Was It a Forest I Saw?

After being on Shlichus in Bowie (pronounced boo-ei) Maryland for a year, I think back to the first time I saw this place: It looked to me like a literal forest. It looked like upstate New York.

As a born and bred New York City boy, that was my only point of reference to the tree-lined roadways which criss-crossed town. For all I knew, there were endless rows of trees continuing on each side, with a few houses sprinkled in between.

But then I came to know the subdivision neighborhoods and to see the houses through the trees, I started knocking on doors, finding the Jews and putting up mezuzos. I started setting up in front of stores and meeting some Yiddelach. Yidden who were pleasantly surprised to see me, but had close to no idea of what I wanted from them. They listened to what I had to say with bemused smiles, and often took what I had to offer them, though Tefillin in public was a stretch, and continued contact was scarce.

We weren’t sure how things would turn out here.

Then, standing outside Aldi’s (a grocery store) on Sukkos, I saw a guy walking up the sidewalk, giggling with his child as he went. “Excuse me, are you Jewish?” I asked. “Who are you?” He asked. “I’m from Chabad of Bowie.” “There’s Chabad in Bowie?! I’m Chabad! I’ve been looking for you guys for two years!” He exclaimed. “I’m from Rabbi Kaminetzki in the Rebbe’s city!” He took hold of the lulov and esrog and shook them together with his whole neshama.

Later that night in our Sukkah, his first in two years since the war began, looking at a picture of the Rebbe on the wall and the Smirnoff on the table, he exclaimed: “I can’t believe it! Same Chabad! Same Rebbe! same farbrengen! I’m so happy!”

We knew we were in the right place. It was a clear sign.

But we were still a bit afraid of our own shadows, afraid to make a ruckus in this quaint and quiet town. We started planning for Chanukah, and we didn’t know what to expect. The government people who live here are not much into their social media, so we put up physical signs (can you believe it!?) in 10 stores or so. People saw them.

As Chanukah drew near, reservation after reservation were pouring in. As the night arrived, 50 people showed up to watch the menorah be lit, get their own menorah, eat a donut and latke, drink some hot apple cider, dance and shmooze. The city employee in charge of community events who had helped us coordinate the place exclaimed: “Wow, the community turned out!” We had only started advertising a week before! לב ישראל ער הוא! This could only happen with the Rebbe’s brachos!

Our monthly Shabbos services and kiddush took off nicely after that–with quite a few Chanukah event attendees joining מיט די גאנצע הארץ as they sing the traditional tunes. As well as bi-weekly classes on the parsha through the Rebbe’s lens.

Things have been changing in Bowie: From the children who did not know what the word “G-d” meant now saying Shema every night, and asking how things will be when Moshiach comes, to the people who went from no shul to walking to shul, to the great turnout for Shabbos dinners, Purim parties, Pesach sedorim and community BBQs (when the rain cleared for the two hours of our event, and) where they fulfilled and took upon themselves new mitzvos–BH Bowie is no longer spiritually desolate. It has become alive with the light of Hashem and the Rebbe’s brachos and guidance.
Please help miracles continue to blossom in Bowie!

Please support our work as the Rebbe’s Shluchim, and help us reach our goal of $40,000 in the next 5 days!:

https://chabadbowie.com/campaign

May you be געבענטשט!

~ Chabad of Bowie is an affiliate of Chabad Lubavitch of Maryland, led by Head Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, to whom we are very grateful for this special appointment ~

Https://chabadbowie.com/campaign