A giant building in a city where space is hard to come by, New York State now rents out the Marcy Avenue Armory as a set to large scale movies – and to the organizers of the annual International Conference of Chabad Shluchot, which I was privileged to attend last week.
Last Thursday afternoon, the Armory came alive as thousands of Chabad emissaries arrived from around the globe to spend a weekend with family and friends, learning, growing, and leaning on each other. Busses of women pulled up from Crown Heights – the home of Chabad World Headquarters, each armed with a name tag stating not only her name but her place of residence – her Shlichus. That place of residence is key here, it’s the unique mission that each of these women have committed to together with their husbands, the mission to bring Judaism to Jews on tropical islands, metropolitan cities, and the dry deserts of Africa. Some women came straight from the airport, suitcases, babies and strollers in tow.
They came to be inspired and to inspire each other. They came to learn practical tips about fundraising (each Chabad center is self-supported by its local community) and specific advice on self-care. They came to reconnect to each other, and to their leader – the Rebbe – by focusing on his teachings and gaining energy from the lessons he taught.
After several sessions of learning, the first evening concluded with a welcome dinner, where I was privileged to speak. I shared a story from Chabad.org about a person who once had a private meeting with the Rebbe and asked him, “What was it about the Rebbe that inspired thousands to come hear his teachings, to ask for his blessing?”
The Rebbe replied, “I try to be a good friend.”
Incredulous, the visitor repeated, “A friend?” The Rebbe then asked him, “How many friends do you have?”
“I have many!” the man replied. “Let me define a friend for you,” said the Rebbe, “A friend is someone in whose presence you can think aloud without worrying about being taken advantage of. A friend is someone who suffers with you when you are in pain and rejoices in your joy. A friend is someone who looks out for you, and always has your best interests in mind. In fact, a true friend is like an extension of yourself.”
The Rebbe then asked with a smile, “Now, how many friends like that do you have?”
Everything that the Rebbe did and stood for embodied true love of his fellow Jew, known as Ahavat Yisrael. The Mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael that was the theme of this year’s convention.
After a weekend of friendship and great kosher food, the convention formally came to a close with the annual Sunday night banquet. We watched a short video story of a Shlucha and friend of mine, Mushkie Hecht, an emissary to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. We heard about an American backpacker she met on Chanukah, a girl named Maya, who joined them for a day of Latke frying and Menorah lighting.
Mushkie, my friend, gave Maya her cell phone number before they parted ways. “Feel free to call me if you need anything during your stay here.” It was a line Mushkie had said hundreds of times, to hundreds of visitors. She didn’t really expect a call. But a call came just a few days later, from a terrified Maya who was lost and alone in the Mexican jungle; disoriented, out of food, and with a dying cell phone. After desperately writing a will in her journal, she found enough service and battery to make just one call, and that one call went to Mushkie. Mushkie drove with her children to the local Mexican police station and in broken Spanish (she grew up in England) facilitated Maya’s rescue – she brought her home.
We heard from Dini Freundlich, a Shlucha to Beijing for almost 25 years. With the outbreak of the Coronavirus she and her children are now in America indefinitely, but her husband remains behind to help the remaining Jews – mask in place. She is hoping to be able to rejoin him in time for Pesach, when she caters seders for hundreds out of the Beijing kosher restaurant known simply as “Dini’s.”
One of my favorite annual traditions is the roll call that always concludes the banquet. Beginning with Albania and ending with Zanzibar, with over 100 countries (and all 50 States) listed in between, each country is given a round of applause and often a cheer. Some of the countries, like France and the United States, are home to hundreds of Chabad Houses and Shluchim. Others are led by a single family, often a young newly married couple, their children in tow.
But no matter where in the world, all the troops - big or small, share the same mission, the same unified goal. To love their fellow Jew, to connect them to their heritage and their Maker, to be their friend.
Esty Perman is a 3rd generation Chabad emissary to Kansas City. Along with her family, she runs Chabad of Leawood and Gan Chabad Preschool. She is married to Rabbi Schneur Perman. They are the parents of Menucha Perman, age 4.