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Question about Chabad Shlichus
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Miri7




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 3:40 pm
I have gotten to know a few families of Chabad shluchim over the years and have been really impressed that in each instance, they were all people with really lovely middot, seemed really relaxed, warm, and welcoming - and very put-together. I had always assumed that there was a special selection processes so that only the "cream of the crop" were selected to be shluchim.

[Please no one take this as an invitation to give negative examples to prove me wrong.]

What is the selection process like? How are shluchim prepared so that they can handle opening up their lives and homes to so many people and keep it together? Is there special training? I am truly amazed by all of the Chabad families that I know, and have felt that they are all really special people.
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amother
Ivory


 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 5:09 pm
Miri7 wrote:
I have gotten to know a few families of Chabad shluchim over the years and have been really impressed that in each instance, they were all people with really lovely middot, seemed really relaxed, warm, and welcoming - and very put-together. I had always assumed that there was a special selection processes so that only the "cream of the crop" were selected to be shluchim.

[Please no one take this as an invitation to give negative examples to prove me wrong.]

What is the selection process like? How are shluchim prepared so that they can handle opening up their lives and homes to so many people and keep it together? Is there special training? I am truly amazed by all of the Chabad families that I know, and have felt that they are all really special people.


Gee, I wish I was all those things you wrote. But maybe people who see me only at certain times think I am really like that. Smile

There is some type of selection process but each case is different. If you are setting up in a new place on your own you just need to get approval from head office (merkos) or the local shliach/head shliach. If another shliach is hiring you they will obviously need to to interview etc just like any other job.

Preparation: Bochurim are sent on merkos shlichus each summer. They are sent to say, the outback of Australia. They drive around with a stash of canned tuna and pot noodles and seforim, kids books, mezuzos to give out etc. They have lists of Jewish people in each town and go and visit and talk to them. They also try and find new people. They will also go and run sedarim, and other yomim tovim in small towns that are not big enough to have a shliach. They also help run summer camps and might work for a shliach teaching and helping with programming year round. Post seminary lots of girls go and work for shluchim teaching and running programmes, and of course run camps each summer.

Younger kids often go on mivtzoim getting people to put on tefillin, light shabbos candles. My 15 year old daughter has been working for two years already helping another shliach run programmes once a week. (she goes to school away from home)

Like I said my father is a shliach and so are my siblings so I (kind of) knew what I was getting into. If you grow up on shlichus you are involved from birth of course.

I think we just get used to living a certain way. For me, not having guests on shabbos is odd. My parents always had guests for shabbos and yom tov meals.
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bandcm




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:00 pm
studying_torah wrote:
Do you mind explaining how you make ends meet while paying for a Shul and importing food etc?
And how do you know how to do all these things like setting up food supplies and a mikvah etc?
be

My husband spends fully half of his time fundraising. It's such a shame, he could be giving more shiurim, reaching out to even more people, but it is what it is. Four days out of every month he is out of town, visiting his donors.
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bandcm




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:05 pm
I just want to mention that there is no "training" or "selection process" as such. And I am not really such a nice person, but my husband is a doll.
The reason we grow up wanting to go on shlichus, and the reason we are still here, is the same. The Rebbe. he educated us (our parents really, and us as kids and after he passed away through his writings) to have a tremendous amount of ahavas yisroel, and to feel a deep, personal responsibility for Every Single Jew In the World. The Rebbe is the one and only reason shluchim can do what they do.
Now, I am not a person with tremendous ahavas yisroel, although my husband really is. But because of my education, I can fake it so well that it sometimes seems to me that I becoming quite the shlucha!
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potatoes




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:12 pm
All chabad girls/bochurim are "la creme" Smile meaning: everyone is capable to give, in some way or another.
The lubavitcher Rebbe did not make followers, he made leaders. We are taught and empowered to give whatever you can. It does not matter what your talents, abilities, inabilities are. You dont have to be a talmid chacham to teach basics. As the saying goes "if you know aleph, teach aleph".
I have also found that shlichus brings out the best in people, and even creates talelnts/skills that never existed before, and the person never believed they are capable of. It is amazing.
In my head right now, I have many examples of woman who are incredible shluchos, and as girls, you would have never imagined that one day they would create communities and do such a good job.
Its a combination of the desire to give, and do the Rebbes Shlichus, the koach of the Rebbe, the misholaich, helping a whole time
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ValleyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:25 pm
Shluchim are very loving and selfless people.

