Dear Friends,

Summer is here and there is lots of fun happening for the community children.

As I write this Shabbos Email I listen to many day campers singing lively Jewish songs.  Rabbi & Mrs. Pinson have organized a most exciting Gan Izzy Summer Day Camp.  There are five girl counselors here from New York seminary.  Once again some of our previous campers have graduated into our assistant counselors program.  We have brought a nice little school bus and trips are daily.  The staff stays at the Eyshel Yosef in the shul.

Our Bilowit Learning Center and LAUP program are also in full swing.  We set up little wading pools.  It is really wonderful seeing the little ones bathing and playing on the front lawn, involved with water play and games.

This past Shabbos there were over 130 people at shul.  There was a great lunch and kiddush.  It is always rewarding coming to shul.  Shabbos is a great time for getting together and spending quality time.  If you can, come to shul and have a rewarding time.

This coming Shabbos marks an important day in the Lubavitch community.  It is the day that the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn of blessed memory , was born (1880) and also the day he was freed from Bolshevik imprisonment (1927).  In honor of the day I bring you the following heroic story:

In 5687 (1927) the Rebbe founded the Lubavitch Yeshivah in Bokhara, a remote province of Russia.

His stand against those who wanted to undermine the Jewish religion became even more perilous.  The Yevsektzia rushed into his synagogue, guns in hand, to arrest him.  Calmly, the Lubavitcher Rebbe finished his prayers and followd them.

Facing a council of armed and determined men, the Lubavitcher Rebbe again reaffirmed that he would not give up his religious activities, whatever threats might be made.  When one of the agents pointed a gun at him saying:  "This little toy has made many a man change his mind", the Lubavitcher Rebbe calmly replied:  "That little toy can intimidate only the kind of man who has many gods - passions, and but one world - this world.  Becuase I have only one G-d and two worlds, I am not impressed by your little toy."

The Rebbe taught us that we are put into this world for a G-dly reason.  We must teach and study Torah. Regardless of the temporary hardships we may be exposed to we must rise to the challenge.  We need to stand fast in our commitment in observing true Judaism.  We need to identify as Jews at all times.

Under the leadership of the seventh Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Chabad has grown into the world's greatest Jewish religious organization, continuing the holy work of strengthening Yiddishkeit wherever Jews live.

Here in the South Bay we continue to enhance the Jewish community with our many programs.  In honor of the day's event try to come to shul and add in your observance of mitzvos.

A gut Shabbos.

Rabbi Eli Hecht
Regional Director
www.rabbielihecht.com