ChabadNewOrleans Blog

In the mid 1990s, a Rabbi spoke at the Shluchim conference about the fledgling work that he was doing as Chabad’s man in Cyberspace. Confused Rabbis and colleagues asked him what it was all about and where it was going. He spoke about the need for there to be someone available to engage people virtually just as we have Shluchim in locales to engage people in person. He expressed his vision for the future for which he felt he was laying the groundwork. “I see a time when using a camera and a microphone, you can give a class in one place and it will be seen around the world. I envision children being able to be part of a classroom though they live far away, by having a camera and microphone in the classroom.” This man was the founder of Chabad.org, one of the first 500 websites to be established on the world wide web, predating google, ebay, yahoo, and so many others that are so ubiquitous today. 

Alas this visionary would not live to see his vision play out. His untimely passing just a few years later, precluded him from witnessing what he predicted. Chabad.org became the gold standard of Jewish websites, with billions of visits. He is truly the father of the Jewish internet presence. 

His name was Rabbi YY Kazen. His 25th yahrtzeit is this week. His youngest son, Rabbi Peretz Kazen and his wife Mushka (my sister) established Chabad in Baton Rouge in 2015. They are embarking on a bold mission to dedicate the first Jewish institution in his memory, the YY Kazen Campus of Chabad Baton Rouge. 

If you have benefitted from any Jewish presence on the internet, he played a role in that. If you have visited chabad.org or one of its thousands of network affiliates, he played a role in that. He inspired the concept of Jewish online classes, videos, livestreaming, and was the first to digitize thousands of pages of basic Jewish texts. 

Take a moment and help make the YY Kazen Campus in Baton Rouge a reality. Visit https://raisethon.com/yyk/rivkinfamily and honor his legacy with a generous contribution to this project. 

And remember the action plan for Israel (below), which is as important as ever before.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Action Plan Highlights
See our page  https://onemitzvah.org/israel/chabad-louisiana
Add your Mitzvah today!

• Tefillin: Please visit Chabad Uptown or Chabad Metairie and lay Tefillin or reach out to have someone come by with Tefillin. If you have Tefillin, put them on daily and offer to share them with other Jewish males over Bar Mitzvah. I am proud to report that we have experienced a significant surge in people coming forward to lay Tefillin.

• Shabbat Candles: Ladies and girls, you have the power of light in your hands. Light Shabbat candles before sunset on Friday (this week at 4:43 pm). If you need or know someone that needs Shabbat candles, let us know and we will get a package to them. Many women have committed to light Shabbat candles in our community. This is very gratifying.

• Mezuzah: Put a Mezuzah on the door of your home, or check the existing ones to make sure they are valid. Reach out to us if you need a Mezuzah or help checking the ones you have up. In New Orleans several dozen Mezuzahs have been put up in the past two weeks. We recently got a shipment of 120 additional Mezuzahs and requests are coming in strong.

• Tzedakah:  www.chabad.org/helpisrael is a great resource to get funds directly to the organizations on the ground in Israel helping with the war effort. There are many other reputable organizations raising funds as well, see www.Jewishnola.com for the Federation’s initiatives. The main thing is to offer our support.

• Pray: Chabad Rabbis in Israel have asked that recite the following Psalms for the safety and security our people in Israel - Psalms 20, 22, 69, 122, and 150. At Chabad (both locations) we recite them twice daily during the morning and evening minyan.

• Letter in the Scroll: Get your child a letter in the Children’s Torah Scroll –  www.chabadneworleans.com/332998. The Unity Torah for people of all ages –  www.chabadneworleans.com/409282.

• Study Torah: Join a Torah class or study on your own. 

• Take a tour of a Mikvah and explore the secret to Jewish family purity and harmony. For more info, www.chabadneworleans.com/mikvah

The story goes that the mission to Mars is finally successful. As the astronauts emerge from the spacecraft that brought them to the red planet, they look up and see a structure with a sign bearing a Menorah symbol on the outside that reads, “Welcome to Chabad on Mars.”

Yesterday several IDF soldiers brought printing apparatus into Gaza and printed a Gaza Tanya. The idea was to bring an infusion of spiritual light into a place that has been a hub of darkness for far too long. This echoed the Rebbe’s call to print a Tanya in Lebanon in the early 80s, during the original conflict in Lebanon.  

With the assault of negativity to which we are subjected regularly regarding the war, it is critical to share positive stories and demonstrate the avalanche of positivity that is ongoing. Of course, remember the action plan (included below).

A Chabad Shliach who was called up to reserve duty, serving near the northern border, shared a video of himself and colleagues in an Israeli Arab school teaching the kids the song, Thank You Hashem, translated into Arabic, Shukran A-llah. The children and their teacher were enthusiastically singing along and clapping.

My daughter Chana, who is in Israel, told me that she and a group of friends went to a nearby army base and did a Challah bake with the female IDF soldiers this week. She also mentioned, that wherever they go, they take Shabbat candle kits along to distribute. They never have enough. People are so awakened to Jewish connection right now.

This was on full display in DC this week, where tens of thousands put on tefillin, prayed, took Shabbat candles, and did Mitzvot during the rally. Someone posted a picture on social media of a group of Jews wearing Tefillin and doing a minyan before the event started. One of the comments on the post was from a non-Jew who wrote, “I love that they are wearing GoPros on their heads.”

