Our purpose is not only to light hearts of Jews, but also to learn
others how to be "lamplighters". Today within our organization
there are some communal centers...
Why
our center is called “Lapid” ( a torch)? The answer is in
the words of Rebbe Rashab: “Hasid is a lamplighter who goes along
the street and carries a torch on a long pole. He knows that
this fire does not belong to him, and he lights all the lanterns
meeting him by the way. If the lantern is in a desert then it is
necessary to go there and to light it; if the lantern is in the sea it
is necessary to jump there and to light it ».
Our purpose is not only to light hearts of Jews, but also to learn others how to be "lamplighters".
How to become a lamplighter?
First of all you should light your lantern,
you should get rid of the evil inside of yourself — and then you
may see a lantern inside of the other Jew. A person sees roughness
around, when he is rough. But if a person is pure, he sees also
cleanliness in others.
Therefore we especially emphasize the creation of the Jewish centers
(communities) in different cities of the country. The community is a
place where it is possible to communicate with friends, to advise
with a Russian-speaking rabbi, to listen to interesting lectures about
tradition and history, and not only that. Here it is also
possible to help the others to put the individual abilities and talents
for general welfare.
In fact it is known, how much a human requires for food and
clothes, but it is necessary for him to realize himself helping
the others. The great doctor of body and soul Rambam writes that a
human being deprived of this opportunity is ill. And If it is a
physical illness and in a certain part of body doesn`t work from
a birth (an eye does not see, a hand does not move) such a person
is sick and requires treatment. The same is with the soul . All
of us have individual talents which need disclosing to correct your
moral lacks and to help the others. The Baal Shem Tov spoke, that
sometimes a soul goes down in this world and live here 70-80
years with the purpose to make one kind deed in material,or furthermore
in spiritual sphere..
So
it is the main purpose of Jewish community. All special moments
of a Jew`s life since his birth are connected with the community: Brit
milah , B'nai Mitzvah, wedding or funeral need a Minyan . Without a
reason even Goyi always admired our unity. « You, Jews,
always keep each other », — they said. But not only in the
countries of the Diaspora it is necessary to keep each other. Here in
the Holy Land it is important not to lose individuality and
it is possible only by general efforts.
Today in Israel there are thousand of Jews communities from
Morocco, Yemen, Iraq, Persia, etc. and all of them keep each other. And
what about us ? How many people from the countries of the former union
are in Jewish communities? Unfortunately not many! And it is one
of the troubles of Russian-speaking Jews here, in the Holy Land.
Once
a young rabbi who has recently entered his post noticed that members of
his community don`t go home after the pray but wait to talk with each
other about the things which are far from the spiritual sphere. In his
Saturday speech he negatively responded about it, having declared, that
the synagogue is a place to study Torah and to pray. Being shamed by
his words Jews began to go home just after the pray . And in a short
period of time people began to come to the rabbi and to ask for help :
to give money for their family support or to give money to repair the
house or to buy a horse and etc., etc. When the young rabbi saw that
the money ran out but the stream of applicants did not stop, he started
to search the reason of such a catastrophic financial position. Soon he
found out, that earlier when one of the members of this community
required for help he remained in the synagogue after a pray and told
the others about his troubles and asked for help; the others in turn,
helped as they could. But after the interdiction imposed by the
young rabbi, everyone went home to decide his problems himself . It is
excessive to add that on the next Saturday the young rabbi cancelled
his unsuccessful "decree".
Today within our organization there are some communal centers:
1. Two Kollels in Zefat, where man study the Jewish laws and traditions
in the evenings and, it is also important, they receive a grant
every month.
The first is in the Pamat Razim district, conducted by Rabbi Boruch Ariester
The second is in the "Gift", a synagogue on Gerzel str., lectured by Rabbi Eliaghu Rosenblum .
2. Two Russian-speaking synagogues with daily prays where you can
receive help from Russian-speaking rabbis and make your first
steps in the world of Jewish pray.
3. Yeshiva for the intermediate level of studying laws and Hassidizm
with subsequent examinations and taking a diploma of a rabbi.
The Rebbe King Moshiah emphasizes, that there is no air better
for studying Torah in Israel than in Zefat. That`s why our
yeshiva gives an opportunity to study a small period of time, so
to say "fast studying". Our address: Zefat, district the
Cnaan, Zalman Shazar Str. 235.
4. Monthly female assemblies are held in the beginning of every new month.
5. Lesson of Hassidizm : every Thursday by Rabbi Yoel Dobkin at 18:30,in the synagogue on Gerzel Str.
6. Lessons of Hassidizm : every Thursday by Rabbi Ariester in the district “Ibeecur “.
7. Hebrew Ulpan: Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 till 11:30. Teacher- Lyudmila. The address: Synagogue on Gerzel Str.
8.Seminars and Lectures about Jewish mysticism and kabbalah, excursions
on the ancient places of Zefat and Gallile are held by Rabbi Ruven
Smolkin.
Also we give lectures and lesons in Carmiel ,Zefat,Hedera,Tiberias,Maalot and Keriyat Shemona.
9. Children club “Zivos Hashem”: on Tuesdays at 16:30 in synagogue on Gerzel str.
10.
Virtual Yeshiva. It is possible to listen to the lectures of
Russian-speaking rabbies by Internet. Our lessons are broadcasted in
Moscow,Odessa and Volgograd and it is only beginning.Director of the
project –Rabbi Moyshe Meriin.