While so many in the Northern Hemisphere have hunkered down for the past few months, bracing themselves against snowstorms, blackouts and freezing temperatures—not to mention the ongoing pandemic—thoughts of summer vacation seem like a distant dream.
But for the other half of the world who live in the Southern Hemisphere, these months of December through early March are times off from school—filled with warm weather and plans for travel, vacation and fun in the sun.
Rabbi Zalmy and Rivka Levy—who run the Chabad Center in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, that serves many college students and young professionals—are ordinarily spending much of their time during these months escorting groups of young constituents on trips around the world.
Perhaps their most popular trip is their annual visit to Israel, where about 30 students utilize their summer vacation for an immersive learning experience in Jerusalem. A four-week program that is filled with Torah study, farbrengens (Chassidic gatherings) and trips around the country is a highlight of everyone’s year.
But as the summer months approached, it became obvious that such a trip would be impossible. Israel was experiencing yet another wave of coronavirus cases and was sealing off the border to all but a few exceptions.
So would that be it? Would all these young people be without their yearly source of inspiration?
And then, the Levys hit on an idea: “Why not recreate the experience right here in Argentina?”
Before long, the itinerary was in place: a 10-day retreat for young women in the beginning of January to a resort hotel in the vacation town of Mina Clavero, Cordoba, 10 hours away from the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires.
A Chance to Really ‘Get Away’
“I love to travel and have been to many places around the world,” Abigail Lichtenstein, a photographer and graphic design student in the University of Buenos Aires, tells Chabad.org. “When I heard about this trip, I was a little skeptical, as it was going to be relatively local. But in a way, it was actually even better. When you’re in another country with a packed itinerary every day, you feel rushed, energized to get out and see more. Here, we were completely focused with nowhere to go—and it was just so very spiritual.”
The bucolic Mina Clavero, surrounded by so much natural beauty, made for an ideal setting for such an experience. While they may have been lacking the awe-inspiring presence of the Kotel (Western Wall) or the novelty of camelback riding through the Negev Desert in Israel, the atmosphere in Cordoba opened doors for a different kind of experience. “To have Torah talks by the waterfalls and other such beautiful scenery and deep discussions really gave us a chance to connect with our Judaism, with each other, and really, with ourselves,” said Lichtenstein.
Taya Feigelson, a student in Buenos Aires, agreed. “The hotel was also so posh and comfortable, and we had it all to ourselves. To be honest, I was a bit doubtful going in that I would be interested in spending so much time studying Torah material, but it turned out to be absolutely incredible. I really got the chance to talk to the lecturers and the rabbi and his wife in an unprecedented way.”
The program was immersive. Each day had its own Jewish theme—a day dedicated to kosher, another to Shabbat, and yet another for Moshiach, to name a few. In addition to the rabbi and his wife, a number of lecturers came along as well. To make a good thing even better, additional teachers and counselors arrived for the weekend to regale the girls over Shabbat with even more food for thought.
“The classes were so good, I wanted even more,” gushed Melanie Delobelle, a medical student from Buenos Aires.
Beyond just lectures and classes, the intimate setting of a remote retreat lent itself to many a late-night farbrengen. “We didn’t want to go to sleep. Often, we would farbreng together until 5 or 6 in the morning,” said Lichtenstein.
“Throughout the trip, we could clearly see that each one of the girls were burning with an inner fire, seeking to channel, with a lot of energy, so many deep questions. We saw it clearly during the fabrengens when the girls opened up about some of their innermost feelings; it was incredible,” said Rivka Levy.
And, of course, there was plenty of time to relax and enjoy the time away.
A Life-Changing Experience
Many participants who walked out on a high had not been very involved in Jewish communal life just a few months earlier. “My family is traditional; we celebrate the holidays, but we don’t necessarily observe Shabbat,” said Feigelson. In a story that bucks the trend, her involvement actually started during the coronavirus lockdowns, as a friend told her about classes a Chabad rabbi was teaching over Zoom. The classes were part of the Sinai Scholars Program, a learning experience for college students in 180 campuses around the world underwritten by the Rohr Family and administered by Chabad on Campus.
“I really liked the classes, and when I was able to, even though I live a distance from Palermo, I started joining Rabbi Levy and Rivka for Shabbat,” explained Feigelson. “They encouraged me to join this trip, and I’m so glad I did. I observed my first complete Shabbat there, and I have made so many new friends for life.”
Delobelle’s story is much the same. Her experience with Chabad Palermo started via a Google search for “Judaism near me” and migrated from there to the Sinai Scholars classes over Zoom. When the Israel trip became impossible, the rabbi assured her that another option was in the works, encouraging her to join. “I wasn’t close with the Jewish community just a year ago, and this trip enabled me to connect with my neshamah,my ‘soul.’ It has changed the way I feel and see my Jewish life,” she said.
Lichtenstein only started joining the Levys’ Chabad community over the High Holidays in September; by mid-November, after joining those same Sinai Scholars classes, she, too, was hearing all about this trip. “I don’t come from a very Orthodox background, and this trip has really taught me so much. I learned how to observe Shabbat, and now, each week, I make my own challah, light candles properly and keep Shabbat at home,” she said.
As Rabbi Levy observed, “The Rebbe said there is no such a thing as a ‘far-away Jew,’ and the participants clearly demonstrated that. Though they do not all necessarily hail from backgrounds with formal Jewish education, when they were exposed to an authentic taste of Judaism, they jumped in thirstily. There are many attractive things out there, but none quench the soul of a Jew thirsting for G‑d.”
The trip was organized in conjunction with the programs “El Lazo–Juventud Judía,” directed by Rabbi Shlomo Levy, and “Majon Or Jaia” under the leadership of Mrs. Chani Gorowitz.
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