On Monday evening I returned from the Grand Finale of the International Chabad Shluchim Convention, with many thousands of Rabbis and community leaders from around the world!!
The stories that were shared were all truly incredible, inspiring and powerful on so many levels!
The dozens if not hundreds of encounters with friends who are Rabbis and community leaders from all over the globe, was impactful and refreshing. Argentina, Israel, Paraguay, Brazil, all over Europe, Russia, Ukraine, and across the USA and so many more.... and the stories, challenges and growth.... wow!
I highly recommend watching this very powerful story that was told at the Banquet on Sunday with 6,500 people in attendance, by a boy who lost his legs, and a Chabad Rabbi who is also an IDF officer, who lost his legs just a few weeks ago.
Whether it was my friends from Southern Israel or from the border with Lebanon, or my friends from China and Argentina, I know that every one of the thousands of people at the conference are all bringing back to their communities and locales, a refreshing dose of joyful Judaism and positive resilience to make the world even brighter and better!!
In this week's portion we will read all about our one of the forefathers, Issac, We are told multiple stories of him digging wells and discovering water. It wasn't simply earth and water that he was grappling with, but with human souls, and always finding a way to discover the life and sparks within each and every person, so it can come to the forth.
As I think about our collective work, I know that at times we deal with lots of challenges, stress, antisemitism, obstacles and more, but we are all surrounded by so much life, beauty and depth, just beneath the surface of everything that we see. Indeed wherever we look there are beautiful souls beating proud and strong and doing their part to better the world and live up to our Jewish values and responsibilities.
Today is also the beginning of the month of Kislev, a month of light, miracles and tremendous joy. It is a truly auspicious day, and a reminder of the latent potential we always have at our fingertips to tap into, as we seek to be well diggers and lamp lighters for the world around us.
Am Yisrael Chai & Shabbat Shalom
Yisroel