So, I did some quick research into the origin of GoPro and discovered that the founder of GoPro created the camera to help him and his friends who were aspiring to become professional surfers. He merged his passion for professionalism with his expertise in technology and created a camera that could be worn and give high quality video even in the water and at high action speeds. The parallel is great. Mitzvot like Tefillin are our GoPro technology to become “professional Jews.”

I conclude with a story that drives home how the IDF soldiers view our prayers and Mitzvot on their behalf.

A commander called his Rabbi friend while on break from the fighting in Gaza to share the following anecdote. He walked into a command meeting that morning and noticed that everyone was shaken and disturbed. They were watching live drone footage of three tanks, each with a 12-man capacity, burning after taking a hit from enemy fire. The loss of 36 soldiers was too overwhelming to contemplate. Suddenly, a phone rings and a commander sees the cell number of a soldier in one of those units. He picks up and says, “how are you alive and calling me?” The soldier replies that he was in the lead tank, and they had a rotator belt malfunction. Realizing that they would be sitting ducks for enemy fire, they all jumped out and ran for safety. The two units behind them saw them running and assumed they were under attack, so they all jumped out and ran as well. As soon all three units were safely out of harms way, the three tanks took a hit and started burning. “Rabbi,” the commander concluded, “the prayers and Mitzvot are working. We feel the protection. Please encourage people to continue on our behalf.”

May Hashem protect those who are putting their lives on the line to defend the lives of their brothers and sisters. May Hashem bring peace and protection to Israel and the whole world. May Hashem send us Mashiach and the final Redemption, thereby eliminating all war, conflict, jealousy, and distress from our universe. Amen

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Action Plan Highlights
See our page  https://onemitzvah.org/israel/chabad-louisiana
Add your Mitzvah today!

• Tefillin: Please visit Chabad Uptown or Chabad Metairie and lay Tefillin or reach out to have someone come by with Tefillin. If you have Tefillin, put them on daily and offer to share them with other Jewish males over Bar Mitzvah. I am proud to report that we have experienced a significant surge in people coming forward to lay Tefillin.
• Shabbat Candles: Ladies and girls, you have the power of light in your hands. Light Shabbat candles before sunset on Friday (this week at 4:46 pm). If you need or know someone that needs Shabbat candles, let us know and we will get a package to them. Many women have committed to light Shabbat candles in our community. This is very gratifying.
• Mezuzah: Put a Mezuzah on the door of your home, or check the existing ones to make sure they are valid. Reach out to us if you need a Mezuzah or help checking the ones you have up. In New Orleans several dozen Mezuzahs have been put up in the past two weeks. We recently got a shipment of 120 additional Mezuzahs and requests are coming in strong.
• Tzedakah:  www.chabad.org/helpisrael is a great resource to get funds directly to the organizations on the ground in Israel helping with the war effort. There are many other reputable organizations raising funds as well, see www.Jewishnola.com for the Federation’s initiatives. The main thing is to offer our support.
• Pray: Chabad Rabbis in Israel have asked that recite the following Psalms for the safety and security our people in Israel - Psalms 20, 22, 69, 122, and 150. At Chabad (both locations) we recite them twice daily during the morning and evening minyan.
• Letter in the Scroll: Get your child a letter in the Children’s Torah Scroll –  www.chabadneworleans.com/332998. The Unity Torah for people of all ages –  www.chabadneworleans.com/409282.
• Study Torah: Join a Torah class or study on your own. Register for The World of Kabbalah and introduce the calm that comes from the power of Torah knowledge into your life. For the uptown course www.chabadneworleans.com/jli. For the Metairie course www.jewishlouisiana.com/jli.
• Take a tour of a Mikvah and explore the secret to Jewish family purity and harmony. For more info, www.chabadneworleans.com/mikvah

Pollyanna was a fictional book and movie character who demonstrated unusual optimism, faith, and determination to look for the good in everything. We often use the term to describe someone who is “unreasonably” positive, or the refusal to be pulled down, even under the most challenging of circumstances.

But was Pollyanna on to something. Did she know something about life that many of us don’t recognize? 

Since the events of October 7, the Jewish people have faced a challenge, unprecedented in our generation. No need to state the obvious. In Israel and in the Diaspora, Jews are feeling threatened in a way that we have not felt in a long time.

There are two general methods of reaction. We can be fearful and highlight the threat, which wouldn’t be unreasonable. But it might leave us more vulnerable. When we project fear and a sense of downtroddenness, that can embolden our enemies.

Or we can radiate strength and optimism (without lowering our guard to the possibility of danger). 

The Baal Shem Tov once commented on the verse in Ezekiel’s vision of the Divine Chariot, “On the image of the throne, I saw an image of the appearance of a man.” Kabbalah has a deep interpretation of that verse as it refers to “Supernal Man.” The Baal Shem Tov adds that “the image of the appearance of a man” teaches the G-d reflects the image projected by man. The Hebrew term used in the verse, “Mareh” means mirror or reflection. When we project joy and optimism, that is reflected back from G-d towards us. If we project pessimism or negativity, or even worry and concern, that is reflected back towards us. 

