From The Desk of Rabbi Yehuda - Chabad Lubavitch of Westport

It's A Choice

Friday, November 24, 2023 - 10:00 AM

We are living in tough times. At the same time we all have so much to be thankful for —it’s not a contradiction.

Yet it is a choice! The choice of, how to “play with the cards we are dealt”.

The strength and wisdom of our people comes from the Torah. This week we read about our Patriarch Jacob who runs for his life quite literally —away from his family, single, destitute, vulnerable and unsure of his future.

Well, that’s the beginning of the story. Because all the trappings of a good story are incorporated into his life. He gets married, becomes rich, doesn’t get along with his in-laws, creates a family, has outsized relevance and meaning in his life. A perfect thriller which started with a choice of how to “play with the cards he was dealt”.

You see, Jacob understood that the cards he was dealt was part of his Divine destiny. He was to make lemonade from the lemons. In fact the lemons themselves were there specifically for the lemonade not the opposite way around.

Stories of our ancestors aren’t mere stories about them, rather they are insights and guidance of how we are to live our lives.

We are living through tough times. We’ve been dealt some rough cards over the past 7 weeks. Yet at the same time we have so much to be thankful for and the way we play these cards are in our hands.

For me, it’s as clear as can be, that one of the things to be thankful for this year, is seeing the amazing unity and resurgence of Jewish pride that has engulfed our nation. Now that’s playing the cards the right way and no doubt that will continue to give us strength to endure and prosper — Am Yisrael Chai!

Simply Essential!

Friday, November 17, 2023 - 10:00 AM

Earlier this week the largest Jewish American rally took place it Washington. It was historic and the energy was electric.

As the rally kicked off, the first speaker (Tovah Feldshuh) made an astute observation. “Usually, ten Jews result in ten thousand opinions, today we have tens of thousands here, as One, to proclaim Am Yisrael Chai!”

So true. One people. One Torah. One land. One G-d.

Shema Yisrael…. Hashem Echad —the L-rd is One.

Natan Sharansky made a similar point. “When we started the struggle in the former Soviet Union we were thinking, how can a few people bring down the most evil empire of the time, alone?

The fact is, we knew that we were not alone. The Jewish people and the State of Israel were behind us.

There’s a knowledge that exists as a Jew that isn’t a mere intellectual knowledge rather, an essential knowledge. The knowledge isn’t derived from any outside proofs rather from something that lies deep inside each of us. It’s our core identity.

Standing at the Rally in Washington and looking at the wide spectrum of Jews in attendance this truth was palpable, and no doubt felt, the world over. I have no doubt that the hostages too feel us just as Sharansky did.

Yet as unified as we are at the core, we need to ensure that this results in continued action. Each of us in our own way, with our unique talents and resources. For only then, is the true unity of Am Yisrael realized!!

Am Yisrael Chai!

Nurture or Nature?!

Friday, November 10, 2023 - 10:00 AM

Over the past thirty days, our lives have altered in so many ways.

The feeling of unity — one large family connected at the hip — continues unabated.

It’s not surprising at all. It’s actually the natural state of Am Yisrael. One nation. One soul. One collective mission. It’s always been that way and it “will” always be that way!!

There are events that underscore this principle and then there are people — special souls — who nurture this reality.

This weekend is the international conference of Chabad Rabbis. It’s called the Kinus. Thousands of Chabad Rabbis from the most far flung-parts of the world (including Westport :) gather in one place at one time to share ideas, inspiration, camaraderie. Yet what’s most remarkable is that each Rabbi— in representing his locale, brings a unifying element to the collective Jewish nation.

In essence this is true of every Jew in the world. We each represent and are bound up with one another. What happened in Israel has emphasized and highlighted this reality. Yes there’s a war in Israel but this war isn’t a mere geographic war it’s one on the essence of the Jewish identity. We see that on campus, we see that on social media, we see that all around but most importantly we see that in our unified existence which we need to ensure remains our conscious reality.

The Rebbe, inspiration of the global Chabad outreach movement, nurtured and in turn inspired his “shluchim” to attend to this reality. To provide programs, social services, G-d consciousness, accessible and experiential Judaism everywhere to everyone. But most of all, his goal was to empower everyone to recognize that they are on the frontlines with an ability to transform their surroundings.

“With greater energy than our enemies seek us out with hatred — we need to seek out every Jew with love” — the Rebbe.

How beautiful. And how honored Dina and I are to be part of this community — together we will blaze new paths of brightness, joy, peace and truth!!

Gates of Righteousness

Friday, November 3, 2023 - 10:00 AM

How are you?

Perhaps you’ve seen this headline floating around WhatsApp — it caught my eye.

“I am a midwife in Shaare Zedek. On a difficult day when we count the fallen, I wanted to share another count. Last night we counted and found out that we broke an all-time record for the number of births in one month. *1,823!* I am attaching the photo from the department's birth book, a photo that moved us very much tonight and we wanted to tell our people about it. This figure comes thanks to the southern families who now live in the city. Thanks to the soldiers' wives who came to their parents, And thanks to the women of Jerusalem and the surrounding area who come in droves to give birth with us.

This gives us a lot of strength and hope, and a clear knowledge: *The nation of Israel is alive and well. We are a nation for eternity and this answer, all these sweet babies, will help bring joy to the world with great pride*.

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Mazaltov!! Not just for the 1823 babies born in Shaarei Zedek hospital but for the desire and strength of Am Yisrael to push on. This has always been our modus operandi through thick and thin!

Cynically, in “every generation” we could have said what kind of world are we bringing kids into? Yet this too was asked of Moses parents by their daughter Miriam when they separated subsequent to Pharaoh’s decree of killing every male newborn. She brazenly argued that by separating and by extension —encouraging other couples to separate—they ensured the extinction of the then burgeoning pre-nation development. As a result of her a sound reasoning her parents remarry — the result of which, was Moses, the savior of the Jewish people.

One can take this thought in many directions but suffice to say, it speaks to the inspiration and fortitude of Jewish life. It speaks to the very name of the hospital of births Shaarei Tzedek — “the gates of righteousness”. YES, the gates of righteousness of the nation which reveres life more than anything —CAN and MUST hold their head high even when emotionally it is so conflicting.

“For not only one nation stood up to destroy us but for G-d alone who saved us from their hands”. (Haggadah)

Whilst the antisemites in the world forget that everyone who has preceded them have failed — we must always remember that our very existence and survival is miraculous and filled with love from G-d.

Chazak!