The thank-you calls had quietly revealed something profound: a Yiddishe neshamah joyfully counting down to Shabbos

Living Higher

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Life Chicago is a highly regarded kiruv organization focusing on young professionals. Led by Rabbi Yaakov Frankiel, the Windy-City-based program brings together a community of people in their twenties and thirties looking to identify more deeply with their Jewish roots. Last week, JLife ran a successful crowdfunding campaign that generated more than half a million dollars. JLife Participants themselves played a heavy role in soliciting the funds, and when the goal was reached, many of them called donors personally to thank them for participating and contributing. When calls weren’t answered, they followed up with text messages of gratitude. The reply messages to the JLife participants were heartfelt and warm, thanking the fundraisers for allowing them (the donors) the privilege of supporting Torah and kiruv programming. Many of those replies were then “screenshot” and forwarded to Rabbi Frankiel. In the euphoric flow of messages, one stood out. In the screenshot, Rabbi Frankiel noticed a small countdown app on a JLife participant’s phone — “1 day, 19 hours, 37 minutes to Shabbos.” Amidst the revelry of a successful campaign, the thank-you calls had quietly revealed something profound: a Yiddishe neshamah joyfully counting down to Shabbos.

The Lens

Inclement weather has brought blankets of snow upon wide swaths of the Tristate area. While snow can be seen as burdensome, slowing traffic and upending schedules, the verse in Tehillim (51:9) sees it as a symbol of spiritual purity. “Techabseini umisheleg albin,” says the pasuk, “Clean me and whiten me more than snow.”

In Woodbourne, New York, home to the rebbe who composed the renowned song “Every Yid’s a Big Tzaddik,” a car illustrates the positive nature of snow: flakes moved elegantly aside so the message of each Jew’s inner purity can shine forth. Because whatever the weather, every Yid’s a big tzaddik.

Overheard

“Why do we have these degrees of prioritization in tzedakah? What is the reasoning behind them? Because if Hashem gave someone extra money to give tzedakah, that money was never meant for him. It was earmarked for someone else. For whatever reason, Hashem didn’t send that third party the money directly, but He wants it to get there. And how will He get them that money? By sending it to someone far away? No, by sending it those closest to him.”

—Rabbi Dov Kahan, rav of Beis Medrash of Arlington, speaking at the Hashkafah in the Workplace Vaad in Lakewood, New Jersey. Rabbi Kahan stressed the importance of following the priorities in distributing tzedakah as laid out in the Shulchan Aruch — family, neighbors, community, city, and aniyei Eretz Yisrael.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1095)