The Chabad movement, motivated by the Rebbe’s constant call to channel this approach of the Baal Shem Tov, is full steam ahead on radiating optimism and strength. The action plan (shared below) is meant to be a real emotional and spiritual support for Israel. In addition, it is also meant to help Jews feel more positively Jewish. When we project strength and optimism, we cannot be brought down. It increases our feeling of togetherness and unity, which further strengthens us.

Instead of just bemoaning the state of antisemitism today, project Jewishness. Now is the time for more visible declaration of our Jewishness, more Mezuzahs, more Mitzvot, and more strength. We are not Jews who cower and hide. We are Jews who are proud and public about who we are. We know that truth and righteousness is with us and that good people in the world stand with us. 

Today at noon central time, the annual Chabad Shluchim Conference will be broadcast at www.chabadneworleans.com/kinus. Tune in to watch the projection of strength, optimism, and joy. 

May G-d bless us with the reflection of strength, optimism, and joy back towards us as we march to the complete Redemption through the coming of Mashiach speedily.         

Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Action Plan Highlights
See our page  https://onemitzvah.org/israel/chabad-louisiana
Add your Mitzvah today!

• Tefillin: Please visit Chabad Uptown or Chabad Metairie and lay Tefillin or reach out to have someone come by with Tefillin. If you have Tefillin, put them on daily and offer to share them with other Jewish males over Bar Mitzvah. I am proud to report that we have experienced a significant surge in people coming forward to lay Tefillin.

• Shabbat Candles: Ladies and girls, you have the power of light in your hands. Light Shabbat candles before sunset on Friday (this week at 6:14 pm). If you need or know someone that needs Shabbat candles, let us know and we will get a package to them. Many women have committed to light Shabbat candles in our community. This is very gratifying.

• Mezuzah: Put a Mezuzah on the door of your home, or check the existing ones to make sure they are valid. Reach out to us if you need a Mezuzah or help checking the ones you have up. In New Orleans several dozen Mezuzahs have been put up in the past two weeks. We just got a shipment of 120 additional Mezuzahs and requests are coming in strong.

• Tzedakah:  www.chabad.org/helpisrael is a great resource to get funds directly to the organizations on the ground in Israel helping with the war effort. There are many other reputable organizations raising funds as well, see www.Jewishnola.com for the Federation’s initiatives. The main thing is to offer our support.

• Pray: Chabad Rabbis in Israel have asked that recite the following Psalms for the safety and security our people in Israel - Psalms 20, 22, 69, 122, and 150. At Chabad (both locations) we recite them twice daily during the morning and evening minyan.

• Letter in the Scroll: Get your child a letter in the Children’s Torah Scroll –  www.chabadneworleans.com/332998. The Unity Torah for people of all ages –  www.chabadneworleans.com/409282.

• Study Torah: Join a Torah class or study on your own. Register for The World of Kabbalah and introduce the calm that comes from the power of Torah knowledge into your life. For the uptown course www.chabadneworleans.com/jli. For the Metairie course www.jewishlouisiana.com/jli.

• Take a tour of a Mikvah and explore the secret to Jewish family purity and harmony. For more info, www.chabadneworleans.com/mikvah

When you hear the word surge, with what do you associate it? In recent years “surge” meant an increase in COVID cases. Some may recall the troop surge of 2007 in Iraq. For us in Southeast Louisiana, “storm surge” relates to the impact of hurricanes on our coastal areas. I would like to offer another association, one that is uniquely Jewish.

In 1967, following the miracles of the Six Day War, there was a surge of inspiration and an uptick of Jewish involvement. Jews had felt the ominous threat of annihilation by the Arab nations, and just over 20 years after the Holocaust ended. The exhilaration that Jews experienced as they beheld what the New York Times declared to be “A Miracle of Biblical Proportions,” brought out strong feelings of connection to their Jewishness. There was a surge of Jews wanting to do more Mitzvahs, learn more Torah, attend Shul more often, and just do Jewish things. There was a similar surge around the time of the Yom Kippur war, 6 years later.

This year, in response to the attacks in Israel on Simchat Torah, there is another surge. Amazing things are happening. Jews are looking for connectedness. Tefillin, Mezuzahs, Shabbat candles, Synagogue attendance, and any opportunity for Jewish involvement. Restaurants in Tel Aviv went Kosher and closed on Shabbat so that they could prepare food for IDF soldiers. An Israeli TV anchor, borrowed a kippa from a guest on his show so that he could pronounce a blessing of thanksgiving when the news of the rescued soldier, Ori Magdish, was announced. Thousands of pairs of Tzitzit were being made by hundreds of volunteers so they could be given to members of Tzahal. These are just a tiny drop in an ocean of increased Jewish observance.

The difference is that, while in 1967 the surge was mostly in response to the salvation, in 2023, the surge is in advance of the salvation. We are still in the thick of distress. Yet, Jews have come to recognize the critical value and importance of this surge in determining the positive outcome that we await with certainty and faith in Hashem. May Hashem see our efforts and grant us a speedy salvation.

