Latest interview from LA Trip
Hot off the press, here is a video that we just shot on our recent My Encounter with the Rebbe trip to Los Angeles.
Mr. David Stauber talks about the first time he met the Rebbe in Yechidus (private audience).
Hot off the press, here is a video that we just shot on our recent My Encounter with the Rebbe trip to Los Angeles.
Mr. David Stauber talks about the first time he met the Rebbe in Yechidus (private audience).
“Good afternoon. I’m calling about your special encounters with the Lubavitcher Rebbe.” “Who are you again?” “My name is Mendy and I am calling from JEM.” “Oh.”
Thus began the journey Westward to Southern California. Our goal: to unearth memories and miracles, advice and inspiration. Our team at the My Encounter with the Rebbe project just concluded their third journey in the past six months. Yechiel Cagen, Mendy Alevsky, Yankee Teitelbaum and Eliyahu Benhiyoun were the brave troopers who made the ten day marathon –from 8:30AM to 10PM every day – during which over forty people were interviewed.
Along the roads of Los Angeles and the mountains of the Valley a very tired but determined interviewer called into a Google voicebox noting some memorable discoveries from each day’s interviews. Here are some of his notes:
A twenty-some year-old man turned to the Rebbe for assistance in realizing his dream to open the first Yeshiva in Mexico. “This was the early 1950’s. Who elsecould I turn to who’d be open to such an idea?”
A young woman related how the Rebbe helped her find closure after her father’s passing. She was 16 years old in 1972 and threatening God with rebellion. She was also having dreams that disturbed her sleep and tormented her soul. The Rebbe looked deep in her eyes – “straight to the back of my head,” in her words – and gave her soul the peace it sorely needed. Since then, no more tormenting dreams. Now she’s a mother of a beautiful family of fine Jewish children.
We interviewed another woman who was told six months after her marriage, “We’re sorry ma’am, your womb is infertile. There’s nothing we can do.” Devastated and sobbing in the sterile hallways of the doctor’s clinic, she looked into the eyes of her young husband, searching for some hope. They were shining. He knew just the address. He was not a Lubavitcher but the Rebbe had helped them once before. A short while later at 3 o’clock AM, they were told by a specialist of a different kind, “don’t worry, God will help you.” And He did. Many years later and 15 children later that declaration of gloom is long forgotten. But wait, her story isn’t over! Years later in a different city, she pays a visit to a different doctor. After examining her, the doctor addresses her in a sympathetic tone, “Ma’am, you must be very unhappy.” Bewildered, she asks him, “Why?” “Well,” he tells her, “your womb is sterile!”
Forty-two people interviewed and over 50 hours of footage later, the ‘My Encounter with the Rebbe’ team is riding on toward its next project. Our determination to keep these exciting encounters from lying dormant – or worse, being lost – fuels our work to unearth these timeless pearls of inspiration. Learn more about the project at: www.1000Encounters.com
Thank you so much to all the individuals in Los Angeles who worked tirelessly to make this trip a success!
Also, a big thank you to Ben and Rochel Federman for generously sponsoring a majority of the trip!
A few highlights:
Day 1:
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Blauner told the inside story of the relationship between the Rebbe and the ‘Zaydy of the Valley’ (Mr. JerryBlauner)
Rabbi Yehoshua B. Gordon talked about the directives he received as a new emissary to the Valley, namely one he lives every day with: “La’avodB’meretz, uBitachonChazak!” (Work with vigor and strong faith!”)
Interviewed 5 individuals from the Valley about the blessings they received from the Rebbe.
Car breaks down at 8:30pm on the way home!
Day 2:
Interview with Rabbis Mordy Einbinder and Rabbi Moshe Weiss. They both spoke about the wonderful special attention they received from the Rebbe as youngsters (and of course much much more).
Mr. Jay Abrams spoke about the Rebbe’s blessings to his wife, which helped her get through a very difficult pregnancy.
Day 3:
Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz spoke about his early years as yeshiva student, and how the Rebbe remembered so many of the small details.
Mrs. Debbie Goldenberg spoke about the Rebbe’s advice to her when she was having dreams of her late father.
Mr. Moshe Chayempour talked about his role in the Rebbe’s involvement of helping thousands of young Iranian Jews escape.
Day 4:
Rabbi Yitzchok Arnold talks about his first time in 770 in the 1940s.
Rabbi Pinchos Gruman spoke about his days growing up in Crown Heights in the 1950s, and some of the interesting conversations he had with the Rebbe.
Rabbi Naftali Estulin talks about growing up as a Lubavitcher chosid behind the Iron Curtain.
Day 5:
My Encounter presentation for the Cheder Menachem Boys School. A behind-the-scenes look into the My Encounter project – and the boys got to interview Rabbi Zalman Schmukler!
Mr. Marvin Goldsmith spoke about presenting a key to the Chabad House of California to the Rebbe in the 1970s.
