By a Shliach (name withheld upon request)
I was on a flight tonight back home after a too short pre-Gimmel Tammuz visit to New York and I was without much inspiration to speak of.
Getting comfortable on the plane, I hear two young Jewish guys asking the person next to me to exchange seats so they could sit together. My neighbor agreed. As they were taking their seats, the one wearing a kippa happily announced, “Now we’re 3 Jews together!”
We made polite chit chat and learned that our plane was being held up from taking off due to some reason I could not quite make out from the pilot’s muffled announcement.
We took our phones out, and that’s when I noticed the Rebbe’s image on the screen of the Jewish youngster near me! For the next 45 minutes, as we were sitting on the runaway, he was watching JEM’s Living Torah clips of the Rebbe!
An hour or so into the flight, I turned to him and asked, ‘What gives? Why the interest with the Rebbe?’
He explained to me how he had just finished the book “Rebbe” by Joseph Telushkin and was amazed by the Rebbe’s life and legacy. That led him to start watching and reading about the Rebbe online.
I asked if he had any previous contact with Chabad.
Yes, he says. I was in touch with the Chabad at my college from which I just graduated. Oh, and my sister was born thanks to the Rebbe.
I think quickly. He’s 21-years-old, how old could his sister be? Is this for real?
He goes on to tell me that his mother went to visit the Rebbe when she was 35. She was having problems and complications getting pregnant. The Rebbe gave her a blessing and soon after she became pregnant with his sister.
The day she met the Rebbe was 22 Shevat 5752 (1992), just weeks before the Rebbe suffered a stroke…
I left him my complimentary copy of A Chassidishe Derher Magazine that I had taken with me for the flight.
The conversation continued and my fascination over his fascination with the Rebbe and the responses he gave left me deeply inspired. Indeed, no one leaves the Rebbe without inspiration.
L’chaim!
ah bal shemske maysa
Really nice!!!
I gave telushkins book and a finance book to a friend in finance as a gift. A year later he told me, “I liked both books especially the telushkin book. I lent it already to several friend’s who all loved it. One of them had a very negative view of the Rebbe which I can’t understand because he’s Jewish, but after reading the book, his perspective changed considerably”.
Thank-you so much for sharing!
THE REBBE is ALWAYS with us!
What struck me about this story is that a shliach has the courage to admit that he was not so inspired this time for his visit to the Rebbe before gimmel tammuz. So many shluchim put on an heir of superiority so it is nice when a shliach has the courage to admit that everyone has ups and downs in hiskasrus. Probably the anonymous shliach will be checking for the comments and I just say that you should have a little more courage to include your name as I am sure many of your colleagues leave gimmel tammuz without the… Read more »
How special. This just shows that The Rebbe is really with you every minute of every day. Remember that. Never feel alone or upset that you’re missing out. He’s coming back to your shlichus with you this shabbos as well!!
What a great story! No need to be shy, we’d love to share the story in your name 🙂
Soo nice thank u for sharing!!
this is why, we do not necessarily need to spend alot of money to come to CH, albeit it nice to be with friends and recharge. however, the Rebbe comes to us in the most remote places inspiring us to inspire others, be in Souix City, Iowa, Patagonia or wherever. we are all shluchim connected to our dearly beloved Rebbe.
Very beautiful
Thank you for sharing