This war is fought on four fronts. There is the battle being fought by the IDF, the sacred right to self-defense and to facilitating a life of safety and security for the inhabitants of Israel. There is the PR battle that is waged through dissemination of truth at every opportunity. There is the psychological/emotional front being fought both in Israel and around the world, to maintain the morale of the Jewish people in the face of these threats. There is the spiritual battle, based on our firm belief that holy acts make a real difference.

The terrorists tried to destroy Jewish life and Jewish communities. We must strengthen and increase Jewish life and Jewish communities.

I am including our action plan once again as a reminder of the things we can do to propel our people to victory.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Action Plan Highlights
See our page https://onemitzvah.org/israel/chabad-louisiana
Add your Mitzvah today!

·Tefillin: Please visit Chabad Uptown or Chabad Metairie and lay Tefillin or reach out to have someone come by with Tefillin. If you have Tefillin, put them on daily and offer to share them with other Jewish males over Bar Mitzvah. I am proud to report that we have experienced a significant surge in people coming forward to lay Tefillin.

·Shabbat Candles: Ladies and girls, you have the power of light in your hands. Light Shabbat candles before sunset on Friday (this week at 6:14 pm). If you need or know someone that needs Shabbat candles, let us know and we will get a package to them. Many women have committed to light Shabbat candles in our community. This is very gratifying.

·Mezuzah: Put a Mezuzah on the door of your home, or check the existing ones to make sure they are valid. Reach out to us if you need a Mezuzah or help checking the ones you have up. In New Orleans several dozen Mezuzahs have been put up in the past two weeks. We just got a shipment of 120 additional Mezuzahs and requests are coming in strong.

·Tzedakah:  www.chabad.org/helpisrael is a great resource to get funds directly to the organizations on the ground in Israel helping with the war effort. There are many other reputable organizations raising funds as well, see www.Jewishnola.com for the Federation’s initiatives. The main thing is to offer our support.

·Pray: Chabad Rabbis in Israel have asked that recite the following Psalms for the safety and security our people in Israel - Psalms 20, 22, 69, 122, and 150. At Chabad (both locations) we recite them twice daily during the morning and evening minyan.

·Letter in the Scroll: Get your child a letter in the Children’s Torah Scroll –  www.chabadneworleans.com/332998. The Unity Torah for people of all ages –  www.chabadneworleans.com/409282.

·Study Torah: Join a Torah class or study on your own. Register for The World of Kabbalah and introduce the calm that comes from the power of Torah knowledge into your life. For the uptown course www.chabadneworleans.com/jli. For the Metairie course www.jewishlouisiana.com/jli.

This week our community lost Esther Schreiber, someone who was beloved by all. Most people who knew Esther, if asked to sum her up in a few words, would likely choose derivatives of “friendship” and “humor.” I would add a third word, “depth.”

There is no question that Esther served as a friend to many. I heard from a number of folks in the hours after her passing, that they considered her one of their closest friends. More than one person used the phrase, “she was the person that I could speak to about anything in my life.” What was unique about Esther was, that her friends were not limited to a particular age group. In fact, the current and former children of our community were deeply moved by the news of her passing. She loved spending time telling them stories and kibbitzing with them. I recall that one week our childcare at Shul fell through. The next thing I know Esther was in the children’s room holding court with all the kids, keeping them enthralled and well-occupied. She was fiercely devoted to maintaining peace between people.

Divisiveness and strife were completely anathematic to her. I was personally involved in several situations where Esther worked behind the scenes to heal schisms that developed between people. She also worked tirelessly to find ways to help people in an unassuming manner, so that they would not find out that she was involved.

Esther’s humor was legendary and often misunderstood by people who were unfamiliar with her style. She employed a healthy dose of self-deprecation, coupled with hyperbole, and a liberal sprinkling of Yiddishisms. Who remembers the “kiddush wars?” Anyone not in the know, would think that she was actually engaged in a fierce competition for who had the nicest Kiddush on Simchat Torah. It was all a way of deflecting her amazing dedication to the Simchat Torah day Kiddush, an event to which she devoted months of prep and planning.

Esther had a depth about her that often went unnoticed. She had strong convictions and deep appreciation for spiritual ideas. Off the record, and out of the limelight, she had discussions about topics that were important to her.

For the past few months, Esther battled a disease that would ultimately end her life. In true Esther style, she didn’t want to be the object of pity or the cause of anxiety for her friends. She wanted to be remembered as the funny, friendly Esther, as she will be by us all.

After her passing two things happened that crystalized who Esther was. We were looking for volunteers to serve as a Shomer, to stay with the body until burial, as per Jewish tradition. I don’t think this is common, but we had more volunteers than slots of time. People were vying for the privilege of fulfilling this Mitzvah for their friend Esther. Finally, at the funeral there were several baby carriages. It was very apropos that Esther’s sendoff included children, a subset of our community that she loved so much.

Our heartfelt wishes of comfort to her husband Gershon, her children Shane, Chaim, and Chaya, and their families. May Hashem bring us the fulfillment of the prophecy, “Those who dwell in the dust shall arise and sing” with the coming of Moshiach speedily.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin 

It’s been nearly two weeks. There is a lot of tragedy and a lot of hope. Much that is heart-breaking and much that is heart-warming. We continue to remain engaged and committed to supporting our people in Israel both physically and spiritually. (I will once again share the action points below.) I commend the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans for all they are doing to guide our community through this unique period.

