| 
‘I Have Been Disinvited from the Kinus Hashluchim’
Right: Rabbi Sholom Ciment. Left: Chabad of Boynton Beach.
Rabbi Sholom Ciment, a successful Shliach in Boynton Beach, FL, presiding over a magnificent Chabad Center with hundreds of members, was disinvited from attending this year’s Kinus Hashluchim in New York. But by whom, and why, might surprise you.
Writes Rabbi Ciment on the first day of the Kinus:
I have been un-invited to The International Conference of Chabad- Lubavitch Shluchim 5775 which began today in Brooklyn, NY.
Some 5,200 emissaries are registered at this conference, from 86 countries around the world. This, the largest conference of its kind, is an annual event that keeps on growing. Shabbos will be spent at “770” Lubavitch World Headquarters. All of the conference meals and 83 workshops, over the the next six days, usually facilitated in Crown Heights, can no longer be held there due to the conference’s spectacular numbers. Instead, the 138,000-square-foot massive Brooklyn Armory, once home to army tanks and drill hall of Troop C Cavalry Unit will house another type of infantry this weekend; this veritable army of The Rebbe’s Shluchim whose life-long mission is love.
Absent the physical presence of The Rebbe, the “Kinnus HaShluchim” has become the single most powerful source of inspiration for every Shliach in attendance. It is there, more than at any other time, that one can feel The Rebbe’s presence embodied in the palpable and extraordinary energy exuding from this mammoth gathering of his selfless Shluchim.
Knowing that his presence will be felt is precisely what uninvited me.
It began some 6 months ago. Into a Shabbat service came a young mother and her son. I immediately discerned that there was something different. Mother and child were changing seats often, the mother was extra vigilant of the boy. After services, an always welcoming member introduced me to 12 year old Nathan and his Mother Mia. “Nathan is going to be bar-mitzvah soon but no synagogue wants to facilitate it, so I suggested they come speak to you,” said the congregant and walked away.
In hushed tone, Mia described her son Nathan’s Autism and a frustrating inability to find a temple that would train and allow him a proper celebration for his special day. Without hesitating, I told her that I considered myself “an expert” in preparing special young men like Nathan for their bar mitzvah and I am prepared to do so for him as well. Mia gave me a look over, while pulling Nathan a bit closer and tighter. “An expert?” she asked unconvinced. “Do you have a degree in special education or have you studied Autism?” I answered, “no, but that shouldn’t prevent me from preparing your son for his Bar-Mitzvah. Frankly, I see no difference between a special or not so special Jewish child. Both have equal rights and fully deserve to be accorded their bar mitzvah,” I told her. In tears, she accepted my offer.
The ensuing weeks and months brought me the privilege of befriending a brilliant, insightful and sensitive young man; a special child indeed. Nathan learned by heart, in just a few sessions, all of his necessary prayers. His was an easier training than scores of young men who I have taught over the last 2 decades.
During one session, Nathan listened carefully as I described to him the tradition of throwing candies after his Aliyah to the Torah. Those lobbing the sweets I told him, “wish to ensure that you have a sweet life.” He dismissed my explanation as silly, saying, “that’s like saying if you throw books at me I will be smart.” Nathan remains unconvinced, but nonetheless is looking forward to the candy.
He decided to do something special as his bar-mitzvah project. Ever sensitive, his “best dog friend” Morty came to mind. This trained dog has enabled Nathan to go into public, effortlessly. Prior to Morty he would grow very agitated and simple errands became a monumental challenge for him and his family. “What about kids like me that can’t afford a Mordy?” Nathan asked his mom one day. “Can we try to raise money to get them a Mordy?.” Sure enough, together with his mother and his many friends and our community members, “Nathan’s Special Day Fund” launched. At his community party after Shabbat, Nathan will be presenting a check of $5000 to a representative of the Canadian organization which trains and places the service dogs into the homes of needy Autistic children.
When I discovered that the date of this year’s convention collided with Nathan’s big day, I quickly realized that I was just uninvited. To The Rebbe, each and every Jew is extra-ordinarily special. Observant or not, educated or illiterate, physically or spiritually handicapped, jailed behind iron bars or constrained emotionally, The Rebbe piercingly looked into the eyes, and even deeper into the soul, of each Jewish man, woman and child and all he saw was special. Some, like Nathan, were extra-special.
This year, the feeling of The Rebbe’s presence usually offered by being embedded in the sea of thousands of his selflessly dedicated Shluchim convening in Brooklyn, will be borne from the Bimah of Beis Menachem (named for The Rebbe), Chabad-Lubavitch of Greater Boynton’s Shul on Shabbos afternoon as Nathan is called up to The Torah. He will kiss it and then recite his blessings with pride, clarity and confidence as his friends, family and fellow community members celebrate a new and brilliantly special young adult Jew joining our everlasting and eternal people.
Then, after the candies are thrown, the dancing subsides and the desserts served, I will get on a plane to New York where “The Banquet” will be taking place. Holding distinction as NYC’s largest sit-down dinner, over 6000 Shluchim together with their lay-leaders will be seated in the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, transformed into a resplendent banquet hall. There, I will, G-d willing, merit to dine, dance, say L’chaim and re-discover, together with my fellow 6000 Shluchim just why my new friend Nathan is so very special, and why, indeed, every single Jewish man, woman and child in the entire world – as they will be represented in that august banquet hall – is so beloved and special, and will forever continue to be so, to the Rebbe.
No comments:
Post a Comment