Personal Reflections

Maybe I'm crazy, maybe I'm just ranting, but you heard it here first: one day the children of those who sought harm will benefit from the legacy that Gabi and Rivky left behind. And that will be the sweetest revenge of all

They had no idea of how gentle and loving were the souls they would soon cut down. Little did they realize that had circumstances been different they would have been greeted with warm smiles and invited for a home-cooked meal...

I realize now that You have given virtually these same tests to the Chabad Shluchim (emissaries) in the same manner that You gave them to Abraham...

I assumed that once my son would hear of the terrible murders, he would be filled with questions and doubt. And, my young but intelligent son did have questions. Many questions. And sad questions.

Moishele, the only words of comfort that we can offer you is that wherever you go in this world, you will always have thousands of mommies and tatties and brothers and sisters who will welcome you with open arms and loving hearts, just like your parents did for every single person

It would have made most sense for Sandra Samuel to get out of there as quickly as possible. But she didn't. She couldn't. Little Moshe'le was calling her name...

What does this mean for us? For our mission?

How do we view tragedy? What does the wisdom of the Torah suggest our responses be?

I am sure that there on the other side of the globe competent people are going about that grim task. We sit here and we watch them without seeing

If to You the darkness is as light, it is not to me; the darkness comes hard...

We cannot change what has happened. But we can determine how we react to this tragedy. Please think about what you can do to bring more light to this darkness. Please share below what you are doing in memory of the Mumbai victims and for Gavriel and Rivka...

We are left with questions--heavy, unbearable and haunting questions. But if we succumb to doubt, pain and immobility, we give greater power to the evil around us...

A Crown Heights resident was killed in cold blood by an assailant. And the Rebbe spoke. He was trembling, even his lectern was shaking...

I will leave it to smarter and more informed scholars to debate the politics of the world and what led to this senseless slaughter. Instead, I would like provide some perspective about these Chabad rabbis and their families...

An event that would have normally elicited from me a sigh and a few moments of thought is now consuming me. It's not "numbers" of casualties; it's real people with real faces...

They took all of us hostage and showed no mercy. And like little Moshe Holtzberg, some of us managed to get away. The question now is: "What do we do with that freedom?"

Once you are at war, you don’t stop to ponder all over again. Now you are out there on the field of battle, there is no turning back....

I was praying for Rabbi and Mrs. Holtzberg and all the other Jewish people in Mumbai asking for G‑d to help them. Why didn't He listen to me and the many others who prayed to him and asked for their lives to be saved?

If hundreds of thousands of Jews were praying for them, and Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka were doing G‑d's work, why take them and hurt their child? I Don't get it

This has been the story of our history ever since. They think they can squash us. They think we are weak. They never succeeded. They never will.