I would like to muse about an idea that I have been contemplating since the attack. I have seen people use expressions such as “soulless,” “lacking the Tzelem Elokim (image of G-d),” or “animals” to describe the terrorists who perpetrated the atrocities on our brothers and sisters in Israel on that Simchat Torah morning. (I do not want to get into a discussion, at this time, over the question of dehumanizing our enemies. The pain is still too raw.)

I feel that calling a terrorist “animal” or the like, gives them a free pass for what they did. Nobody observes a lion hunting an antelope and comes away thinking that the lion must be held accountable for what it did. That is the lion’s nature, instilled in it by Hashem. That is how it is supposed to act. When a human being acts that way, calling him an animal is an insult to the nature of the universe as created by Hashem. Hashem gave humans the unique gift of free will, making us distinct from every other being in the universe. How we apply that gift, is up to us.

What we must see here are individuals, with a soul, with a “Tzelem Elokim”, who have exercised their free will and chose to do things that are otherwise inconceivable for a human being with a soul. This demonstrates for us the power of free will. It also demonstrates for us the impact of environmental influence. Generations of people were raised with hate towards us, resulting in their ability to use their free will to commit unimaginable atrocities against others. This is a tragedy far more profound than just people behaving like animals. To take the precious gift of free will and use it to thrust oneself down to the depths of depravity, is to abuse the divine bestowal of our unique human status.

If free will and environmental influence can bring a person to sink so low, how much more so can we harness the power of free will and environmental influence to rise to the greatest heights. This demonstrates how vital a proper values-based education is for the development of a person. This demonstrates how powerful a force for good each of us can be when we apply our free will to doing the right thing. Let us harness the power of our souls, our “Tzelem Elokim,” our free will, to infuse our world with G-dly positivity. We have the power to change the world for good. We have the capacity to bring light and goodness to all of existence. Through our efforts we will usher in a time of redemption, when, as the prophet Isaiah declares, “They shall neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mount, for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the L-rd as water covers the seabed.”

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Action Plan Highlights

·    Tefillin: Please visit Chabad Uptown or Chabad Metairie and lay Tefillin or reach out to have someone come by with Tefillin. If you have Tefillin, put them on daily and offer to share them with other Jewish males over Bar Mitzvah. I am proud to report that we have experienced a significant surge in people coming forward to lay Tefillin.

·    Shabbat Candles: Ladies and girls, you have the power of light in your hands. Light Shabbat candles before sunset on Friday (this week at 6:14 pm). If you need or know someone that needs Shabbat candles, let us know and we will get a package to them. Many women have committed to light Shabbat candles in our community. This is very gratifying.

·    Mezuzah: Put a Mezuzah on the door of your home, or check the existing ones to make sure they are valid. Reach out to us if you need a Mezuzah or help checking the ones you have up. In New Orleans several dozen Mezuzahs have been put up in the past two weeks. We just got a shipment of 120 additional Mezuzahs and requests are coming in strong.

·    Tzedakah: www.chabad.org/helpisrael is a great resource to get funds directly to the organizations on the ground in Israel helping with the war effort. There are many other reputable organizations raising funds as well. The main thing is to offer our support.

·    Pray: Chabad Rabbis in Israel have asked that recite the following Psalms for the safety and security our people in Israel - Psalms 20, 22, 69, 122, and 150. At Chabad (both locations) we recite them twice daily during the morning and evening minyan.

·    Letter in the Scroll: Get your child a letter in the Children’s Torah Scroll – www.chabadneworleans.com/332998. The Unity Torah for people of all ages – www.chabadneworleans.com/409282.

·    Study Torah: Register now for The World of Kabbalah and introduce the calm that comes from the power of Torah knowledge into your life. For the uptown course www.chabadneworleans.com/jli. For the Metairie course www.jewishlouisiana.com/jli.

Who knew that it was possible to be numb and energized at the same time? Numbed by the ongoing reports from Israel and energized by the knowledge that we have much to do to be supportive.

Many of you saw our communication from earlier in the week with an Israel action plan. I will reiterate the highlights of the plan further down in this email.

I wanted to touch on something that is worth contemplating. We are most vulnerable as a people when we are fractured. There is no need to point out how fractured the Jewish/Israeli society has been these past months. Who knows if distractions due to the divisiveness may have contributed to our vulnerability. I will leave that to the security experts to determine. Certainly, from a spiritual vantage point, our greatest blessings come to our people when we are united, as we say in the Amidah, “Bless us our father, together as one.”

In the eyes of Hashem unity is very important. In the eyes of our enemies, a united Jewish people is much more difficult to harm. Here in our community, a stunning demonstration of solidarity and unity took place earlier this week. We must ensure that when the cameras are not trained on us, and the mikes are turned off, those feelings continue to prevail.

I want to highlight a beautiful low-key example of grass-roots unity and collaboration that has been occurring in our community in recent months. A group of women from across the spectrum of the Jewish community gather nearly each week for a Torah discussion. I will not share names as I do not have their permission to do so. But I will tell you about their affiliations. They are connected to Chabad, the Jewish Federation, JCDS, Gates of Prayer, Shir Chadash, and Slater Torah Academy. They come from New Orleans and Metairie. They are women in either professional or lay leadership positions within our greater New Orleans Jewish community.

