My Purim Miracle in Manhattan

Disclaimer/Qualifier: The Chabad mission is to spread G-dliness and Goodness in the world.  Our doors and hearts are open to everyone regardless of their spiritual inclination, affiliation or background. In order to ensure that people feel that welcome, I make every attempt to be impartial in any private or public setting in relation to political matters.  To further the mission we engage with all kinds of political leaders to help spread and achieve our mission.  Chabad has met with presidents of all parties, has engaged bi-partisan support for education day USA and has leaders of all political persuasions light the Public Menorah at Chanukah celebrations and other engagements.  

Happy Purim!  The story of this picture is one that I feel is deeply connected to Purim. The miracle of Purim is a story of a series of disparate events that came together to bring the salvation of the Jewish People.  

In analyzing the Megillah there are many details that are only relevant when seen in the context of the entire story.  Zooming the camera out, away from the narrow pixel gives us perspective.  In reality, our faith in Hashem and our trust in His master plan doesn’t require that we see how the dots come together.  The faith and trust that it all comes from Above is more than adequate to set us at ease and keep us humble.  It is all a miracle.

Nonetheless, it is a blessing when we are fortunate to see the connection of the dots.

On account of our work in the recovery space, I was privileged to be invited to attend an exclusive (90 people in total) conference of the CGI – Clinton Global Initiative. The CGI was established in 2005 and hasn’t met in 5 years.  This was a conference to jump start the CGI and many big shots were invited.  My friend Chrisitan Thrasher – director of the Clinton Foundation Opioid Task Force felt I was enough of a big shot to attend.

I felt there would be an opportunity to share some of the Rebbe’s view on bringing G-dliness and Goodness into the world and so since I was called on, I responded that I would attend.

Chelsea Clinton was going to kick off the conference at 12:30, breakout sessions to follow, and President and Hillary Clinton were going to speak at 2:30.  Since it was a Friday and this was taking place in NY, I would need to leave at 4:30 to have enough time to get the train and get back to Crown Heights in time for Shabbos. Perfect. I’d have enough time to see and be seen and I couldn’t partake of the reception to follow anyway.

On Thursday, as I landed in NY, I got a call from Chris.  Bad news/Good news he says.  The conference was changed from 12:30 – 5:30 to 2:30 – 6:30.  That means the President wasn’t going to be speaking until 4:30.  Argh! The good news, “I’ve arranged with the coordinators and the secret service for you to meet privately for 3 minutes with the President, I really want to introduce you to him”.

Amazing! Now I have a story to tell. Because of my Shabbos observance, I had the opportunity to meet personally in a manner I wouldn’t have otherwise.  Now to top it off, over the past year, my brother and Rabbi Shais Taub collaborated on a first of its kind Recovery Haggadah.  I was instrumental in helping funding for the project and advising.  (Order your copy here.). This would be perfect, I will present the Haggadah to the President.  Chabad Mission Accomplished! I showed up with my Kipah, honored the Shabbos, shared the message and for my ego, met the president and rubbed shoulders with big shots!

Everything goes as planned. I arrive at the Salesforce building at 12:00, get my Covid test (I needed to get my booster to attend), while waiting paid a visit to Chabad Midtown Manhattan, returned and was escorted via the labyrinth of security to the 22 floor and then the 41st floor, the O’hana Room with an amazing wrap around view of the City.

Chelsea begins her presentation and we break out for our Opioid task force group at 3:15.   We close out at 4:30.  

Chris and I go to the designated spot together with the Imam from Texas who is part of our interfaith cohort.  I’ve got like 5 minutes and then I’m going to start encroaching on my little window of time that I left as a buffer.

As we are standing there, the secret service person comes over to Chris and tells him that the President is delayed.  He won’t be arriving until 5:00!  Disappointing to say the least. 

Chris knows his way around the important people there so he approached President Clinton’s handler who tells him that “shh, the president is in the building, but they’re holding him. Just wait another minute or two”.  I’m pushing the buffer even more now.  

Another, the Secret Service comes and says that because of the delay we won’t be able to meet with the President at all.  Darn.

At this point, I take the Haggadah which I had carefully inscribed (I don’t have very neat handwriting) with a message and a note of thanks to the President, give it to Chris and tell him that I need to leave.  I ask him if he’ll pass it on to the President on my behalf. He says he will and both of disappointed, parted ways.

I rush out of the room, grab my coat and make my way through the labyrinth of elevators to get out of the building.

As I run towards the train, Chris calls me. He says, “I”m so upset.  Right after you left the President walked in and the Secret Service allowed the Iman and Chris to interact with the President.”

I made the right and responsible decision, Shabbos was coming.  As it was I got back to my Uncle and Aunts house in Crown heights 5 minutes before sunset.  My ego was bruised a bit.  An imagined opportunity was lost.  A good story about Shabbos and the rewards for keeping Shabbos, melted like Manhattan snow.

As I put some time between myself and the event, I started realizing that I was owning the story, instead of letting Hashem own it.  I did my part, who knows what Hashem’s intentions were.  Maybe I’ll know one day, maybe I won’t.

Everyday, the Purim Miracle is happening around us, everything being carefully choreographed and orchestrated from Above.  Sometimes we get to see the miracle, often we don’t.

But it’s Purim today, we got to see the Miracle, Happy Purim!

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