IF you end up in a city and rely on the Chabad House for Shabbat meals and/or accommodations it is alway helpful to bring stuff with you from home as "gifts"

If they have young kids kosher candy is hard to come by... also new Jewish books, games, puzzles etc.

I visited the Chabad House in Anchorage and was stunned by how many people ravened at shul on shabbat-it was an eye opening and humbling Shabbat.

These shluchim have devoted their lives to such an isolated community and it is astounding at what they have accomplished.

There are many many more shluchim who have dedicated their lives to helping spread the words of Torah and mitzvos.

These are the people that work hard to bring moshiach- truly an inspiration.
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ValleyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:26 pm
oops- DAVened at their shul...
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amother
Fuchsia


 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:28 pm
Shlichus forces a person to find the good inside themselves and turn it outward. Things need to be done and there's no one else to do them, so your whole thought process shifts from "I can't do this" to "how can I do this?".

Two things that help me keep going when it gets tough:

1. For when the traffic is slow and I start to wonder why we're here. A shliach from Australia once gave a shiur in taharas hamishpacha and only one woman showed up
When he told the Rebbe that only one person came the Rebbe asked "and how many mothers did Moshe Rabbeinu have"?

2. For when I start feeling like I'm not cut out for this kind of thing. The Rebbe Maharash said that just like a person must be honest with himself about his negative qualities and work to improve them, he must be honest with himself about his positive qualities and work to use them to their fullest potential


Last edited by amother on Sun, Sep 02 2018, 12:39 am; edited 1 time in total
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ValleyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:31 pm
To the shlucha who has encountered the is statement:
"We don't do things like that here."

Respond with:

"WE don't do things like that here-YET!!!"
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studying_torah




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Apr 16 2015, 9:35 pm
This is so fascinating to read and learn about!
Yasher koach to all of you shluchos and your families! May you have koyach and Hatzlacha and Parnassah to continue the wonderful avodas HaShem that you're doing!!!
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amother
Orchid


 

Post Fri, Apr 17 2015, 12:02 am
Another thing to know is that if you are not lubavitch, the message of the Rebbe was not just for chabad, or shluchim who are in far out places. Wherever we are is by hashgacha protis (divine providence). You have a Jewish neighbour? invite him over, you don't have to be chabad to do that. At work, you can make a difference etc. the point is don't think we'll leave it up to chabad, after reading this thread, we should realize that it's incumbent on all of us to bring moshiach and do what we can.
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amother
Ecru


 

Post Fri, Apr 17 2015, 1:28 am
Another Chabad Shlucha chiming in here.
First of all it's so nice to see such respect on a thread like this.
Just to add some of my experience.

I grew up on Shlichus, pretty far oot. I am in awe of my parents earlier years. BH after many years of hard work my parents are more financially stable and the jewish community is more established. In their early years my father used to go to a farm to watch the cows being milked to enable us to have Chalav Yisrael milk.
As kids we all had to go away for high school / yeshiva which was a tremendous challenge. Financially things were very tough for my parents. We lived very simply, and my parents worked extremely hard.

However most of my siblings made the choice to go on Shlichus as well and only 2 work for my parents.

I am on Shlichus in a well established Jewish city but it's very very far from my family and that's really challenging for me. My kids are still little but I wish they had the opportunity to spend more time with their cousins who are scattered around the globe.