This gathering should be a great source of pride to our Jewish community. These women are walking the walk of unity and collaboration. I hope that their example will be emulated by many others. “Bless us our Father, together as one.” May G-d’s blessings pour upon us all. May His protection spread over the entire world, especially over our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land.  

With prayers for peace and redemption on my lips,
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

Action Plan Hightlights

·       Tefillin: Please visit Chabad Uptown or Chabad Metairie and lay Tefillin or reach out to have someone come by with Tefillin. If you have Tefillin, put them on daily and offer to share them with other Jewish males over Bar Mitzvah.

·       Shabbat Candles: Ladies and girls, you have the power of light in your hands. Light Shabbat candles before sunset on Friday (this week at 6:14 pm). If you need or know someone that needs Shabbat candles, let us know and we will get a package to them.

·       Mezuzah: Put a Mezuzah on the door of your home, or check the existing ones to make sure they are valid. Reach out to us if you need a Mezuzah or help checking the ones you have up.

·       Tzedakah: www.chabad.org/helpisrael is a great resource to get funds directly to the organizations on the ground in Israel helping with the war effort. There are many other reputable organizations raising funds as well. The main thing is to offer our support.

·       Pray: Chabad Rabbis in Israel have asked that recite the following Psalms for the safety and security our people in Israel - Psalms 20, 22, 69, 122, and 150. At Chabad (both locations) we recite them twice daily during the morning and evening minyan.

·       Letter in the Scroll: Get your child a letter in the Children’s Torah Scroll – www.chabadneworleans.com/332998. The Unity Torah for people of all ages – www.chabadneworleans.com/409282.

You cannot legislate an emotion. We cannot be commanded to feel something. So how can Hashem command us to be joyous on the festival of Sukkot? What compels this joy, to the extent that the holiday is called “the season of our rejoicing?”

There are many angles taken by the sages over the generations to help us appreciate the joy of Sukkot.

We have covered some of them over the years and can be accessed here:

The wedding: https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=111326&p=1

The victory party: https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=56557&p=1

I would like to share an angle that struck me this year towards the end of Yom Kippur (it is not my own idea but rather based on things that I have learned over the years in Chassidic thought.)

Imagine a person goes through life under the assumption that they are an insignificant speck on the tapestry of humanity that houses billions of other insignificant specks. (That itself is an inaccurate assumption, because each speck contributes to the full picture, but I digress.) One day the person uncovers something very significant about themselves. There is a joy in that self-discovery that is very powerful.

Imagine someone living a simple or even poor lifestyle. They simply don’t have the resources to enjoy the “finer things” of life. One day they are informed that there has been a dormant account in their name filled with money left to them by a distant relative many years ago. The lawyers and the bank were unable to trace them for all that time. They had been wealthy all along, they were just unaware of the wealth that was theirs. The joy is not just in the newfound wealth, but in the discovery that this is what they have had for a long time.

Imagine someone goes through life not knowing who their biological parents were. They are assumed to be from humble stock (not that there is anything wrong with that). Then all of a sudden, they find out that they are from a noble and gracious background. The joy in discovering one’s special identity is uniquely profound.

Throughout the High Holidays, especially on Yom Kippur, we are engaged in a journey of self-discovery. Our appreciation for the identity of our soul as being very connected to G-d, grows exponentially as the day goes on. At Neilah, we finally achieve the breakthrough that opens us up to our reality. The “doors of heaven” close, but we are left inside to experience an intimate union with G-d. We discover that the “real me” is that core essence of my Neshama that is totally bound up with Hashem. The joy that follows is indescribable. It compels us to want to celebrate and experience this newly discovered identity in every way possible. The holiday of Sukkot is that celebration, with all of its opportunities to experience and rejoice in our true selves. The celebration reaches a climax at the end of the holiday on Simchat Torah, after which we settle in to daily life in our new reality.

So, whoop it up. Shout joyously to the world about how excited you are to have discovered your true identity. Celebrate it with everything you’ve got!

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Sukkot
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

A common topic of conversation around this time of year is how difficult people find fasting on Yom Kippur. Folks are daunted by the notion of over 24 hours without food or water. I understand why that feels overwhelming, especially in our climate.

I must admit that I generally don’t find fasting on Yom Kippur to be a challenge. There are six fast days on the Jewish calendar. Yom Kippur is the least difficult for me. Why is this so? Practically, when one is occupied, one does not have the opportunity to consider personal discomfort. Yom Kippur is a busy day, filled with prayers and devotion.

Beyond the practical, there is an undercurrent of energy associated with Yom Kippur that can elevate us above our everyday concerns and considerations. There is a quote attributed to Rabbi Sholom Ber of Lubavitch, “On Yom Kippur… who can eat.” Eating is so pedestrian, relative to what we are experiencing on this special day.

