The Word of the Rabbi - Chabad Lubavitch of Athens Greece

The Russian engineer behind the Israeli spacecraft to the moon

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 12:29 PM

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I'm sure most of you have heard of the spacecraft that Israel has launched last week to the moon, named Beresheet. What most of you have probably not heard about, is the story of one of the project leaders, the system engineering manager, Alex Friedman.

Alex was born in the Soviet Union, where it was forbidden to practice and spread Judaism. His father, a Chabad Chassid, was arrested shortly before he was born because of his Jewish activities, and spent seven years in Soviet prisons. Alex saw his father for the first time when he was in 1st grade. Practicing Judaism continued to be a challenge. He had to receive sick notes from doctors in order not to attend school on Shabbat.

He was a brilliant student, but as a Jew, he was not admitted to the prestigious Department of Physics. So he chose mathematics instead. Only after years of struggle, in 1970, did Alex Friedman’s family receive permission to emigrate to Israel, where Friedman joined the Israel Air Force, IAI, and Israel’s space industry.

In recent years, he has worked days and nights on the launching of the first Israeli spacecraft to the moon. “This is an inspiring event,″ he said recently. “For me, it is also the closing of a personal and national circle…″

“The boy from Russia who was not accepted to study physics because he was a Jew is now part of a team that is sending off a spacecraft containing a disk with the entire Hebrew Bible scanned onto it and an Israeli flag.″

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Mendel and Nehama Hendel

Emergency landing

Friday, February 22, 2019 - 5:23 AM

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Last Tuesday morning started as a regular day with the different appointments and tasks, preparing for the JLI class in the evening "Crime and Consequence"...But this day was going to be completely different from our plans.

Early morning, we received a call that a United Airlines flight from Newark to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Athens because one of the passengers had a health problem. It was a lady who was traveling by herself. She was rushed to the hospital and had nobody with her.

We stated to make phone calls to find out to which hospital she was taken to. As soon as we found out, Nehama went to be with her, to support her, to help to translate and to bring kosher food. She was brought to a public hospital, where, as you know there is a shortage of even basic supplies such as toilet paper... So Nehama also went to shop for all the necessary things.

The nurses and the doctors were really nice and thank G-d, this woman got better and 2 days later was able to continue on her journey.

While in the hospital, the nurses that saw how much Nehama cared for her, even though she had never seen her before, and they asked what is the relationship between them. Nehama answered spontaneously: "We are family".

Let's remember that we are family and be there for each other in time of need. Let us also not forget it in time of joy and be there to celebrate the successes and happy occasions of others.

My sister's miracle baby

Thursday, February 14, 2019 - 8:32 AM

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My younger sister Mushka Segal is the Shlicha (emissary) of Chabad in Malta and probably broke a record: she has given birth in 3 different continents: Israel (Asia), Malta (Europe) and New York (America)!

Her last birth was a miracle. Mushka traveled to New York last year to attend the yearly conference of Chabad Shluchot (the one that Nehama attended this year). She was pregnant in her 6th month (29th week) and the doctor told her it's okay to fly. But the baby had other plans. She was rushed to the hospital and miraculously, 2 weeks later, she gave birth to a tiny but healthy baby boy, 2 months before the due date! She had to stay another month in the hospital in New York until the baby grew enough to get out of the infant incubator.

During all this time, Mushka received tremendous support from the local community, from people she knew and other people she had never met before. The doctors were amazed that a lady living in Malta receives so many visits and care so far away from her country. 2 other Shluchot, which Mushka didn't even know well, came to visit her and one of them gave her as a gift a one dollar bill that she had received from the Rebbe.

This was a very special and meaningful gift: The Rebbe used to distribute one dollar bills to those who came to visit him in order to encourage them to give charity. The visitors would keep this dollar preciously, not only as a reminder of the encounter but as an encouragement to contribute to the Jewish people and as a source of blessing. They would write on it the day that they received it and would give another dollar (or more) to charity.

Thank G-d, after 2 months stuck in New York away from her husband and children in Malta (her husband was great in taking care of everything on his own!), Mushka returned home. On the 12th of Nisan, they celebrated the Brit Mila of the baby. Then Mushka looked at the Rebbe's dollar bill, and realized that he date written on it was the same as the day of the Brit!

This year, she came to New York with the baby to close the circle. She went to the hospital to thank the doctors, she went to the people of the community to thank them for their support and finally she went to the Rebbe's resting place to thank him for his blessings.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Mendel and Nehama Hendel