It’s a 12 hour flight from JFK airport and a 10 hour time zone difference. The flight leaves JFK Tuesday evening and returns less than 48 hours later on Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
It’s a trip that I was privileged to be on to Almaty Kazakhstan. The occasion; the anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, the father of the Rebbe. The people speak Russian but look Asian, the influence and control of the communists. The remnants of their influence still remains but only in the architecture of holdout communist designed buildings amidst the beautiful modern high rises and shopping malls being built.
The distance emphasizes the threat the communists felt from Rabbi Levi Yitzchok so that when he was arrested and exiled for his efforts in spreading Judaism they sent him to the other end of the soviet territory. Together with his wife Rebbetzin Chana, they spent over five years in a required exile in a backwater town in Kazakhstan called Chile. A few months prior to his passing – on account of his illness – he was given permission to spend his last days in the capital Alma Ata (the communist name of the city now known as Almaty).
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok’s burial spot is further testimony of the isolation, distance and threat to the Soviets he represented. A handful, literally, maybe 20 graves of fellow Jews surround his resting place. This little Jewish section is in the center of a massive sprawling non-Jewish cemetery.
The tombstone of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok doesn’t say his last name as the Schneerson name represented the eternity of Judaism, Torah and the Jewish People. Only the post-communist stone spells out his name, his pedigree in the lineage of the Schneerson family, and perhaps the greatest testament to his memory, his role as father to the Rebbe.
I traveled here with 230 fellow Chabad Chasidim from the United States. We were joined by hundreds of emissaries of the Rebbe from throughout the Former Soviet Union who arrived for an annual summer conference on Thursday just prior to our departure back to the United States.
As I sit on this chartered El Al plane (the first time El Al has flown to Almaty) on my return flight, a few thoughts and inspirations are returning with me:
G-d, Torah and the Jewish People are eternal! The entire power of the absolutely frightening, intimidating, destructive Soviet regime could not diminish it. It may seem dark at times, but the fire of eternality is strong. The Rebbe’s father ensured this to be the case. Even in the darkest of places and times he influenced others in their Jewish connection and wrote teachings of Torah.
We can’t rely on others; we need to carry the torch ourselves. Whether it is partaking in a trip across the world to give strength to eternality of Torah or the local emissary, or ensuring that the seed gets planted or the flame gets fueled in my own neighborhood, the job is mine. The Rebbe’s father emulated this in his self-sacrifice for every Jew of the city of his leadership, Dnepropetrovsk (now Dnipro, formerly Yekatrinaslov before communist era). He cared for the over 100,000 Jews regardless of their level of observance and standing up, unintimidated from the powerful communist regime.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok sacrificed in his life – the last time he saw his son was in 1927 when the Rebbe left Russia. He sacrificed in death – being buried far away. For years, his yartzeit was marked thousands of miles away in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and in Chabad Houses around the world – yet not at his grave. Sacrifice is not easy.
Can we say that it was Rabbi Levi Yitzchok’s sacrifice that set the stage for the Rebbe’s leadership and utter dedication to G-d, Torah and the Jewish People?
Can we say that it was his sacrifice that can be credited for the fact that today Judaism is alive, that Torah is studied throughout the world, that the eternality of the Jewish People is strong and visible?
I know that I am inspired; I’m inspired by the fellows who have been inspired for years to make this trip and share it with others. I’m inspired by the Rebbe’s emissaries who live so far away dedicated to growing a revolution of Judaism. I’m inspired by the Rebbe’s father, known endearingly as Reb Levik, who’s sacrifice (in my humble opinion) has paid off in the absolute revolution of Chabad around the world.
I’m inspired to do more, to dedicate more, to sacrifice more, to assist in ensuring his past and current sacrifice is maximized until the day of the coming of Moshiach.
Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman, together with his wife Dena, founded Chabad Intown Atlanta (Georgia) in 1997. Rabbi Schusterman founded Jeff’s Place, dedicated to those struggling with substance use abuse, those in recovery and their loved ones.