I recall the years that I was privileged to be in the Rebbe’s presence for Yom Kippur. The energy, and the adrenaline that it brought, increased as the day went on. By the time we got to Neilah, the final prayer service of Yom Kippur, 770 (the Rebbe’s shul in Brooklyn) was rocking like it was Simchas Torah. The songs became livelier, the prayers more intense, and the atmosphere was electric. The crescendo was at the last moment before the sounding of the Shofar. According to Chabad custom, a victory march is sung at the end of Yom Kippur. The Rebbe ascended a platform (in the early years he climbed up on his chair) and led the singing and dancing with amazing energy. The room was shaking, and thousands of people jammed together were singing and dancing in place. An outside observer would never believe that the entire assembly had been fasting for 24 hours.  

Yom Kippur is an amazing day to get in touch with our core identity. The solution to Yom Kippur fasting fatigue is getting your Yom Kippur groove on. When you are in the “zone,” the energy comes from a source far more powerful and potent than mere food and drink, it comes from the soul!

Wishing you all a meaningful Yom Kippur! May G-d seal us all for the blessings of good health, prosperity, nachas, and meaningful spiritual growth.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

The Torah gives us basic instructions on how to observe the holidays, including Rosh Hashanah. The Talmud and other works of the Oral tradition give us more details, and layers of meaning underlying each holiday and its unique observances. It is less common, however, to find descriptions in Scripture of actual observances of the holidays. There are a few scattered references to holiday observance throughout the entire Tanach.

One of those is in the Book of Ezra/Nechemia. Ezra was the leader who oversaw the return of the Babylonian exiles to Israel at the beginning of the Second Temple era. 70 years of desolation had wreaked havoc on Torah observance. Assimilation and intermarriage were rampant, leaving most Jews ignorant of and apathetic to religious practices. It is not a stretch to say that the vast majority of Jews alive at the time had never seen, let alone read from, a Torah scroll.

Enter Ezra and Nechemia. They gathered the people and started to teach them what was written in “the scroll of G-d’s Law.” There was a surge of commitment, and many people were very inspired. The narrative continues that it was Rosh Hashanah, and the people were moved to tears by the words of Torah that they heard. Ezra and Nechemia then declared, “This day is holy to the L-rd your G-d; neither mourn nor weep. Go, eat delicacies, and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our L-rd, and do not be sad, for the joy of the L-rd is your strength.” Scripture continues, “Then all the people went to eat and to drink and to send portions and to rejoice greatly. And on the second day (of Rosh Hashanah), the people… gathered to Ezra, and to understand the words of the Torah. And they found written in the Torah that the L-rd had commanded by the hand of Moses that the Children of Israel dwell in booths on the festival in the seventh month… And all the congregation of the returnees from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths… and there was exceedingly great joy.”

There are several takeaways from this narrative that are relevant to us in 2023.

Firstly, we see that Rosh Hashanah is to be properly observed not with sadness, but with joy. Since it is “a day holy to Hashem”, He rejoices, and we derive strength in that joy. Real teshuvah should induce us to “rejoice greatly.” What greater joy is there than distant children who come home to their parents?

Secondly, we see that for us to be happy, we need to share with those who don’t have their own. It is never enough to take care of yourself and be happy. We can only rejoice when we bring that joy to others. When we “eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks” we must remember to “send portions to whoever has nothing prepared.” This is true of any type of need, whether material and spiritual.

Lastly, we see from this story that on Rosh Hashana one should already be thinking about Sukkot. Just as we are cautioned to be concerned with the needs of others for Rosh Hashanah, so too for Sukkot. In return, the joy of Sukkot feeds back to Rosh Hashanah. So, on this occasion, I encourage all of us to think of how we can help another Jew observe the holidays. This is true both in a material sense as well as in a spiritual sense. We must ensure that every Jew has access to a Sukkah and a Lulav & Etrog. We must see to it that our fellow Jews have what they need to celebrate Sukkot.

We at Chabad seek to make the holiday of Sukkot as accessible as can be. One of the ways is through Sukkah-Fest, offering hundreds of people the opportunity to celebrate together in a Sukkah with good food, and access to a Lulav & Etrog. Partner with us in the spirit of “the Ezra story” by going to www.chabadneworleans.com/donate or reply to this email and let us know that you want to be a partner!

In the merit of our love and care for each other, may Hashem bless us all with a good and sweet year filled with health, prosperity, nachas, and meaningful spiritual growth.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

In 1960 there was a Jewish woman in London who was very ill. The doctors were concerned for her life and had nearly despaired of curing her illness. She and her husband were friendly with a recently arrived Chabad Rabbi, who suggested that they write to the Rebbe for a blessing and his prayers on her behalf. They did so, and shortly afterwards her condition improved and, ultimately, she made a complete recovery.

The couple was very grateful to the Rebbe for his blessing and prayers. They made no secret of that gratitude, and it became a topic of conversation in their community. Their Synagogue Rabbi, though an admirer of the Rebbe, was perplexed by the advice given by the Chabad Rabbi to ask for the Rebbe’s prayers. He cited a passage from the Torah reading on Rosh Hashanah to support his question. In Genesis chapter 21 we read of Yishmael taking ill in the wilderness outside Beersheba. The verse states, “Fear not, for G-d has heard the lad's voice…” Upon which Rashi comments, citing a Midrash, “From here we learn that the sick person’s prayer is more effective than the prayer of others on his behalf.”

