ChabadNewOrleans Blog

In our Shul there is a tradition that the young boys lead the congregation in singing “Ein K’Elokeinu” at the end of Shabbat morning services. Lately the group of boys participating has been growing. This past Shabbat there was a large group of boys ages 3-12, and the singing was particularly robust. The next morning, Lou Furman shared with me that he found the passage that we read following Ein K’Elokeinu very poignant this week, on the heels of the vigorous singing by the boys.

That passage (citing the Talmud) reads, “Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Chanina: Torah scholars increase peace in the world, for it is said: And all your children shall be learners (of the Torah) of the L-rd, and great will be the peace of Ba’na’ich – your children. Do not read Ba’na’ich, but rather Bo’na’ich – your builders.”

The message is that the children who study Torah, who are raised in the traditions of Yiddishkeit, are the builders of G-d’s universe, ensuring a Jewish future.

It is interesting to note that our enemies were intuitively aware of this. They declared, “If there are no kids, there will be no goats.” They knew that the way to undermine the Jewish people was to deter the education of Jewish children. Pharaoh knew it. Antiochus knew it. Torquemada knew it. Stalin knew it.  

We would do well to take a page from our enemies’ playbook and be laser-focused on the Jewish education of children. A child who is imbued with pride and passion in being Jewish, will be a proud and active member of the Jewish community when they grow up. This is how we create a Jewish future.

This past week, the Sydney Opera House was host to a memorial event for those who were massacred at the Chanukah event on Bondi Beach. One of the wounded survivors, Leibel Lazaroff, was released from the hospital that day. He and two friends sang a moving song entitled Habet. The lyrics are taken from Tachanun, where we ask G-d to see how despite the scorn and assault we suffer by the hands of our enemies, we have not forgotten Your name. Please don’t forget us. You can see it here: https://youtu.be/iuwf3jsDcuw.

On a different note, we launched our new JLI course this week, Captivating Cases in Rabbinic Responsa. The first class was phenomenal. In the words of one of the participants, “Lesson 1 was super interesting.” It is not too late to jump on board and sign up for the course at www.chabadneworleans.com/jli. CLE credits for legal professionals.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Another week. Another attack against Jews. This time it was close to home, a Synagogue was torched in Jackson, MS. While the response from the general and Jewish community has been fantastic, thank G-d, we would be much happier if it was not needed for this reason. (To support the Beth Israel – Jackson community, go to: www.jewishnola.com.)

How do we get into the head of the young perpetrator of this terrible act? Why is a young man from a comfortable background, with a decent academic record, involved in such foolishness? Why is a person, who probably never met a Jew, so obsessed with “the Jewish problem?” This question needs to be asked against the background of a greater question, “How do we address the scourge of antisemitism?”

I believe that we need to take a muti-pronged approach. Of course, criminal activity needs to have consequences. When law enforcement takes an antisemitic crime seriously, that can be a strong disincentive to a future perpetrator. But beyond reactive, we must also engage in proactive measures to tackle antisemitism.

While antisemitism is not a one-size-fits-all, and there are certainly going to be those to whom some of these solutions will not apply, we must try to find effective methods that will have a positive impact.

There are big picture approaches and “zoom in” options. Organizations such as the ADL and JFNA, are heavily engaged in the vital effort of promoting education, legislation, and information that can help offset antisemitic attitudes. A child that learns about the Holocaust and antisemitism, might think twice before calling a Synagogue “the Temple of Satan.” A young person that understands the nuances of Israel’s right to exist, may be less likely to call for its annihilation. A community that has legislation in place to protect the Jewish inhabitants, will be a safer place for Jews to live.

Beyond those measures, I believe that nothing is as effective as individual relationships. The best way to dispel myths about Jews is to get to know one. If you see me regularly, you will know that I do not have horns under my yarmulka. If we have conversations, you will find out that the garbage you were fed on antisemitic websites about Jews, the Talmud, and world domination do not have a shred of truth.

My cousin, Rabbi AY Perlstein, is a chaplain in the Oregon State Prison system. In that capacity he managed to help a former skinhead Neo-Nazi inmate reform himself and become an advocate against hate and antisemitism. You can learn more about this in a video conversation between them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-sXTA-9OPU.

That being said, the most important thing that we can do to combat antisemitism is to live Jewish, proudly and joyfully. When we are open about our Jewishness, we ultimately earn the respect of our non-Jewish neighbors. When they see that we are serious and sincere, that level of respect increases. The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote, “non-Jews respect Jews who respect their Judaism.” Increasing Jewish pride and Jewish observance is the most powerful tool we have in combatting antisemitism. It is also the most powerful tool we have in protecting Jews against the impact of antisemitism. Just Jew It!

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

What would you do if saving your child meant another life would be lost?

How do you keep Shabbat… on Mars?

Is lab-grown meat kosher?

Should a Jewish community protect a murderer from execution?

And who is the mother when a child is born through modern reproductive technology?

These are not thought experiments from a philosophy class.

They are real questions, asked by real Jews, in real moments of crisis—and answered by rabbinic leaders who understood that Torah is not only eternal, but alive.

I invite you to join our new JLI course beginning Wednesday, Jan 21 at 7 pm: These and similar questions will be explored in Captivating Cases in Rabbinic Responsa, a journey across centuries and continents, from medieval Spain to Auschwitz, from ancient Cairo to the future of artificial intelligence.

Each of the six sessions explores a gripping case: A moral dilemma with no easy answers. The human story behind the question. And the halachic reasoning that guided Jewish leadership with courage, compassion, and clarity.

You’ll discover how rabbis confronted war, technology, medicine, social upheaval, and ethical chaos, and how their decisions continue to shape how Jews live, choose, and think today.

This course isn’t about abstract law. It’s about leadership under pressure, faith in complexity, and what it means to live with integrity when the stakes are real.

If you’ve ever wondered: How Judaism adapts without losing its soul.

How halacha responds to the modern world.

Or how timeless wisdom guides impossible decisions.

This course is for you.

It combines law, sociology, history, and real life.

Bonus for lawyers; it comes with CLE credits.

To learn more or to register: www.chabadneworleans.com/jli.

Let me know if you would like to take the first class free of charge, on Wednesday, Jan 21 at 7 pm.

The course is being offered by Rabbi Ceitlin at Chabad Metairie on Tuesdays. www.jewishlouisiana.com/jli.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin