You Are Important
Eli Groisman grew up in Curaçao, a Caribbean island, in the early 1980s. Since there were no Jewish schools on the island in those years, he attended a Protestant school, where he had a difficult time. Despite his non-observant upbringing, he refused to participate in religious services, leading to daily conflicts with other students while the teachers and principal sided against him. By seventh grade, things escalated, and he started skipping school to play golf, returning just in time to meet his father Chaim at dismissal.
Home Sweet Home
There is an expression, “Money can buy a house, but not a home”. What is so unique about creating a home which engenders the feelings of warmth, love, and acceptance that may be challenging to replicate elsewhere?
The structure of a house along with its design, furniture and amenities obviously serves an important role, however, they do not define the ultimate nature of one’s home. For one can find shelter or even enjoy quality hospitality elsewhere. But, of course, it's still not quite the same as one's home.
Every Person is a Diamond
A recent survey of millennials has revealed troubling statistics regarding how young adults perceive themselves compared to their peers and older generations. Surprisingly, eight out of ten participants believe they are not "good enough" in various aspects of their lives. Additionally, three-quarters of the respondents admit to feeling constantly overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed in their careers, establish meaningful relationships, and meet others' expectations.
Doing Well by Doing Good
Not long ago, the conventional belief was that profit and corporate social responsibility were mutually exclusive pursuits. The notion that a company could boost its bottom line while contributing positively to society was rarely entertained by business leaders.
Today, however, advanced technologies and streamlined processes are reducing costs, paving the way for a new perspective: benefiting people and the world need not sacrifice profitability.
Career Satisfaction
In a recent research study on career satisfaction conducted by Forbes, it was reported that one of the primary factors influencing employee and client satisfaction was the approach taken by businesses, whether transactional or relational.
Incentives
When choosing a career, our prospective decision may be based on many factors such as work qualifications, salary, and time commitments. But most importantly, if possible, we endeavor to seek a job which we will also enjoy and find meaningful, enabling us to make a positive impact on the world around us.
Holy Business
Dr. Bernard Spector, a respected businessman and philanthropist from Montreal, once visited the Rebbe to receive his blessing and advice. "Rebbe, when does one decide they have enough?" he asked.
Dr. Spector explained that he had recently sold his business and was now receiving other lucrative business offers. "I am seeking advice to know when a person decides they have enough money for themselves and their family, and they have reached their goal."
Taking a Sabbatical
Ilana and Doron Toweg have become modern-day heroes and role models for millions of people both in Israel and around the world.
They are owners of a large agricultural farm in Moshav Azaria and are one of the premier sources of produce in Israel. At one point they served as the exclusive eggplant supplier to Strauss, Israel’s largest food distributors.
But, in 2014, they made a huge decision that would seem extremely illogical to any serious entrepreneur.
A Nuclear Reaction
In 1976, renowned author, radio host, lecturer, and business consultant Rabbi David Lapin was at an apparent crossroads during the early stages of his career. At that time, he was working for a commodity trading company in Johannesburg while also establishing a Jewish studies academy and delivering dozens of weekly lectures to hundreds of Jewish students in the region. With two full-time jobs, he felt that he was spreading himself too thin to successfully manage all of his responsibilities. Seeking guidance, he decided to consult the Rebbe, Rabbi M.M. Schneerson.
Work Smarter, Not Harder.
In 2016, Adam LaRoche, the First Baseman of the White Sox, made national headlines when he decided to retire a year early and forfeit the remaining $13 million from his contract. This decision was made after his manager told him that he could no longer bring his 14-year-old son to the team clubhouse during practice and training.
An Open Letter from Columbia
Earlier this week, more than 500 Jewish students at Columbia University signed an open letter expressing their pride in their Jewish identity, defending their support for Israel, and decrying the harassment they've faced surrounding the school's anti-Israel encampment.
“Most of us did not choose to be political activists”, the students wrote. “We are average students, just trying to make it through finals much like the rest of you... One thing is for sure, we will not stop standing up for ourselves. We are proud to be Jews…”.
Love Vs. Respect
Why is it that it is sometimes challenging to like and respect the people whom we love?
Love is an emotion of the heart, respect is an intellectual appreciation for the positive qualities and values of another person and understanding their unique needs. While emotions are expressed more powerfully, they can also become destructive if they are not contained and given the proper context and boundaries. Intellect, on the other hand, may be more rational and less passionate, but it enables a person to develop a genuine appreciation and respect for those they love.
Unconditional Love
The love that exists between parents and their children or among siblings is natural and innate since they are intrinsically connected. While the intensity and expression of the love may be dependent on many factors, the underlying foundation for the love will always remain intact under normal circumstances.
To Love Life
The Talmud teaches that one can learn a lesson from everyone, even from one's enemies. Just a few days after the horrific massacre on October 7th, a senior Hamas official was interviewed and asked how they had successfully taken the Israeli people by surprise.
The Hamas official responded, “The Israelis are known to love life” — Hamas view this as Israel's weakness and a weapon to be exploited. “We, on the other hand, sacrifice ourselves, we consider our dead to be martyrs... We made them think that Hamas was busy governing Gaza and assisting the people living there…All the while… Hamas was preparing for this big attack.”
Israel's Life-Saving Inventions
It is no secret that Israel is a leader in the production of technological inventions which have changed the world. In fact, Israel has more hi-tech start-ups per capita than anywhere else in the world.
Across a wide spectrum of industries, from Netafim to Watergen in agriculture, from PillCam to ReWalk in medical technology, to road safety life-saving AI Mobileye, Israel is leading the way with life-saving inventions.
A Happy Marriage
When Yigael Yadin, an Israeli archaeologist and former military Chief-of-Staff, came to Masada in the 1950s and first laid eyes on a three-pooled plastered bath system carved into rock, he did not realize that he had just made the first-ever discovery of an ancient Mikvah, a Jewish ritual bath. Hundreds more were subsequently found all over Israel.
Words Matter
In 2018, furniture company IKEA performed a social experiment called “Bully A Plant- Say No to Bullying”. The experiment, conducted at a school in the United Arab Emirates, showed students how destructive negative comments can be. IKEA set up two identical plants in the school and kept them under identical controlled environments. They each received the same amount of light, nutrition and water. All except for one thing, that is. For 30 days, they invited students to compliment one plant and bully the other.
Hey Siri!
Hey Siri, what’s the weather forecast for this week? Alexa, please turn off the lights. Hey Siri, what is the Shabbat candle lighting time in Dobbs Ferry for this evening?
Along with the incredible technological advancements and development of artificial intelligence over the last few decades, we have also come to better appreciate the power of our speech. We can be literally “talking to the walls” while accomplishing a great deal of things.
The Life of Joe Lieberman
Last week, the late former senator Joe Lieberman of blessed memory was laid to rest among family, friends, and dignitaries. Among his many accomplishments was making history as the first Jewish candidate to represent a national party platform as Al Gore’s running mate during the 2000 presidential election. However, above all else, Lieberman's legacy is remembered for his proud observance of Judaism and his unwavering commitment to his values.