COLLive: Yosef, thank you for joining us.Many people are trying to understand what you are campaigning for now. Is it just a book, or is it Illuminations, or is it to join DollarDaily or give money? A lot of people seem confused.
Yosef: DollarDaily (DD) was started as a fund to help Shluchim. I noticed that many Shluchim, particularly those in remote places or new ones, were really struggling. Friends of mine couldn’t even afford to buy their kids shoes or clothes, and some had wives wearing the same sheitel for 15 years. These people were in a bad shape. So we came up with the idea of getting people to contribute just a single dollar a day. Since then, the fund has grown, and we now give $740 a day.
Once DD was started, we realized we needed to be more than just a fund. People like to give, but after a while, they may feel disconnected. So, we knew we needed to keep the fire alive. The best way to do that was to show people what they are part of, to demonstrate the impact. This gave birth to Illuminations.
COLLive: So what is Illuminations, and how does it relate to the campaign now?
Yosef: DD remains committed to ensuring that every donation is entirely allocated to the specified Chabad house on the daily calendar, without any deductions. Donors have complete transparency and can verify the receipt of funds by the intended recipients. In some cases, Shluchim may even receive more than the listed amount, thanks to the efforts of Yaad Lashliach, who handles check-writing and occasionally adds extra funds.
The monthly charge for participants is slightly more than a dollar, specifically $32.25 (approximately $1.06 daily). After accounting for credit card fees, DD retains about $3 to $5 per person over the course of a year. Currently, this amounts to an additional $2,500 to $3,000. These funds are vital for covering the costs associated with hosting the DD web server.
However, the regular expenses, such as serious maintenance from web coders , advertising (including video promotions and graphic designers), and other related costs, quickly add up to significant amounts. It’s important to note that these expenses are not covered by the daily donors’ contributions. While the funds are enough to cover the server expenses, they are insufficient for all the other necessary expenditures.
As the founder, I personally contribute as much as possible, but the ongoing growth and development of the site require additional funding. To sustain and expand the site, we need much more financial support to cover the increasing operational and maintenance costs.
COLLive: How does a book become part of all this?
Yosef: The book is intended as a complement to DollarDaily and its fundraising efforts. Initially, there were concerns about running another campaign alongside DollarDaily since the primary goal is to encourage people to join the fund. It’s true that this could lead to confusion, with individuals unsure whether the focus is on raising money for DollarDaily or encouraging them to become participants.
However, Illuminations has grown to play a significant role within DollarDaily. With a vast readership of thousands worldwide, we recognized the potential to create a series of books. The hope is that the proceeds from book sales will benefit DollarDaily and serve as a secondary source of income to sustain the fund effectively.
Additionally, the book serves as a means to educate people about the remarkable work being done by Shluchim, ultimately generating more excitement about giving and being part of this meaningful endeavor. Consequently, we decided to make the campaign about the book, placing emphasis on showcasing the incredible world of Shluchim through Illuminations while still supporting the cause of DollarDaily.
COLLive: Why the book? If I read Illuminations weekly, what will make the book so exciting and different?
Yosef: When we interview Shluchim, they often begin by saying they might not be the best person to talk to and that there are others with better stories. However, as the interview progresses, we uncover dozens of truly captivating and mouth-dropping stories. The richness of the content often makes it impossible to fit everything into a newsletter with a strict word limit of just 2000 words. Even 2000 words prove to be quite a lot, and many similar publications try to condense their content further.
With the book, we aim to present more than half of its content as unseen material. We revisit what was previously written, keeping in mind that much of it was done under tight deadline pressure, and occasionally, the wording might not be as perfect as we would like. Therefore, we took the opportunity to improve and expand upon the existing content, making it even more compelling for the readers.
COLLive: How about photos and images, especially considering tznius issues? I imagine that’s a real challenge.
Yosef: Indeed, our primary goal with the book’s layout is to appeal to a wide and diverse audience. We envision it as something that Lubavitchers can read with pride, evoking awe in Jewish readers from Lakewood, and at the same time, Shluchim will feel comfortable sharing it within their communities. Accommodating the preferences and interests of these different groups has been quite a challenging task, but we hope that we have succeeded in creating content that resonates with all of them.
Regarding images, we recognize the importance of maintaining sensitivity to tznius issues while still ensuring visual engagement for our readers. To address this concern, we have wholeheartedly embraced the use of advanced AI tools and software. These tools enable us to enhance cellphone images and modify potentially uncomfortable visuals to align better with the values and standards of our readership. In doing so, we can strike a delicate balance, providing visually captivating content without compromising on our commitment to upholding respect and modesty.
COLLive: Will the book include all the Shluchim? To date, you have done about 80 Illuminations interviews?
Yosef: Absolutely, each Shliach has an amazing and compelling story to share, making it difficult to select only a few for the book. With the wealth of content gathered, it became apparent that there was enough material to fill multiple books, perhaps even three or four. Therefore, we had to carefully curate and choose 25 Shluchim and their stories from various interesting places worldwide. While it was a challenging decision, these 25 individuals offer something unique that collectively paints a vivid picture of the world of Shlichus.
The ultimate goal is to create a series of books, allowing us to showcase the incredible stories of even more Shluchim. In addition to the 80 interviews already released, we have over 30 more interviews recorded and in the process of being written. We continuously conduct new interviews to keep expanding this valuable collection of stories.
COLLive: Why did this never happen?
Yosef: Malka Touger’s book, “Excuse Me, Are You Jewish,” published in 2006, serves as a significant predecessor and a major inspiration for our current project. Over the years, technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, opening up exciting possibilities for storytelling and visual presentation.
Since the release in 2006, the landscape of Shlichus has undergone remarkable changes. The global network of Shluchim has expanded exponentially, with hundreds and hundreds of new Shluchim. Moreover, those who were previously featured in the previous book, which only collected one or two stories per Shliach, now have an opportunity to share all their stories, allowing us to capture the vast diversity and richness within the world of Shlichus.
The impact of technological developments extends beyond storytelling itself. Reaching out to Shluchim has become significantly more efficient and systematic due to the widespread use of smartphones, emails, and WhatsApp. This accessibility has streamlined the interview process for diverse locations around the world. In some instances, interviews were even conducted through WhatsApp group chats. Each interview we undertake holds its own distinctive narrative.
COLLive: So why should our readers get behind this and be a part of it? There are many good causes and tragedies that people may support. What makes this project worth their involvement?
Yosef: Being a part of this book and supporting it is not just about the book itself; it’s about supporting the larger cause of DollarDaily. The book is designed to complement and assist DollarDaily in its mission to help Shluchim around the world. For years, I’ve dreamt of creating such a book, and Illuminations has become an essential aspect that supports DollarDaily’s efforts.
Once the book is printed and, with divine help, reprinted, it will serve as one of the most impactful promotions for DollarDaily. By bringing this book to homes worldwide, it allows people to connect with the inspiring stories of Shluchim and hopefully encourages more individuals to join and be part of DollarDaily’s meaningful mission.
Moreover, the proceeds generated from book sales will directly contribute to supporting and advancing DollarDaily further. As with any good cause, ongoing efforts and support are essential for its success. COLLive has been an incredible friend and partner, assisting with Illuminations and sharing the story of DollarDaily with the world.
As the project grows and evolves, so do the operational costs. To ensure the continued success and impact of DollarDaily, we need additional funds to keep the platform running efficiently. Participating in the book project not only aids Shluchim who are in need of financial support but also contributes to the thriving growth and expansion of DollarDaily.
Donate now at https://raisethon.com/illuminations
