Typically, when G-d commanded Moshe to teach something to the Jewish People, He would say, “Command the Children of Israel.” Mysteriously, in the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, G-d says, “And you shall command the Israelites to bring to you pure olive oil crushed for the lamp.” Why suddenly does the Torah emphasize that […]

All too often, individuals with disabilities or those for whom mental wellness is a struggle feel isolated and imagine that no one in the world could possibly understand the challenges they face on a daily basis. But the narrative of their lives could be tremendously altered if only they knew that there is a supportive […]

In Episode 18 of Lamplighters: Stories From Chabad Emissaries On The Jewish Frontier, Lamplighters Reporter/Producer Gary Waleik presents the story of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Zuber – as told by his daughter Mrs. Chana Sharfstein – whose groundbreaking work as Shliach to Russia, Latvia, Sweden, and the U.S. was crucial in helping Chabad develop its model […]

A whopping 1,500 meals prepared for visiting athletes, coaches and journalists When the Beijing Olympics committee needed kosher food, they turned to Chabad-Lubavitch of Beijing, directed by Rabbi Shimon Freundlich, Chabad-Lubavitch emissary to the Chinese capital since 2001. After all, Freundlich is no stranger to preparing massive quantities of kosher food in the city of […]

Adapted from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Imagine you are preparing to host royalty in your home. Think of the pressure. What food will you serve? How will you address the king? All the tiny details of your behavior take on a whole new world of significance. The construction of the Mishkan put the […]

Living alone can be lonely for anyone. For a ninety-two-year-old living in a dilapidated Russian apartment with no family, it can be dangerous. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit Rostov-on-Don in Southern Russia, the Jewish community’s seniors were utterly isolated. Many of them are Holocaust survivors and World War Two veterans who had been relying on […]

‘Simanim: Parsha Mnemonics’ provides inspiration and insight for each weekly portion Viewers of Chabad.org/Video and consumers of the website’s in-depth essays have long known and enjoyed the prolific scholarly output of Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin, Chabad-Lubavitch emissary to Downtown Brooklyn and rabbi of Congregation B’nai Avraham in Brooklyn Heights. The rabbi’s most recent work, Simanim: […]

Entrepreneur Mort Fertel shares how he and his family have turned Salt Lake City into home As part of our “What’s It Like to Be Jewish” series in which we take a look at Jewish life in places as diverse as the jungles of the Amazon and the teeming streets of Casablanca, we bring you […]

And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, O Zebulun, on your journeys, And Issachar, in your tents. They invite their kin to the mountain, Where they offer sacrifices of success. For they draw from the riches of the sea And the hidden hoards of the sand. (Deuteronomy 33:18-19) Before his passing, Jacob blessed his children and […]