Day 6:
Dr. Alan Dauer discussed a letter he received from the Rebbe about balancing his responsibilities in the medical profession and the responsibilities of a Lubavitcher chosid.
Mr. David Stauber talked about the philosophical questions he posed to the Rebbe when first meeting him in Yechidus.
Mrs. Channa Arnold showed us a beautiful letter she received from the Rebbe about the importance of wearing a sheitel (wig).
Mr. ‘Tuli’ Deutsch gave us fascinating insight into his 2 private audiences he had with the Rebbe.
Day 7:
Rabbi Chaim Citron talked about how the Rebbe offered to pay for his college tuition after studying in 770.
Rabbi Dovid Misholuvin spoke about the self-sacrifice the Lubavitcher Chassidim in Russia went through behind the Iron Curtain.
Mrs. Sterna Citron (a cousin of the Rebbe) spoke about her memories of the Rebbetzins.
Day 8:
My Encounter presentation for Beis Rebbegirls’ school. The girls got a behind-the-scenes look into the My Encounter project and they interviewed Mrs. Raizy Schmukler!
Rabbi Meshulam Weiss spoke about the many directives he received from the Rebbe.
Day 9:
Mr. Yisroel Horowitz spokeabout his meeting with the PreviousRebbe and life in Crown Heights in the 1940s and ‘50s.
Dr. Meir Abhesera, “the Rebbe’s whistler” spoke about his unique conversations with the Rebbe.
Dr. and Mrs. Leonard Lovitch spoke about the Rebbe’s directive to drink red wine for Shabbos Kiddush and Havdalah, which miraculously restored his eyesight and saved his career.
The final wrap up of the My Encounter interviews in Southern Califormia was very unique indeed. We heard from Dr. Michael – Meir Abehsera the famed “whistler” of the Rebbe. His unique character and profound approach to the Rebbe and Chasidus was very fascinating.
We then interviewed Dr. Lenny Loevitch and his wife Sara. Lenny has an amazing miracle which showed how drinking Kidush on Shabbos and especially on red wine restored his eyesight per the Rebbe’s bracha.
Mr. Horowitz told us about his early recollections as a boy in 770. He received a bracha from the Previuous Rebbe and remembers the Rebbe going to work!
Stay tuned for My Encounter’s next adventure! In the meantime, if you know of someone with a story that we might like to hear let us know! More, become a partner in this amazing project and help us reach our goal of 1,000 encounters! ~
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We started off the day at the Beis Chana girls school. An entire program was prepared by our team and by the school. Six girls were especially
chosen to conduct a live interview with Mrs. Schmukler. After an entire week of preparing questions these girls really knew what they were doing! They also had an opportunity to interview each other and get an idea of how it feels like to do real, live interviews. Mendy Alevsky, our interviewer on the ground prepared a whole presentation and behind the scenes information on what goes on at My Encounter.
We then interviewed Rabbi Meshulam Weiss who merited to experience outright miracles of the Rebbe and receive personal guidance in the many journeys throughout his life. He also gave us the inside scoop on the Rebbe’s involvement in establishing the first Yeshiva in Mexico City.
Rabbi Josh Gordon, director of Chabad of the Valley then came for his second interview! He told us about the Rebbe’s involvement in every detail of his work including making sure that “BSD” was added for a journal prepared for a dinner that took place at Chabad of the Valley. All in all, we came away spellbound and inspired yet again at the Rebbes affect on people’s lives. Stay tuned for even more fascinating encounters with the Rebbe.
Day Seven… Wow… Two days left! Feels like we’ve been in California forever!
Well… Today we heard from three Raichik brothers.Rabbi Shimon Raichik, Rabbi Levy Raichik and Rabbi Abi Raichick. They were all phenomenal. Abi was a waiter at the Rebbe’s house and told us all about. Stay tuned for a future Living Torah video about that one!
We also interviewed Rabbi Citron. His mother had a very unique Yechidus with the Rebbe about the pros and cons of a Yeshiva student going to college. The result? The Rebbe did not allow Mrs. Citron to leave the meeting without a smile on her face.
Rabbi Meshulovin told us about life as a chosid in Russia. Sorry for keeping it short – gotta go work on tomorrows interviews!
Sorry for the delay but we are just so busy with the actual interviews, it is tough to catch up in writing about them.
Yesterday, Sunday, September 11th, we interviewed five (5) people. We started our day at the home of Dr. Alan Dauer in Beverly Hills. Amongst many other experiences he shared with us, Dr. Dauer talked about a letter he received from the Rebbe about the need to focus his efforts on his medical profession. Dr. Dauer was a new Baal Tshuva trying to balance Yiddishkeit and his many roles in the medical profession. He wrote a letter to the Rebbe and received an answer saying that if he focuses on his profession that everything else, including Yiddishkeit, will fall into place. Very interesting insight.
