From the Rabbi's Desk - Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma

ONE Holocaust survivor,

Friday, October 27, 2023 - 9:00 AM

This entire family is from ONE Holocaust survivor, Rabbi Nissen Mangel. His wish for his 90th birthday (this week) was to travel back to Auschwitz accompanied by all his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Rabbi Mangel (who translated the prayerbook we use at Chabad) encountered the evil Mengele twice as a nine year old boy. And twice he survived. Look who’s still standing. This is the ultimate revenge!

Am Yisroel Chai!!!

~ ~ ~

Another emotional week. Hearing from so many who are feeling not heard or seen by colleagues, friends, and the world at large. Yet, also witnessing the unity of our nation, hearing the strong resolve of so many to stand tall and proud. To love harder than they can hate. As strong as the darkness may seem, we know that light is truly and ultimately more powerful. To define ourselves by Life.

More Mezuzahs have been proudly hung around town.

We had a full house for the first of six sessions to explore Judaism's perspective on Happiness. We remain committed to life, to joy, and to celebration.

A fantastic turnout of women got together for an incredible evening last night! They prayed, they sang, they laughed and cried and made PINK CHALLAH! It was in honor of breast cancer survivors and to pray and unite for our brothers & sisters in Israel!

A reminder that we all have to remind ourselves, as hard and as tragic as it can be, we cannot get bogged down by the evil and negativity. We have important stuff to live for. And so while the battle is being waged physically, let's use all our energy to power on, to tip the scale to side of good.

This is our ammo; Shabbat candles, Mezuzahs, Charity, Torah education, acts of kindness. And when we use them, we are an unstoppable force.

Flooded

Friday, October 20, 2023 - 9:00 AM

What a week.

All of it starting to sink in. The enormity. The magnitude. The global reverberations. The voices of support. The shockwaves of hate.

Hearing from someone who lost loved ones in the massacre, a community member who was stuck on an Israel tour at the time, a local family who's son was just called up to serve.

It feels like we're underwater. Flooded. Gasping for breath, grasping for hope, for an oxygen tank.

What do you do when you are flooded?

Let's take a lesson from the first flood with Noach. Hashem told him to come into the Teyvah - to enter into the ark. No while literally it meant to board a ship, the word Teyvah in Hebrew also means "The Word".

So the message is: let's immerse ourselves into the words of Torah and Prayer, as that is our ultimate source of strength, comfort, and blessing.

Prayer: Devorah has been posting daily short prayers to her facebook.

Torah: Join our fascinating highly acclaimed course about how to take control of your own happiness and peace. Begins this Monday.

Protection: A mezuzah bears three Hebrew letters on the outside "Guardian of the Doors of Israel". Please reach out if you would like a Mezuzah.

And finally, Light: Bring the light and peace of Shabbat into your home, and into our world, by lighting Shabbat candles today before 6:08pm.

Baruch Hashem for the two hostages that were just released, and we pray to Hashem for the safe return of every single one of the remaining hostages, and for the safety and security of all our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, especially those who are on the front lines.

Shabbat for Israel

Friday, October 13, 2023 - 9:00 AM

In the aftermath of the Holocaust, the Jewish nation was faced with one massive question. What now?

So many gone, wind knocked out of our sails, wishing we could wake up from the nightmare, perhaps it's time to throw in the towel G-d forbid?

Devorah's grandfather was a Holocaust survivor and a partisan fighter against the Nazis. He would always say, the biggest revenge against Hitler is a beautiful Jewish family. Indeed, fast forward to now, after his passing, and there are 13 proud young Jewish boys/men who are named for him.

At a time like this, the very best response is to counter with reaffirming our identity and values. Stand tall! Be proud! We represent the ideals of Life, Love, Compassion, Kindness. Morality.

As we say in the Passover Haggadah, in every generation they rise up to destroy us, and Hashem saves us from their hands. Whether it was Pharaoh, Haman, the Romans, the Nazis, or Hamas, our answer remains the same. In the face of evil, it becomes that much more important, nee critical, to promote goodness and positivity. In response to indiscriminate acts of terror and destruction, let us come forth with indiscriminate acts of kindness and Mitzvahs.

True evil looks for a reason to do evil, and if it finds none, does evil anyway.

As Jews, we seek every reason to do goodness, and if we don't find one, we do goodness anyway.

So add your light, and together, let's banish the darkness.

- Light Shabbat Candles!

- Join in prayer tomorrow morning

- Check out Mendel's Mezuzah project below!

- Increase in learning about the values we stand for!
Petaluma Hebrew begins for kids this Sunday.
How Happiness Thinks begins for Adults on Oct 23

- Want to talk, cry, or simply be together? Let me or Devorah know.

Shabbat Shalom! May we usher in the ultimate peace, an era when there won't be war, death, or destruction, Amen!