From The Desk of Rabbi Yehuda - Chabad Lubavitch of Westport

Small Wins!

Friday, April 25, 2025 - 10:00 AM

One can never underestimate the power of a small win.

Problem is, it’s too easy to rush right by it without identifying it as a win — especially when in hot pursuit of the “big” win.

Truth is, big wins can also be difficult to identify and appreciate. Notably, the constant and dependable “big wins” that we all have in our lives from the moment that we open our eyes in the morning. Yes, the ones we have come to expect and even demand—sadly, those are hugely under-appreciated and discarded.

Earlier this week, Israeli hostage debrief team leader Glenn Cohen presented psychological angles that he and his team gained from meeting the released Israeli hostages to date.

He addressed what is on all our minds. How did they endure? Will they be able to bounce back? And many other insights..

Small wins. One element that helped fuel them was celebrating small wins. In captivity that looks very different than when living in freedom. A small win in that context was giving their captors descriptive names. Like “the liar”. Or one hostage challenging his captor to a push-up contest and winning. Yet another insisting the when his shackles were being replaced after the periodic shower — he did it himself so he could adjust the tightness.

Small wins that affected outsized results. Upsetting examples to say the least but the point is there for the taking. The power of even the smallest of wins.

At the end of the day, It turns out that there are no small wins. Each win contributes to a huge opportunity. Bigger wins may be alluring but they are no bigger than the wins that are constantly laying at our feet and for the most part are a mirage.

Coming from Pesach — the Festival of Freedom and the birth of the Jewish nation — we just spent 8 days celebrating the greatest win of all times — the gift of freedom, Torah and the gift of an enhanced relationship with the infinite Gd Almighty. Now that’s a win!

The rest of the story is now in our hands — Am Yisrael Chai!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. Our sincere condolences to Elizabeth Robins on the passing of her late father. May the Almighty comfort her amongst all the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem— condolences can be sent to [email protected].

Shabbat Shalom - Living Happily Ever…. Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach

Friday, April 18, 2025 - 10:00 AM

And they lived happily ever after…

The longer one lives the more one understands that’s only a line in a fairy tale book.

Living happily after — requires faith, purpose and gratitude. All traits that are attainable but require effort.

Let’s talk Passover. The Jewish nation were taken from Egypt by Gd’s outstretched arm. A week later they face a tremendous challenge. The Sea of Reeds lays in front of them with the Egyptian army and people— riddled with regret for allowing the great emancipation— in hot pursuit.

That is hardly a “living happily ever after” moment. Ouch. Intense pressure. Debilitating anxiety. Discord. If two Jews provide 3 opinions — one can only imagine how many differing opinions amongst the fledgling nation presented at that time. The pressure was beyond intense…

Amazingly, I read of Eliya Cohen, hostage for 505 days, who pilgrimaged to Jerusalem earlier this week to join the mammoth twice annual event of Kohens offering up the Kohanic blessing at the Western Wall / Kotel. Many thousands flock there but for Eliya it was his first visit to the kotel since his release mere months ago.

I think of him offering up the prayer that essentially is the Divinely granted power bestowed upon a Kohen to “bless others”. Sure, it sounds easy and the photo portrays him enjoying himself. Yet think for a moment — having been held captive for 505 days without food, hygiene, shackled without mobility not knowing what the next moment would bring, there are alot of personal things that need tending to. I think of the emotional and psychological trauma Eliyahu must be dealing with. Yet there he is chanting and bestowing onto others ..

“May Hashem bless you and safeguard you. May the Almighty shine his countenance upon you and be gracious to you. May G-d lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Living happily ever after — requires faith, purpose and gratitude. All traits that are attainable but require herculean effort.

As we approach the last days of Passover this is the theme, moving forward despite challenge, adversity and fatigue. It’s about Living happily, purposefully and Jewishly. For after all, leaving Egypt is merely the beginning of the story. What becomes of it is now the focus.

Indeed, the very decision to move forward, in and of itself requires faith purpose and gratitude. A wider perspective on what life is all about.

Eliya - Gd bless his soul — did it with class. He gives great example of the nature of the indomitable spirit of the Jewish nation. It’s how we got here only to have ball passed to each of us — it’s our turn and we can do it. We need only the resolve and sense of purpose and then all is possible.

For the Jews that left Egypt the sea split at the Sea of Reeds. We celebrate this on the seventh day of Passover ( Friday night —Sunday night) because we know it’s not a story of the past it’s the ongoing life of the Jewish nation. The sea continues to split for us and we are here to move forward with strength! Am Yisrael Chai!!

With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach,

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. Passover finishes on Sunday night at 8:23pm at which time Chametz is no longer restricted. (Give 30 mins for your Chametz to be purchased back.)

P.P.S. YIZKOR ON SUNDAY — check out your synagogue schedule. At Chabad it’ll be approx 9:50am — YIZKOR donations here.

The Ultimate Mosaic

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 10:00 AM

It’s on all of our minds. The Hostages……

There’s no way to shake it. It’s unfathomable.

Yet, we sit down to the Seder. We’ve done so for thousands of years. Is there anything else in this world that has been preserved and is as alive as the Jewish nation are?

