Chabad F R E E NYC

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

Now that the holidays are behind us, we return to our regular routines. Hopefully, we also take something with us from this special time that can make those routines a little better.

One lesson from the Torah is that every person can make a difference. The Talmud points out that when G-d created the world, He created Adam alone. One reason, our sages explain, was to teach us that no person should think, “What difference can I make? I’m only one person.” Every human being comes into the world with a unique perspective and a unique ability to contribute.

We often think of leadership as something reserved for people with impressive titles or positions. In reality, all of us are leaders in some way. At home, at work, with friends, or in our communities, people are influenced by what we say and, even more, by what we do.

Being a leader means having the courage to think independently and do what we know is right, even when it isn't what everyone else is doing. But it also requires humility. Moses, the greatest leader in Jewish history, was also described as the most humble person. He knew his strengths, but never saw them as a reason to feel superior to others.

Each of us has something only we can contribute. We don't have to change the whole world. Sometimes making a difference in one person's life is enough. The important thing is to recognize that we matter, and to use our unique abilities to make a positive difference.

Shabbat Shalom!

09/18/2026

When a parent reprimands a child, the child doesn’t always respond by calmly changing their behavior. Often, they get defensive and frustrated, or even double down. The parent may be right, but the child is focused on what they were doing and doesn’t yet see the bigger picture.

There’s an interesting lesson about this in this week’s Torah portion, Haazinu. Moses’s final words to the Jewish people are written as a song. And it’s a song that includes both praise and criticism, the good moments and the difficult ones, the mistakes and the hope for what comes next.

G-d’s message to His people is not simply a list of everything we’ve done wrong. It’s a reminder that our entire relationship with Him, including our failures, is part of a much larger story. Even when we make mistakes, the connection remains. There’s always a way forward.

That message is especially meaningful as we approach Yom Kippur. It’s easy to think of the day as a long list of things we need to fix. But Judaism asks us to look deeper. Yom Kippur reminds us who we are at our core and that our relationship with G-d can never be erased by our mistakes.

There’s a lesson here for all of us, especially as parents. When someone we love needs correction, we can focus entirely on what they did wrong, or we can remind them of the bigger relationship. We can correct without making them feel rejected.

Sometimes, instead of another scolding, what people need is a song that reminds them they are still part of the story.

Shabbat Shalom!

09/04/2026

There’s something powerful about everyone showing up. At a wedding, graduation, or championship game, the experience feels different when everyone is there. We’re reminded that we’re part of something larger than ourselves.

This week’s Torah portion gives us a similar image as we approach Rosh Hashanah. The Torah says, “You are all standing here today.” The Baal Shem Tov taught that “today” refers to Rosh Hashanah. Before the new year begins, every Jew stands together before G-d.

The Torah then goes out of its way to list all kinds of people: leaders and followers, scholars and workers, woodchoppers and water-carriers.

Jewish unity doesn’t mean we’re all the same. Each of us has a different background and role. Yet on Rosh Hashanah, we’re reminded that beneath all those differences, we share the same essential connection.

This Saturday night, we begin saying Selichot, the special prayers traditionally recited in the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah. Selichot give us an opportunity to reflect on the year that’s ending and to think about the kind of year we want to build.

But preparation for Rosh Hashanah isn’t only about prayer. It’s also about how we show up for other people. An act of kindness or simply being there for someone who needs us can turn the ideals of the High Holidays into something real.

As we prepare for the new year, may we all stand together, each in our own way, and enter the year ahead with greater purpose and joy.

Shabbat Shalom!

08/28/2026

Life doesn’t always go according to plan. We all face periods of disappointment, uncertainty, and pain. We naturally hope that things will get better, but Judaism asks us to stay engaged with the present.

In this week’s Torah portion, Moses describes the blessings that would come from following G-d’s commandments. He then describes the consequences that could follow when the Jewish people turned away from them. Our choices matter, even when we can’t control everything around us.

The Talmud tells us about two great sages, Rabbi Akiva and Nachum Ish-Gamzu. Nachum was famous for saying, “Gam zu letovah,” this too is for the best. He looked at every situation and saw the good within it.

Rabbi Akiva had a different attitude. He didn’t pretend that bad situations were good. He recognized that life could be painful and frightening. Still, he trusted that G-d could bring something good from difficult circumstances.

That gives us a different kind of optimism. We don’t have to pretend that everything is fine. We can recognize that something is difficult and still choose to do something good with the situation.

We can’t always choose what happens to us, but we can choose what kind of person we’ll be in response. A difficult day doesn’t excuse us from doing what’s right.

The good doesn’t always appear on its own. Sometimes we create it through the choices we make.

Rosh Hashanah is just around the corner. It’s a time to look honestly at the choices we’ve made and think about the person we want to be in the coming year. We don’t need to wait for a perfect moment to change. One good choice today can be the beginning of a better year.

Shabbat Shalom!