The Past and the Future Today we took a giant step forward. We took a step away from the past and took a leap forward to the future. It seems it was just yesterday that Raizel and I left the comforts of Los Angeles to spread activities of Chabad of the North Shore and open the Peabody Chabad Center. Humble beginnings in our home, then a rented space a few short years later and now, a home of our own. Sure it is under construction, and we still need funds to finish it all off, but it our home. A very different feeling. If that were all I was thankful for today... dayeinu. But theres more. Many new and ongoing programs in the works that will now be possible. The ability to spread the light of Yiddishkeit even further and brighter is so exciting! If that were all I was thankful for... dayeinu. But theres more. I am simply blown away, humbled, moved beyond words but I will try... at the amount of people that showed up to help. Literally, people were forced to have to take turns since there were more people than jobs. The outpouring of love and support from when this journey began has been incredible (in body, wallet and spirit) but today, shlepping boxes, out of building, garbage runs, pizza runs, coffee runs, dumpster runs, lifting, moving, unloading, building, assembling and more. This is what friends do. This the Chabad way! (Inside the new place where the stage is being built, someone asked me, will there be room for the Rabbis chair on the stage, to which I responded, it is OUR Chabad and we all pray on the same level!) Today this idea was seen so blatantly, we are all one and the same, and when we are working in love for a common cause, we are all only helping ourselves. But indeed I am still humbled. (I know I risk missing some people, and I apologize in advance, and if anyone sees someone who I missed please tag them in this post or PM me.) BUT FIRST: In this weeks parsha Yaakov Avinu prepares to meet up with his brother Esau, who has vowed to kill him. Indeed messengers tell him that Esau is advancing towards him with 400 men armed to the teeth. Yaakov, cried to Gd, to save him and uses the superlative Katonti = I have been made small... from all the kindness and truths I have been given from Gd. The words are odd? What do they mean? The Chassidic Masters explain it as the ultimate expression of humility and appropriately placed sense of self. You see, Yaakov did not experience what we call in yiddish skumpt mir = it is due me or any sense of entitlement. He felt that anything in his life that didnt go right, well, he may have not been deserving, and anything that did go right, well, heee hawww, its my lucky day. Now Gd had promised him much success and he felt, well, perhaps he had used up his credit. He did not feel in any way entitled. This teaches a powerful lesson to all the Bnei Yaakov/Children of Yaakov, to work hard and expect nothing. When goodness has not yet arrived, work harder (and pray) and when it does go as planned, it is a bonus that isnt assumed. (As an aside this is an incredible recipe for never feeling depressed or down, as anything that doesnt go right, well, thats ok, I must work harder, and that which does, WOW, that was unexpected.) Today, I/we experienced our Katonti moment, we have been made small. Perhaps we had used up our our Rabbi/Rebbitzen/Chabad credits... but apparently, no we hadnt. So many showed up, others who couldnt called, texted and emailed, what other way can we help? I know that there is much work still in front of us, but with the love that has continued to pour forth, I know we are on a solid foundation of friend or better family and many more good things are coming forth! So... thank you to... Rich Stein Pamela Milman Stein and girl, Phil Phillip Blue and Girls, Raizel Schusterman, Chabad of the North Shore, Jeffrey Shapiro and Joshy, Paul Marmer, Michael Sheer and Gaby and Matty, Mike and Molly Lourie Butter, and Beth Horwitz and Eric Horowitz, Sid ELisa Leventhal Zimmerman, Alex Ganz, Geoffrey Davis, Burton Rubin and Donnalee, Mario Makhluf, Yuval Yaakov Wendy, Jerry, Jodi and Erica Blanch, Billy Flaxer, Cheryl Glassman Goldstein and Kenny, Jeff and Ben Rochelle Hardenstine, Alan Craig Rosenbaum, Jerrold L. Rosman and the Rachel Griffin children... and anyone else who I missed, I am so so so sorry... and THANK YOU ALL SO SO MUCH! on to bigger and better!
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 01:46:50 +0000
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