By Rabbi Chaim Bruk, Executive Director of Chabad Lubavitch of Montana & Spiritual Leader of The Shul of Bozeman
In August of last year, a lovely 12-year-old girl, Courtney, joined our Camp Gan Israel Jewish summer camp in Bozeman. Her mom died tragically when little Courtney was 5 years old and her dad, who loved her a lot, didn’t raise her with the stability that each precious child deserves.
With the encouragement of her beloved grandma, Courtney spent 2 weeks in our home and loved her time here. Upon returning home to Wyoming, she was unhappy and the question arose: Should we take her in as our own?
My wife Chavie and I had adopted three babies before Courtney, but a pre-teen?
Unlike babies, they come with a long history of “baggage” that affects their every day, their every thought, their every emotion. Courtney was placed by G-d at our doorstep and we needed to answer G-d’s call. I know G-d would’ve understood, if we would’ve said “sorry, we just can’t. We aren’t cut out for this”, but, how could we?
We said yes.
On Thursday September 1, 2016, Courtney AKA Shoshana (which means Rose in Hebrew), joined our family and just last week her adoption was finalized.
She’s an amazing, talented, smart and fun young woman and she will undoubtedly grow to boundless heights. Does that mean she’s always easy? Not in the slightest! Are any girls her age easy? Does she have a lot to repair internally? She’d be the first to say so! But does she have a glowing soul that is in love with Judaism and is she a remarkable older sister to Chaya, Zeesy and Menny? You bet!
I know that, like our Shoshana, there are so many gem-like souls out there who need a loving, nurturing and non-abusive home. They don’t always scream for help, because so often they are certain that no one is listening.
May G-d bless all the Courtney’s of the United States to find parents who view them as the Shoshana’s that they are!
כשושנה בין החוחים כן רעיתי בין הבנות
So inspired!!
Chavie you are truly a women of valor ! So proud to have had the privilege to watch you grow ! May Hashem give you boundless energy to do what needs to be done !!!
First off, you are truly amazing people and you should all be blessed with conitinued nachas from each other. Secondly, how does one get more info on adopting jewish children?
who are the two women in the middle?
collive, please give us captions.
SERIOUSLY SPEECHLESS!!!!
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE U IN THE WORLD!
MAY HASHEM POUR ON U BOTH ALL THE BRACHAS U SO DESERVE!!
KOL HAKOVOD
ashreichem Bruk family!
you are amazing people
I love to hear such stories of pure love and chesed. HaShem should bensch the adoptive parents and the girl with great success. How wonderful.
You guys are very special people, Shoshana is so lucky to have found you! This hit my heart like a bowling ball. Mazal tov I the new addition to the family!
May Hashem bless you. And what a beautiful family you have
Amazing.!!!!
What can I add to what everyone else has already said?!!
May your tremendous love for these wonderful children heal any leftover wounds from the past. May they all flourish under your tender care and, in the zechus of all the inspiration you give to so many, may they and you all have healthy, happy, successful lives and greet Moshiach right away. Rabbi Chaim Shaul, I know your mother A”H is kvelling!
What an inspirational couple and beautiful family. May Hashem bless you all with abundance.
Both of you are such special people, it’s incredible! You are both truly inspirational! May hashem shower upon you loads of brachos and give you everything you need in an opened and revealed way!
You are truly wonderful people who have real love, and sincerity. I cried hen I read this. May Hashem bless you and all the shashonas everywhere. So much love.
Chana simcha
You guys are very special people, Shoshana is so lucky to have found you! This hit my heart like a bowling ball. Mazal tov I the new addition to the family!
May you be blessed so many time over for your incredible acts and life of love and kindness
איש ואישה זכו שכינה בניהם! Those shluchim definitely have the shechina!!!
For giving strength and inspiration to other families who have adopted children or who might be contemplating doing so.
Incredible stuff!
amaizing yailchu maichyil el choyil
I spent a few days with these shluchim. Amazing people. Yelchu mechayil el choyil!
What an inspiration
True shluchim
May Hashem bless you!!!! Lots of koach to raise your beautiful family! What an inspiration you guys are
An admirer
May you have many many Brachos!
Truly inspirational !!!!
May you have all the blessings in the world and only yiddishe chassidisher nachas from your whole family!
The truth is, I have no real words to tell you. Mamesh
This family is amazing
Schoyach, Moshiach Now!
So inspirational!
You’ve give the koach to us parents who are blessed to raise our own children with more patience, more love, and more kindness! And to take each moment to thank Hashem for the awesome opportunity and fortune he gives each of us!!
May you all grow from strength to strength and see chassidishe yiddishe nachas from all your beautiful children!
What an inspiration you both are to us in Lubavitch and to the entire world!
May your selfless life full of goodness and kindness be an example to others and may it bring about the Geulah Shleima mamosh Now!
Praiseworthy are the guardians of justice, who perform charity at all times. (Tehillim 106:3) Now, is it possible to perform charity at all times? R Shmuel bar Nachmani said: This refers to one who raises an orphan boy and orphan girl in their house and marries them off. (Kesubos 50A)
Rabbi and rebbetzin u r Angels!!!
This must bring Moshiach today!!!!!!
You are an inspiration… Rabbi Chaim shaul, we heard you speak by convention. The strength that you and your wife have is from beyond. May you always have the strength to move forward with everything you need and daven for!