.

May the soul of Mr G have an Aliya ( ascend from level to level) and May those who stepped forward get repaid from The One Above. To the anonymous sandwich buyer — drop me a line, I’d love to buy you a Pastrami sandwich!

Manna From Heaven!

Fri, 5 Jun 2026 10:00:00 AM

Remember when?

We all have those cherished moments of the past. Time doesn’t dull those memories — to the contrary they become rosier with time.

Stresses associated with events, trips, milestones, you name it, fade away.

There are good parts to that. After all, those stresses should never have presented themselves to begin with. If memory can blot them out then surely they were never too significant to begin with.

At times however, forgetting the reality of the past can be disastrous in navigating the future.

In this week’s Parsha, as the Jewish nation begins to travel around the desert — a group of complainers emerge. Kvetchers if you will. Nothing is good enough for them. Even the coveted Manna from Heaven was insufficient.

The memories of their experience in Egypt and the foods that they purported to have had there, suddenly became attractive. More attractive than their miraculous Heavenly Manna.

How is this possible? Were they not enslaved in Egypt. Were their lives not embittered in Egypt? How could that seem alluring? Do we not speak of this every year at the Seder?

Perhaps the Torah is sharing the power of living in the moment whilst “building” and not comparing to the past. For after all, life’s blessings at each juncture takes a different form, molded to the contours of that particular time and stage. It’s too easy to glorify the past whilst conveniently editing and photoshopping the challenges that were inherent. Whilst that has some advantages, it’s destructive for “appreciating” the current moment.

Appreciation. The key to happiness, success and recognizing our version of Manna from Heaven.

May Gd grant us all continued blessings and an inspired heart to recognize and appreciate all the blessings that we have — to build on the part and to create an even more glorious future!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Coming Full Circle

Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:00 AM

Jewish life and history has long been described as an illustrious chain. Each link intertwined with a preceding link stretching back and standing witness to events and moments that continue to inform and inspire.

Earlier this week, uniquely, at an otherwise standard IDF ceremony — reserve soldier Uriel Dreyfus was promoted to Lt. colonel. What stood out was that Uriel is a descendant of Alfred Dreyfus, who was famously and falsely accused of treason in the French army. Anti antisemitism at its best that ripped apart both French society and the worldwide Jewish community at the end of the 19th century. Ultimately he was acquitted and promoted but the damage was done and “ The Dreyfus Affair” will go go down in infamy.

Skip forward 125 years and Uriel his progeny was promoted in the IDF. “When I entered the gates of the IDF as a young soldier I carried this memory with me” said Uriel at the ceremony.

Not too dissimilar to each of us who carry the memory of our forebears with us — informing, affecting and hopefully inspiring our lives. Those

links in the chain.

The week we read the Parshas Behar and Bechukotai. Behar means The Mountain. The origin of the laws — the Torah —that was gifted to us over 3300 years ago. The event that forever changed the world and charted the course for the “illustrious chain”, that we are all linked to.

The Torah as the anchor with each of us celebrating and observing our Heritage and our identity — link by link stretching backwards and illuminating the forward — Dor L’dor!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

Totally In Love!

Fri, 15 May 2026 10:00:00 AM

Weddings are the paradigm of joy and commitment.

Last week, Kibbutz Nahal Oz, a community decimated on October 7th hosted the first wedding since that calamitous day.

The venue for this wedding was deliberate. The grooms family has deep roots at this Kibbutz and the bride — a nursing student at the Assuta hospital— suggested holding it there.

“We chose to hold such a special day, our wedding, and start our life together in a place where just a moment ago a terrorist organization wanted to destroy everyone. Where they tried to kill us and annihilate us, we have to bring life and renewal”, said the groom.

The Jewish ethos is one of endurance, love, joy and commitment. Challenges aside, we are here to tell the tale precisely as a result of this enduring, unyielding and ever-present reverence for life and living.

It comes as no surprise therefore —that the metaphor used for the great revelation of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai —is that of a wedding. The Jewish nation wedded to Gd — the Torah as the Ketubah, the marriage contract. The Jewish nation continually producing offspring through acts of goodness — mitzvot. The acts of both perfecting the world at large and ourselves as individuals and doing so with joy!

Choosing Nahal Oz for the wedding. How courageous. How absolutely Jewish. Joy and commitment — life and renewal”.

