Armory for Hashem’s Army
This week over three thousand, five hundred Rabbis, Shluchim - emissaries, from the Lubavitcher Rebbe met in Brooklyn, New York. This is a yearly convention. Ideas were exchanged, lessons taught, and friendships renewed. Every Rabbi was given a schedule listing opportunities for 120 hours of learning, symposiums, and general ideas for spreading Yiddishkeit.
The main highlight was a banquet held on Sunday night. There, all the Rabbis and laymen gathered together for a dinner and inspirational speakers. One speaker, Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin, represented the United Kingdom. He had just received a M.B.E. - Member of the British Empire - from Queen Elizabeth II. Rabbi Sufrin is one of the few people to receive such an honor for his work in drug intervention for over 47,000 students. His program is now being taught worldwide.
Another speaker was a leading educator, Dr. Luchins of the Touro College. He spoke about the tremendous influence Chabad held in the field of education. He showed how, in every place he visited, he met a Chabad Shaliach that was busy helping preserve Judaism. From his trips to Russia to Calcutta, India, to Israel and all over the United States, there was always an address where he was able to find a Shaliach and a spiritual oasis.
I had the pleasure of sitting with a group of Rabbis from Italy, Australia, Israel, Canada, and the U.S. It was fascinating knowing that we all spoke different languages and had different mannerisms but the common denominator was working for the Rebbe's ideals - that no Jew be left behind. That each Jew was to be considered a complete world of importance.
I found something striking. The banquet was held in the Brooklyn Armory. The organizers wanted to! stay in the Crown Heights and they could not find a hall that could facilitate close to 3,500 participants. The only place large enough was the Armory in the Bedford Avenue area of Crown Heights.
Imagine, the dream of the prophets coming true - turning swords into ploughshares. Turning an armory into a banquet hall for world peace. Only with the coming of the Moshiach can surely things happen. Gone were the tanks, jeeps and weapons. They were replaced with Rabbis and spiritual leaders infusing each other with ideas for world peace, preparing for the coming of Moshiach. I believe that while many of the participants left with their batteries charged - I left with a new one!
So with the above in mind let us keep the flame of our Chabad Houses burning brightly with Torah classes - JLI, minyonim, socials, teen groups, senior classes, day care. You name it and we have it ready for you to join.