Uganda.
The country once ruled by a tyrannical dictator, Idi Amin. The location where terrorists landed a plane full of Israeli hostages. Subsequently, the dramatic and highly successful Operation Entebbe to rescue the hostages took place.
Now, it becomes the 100th country to have a permanent Chabad presence, serving the needs of the Jewish businessmen and tourists year-round. This news was shared at last week's conference of some 4,000 Chabad rabbis in NY. You can view some of my personal highlights here and here.
Why would anyone leave the comforts of home and community to go to the Jewishly uncharted territory of Central Africa?
This week we discuss Jacob leaving the comfort of his parent's home in the land of Cna'an (not yet Israel - as Israel was Jacob's alternate name, which he had not yet been given). Destination isCharan, where Laban would swindle and cheat him.
But Jacob realized life isn't about living where it's light, where the scenery is picturesque, where civilization happens to be civilized. There's another world like that - angels don't encounter evil, nor do they experience feeling of hatred, jealousy, or negativity. But in this world, it's all about lighting up the darkness; making positive change wherever we and in whatever we do.
So while Kampala, Uganda may not seem like an ideal vacation spot, it, along with 4,000+ communities around the world, presents an opportunity to make an impact on Jewish life, contributing, uplifting, illuminating. So long as there is a dark spot on the planet, so long as there is a person in the farthest corners of the globe without the opportunity to celebrate his or her Jewish identity, we still have work to do.
It's like the message of the upcoming holiday of Chanukah: Light up the night!
ב"ה