Next week— Friday May 22– we celebrate the anniversary and re-enactment of the Giving of the Torah once again. We read the Ten Commandments as it’s recorded in Torah, lovingly and painstakingly transmitted generation to generation. Whilst it took place 3338 years ago — we commit ourselves once again to celebrate our Heritage with joyous abandon!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. Join us for a Shavuot celebration with a delicious dairy buffet dinner for all — here, and for some Torah Ted talks on Thursday night — here.

Coming Full Cirle

Fri, 8 May 2026 10:00:00 AM

Skip forward 125 years and Uriel his progeny was promoted in the IDF. “When I entered the gates of the IDF as a young soldier I carried this memory with me” said Uriel at the ceremony.

Not too dissimilar to each of us who carry the memory of our forebears with us — informing, affecting and hopefully inspiring our lives. Those

links in the chain.

The Torah as the anchor with each of us celebrating and observing our Heritage and our identity — link by link stretching backwards and illuminating the forward — Dor L’dor!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. SHAVUOT— the Festival when we received the Torah. Join us in Festive Celebration — Here.

Count Your Blessings!

Fri, 1 May 2026 10:00:00 AM

“Happiness is a journey not a destination”!

So true. Yet how does one journey the path of happiness? After all, it’s not as easy as clicking a switch or waving a wand — happiness requires conscious effort.

Not effort to be happy, rather, effort to allow space for happiness to emerge.

Currently we are in the days of the counting of the Omer. The Omer was a barley offering that brought up in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem on the second day of Passover. From that point and onwards — we count daily a complete 49 days till we reach the 50th day —at which time another sacrifice was offered. This sacrifice was one of wheat.

Today, we don’t have the Temple so we don’t actually offer this offering yet we still count each day and the symbolism is more pertinent than ever.

You see, barley is the first grain to ripen. The offering signifies the beginning of the new season of blessing. A new crop. A new gift.

Gratitude. Thankfulness. No enjoyment from the new crop without a profuse thank you to the source of this blessing. An offering of self and of crop — thank you Hashem.

Gratitude is a huge component in fostering happiness. No expectations. No demands. Gratitude. The recognition of blessing and fortune.

Back to the Omer. We are counting our blessings quite literally. Our lives fuller each day. A conscious meditation. Happiness.

So is that where the expression — “count your blessings come from”? No. But it’s where whoever came up with the expression got it from.

Where else if not from the Torah?

In life one can talk of the “troubled times” or one can focus on the blessings. The choice is clear and the resultant path is exactly what constitutes the journey.

I for one wish to proclaim with enthusiasm — thank you Hashem for all the blessings you have bestowed upon me, my family, my community and my People. I continue to count my blessings!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Happily Ever After!

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 AM

Every good story finishes with the words, “and they lived happily ever after”.

What is “after”?

Well, that depends on what the before was and where our values lie.

I thought of this as I saw a moving photo of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu wearing the Tefillin of fallen lone soldier Sean Carmeli earlier this week on Yom Hazikaron.

“When I put on his tefillin, I feel the profound connection between the generations… between a quiet prayer and an act of self-sacrifice beyond compare,” he wrote, adding that he offered “a silent prayer… in memory of all our fallen, and for the future of our people.

After. Utterly meaningless without having a profound before and an enduring eternal tomorrow.

After. Continuity. Dor L’dor. Eternity.

Judaism is all about the after. We’ve been handed the amazing and transcendent Heritage that stretches back almost 4000 years and experienced with dedication, devotion and self sacrifice throughout the millennia in order to create the today which ensures an after.

After is in our hands whether we can quantify it or not. We’ve been graced with the opportunity and honor to create an “after” for our families, communities, future generations — we are the products of the after that preceded us!

Sean Carmeli was an American lone soldier. He electively joined the IDF defending the “after”, ultimately giving his very life — may his memory be for a blessing and continue inspiring.

After. What a powerful word not for its relativism rather for its ability to link the past with the future.

At the end of the day that’s what Am Yisrael has been doing for millennia — creating the “after”, today!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. Hear the story amazing connection with Sean Carmeli Tefillin and Camp Gan Israel. Powerful!

P.P.S. Are you a golfer? Join our Golf Outing it’s a great time and a great cause— Here. Or support the event — here.

P.P.P.S. The name of one of this weeks Parsha is “Acharie “ which means after. It tells of laws given after the passing of the two sons of Aaron. Here’s a link to read more about the Parsha to connect with the timelessness of Torah .