Για να το διαβάσετε στα Ελληνικά, κάντε κλικ εδώ
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