1.
* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
“A Jew is never stuck.” I was very moved to hear this statement from young American Jews who have come to Israel for the first time through the organization ״Livnot U’Lehibanot״.
They were scheduled to fly back to the U.S. several days ago, and their flight was canceled. But instead of feeling helpless and depressed, they decided to set goals for themselves: They’ve been busy repairing and painting bomb shelters in Tsfat (Safed).
And why did the words of these young people touch me so deeply? Because it reminded me of a famous story about the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Once, a group of Chabad women were stuck in an airport on a Friday due to a snowstorm. Worried about their situation, they called the Rebbe and told him they were stuck. The Rebbe responded: “Stuck? There is no such thing; a Jew is never stuck. Wherever he is, he has a mission to accomplish.” So these women started looking around the airport for Jewish women who didn’t light Shabbat candles and gave them candles.
There are Jewish women who began to light Shabbat candles, and still do to this day, because a group of women were “stuck” in a snowstorm on Erev Shabbat.
This is a message for all of us, in every situation, because these days it’s easy to feel like everything is stuck.
So, for now, these young American Jews are here and looking for their next volunteer opportunity. A Jew, especially in the Land of Israel, is never stuck.
2.
* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
“Shalom Sivan, My name is Shira, the mother of Eitan Dishon, who fell in battle in Gaza. Quoting the Lubavitcher Rebbe, you wrote yesterday that 'a Jew is never stuck', and I just wanted to tell you how I experienced this myself.
I returned today to Israel on a rescue flight from New York after I was 'stuck' in the United States. I had traveled there with the 'Menucha V’yeshua' organization that provides services to grieving families, but was compelled to remain there for an extra eight days due to the situation in Israel.
But we were never really stuck, not at all. Our extra time there began with an uplifting concert by Yishai Ribo in New York. We were privileged at that event to speak about Eitan, and Yishai spoke about him on stage with deep feelings, dedicating a song to his memory.
On the following Shabbat, I was asked to speak about Eitan at a number of gatherings. Afterwards, women approached me with tears in their eyes and said that my words had given them strength. And, on my end, this was exactly the hug that I needed. The support from our brothers and sisters in America gives me strength and reminds me of the character of our people.
Now I am home back in Israel. I understand how true it is that a Jew is never stuck — since we always stick, together.
Besorot tovot.”