We then ran to Hancock Park to the home of Yisrael Feiner and family who graciously gave us their home to use for the day. Yankee Teitelbaum quickly set up the room in record time of 25 minutes for an interview with Mrs. Channa Arnold. Mrs. Arnold spoke about the many, many answers she received as a teacher for close to 50 years!
We then interviewed Mr. Naftoli Deutsch, who was very involved in the building of the Chabad House on Gayley Road.
Mr. Naftoli Deutsch brought his family to witness his interview about his encounters with the Rebbe.
He spoke to us with vivid detail about his two yechidusen (private audiences) he had with the Rebbe. The Rebbe spoke to him about the creation of the universe and answered the many questions he had. Absolutely fascinating! I can’t wait to publish some of it in an upcoming Living Torah DVD.
Afterward, Mr. David Stauber came in at 3:00pm sharp to talk about his encounters with the Rebbe. He brought in his over 30 letters he received from the Rebbe! One dialogue between the Rebbe and David that stands out was his question to the Rebbe about why G-d was so ‘caught up’ in the nitty gritty details of Mitzvos. David was not a practicing Jew at the time and was very confused about why G-d was so interested in the details and if we don’t keep all of them, G-d will strike his wrath upon us…The Rebbe replied that the details of Mitzvos is not for G-d’s sake, but rather a channel for us to connect with Him! David walked out of the yechidus with a whole new outlook on Yiddishkeit and that began his path back to Yiddishkeit. There is so much more there!
Finally at 5:00 pm, we interviewed Rabbi Zev Letinansky. He spoke about his many horaos he received from the Rebbe about how to build a school.
Stay tuned for more…
Rabbi Zalmen Schmukler came in to the Cheder Menachem of Los Angeles to be interviewed live by the students.
On Friday we started the day at the Chabad boys elementary school giving them an interesting video presentation, fascinating behind the scenes info as well as a live interview.
The day continued at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Goldsmith, who have been supporters and members of Chabad in California going back to the early 60s. They came to NY a few times and merited to have a few personal meetings with the Rebbe.
See the pics below and you will get a glimpse of what can be accomplished in a day’s work at My Encounter and on a Friday!!! Thanx to Yechiel Cagan, director of the project, Mendy Alevsky, our favorite interviewer and all around hard worker, Yankee Teitelbaum, the best videographer who came with us all the way from Crown Heights and Eliyahu Benhiyoun, behind the scenes guy. (more…)
Rabbi Yitzchok Arnold. Some of the widely known letters of the Rebbe about the importance of wearing a wig was written to his wife!
So far so good. The interviews were both inspiring and tiring!!!
All interviews today took place in Hancock Park. Our first interview was at 9AM with Rabbi Yitzchok Arnold. Among the many things he told us was about his wife’s fascinating letters in English from the Rebbe about the importance of wearing a shaitel – wig. Many of the published books on this topic are from those letters!
Then at 11AM Rabbi Naftali Astulin came in and told us about the Rebbe’s involvement in his Shlichus and his days as a young man in Russia.
We were also lucky to have Rav Pinchos Gruman spend some time with us and tell us about the many private audiences he had with the Rebbe. He told us about the early days in Crown Heights and the Rebbe’s involvement in his father’s grocery store.
These are just a few of the interviews from today. Would love to write about all of them but I have some work to do!
Wednesday saw the close of Day Three interviews in Los Angeles, C.A. The ground filming and interviewing team , Mendy Alevsky and Yankee Teitelbaum finished the day too exausted to even write up a report. Here are some behind the scenes photos that give a real-life idea of how the interviews take place in Shuls and private homes all over the world. Looking forward to sharing reports and pictures of future interviews. “Buenas Noches” as they say just north of the border!
The day started out at Chabad of Sherman Oaks in the Valley where Mr. Jay Abrams was interviewed . He told us about the blessing his wife received from the Rebbe during her pregnancy. She started feeling better the moment the Rebbe gave his blessing!
Rabbi Mordy Einbinder is a fun, energetic, dynamic and a great person to interview! He talked about his days as a Yeshiva student in New York.
We then interviewed Rabbi Mordy Eibinder. What an amazing guy! He told us fascinating stories about his days as a Yeshiva student. One story that stands out happened when he was a young boy. He and his family had a private audience with the Rebbe. The Rebbe advised Rabbi Mordy that he study in Lubavitcher Yeshiva on Ocean Parkway. His mother complained to the Rebbe that he is so young and she is worried for him. The Rebbe responded, (not exact wording) “Er iz oif myn pleitzis – He is on my shoulders”. Basically meaning that the Rebbe will take care of him. A year and a half later, the Rebbe was still checking up on him and even asked Mordy’s brother-in-law to see how he was doing…
We then traveled to the house of Rabbi Moshe Weiss. He allowed us to conduct the interview in his beautiful library. I wish all interviews had this kind of space to work with! He also had fascinating stories to tell over and unfortunately we had to cancel our final interview for the day because Rabbi Weiss had so much to say.
See you tomorrow…