CTeenConnection

Have you ever heard the saying “Where there is Starbucks, there is Chabad?” This is extremely true! All around the world , from the US to China we can find Chabad communities! But who is responsible for operating Chabad houses? Who makes it possible for every Jew, no matter where they find themselves in the world, to have a place to stay? This is the amazing job that Shluchim have. A Shliach (singular for Shluchim) in hebrew literally means an emissary. Shluchim are usually a husband and wife, who are the emissaries of the Rebbe, the representatives of Chabad in the areas where they live. Starting in the  the 1950s, the Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, sent  thousands of Shluchim all over the world, to bring Jews closer to Judaism through mitzvah campaigns such as encouraging men to wear Tefillin, and women to light Shabbat candles. Every day, thousands of Shluchim in every corner of the globe inspire Jewish identity, provide Jewish education, and ensure to  help with the needs of their local community, which is definitely not an easy job. Out of pure love, Shluchim serve every Jew regardless of their level of observance, and make sure that their community is an environment in which every single Jew will feel included, and taken care of. I have met many Shluchim families, and every time I receive the same questions: Do you have a place to stay for Shabbat? or, Do you know someone who needs a place to stay? This questions always make me think of how much effort Shluchim put into their work, and how committed they are to their job, which is spreading Judaism all around the world. It is wonderful to see how a Shliach walks up to a random  man on the street and asks: Excuse me, are you Jewish? Just to make sure that if that man happens to be Jewish, he can fulfill the Mitzvah of putting on Tefillin, maybe for the first time in his life, and be encouraged to continue growing. There is only one thing left to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Shluchim for all you do!