Dear Fellow Anash:
Before Rosh Hashono, I was visiting with a man (apparently, the only yid in the prison he was in) who nebach often feels so alone. Besides for Aleph visits, he only gets one or two visits a year. His mother - who would abuse him - left the home when he was 12. They have not seen or communicated since. He was reminiscing about his time learning in FREE (in Crown Heights) and remembering some of Gemoro he learned. We started singing Ani Maamin together - which he learned in prison some 10-12 years ago. Sadly, he grew up on the streets, got involved with the wrong crowed and is serving a double digit sentence.
I'll never forget his reaction, when I told him a vort I once heard about the Ness Hashem made for Yosef, on his way down to Mitzrayim, in that the besomim in the caravan had a good fragrance, IF Hashem is already making a ness, let it be that Yosef is freed and sent back home?
Clearly, we don't know the deeper reason behind our journeys - just as Yosef didn't know at the time that his journey would lead to him becoming the Mishneh Limelech and save so many - including his family - from hunger. Yet Hashem sends us a sign during the journey - (in the case of Yosef, with the besomim) that we're not alone. Hashem is with us.
His eyes were filled with pain and hope at the same time, as he slowly repeated and digested those words with a depth and meaning BH few of us can ever really appreciate ....n a-l
As Ben Brafman said during his speech at the Aleph LA event - (full speech here: http://www.collive.com/
Please consider partnering in a Moisad - founded by the Rebbe in 5741/1981. The Rebbe made it clear numerous times how dear Aleph is to the Rebbe. Unconditional Ahavas Chesed. Aleph;s LA division (which oversees advocacy for yidden in prison nationwide) now has nearly 30 staff and addresses well over 5,000 cries for help every year. In LA, Project Tikvah provides critical intervention for adolescents in/facing prison due to addiction/mental illness. One young girl, from out here in Southe California who was tragically abused and landed up in prison, and BH was helped by Aleph/Tikvah, sent this note recently:
During my darkest hour when I had no faith or hope in myself, you and your organization had faith in me. At the time, I wasn't able to understand what people saw, but slowly I see and grow into the person that people believe that I can become. I doubt that you ever will, but it is important for me to say never give up on people that have given up on themselves because one day there is a slight chance that they will see in themselves what you and others have been able to see in them."
B"H she's out, has a job, is clean and thriving!
All donations until Wed 9pm PST - will be matched (up to 180k) BEH by a group of donors.
Please partner with Aleph -
(pledges count as well - please email [email protected])
May HASHEM bentch us all with a Gmar Chasimah Tovah - a gut Gebentheze Gezune Zieser Yohr and may we be Zoche to watch the Rebbe dance Napoleon's March!
Thank you, Mikerev Lev.
Zvi-