The hardest part of Shlichus is always being on. I can never just chill and relax. People are always needing things and have huge expectations of me and my husband.
For example I Had 25 people every meal of pesach. BH I have help but with a few little kids plus everything else going on I was exhausted. I ended up in bed with the flu but the show went on, thanks to my amazing housekeeper and husband.
Anyway Sunday morning after Pesach I was finished and canceled my weekly Monday morning class. I get this long irate email from a regular attendee of the class, chastising me for canceling and telling me how important it is to take the energy from pesach and channel into the week and I should really consider canceling and it's really irresponsible etc...
I'm really sensitive so I'm laying in my bed sick with the flu and feeling terrible already and now of course I am feeling all guilty about canceling.

My long rambling point is that Shlichus is amazing and I believe that the Brachos of my rebbe are what help me get through the challenging times. But people should recognize that as amazing as Shluchim and shluchos are. We are also human.

BH I feel incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to spread Yiddishkeit as a Shlucha of the rebbe and to reach out to people and make a difference.

I ask of every person who is reading this to think of one person they know in their life that could use some love or connection and reach out to them- it could be a neighbor coworker friend etc. Invite them to your house for Friday night. Bring the over a challah for Shabbos. Go out for coffee, meet up. Let's make this world a kinder place.

Have a beautiful Shabbos
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amother
Salmon


 

Post Fri, Apr 17 2015, 5:07 am
I have so much respect for Chabad and the amazing work they do. We will probably be moving to a university campus to do kiruv through a non-Chabad organization. What are the best ways we can foster a good relationship with the Chabad family?
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amother
Khaki


 

Post Fri, Apr 17 2015, 11:07 am
amother wrote:
I have so much respect for Chabad and the amazing work they do. We will probably be moving to a university campus to do kiruv through a non-Chabad organization. What are the best ways we can foster a good relationship with the Chabad family?


As a shlucha who has been in this situation, communicate. Talk to them before you move. Respect that they were there before you. Discuss ways to make this work out well. There are so many Jewish kids on most campuses and there is plenty of work to do and it benefits everyone if you get along.
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justajewishlady




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Apr 17 2015, 11:07 am
I personally have been mistaken for a shliach numerous times, which is so flattering because I know the sacrifices they make and the responsibilities they have to klal yisrael. It's like being a parent, you do things for your children not just because you have to, but because you want to because you love them. Also, anybody can do this in their own way. I work as a mashgicha and have had many situations where BT or curious people or people from out of town etc. have asked me things about Judaism that have no relation to my job or line of work. At times I feel very intimidated because I don't know everything and would never want to misinform, and at times I feel like the answers I give aren't perfect or full of wisdom etc. and hope I didn't cause any confusion or make anybody feel overwhelmed. But aside from these insecurities I have my kindness, understanding, and knowledge have enabled me to help others and demonstrate various aspects of Judaism in immense ways, whether I'm helping someone recite a bracha or am talking about history or really anything. I think there are several misconceptions on this topic, and many shluchim may feel they have to be perfect for the community or have to host five course meals and have a sparkling clean home at all times, but this is simply not possible. Schluchim are human, imperfect, and have the same struggles anybody else may have but in addition they have chosen to dedicate their life's work towards making the world a better place, just like everybody else. And yes, they could always use some help, a listening ear, a babysitter etc. and anybody can help someone recite a bracha or talk about mitzvot or educate or offer their services. Let's all strive to be like the schluchim we so admire, to be nonjudgmental, offer help when we are able to, and keep in mind the legacy we would like to leave behind.
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Mrs Bissli




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 19 2015, 10:49 am
amother wrote:
As a shlucha who has been in this situation, communicate. Talk to them before you move. Respect that they were there before you. Discuss ways to make this work out well. There are so many Jewish kids on most campuses and there is plenty of work to do and it benefits everyone if you get along.


I suggest you PM YaelinIN. She should be familiar with kiruv work on campus.
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