From The Desk of Rabbi Yehuda - Chabad Lubavitch of Westport

How Will You Remember 2025?

Friday, December 26, 2025 - 10:00 AM

It was a year.. How will “you” remember it?

Fresh in my mind is Bondi Beach, it’s still difficult to process.

As I reflect slightly longer, I think of the remaining living hostages miraculously released just a few months ago—the chances of which were slight to non.

As time is wont to have it, some of the chronology of this past year is already fuzzy.

I googled to see when the miraculous disarming of the greatest physical threat to Israel’s existence took place in Iran and scanned the news to see when the worst fears regarding the Bibas kids was confirmed.

It was a year.. how will you remember it?

In this week’s Parsha ( a worthwhile read) the saga between Joseph and his brother’s climaxes. Joseph reveals his identity as the second most powerful person in the world to his brothers who sold him into slavery —with thoughts of killing him — as they stand shamefaced and speechless in his midst.

Imagine the setting. Joseph bedecked in royal garments and his brothers standing in utter shock, humiliation and fear. What’s the next move?

Joseph makes the move with an unbelievable statement (this is an excerpt). “And now don’t be pained and it should not be irate in your eyes that you sold me here; for as a source of livelihood Gd has sent me before you…And now it is not you who sent me here but Gd..”

An incredible insight and vision if there ever was one with an incredible lesson for us all.

You see, Joseph focused on the Divine hand in his whole ordeal. He focused on his purpose and his mission at hand. He didn’t focus on those who wronged him or capitalize on his immense power to right the wrong. Joseph teaches us that when you live life recognizing that Gd runs the world and reject constant obsessing and arm chair analysis that tends to hijack our minds — we live a truer, more accomplished and calmer life.

We get to utilize our blessings rather than battle to retain them. We get to “live” our dreams rather than talk of them — in short we actualize and pulsate life!

How we remember the past year is irrelevant, indeed we’ll remember little. How we build on this year to live our purpose and soul mission is the true goal and the key to life, happiness, fulfillment and a tremendously blessed 2026!

Dor L'Dor

Friday, December 19, 2025 - 10:00 AM

The shock and pain from the news and images out of Sydney, was a really rough way to kick off Chanukah this year.

Yet light the Menorah we did. The Jewish world didn’t skip a beat — if even all the while the tears flowed. Physical light and proverbial light flooded the world despite the extreme setbacks.

As the week progressed, snippets of true heroism and outsized selfless acts from those who attended the Bondi celebration, emerged. Courage of the greatest magnitude and selflessness that could only be described as pure “soul” flooded the inbox.

Soul.

What else could motivate a person to disregard their own safety in order to help save someone else they don’t even know? What else could drive an unarmed couple to tackle armed gunmen on a mission to create carnage or a bleeding injured woman to throw herself over a child she didn’t know screaming for her mother— if not drawing from a deeper reservoir from within?

There couldn’t be a starker contrast and polarity between good and evil as displayed and experienced in Bondi.

Not lost for a second was the father and son collaboration to destroy. Father and son — no words, simply no words…

The Jewish nation is built on Dor L’dor — handing to our children the gift of our Heritage. The mission entrusted to us thousands of years ago and gifted to us at Mount Sinai. Painstakingly at times, parent to child — as stated in our holiest prayer the Shema. “ Veshinantam Levanecha Vedibarta Bom” — and you shall teach it to your children and constantly prioritize it.

Difficult as it is, the message is clear. The mission is even clearer. We must recognize that the Jewish nation was entrusted with the mission of “being a light unto the nations”. We descend from Abraham and Sarah, Yitzchak and Rivka, Yaakov and Rachel and Leah — we are not merely physical progeny we are “progenitors”. Proud and strong progenitors and that’s why we work so hard despite all the challenges and roadblocks to ensure Dor L’dor.