Let’s pause here for a second. It’s not a btw question — it’s a reflection!! One so powerfully true that it’s difficult to wrap our intellectual minds around.

We have museums. We have fossils. We have excavations and relics; in today's day and age we even have methods to clone from DNA which although amazing, just reinforces that we’re dealing with has been and for the moment is no longer. Judaism however, is, has and will be — in a manner that no-thing else on this planet can boast.

That’s the Seder’s purpose. Someone pointed out that a simple 5 minute game of broken telephone can distort a message yet Judaism has been preserved, cherished and ultimately grown in strength, despite the herculean challenges and the test of time— truly miraculous.

Is it? Is it truly a miracle? Is it self serving to say this?

No. It’s true and I say it with pride. Our ancestors worked hard, sweat and literal blood as do we — each in our own way and we deeply desire that our children continue.

Enter the Seder…….

We simulate with detail, servitude and then exodus. It’s historic but oh so current. Replace Egypt with other cultures and foreign elements clashing and providing the greatest challenges to our existence — the proverbial Egypt. Yet don’t stop on that depressing point. Think but then “speak” to your Seder table about the next chapter. Our survival. Our existence. Our love for who we are, the people of Israel, the land of Israel and the reverence we feel when we see the Torah scroll.

The Seder…

Last week in Israel we visited “The Resilience Center”, in Ofakim — a town hit terribly on October 7, mourning the loss of many and now dealing the trauma that has affected a high proportion of the residents there.

Hanging at the entrance of the center is a mosaic. It was a collaborative activity and therapy for the residents of Ofakim. Mosaic therapy shares a message of hope and recovery. It’s the act of bringing together fragments and shards repurposed to create something new and meaningful. The mosaic…

That’s it!! The mosaic. The Jewish nation. Pieces. Each of us a piece. Each Jew throughout the ages a piece. Our own shape. Graceful or broken, worn or fresh, a piece.

A mosaic. Creating a beautiful and miraculous result. With tears, laughter, love, longing and yes, pain too — a mosaic. Our mosaic. The Jewish nation!

We’ll sit down at the Seder and we’ll tell the story. You’ll tell the story, they’ll tell the story, our ancestors on high will tell the story — together the ultimate and eternal mosaic. G-d’s mosaic!!

Please, Almighty on High, bring immediate salvation and freedom to your people Israel and send us the righteous Moshiach speedily — AMEN!

Rabbi Lau's Prayer for the Hostages at the Passover Seder.

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

Freedom

Friday, April 4, 2025 - 10:00 AM

Freedom. We aspire to it. We fight for it. Yet do we live it?

Earlier this week, as part of the annual men’s mission to Israel, we had dinner with Or Levy; hostage for 491 days chained for the majority of this time.

It’s not hard to imagine that we all felt the full gamut of emotions. It was essentially a joyous evening with a tremendous insight into the indomitable spirit of the nation of Israel. At times, I felt like my grandmother obm — as I passed food dishes Or’s way, concerned that he wasn’t eating enough and possessing an intense pride for a dear brother that ran deeper than words can express.

He didn’t know his wife was killed as he was taken captive and in totality his son had lived longer in this world not knowing him. That was his return to “freedom”.

Freedom takes many shapes. It’s easy to imagine Or’s glorious moment of freedom, somewhat more difficult to define freedom for ourselves in a democratic country with rights and freedoms.

Are we truly free with all our vices and addictions? Can we honestly shout about freedom when our opinions are largely formed by all sorts of media and agenda driven outlets or our inner fears that steal our ability to rationally think? Let’s face it, the definition of freedom requires real reflection.

I grew up pondering the Mishnaic wisdom that true freedom is one who studies Torah. How? When? So many restrictions in all facets of life — hardly a definition of freedom. Perhaps the contrary.

Experience has illuminated however, the truth of this statement. You see, freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want. That’s animalistic —not freedom. Freedom is the ability to choose how to live your “purpose” in life. Purpose isn’t what we choose. It’s not what we create. Rather, it’s what we tap into. Or levy didn’t choose to be a hostage, he did choose how to react to his circumstance. As he smiled and joked with us, not for one second was I fooled by his facade. We were sitting with a man in pain. Deep grief. Shattered dreams and irreversible psychological effects. Yet he was smiling— he was “free” to choose how to react to it all.

The study of Torah isn’t merely about knowing the laws or cynically about controlling our lives. It’s about connecting with our souls, our essence — transcending our physical selves which is limited, thereby attaining our true essential self. In other words “freedom”; connecting with our purpose.

Earlier this week we sat with a released hostage. Next week we sit at the Passover Seder with our families celebrating what our ancestors celebrated for thousands of years — “freedom”. We are here as a people despite adversity with an indisputably miraculous journey.

The Seder is an opportunity for us all to share a message of depth with our families — a captive audience eagerly awaiting the upcoming feast.

What will be your message? Think now or forever hold your… or is it freedom?

Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor

P.S. As we prepare for Passover it’s a big mitzvah to provide for those who can’t afford to celebrate — join the pre Passover Tzedaka drive — Maot Chittim — it’ll enhance your celebration.