7B Visits A "Maccabee”
by Rabbi Avi Genack, [email protected]
We still smell the scent of the Chanukah oil burning out, leaving its aroma lingering for a few more precious moments. If we were successful in celebrating this special chag, we’ve learned from its message that we’ve grown and become better, happier people.
I would like to share with you one idea that enlightened me this Chanukah. Place yourself into the era of the Maccabees, a small band of sages, men armed with barely more than their faith and their desire. They come up with an outrageous plan, crumble the menacing world power, and bring back Jewish culture and the ways of the Torah. They are outnumbered, not only by the outside enemy, but also by enemy on the inside –The Misyavnim (Jews that have bought into the ways of the Greeks, and are ashamed of their past). They tell people of their plan and are told they are crazy, they are told that it is a plan of suicide. Nonetheless, the sages go on with their plan and they prevail. The message we must take is that nothing stands in the way of desire of the soul.
What heroes our nation has been blessed with, people who know and understand their purpose, and what they can accomplish. Recently, the seventh grade boys and I were privileged to meet privately with one such hero of our nation, Yosef Mendelovich. The U.S.S.R, and their infamous K.G.B captured Yosef as he tried to rip through the iron curtain and make his way to Israel. He became a legend as he was a lone man versus an empire, and successfully helped to free himself and bring
down the Soviets. Again a man armed with nothing more than the steadfast desire in his soul.
The 7th grade met at O.Z. on 95th street for shacharis and got a special greeting from Rabbi Shwartz. We went from there to the home of my parents, where we were treated to breakfast, and finally, got to hear Yosef Mendelovich speak. He told stories of the his unbending pride in his Judaism, and the arduous task of making Latkes in the Gulag (special Russian Jail), the menorah he carved, and how they sneakily lit candles. He told of the heroes here in America that worked tirelessly to free their brothers and sisters locked up in Russia and, once again against all odds, their efforts prevailed and significantly helped free so many Jews. Reb Yosef’s message was clear: “Nothing stands in the way of the desire of the soul.”
One final note: I must commend our students on how beautifully they returned to yeshiva.
We walked back over a mile, and it was a true Kiddush Hashem. Thank you guys.