JEM: Where Are We Holding With Project 25?

JEMcentral.org

Over the past weeks, as the world marked twenty-five years since Gimmel Tammuz, how many millions of people watched, shared, or were touched by the Rebbe? Across hundreds of cities, thousands of events were held to hear from the Rebbe, to learn from the Rebbe, and to ever broaden the reach of his message. Many sat in their own homes and on their phones, sharing a moment with family members or themselves.

Pictures, stories, clips and encounters were shared across numerous social media platforms. High profile individuals, politicians, including the president of Israel, chief rabbis and singers shared as well, be it a personal encounter, teaching or clip of the Rebbe that spoke to their heart. And the vast majority utilized photos, videos, or stories published, restored and recorded by JEM.

In all, the exponential effect created by social media and these events increased the Rebbe’s impact on the world in an immeasurable manner. The Rebbe’s voice touched an unprecedented amount of hearts in all corners of the globe.

Several months before this inspiration took root, on a quiet Friday afternoon, JEM team members met to discuss ideas for how to aptly marks twenty-five years since Gimmel Tammuz. The team knew that they must do their part in ensuring the Rebbe’s voice and image reach every person, in every language and manner possible. So they launched an audacious plan. To mark 25 years, 25 new projects would be planned, produced and launched in time for Gimmel Tammuz – Project 25.

The projects spanned the gamut to ensure that every audience, young and old, from chasidic to “unaffiliated,” could walk away with something. And so, in addition to the massive amount of Rebbe videos, stories, and other such JEM content that spread throughout the world over Gimmel Tammuz, the following is a short summary of each of the new projects launched.

  1. Hidden Treasure, a new short film, illustrates the Rebbe’s belief in the potential of each individual, and depicts how the Rebbe dug deep into people’s souls to unearth their potential.
  2. Investing in Futures: The Rebbe and Children, produced in collaboration with Kids, is a fun, kid-friendly video about the Rebbe and his special affection for children.
  3. My Moment Web App, a powerful yet easy-to-use platform, hosts 350,000 video stills, precious moments of encounters with the Rebbe, wherein individuals can browse, locate, and share or order the video or still.
  4. 25,000 newly-scanned and cataloged photos posted to the Living Archive from various photographers and years.
  5. Every. Single. One., an immersive experience, leads viewers through a series of interactive videos, photos, quotes and stories, highlighting a core teaching of the Rebbe.
  6. 29th in the Farbrengen Series, the complete, restored and subtitled farbrengen of the Rebbe from Rosh Chodesh Elul 1982. 
  7. One by One, a new book produced by My Encounter, features 66 personal encounters with the Rebbe, highlighting the Rebbe’s guidance to each individual that came through his door.
  8. Hasipur Sheli, a Hebrew version (several years in the making) of the best-selling My Story. The book provides a new audience with the opportunity to be inspired by these stories too.
  9. Content summaries on Ashreinu from Vaad Hanachos B’Lahak for thirty years worth of talks of the Rebbe, with more to follow.
  10. Restored audio of six complete farbrengens of the Rebbe from the 1970s, also on Ashreinu.
  11. Connection Point’s screening of the Rebbe’s Lag B’omer parade drew 800 children and their parents to Eastern Parkway.
  12. Connection Point’s Gimmel Tammuz camp program was run in 13 camps and reached over 1800 campers worldwide.
  13. JEM Presents: The Rebbe on Antisemitism, an upcoming in-depth film that looks at the Rebbe’s approach to combating Antisemitism. The film will premiere on Tisha B’av.
  14. Facebook page in Russian launched to answer the demand for content in other languages.
  15. Whatsapp series that detailed the story of the Rebbe and Reebbtzin’s escape from war-torn Europe in 1941.
  16. An Instagram series, a first of its kind about Tishrei with the Rebbe, to be launched  in Elul.
  17. My Encounter for Children a new way of sharing stories, especially for children. The pilot is ready and will be made public in the near future.
  18. Exceptional Wisdom for Exceptional Children, a booklet which tells a story about the Rebbe’s ideology on dealing with special needs children.
  19. Dedication Wall; a new service from JEM, is now available to all. Perfect for schools, Chabad Houses and institutions.
  20. Hanachos, a project in partnership with Vaad Talmidei Hatmimim empowered students to watch and transcribe talks of the Rebbe.
  21. Community viewings of the Rebbe’s Yud Shvat farbrengen 1975 were arranged, in partnership with Vaad Talmidei Hatmimim.
  22. Dor Hashvi’i, a school curriculum in partnership with Vaad Or Vechom taught students about the Rebbe.
  23. video presentation for a mega Gimmel Tammuz event in Israel.
  24. website full of Rebbe stories and pictures published in collaboration with Tzeirei Agudas Chabad.
  25. photo album published in collaboration with Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in Israel

Learn more about Project 25 here.