As we continue the ever increasing nightly ritual of kindling light — let’s make sure, for ourselves, for our families and for the Holy Souls that ascended heavenward this past week illuminating the heavens and illuminating a clear path for each of us —to do more with our identity, birthright, heritage and soul in the peaceful pathways of Torah and Mitzvah!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom & Chanukah Sameach,

P.S. Gala 2026 — the main Chabad of Westport fundraiser — please participate in whichever way you are comfortable. We are so appreciate — Here

Amazing Success!

Friday, December 12, 2025 - 10:00 AM

The pursuit of success is healthy. After all, who doesn’t want to be successful?

Yet the definition of success can be elusive. All too often it’s used in a relative manner. As in comparing one’s self to another as a barometer of success.

In this week’s Parsha we read of Joseph — the only person in the Torah described as successful.

Joseph was to become the second most powerful man in Egypt and presumably the world. That is success at the highest level.

However, it’s not at the peak of his achievements that he’s described as successful it’s at the lowest points of his story that the Torah refers to him as a “successful man.”

You see, success was “his attitude”. His reaction to his predicament and his unwavering cognizance that all comes from G-d.

Success followed, to be sure — but it wasn’t this result that was termed success it was his faith, strength, demeanor and fortitude that was “success-full”.

Yesterday, raw footage of six hostages (coined the beautiful six which included Hersch Goldberg-Polin) lighting Chanukah candles and singing the Shehecheyanu blessing in the tunnels and dungeons of Gaza was released.

It’s truly unfathomable what they endured yet that footage is a direct portal into the soul of the Jew. The Shehecheyanu, the ultimate prayer of thanks and joy — in the tunnels — even more unfathomable —yet despite it all……

“Lighting Hanukkah candles in that dark place captures the essence of the Jewish spirit: light prevailing over darkness," the families of the six said in a statement published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

As we prepare to usher in Chanukah, let us all resolve to be “successful” in the strongest of fashion. Recognize that our very existence and success rests in our belief, trust, faith and fortitude of mind — and it’s this that we celebrate on Chanukah full of joy and gratitude!

Last But Not Least!

Friday, December 5, 2025 - 10:00 AM

Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage (body) yet unreturned from Gaza.

One family still waiting. The last one. Whatever it felt like till now — this must feel like salt on an existing wound.

Yet what struck me was an incredible message from “the hostages and missing families forum” shared —from the family of Ran Gvili —that now the rallies that have been held over the past two years on Saturday night will look different.

In short, they are asking that instead of the weekly Saturday night rallies demanding the release of the hostages — there be Friday night gatherings for Kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming the Shabbat) instead.

The announcement continued by stating that there will be a time for a rally of gratitude, a final gathering to thank the people of Israel for their incredible support through this journey and a plea that the people of Israel and the Jewish communities worldwide continue to support them in the fight to bring Rani home.

What can I say?

Yisrael. The name given to our Patriarch Jacob in this week’s Parsha —as he was grappling and struggling with the guardian angel of his brother and adversary Esau. The name means “for you have wrestled with Gd and with man and you have overcome”.

The essence of Yisrael is the supreme strength and transcendent ability to engage on the deepest of levels in the shallowest of places. The ability to straddle the upper and lower echelons and to prevail. The struggle to draw down G-dliness and to elevate earthiness. You choose the wording — the truth remains the same.

It is this name that the Jewish nation is named after — Bnai Yisrael— the Children of Israel. It is this quality that our Patriarchs and Matriarchs personified and bequeathed to their progeny. It is the basis of the herculean strength and insatiable hunger of the Jew to transform the world and to make it a Gdly and Goodly place each with our distinct style.

My heart goes out to the Gvili family yet my soul soars for them and for all the other amazing and inspiring former hostages and families — for their faith, strength and heroism in holding the torch resolute and proud as true Bnei Yisrael - Children of Israel.

We have a job to do — celebrating more Shabbat is one inspiring move that we can all do in the merit of Ran Gvili to ensure that what Ran and his family stand for continues to get stronger and stronger — Am Yisrael Chai!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,