Living Jewish out of the Foxhole

I had the good fortune of spending a few days last week including last Shabbat in Moscow, Russia. I was there to celebrate the wedding of Moshe Lerman son on Rabbi Yossi and Esther Lerman fellow Chabad Shluchim here in Georgia (in Gwinett County) to Frady Lazar, daughter of Rabbi Berel Lazal Chief Rabbi of Russia and director of Chabad activities in the former Soviet Union.

During the year 1991 – 1995 I spent summers, some high holidays, some Passovers and an entire year in that country. I remember the early days of perestroika so to return and see a flourishing Jewish community with all the amenities that an American Jewish community could only dream of was literally mind blowing.

For example, a community center with a full service program for every age demographic, full school system from babies through university age, including dormitory living, senior citizen homes, 28 synagogues around the city, 6 kosher restaurants, a state of the art Jewish museum and museum of tolerance that makes most American museums blush. The amount of Torah that is studied in these institutions, the amount of Mitzvot that are performed. And not to mention the institutions of Chesed for example providing 15,000 meals for people who would literally starve otherwise, clinics and the list goes on, all this executed by an army of Chabad Rabbi’s and Rebbetzins and this is only in Moscow. This is being repeated in various measure throughout the former Soviet Union.

And to think that just a mere 30 years ago Jews were afraid to be seen walking to synagogue on Shabbat or buying kosher meat. To think that only 89 years ago the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe was sentenced to death for encouraging his Chasidim to defy the communists and ensure that Torah and Mitzvot would be taught in little groups of 2-3 people, that a Mikvah would stay open, that a minyan would continue to operate, etc.

It is no doubt that the self sacrifice of many Jews throughout the years ensured that the embers never burned out and they have now reignited into a burning fire.

In this weeks Torah portion we read of the commandment to bring olive oil to keep the everlasting flame on the Menorah burning.

Chasidic philosophy teaches that this Mitzvah is unique in that it is commanded in the Torah as if Moses himself is giving the instruction, “and you should command the children of Israel”. The oil is drawn from the olives as it is crushed. Generally and historically, we’ve needed to be crushed by our enemies and those that have wished to destroy us to bring out the inner oil of our faith and our neshama to ensure that we would preserve the inner fire.

The Rebbe said that times have changed and now we have a new responsibility and a new challenge. By and large the world is not pressuring us to hide our Judaism. We are not being told, not to live as a Jew or that we will be killed if we go to shul or study Torah.

But in many ways living as a Jew in America, outside of the foxhole is that much more challenging. We have to dig deeper within ourselves to light our own fire. We have to make a greater effort not to become complacent.

So, as I sit here and reflect on the contrast of 20 years of change in the former Soviet Union and how Yiddishkeit is alive and aflame in that country, I ask myself and challenge you to do the same, what am I doing today to make sure I don’t become complacent? What am I doing today to make sure I am staying on fire? What are we doing today to live more Jewish?

Good Shabbos!