English Blog

Florida for 2 Days

Thursday, March 30, 2023 - 12:17 PM

I took my son to Florida for two days this week. We had a 10-day Belev Echad trip in South Florida for 9 severely wounded IDF soldiers, and I decided to join for a couple of days. For me it was more of a work trip, but I thought it would be a good opportunity for some father-son bonding.

The trip was extremely successful. It was inspiring, as always, to be with our soldiers and hear their stories. I also had the opportunity to meet with some of our supporters and staff and see everything they’ve put into action.

But during the trip, I realized that my son and I had very different agendas

In his mind, when he agreed to come on the trip he envisioned a vacation—a chance to relax and miss some school. In his mind, he would swim daily, ride bicycles, do fun activities, totally and utterly stress free. Let his father worry about all the logistics! I, however, had meetings to attend, phone calls to take, and a million things on my mind.

From the outset, his excitement was palpable. Being on the plane was exhilarating, renting a car was fun, taking the shuttle bus to the rental was exciting. Even riding the escalator was an adventure!

I looked at him, so young and carefree, and wished I could see the world the way he does.

Driving in the car, he was glued to the window, taking in the palm trees and sparkling water, reading the signs and simply enjoying the moment.

At the beach, he was thrilled to walk through the sand with his bare feet. At the pool he had no worries, just splashing about, making the most of the opportunity.

Of course, I was able to relax a little and do some fun things with him. This was a bonding trip, after all. But I was stressed. Even when we were swimming or riding bikes, I was not fully relaxed and present like my son was. I still felt the weight of my responsibilities heavily on my shoulders.

Really, I thought, we can all learn a lot from my son. Relax! Let go! What are we so worried about all the time?

My son had no concerns. Do you know why? Because he knew I would take care of everything. His father is worried so he can relax.

We may be adults, but we can lean on our Father in Heaven to take the weight off our shoulders. Worried about the political unrest in Israel? Let Him worry about it. Worried about your job? Let go. He is in the driver’s seat.

And when better to do this than as we prepare to enter the Festival of our Freedom—Passover. True freedom is letting go and placing our trust in G-d. No stress, no worries, no problems—it’s all in His hands. Instead of fighting against it, let’s lean into it and discover the true meaning of freedom.

Chag Sameach.

‘Tatty, Come Quick!’

Thursday, March 23, 2023 - 6:35 PM

At 8.30 on Tuesday night my teenage daughter called me. “Come quick, Tatty, it’s an emergency.”

Ten minutes earlier she had stepped out to go to the local 7-11 with a friend. Of course, I grabbed my keys and ran out the door to find them.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I dashed toward the store.

“There’s a man outside. I’m petrified.” She said.

“Is he hurting you?”

“No, he’s outside,” she explained.

Realizing that she was safe inside the store, I stopped sprinting and started walking, staying on the phone with her until I arrived.

I saw a man outside the 7-11, opening and closing the door for people. I could see why she was scared. He seemed drugged up; probably homeless.

“Why were you afraid?” I asked. I could feel her heart pounding.

“He muttered under his breath, ‘Look at these girls …’ ” she explained.

The episode ended safely and my daughter and her friend both got home without issue.

When the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidus, was just 4 years old, his father was deathly ill. His parting message to his son was, “Fear no one, except G-d. You are never alone; G-d is always with you.”

We all have fears. For my daughter, it was the unstable man outside 7-11, for us it might be the dangerous situation in Israel, unrest here in the US, or the bank collapse.

But what can we do? These are big concerns. How do we allay our fears?

We call our Father in Heaven and say, “Tatty, come, it’s an emergency!” He’s ready to accompany us, He’s just waiting for us to reach out.

A Jew never walks alone, our sages teach. And when better to reach out than as we enter the month of miracles and redemption? “Save us from this exile. Bring us home to Jerusalem. We’ve had enough!”

We hope and pray that He will come dashing through the streets of Manhattan late at night to rescue us, just as I did for my daughter.

How Did Belev Echad Begin?

Thursday, March 16, 2023 - 6:34 PM

People often ask me how Belev Echad started. How did this powerful organization helping Israel’s wounded soldiers get off the ground?

Well, it all started in 2009, shortly after we established Chabad Israel Center on the Upper East Side. We invited some yeshiva students to help spread the mitzvah of lulav and etrog over the holiday of Sukkot. One of those students was Avi Shlomo, who later married my sister, and another was Laima Barber, today the Chabad rabbi in Mauritius. It was Laima who approached me with the idea of bringing wounded IDF soldiers over. “It would be great for the community,” he said. “People will love it!”

I must admit, I was skeptical. I knew the logistics would be immense and the expenses would be staggering, especially for a relatively new Chabad center.

But, when Hashem has a plan, He makes things happen.

I woke up one morning towards the end of 2009 to a notification of a new donation through our website from a name I did not recognize. Ella* had signed up for a $54 recurring monthly donation. I called to thank her, and she explained that she had just moved from a small town in Europe and Googled “Jewish center in NYC,” since she wanted to join a community. She had found our website and decided to join our Chai club. I thanked her profusely and she became an active participant in our shul and at our events.

In early 2010 we started planning our first Belev Echad trip. I had been hesitant due to costs, and I was not wrong. Again and again donors turned me down. I couldn’t convince anyone to buy into the dream. I started to give up and concede that it was impossible, but Ella stepped in. She had been my cheerleader all along, seeing my vision and encouraging me to take steps and approach donors. Now, seeing my despair, she said she would make it happen and wrote a check for $25,000.

And that is how Belev Echad was launched.

On our first trip in 2010, Ella met and enjoyed spending time with the soldiers. She was very pleased we’d pulled it off and happy with her tzedakah investment.

But shortly afterwards, she moved back to Europe and we lost touch. Her email bounced back and her cell was disconnected. I had no other way of reaching her. I’ve thought of her often throughout the years, and would love for her to see how much Belev Echad has grown, and how far her encouragement and initial donation have taken us. I wish she could come to one of our 1000-person galas.

It’s impossible to think about this without seeing Hashem’s input. Clearly, He wanted this to happen. Yes, it was Laima’s idea and then Ella’s contribution that got things going, but He is the one Who brought them into my life.

What is the likelihood that a woman from Europe would move to New York, look for a Jewish center and just chance upon ours? That she would become a regular attendee and contributor? That she would have the means and determination to help us get our idea off the ground?

This is Hashgacha Pratis—Divine Providence—at its most evident. Hashem is our foremost partner. He chose us to have the incredible honor of hosting and helping hundreds of wounded IDF soldiers. He chose Laima Barber to come to us with the idea. And He chose Ella to help us facilitate that idea. And for that, I am very grateful.

Ella* if you see this—or anyone who knows her—please reach out! We’d love to catch up.

*Name changed to protect privacy

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Uriel Vigler