“In light of the above,” the Rabbi asked, “why would you ask someone else (the Rebbe) to pray for the woman who was ill instead of encouraging her to intensify her own prayers?”

The question made its way back to the Rebbe. After pointing out that the advice to ask a sage for prayers comes from the Talmud, he then proceeded to explain why it was proper advice. Rashi says that the prayer of the sick person is more effective than the prayer of others. Emphasis is on “others.” However, if someone is not an “other,” but rather cares about you as much as you care about yourself, then their prayer would be as effective.

The term Rebbe is an acronym for Rosh Bnei Yisrael – the head of the children of Israel. Just as the head is what senses the pain and pleasure of the organs and limbs of a body, the Rebbe is the “head” of our collective Jewish soul, and therefore senses the needs and feelings of a Jew anywhere. When the Rebbe prays for us, he is not praying for an “other;” it is his own pain and need that he senses as our collective Rosh.    

We employ the same term when speaking of the upcoming holiday, Rosh Hashanah. It is not just the beginning of the year, but also the “head” of the year. What we experience spiritually on Rosh Hashanah, reverberates throughout the rest of the year. This is why we are encouraged to pack as much spirituality and goodness into the 48 hours of Rosh Hashanah, not wasting any of the time on trivialities. We take great care to ensure that our “brain” is healthy and well-supported. This pays dividends for the rest of our year.

May we merit to utilize the gift that is Rosh Hashanah, as well as the days leading up to it. This in turn brings the blessings of a good and sweet year of health, prosperity, nachas, and meaningful spiritual growth for all of us.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

A new year brings new beginnings and new horizons. For us as Jews, those horizons must include new opportunities to expand our involvement with the study of Torah.

I am excited to announce that Chabad of Louisiana is partnering with the Stone family to present this year’s slate of JLI courses in memory of Richard B. Stone. Richard was a real friend of Chabad of Louisiana, and the New Orleans Jewish community. More on that here: https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=109440&p=1.

This year's courses are particularly intriguing. The fall course is The World of Kabbalah. The winter course is Advice for Life (from the Rebbe's guidance). The spring course is Decisions of Fate (Jewish values for making life and death decisions), which will offer CLE and CME credits. We feel that this is a meaningful way to honor Richard's memory as well as his devotion to Jewish learning, and how the Torah informed his view of law and ethics.

Registration for The World of Kabbalah, which begins after the holidays, is already open. For more information see www.chabadneworleans.com/jli.

Chabad Metairie will be offering the course as well – www.jewishlouisiana.com/jli.

In addition to the slate of JLI courses, we have several new and classic adult education offerings to share with you.

Breakfast with Maimonides: The first Sunday of each month (including this weekend) at 9 am, taught by Rabbi Zelig Rivkin.

Opening the Talmud: A weekly Talmud class for beginners – Sunday evenings at 6 pm, taught by Rabbi Yossi Cohen

The Machzor Unpacked: Meditations on the High Holiday liturgy – Tuesday, September 5 at 8 pm, taught by Rabbi Yossi Cohen.

“Read It In Hebrew”: A four part Hebrew reading crash course – beginning Tuesday, October 17, taught by Rabbi Mendel Rivkin.

We hope that you will take advantage of these opportunities to expand your Torah horizons and we look forward to exploring our shared heritage together with you.

We take this opportunity to welcome two new families to our community.

Drs. Stefan and Naomi Grant & family.
Rabbi Mendel and Rivka Rivkin & family.

Wishing them much success in their new location and new endeavors.

May we all be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet new year filled with health, prosperity, happiness, and meaningful spiritual growth.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin

One of the most valuable commodities is access. Someone that has access to power or resources can achieve monumental things. Political and business leaders, or famous celebrities are surrounded by people who may even monetize the access they can offer to their famous associates. Access to capital can be the difference between the success or failure of a business venture.

Now, having access does not guarantee that one will take advantage of the access. How many people have gym membership, giving them access to opportunities for exercise, that do not spend any time in the gym? The gym membership does not automatically translate into better fitness and health. The access must be utilized for it to accomplish anything.

What is the value of access to Hashem?

Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the founder of Chabad, offers the following famous analogy when explaining the dynamic of Elul. A king is usually in the palace. To get access, one must be well connected and receive an invitation. On occasion, the king leaves the palace and goes out to the people. This phenomenon is called “the king in the field.” When the king is in the field, no appointment or connections are required to gain access. He is accessible to all and is, in fact, happy to see anyone who comes to meet him. One need not be dressed in sophisticated clothing. One need not speak sophisticated language. All that is required is the desire to utilize the access that is granted.

During the month of Elul, Hashem makes Himself accessible and offers “to meet us where we are at.” Though our garments may be sullied with the stains of “field work,” we are welcomed with a smile. All of this is made available to us so that we can prepare adequately and enter the new year as well-connected aristocrats, who have access to the King anytime.

However, as mentioned, access does not guarantee that one will take advantage of the access. We must desire to utilize the access. Let us not be the fools who have the King within reach yet allow the opportunity to slip by unrealized. The King is waiting for us. He wants to greet us. He wants to interact with us. Make the most of your access over the next three weeks. This will bring us the blessings of a Shana Tova in all areas of life both materially and spiritually.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Mendel Rivkin