A Nigun in the Amazon

For the first time ever the Jewish community of Manaus, Amazon, Brazil, celebrated Yud Tes Kislev with a farbrengen and live music.

Participants at the farbrengen enjoyed listening to and learning four niggunim that were played by a violinist from the Manaus Orchestra.

The farbrengen began with Shliach to the Amazon, Rabbi Arieh Raichman retelling the story of the capturing and imprisonment of the Alter Rebbe.

Rabbi Raichman explained how the Alter Rebbe did not wish to break the laws of nature, but rather wanted to work with nature, even when performing miracles.

Participants were inspired to realize that acting Jewish is not something abnormal that breaks the laws of nature, and that it can only to be accomplished in Israel or in large cities where there is an abundance of kosher food and restaurants, synagogues and schools, or many Jewish people. A person can act Jewish even in the Amazon where the Jewish community is less than a thousand, where there is no Jewish day school (yet), and where the nearest large Jewish community is a 3 hour flight away in Panama.

The auspicious evening continued with the community viewing a Living Torah video where the Rebbe speaks about the importance of being an active Jew in all aspects of one’s life. For many it was the first time ever seeing the Rebbe speak. The community members were so inspired from the farbrengen that they decided to take on several different hachlatos.