Behind the Scenes of Crown Heights: Interview with Compass Magazine
As part of the “Behind the Scenes of Crown Heights” interview series, CrownHeights.info spoke with Mrs. Elky Raitport, editor-in-chief of The Chabad House Compass Magazine, a project of Merkos Suite 302.
Q. While Compass is a well-known magazine in the world of shluchim, most Lubavitchers know little of it. Can you give us a quick synopsis of the history of the magazine.
Sure. The first issue of Compass was actually called The Kinus Magazine, and I think that pretty much sums up what it is and what need it was set to fill.
In 5767, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky established Merkos Suite 302, a department of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch directed by Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, to effectuate the hachlatos undertaken at each year’s Kinus Hashluchim and Kinus Hashluchos, and to support shluchim, their families, and their shlichus. In 5770, Rabbi Kotlarsky felt that the time was ripe for a print publication that could bring a “Kinus experience” and the best of Suite 302 to shluchim and shluchos around the world.
Shluchim are each stationed on their own little island, hard at work and doing amazing things. The annual Kinus Hashluchim and Kinus Hashluchos provide them with an opportunity to connect in person and gain inspiration and practical tips from one another to help them grow and move forward in their shlichus.
But the annual Kinus is just that. It’s annual. Once a year and then it’s over.
Enter The Kinus Magazine—renamed The Chabad House Compass Magazine in its second issue—a “Kinus-in-print” through which shluchim can connect with their mission as shluchim and connect with each other—any day or night of the year. A “compass” through which shluchim and shluchos can realign themselves with the Rebbe’s vision. A publication through which they can share and gain innovative ideas, thoughtful perspectives, leads to resources they’ve never known about, and a visual reminder that they are part of something far greater than themselves and never alone.
What started out as an 8-page booklet has baruch Hashem grown into an 88-112-page professionally produced full-color quarterly “for-shluchim-by-shluchim” magazine. Now in its 12th year and working on its 32nd issue, Compass has just released its premiere edition of Compass Jr., a supplementary magazine for yaldei hashluchim created in partnership with MyShliach.
While the Compass staff facilitates the production of the articles and of the magazine as a whole, it is the shluchim and shluchos themselves whose stories, thoughts, and ideas are featured in its pages. The crown of the magazine is the fact that every article is accompanied by excerpts of sichos, letters, or responses of the Rebbe, each shining a light on the subject at hand.
Q. Is the magazine based on or modeled after one of the publications the Rebbe was involved in? Are there any hora’os from the Rebbe that have shaped Compass into what it is today?
As a magazine published by Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, an organization established by the Frierdiker Rebbe and directed by our Rebbe, our greatest hope and wish is for the Rebbe to be satisfied with it in every way. One way we try to achieve this is by gleaning insight from the Rebbe’s directives to and edits on other publications and writings, and aligning Compass with them to the best of our understanding.
For example, the Rebbe consistently used refined and positive language, both orally and in writing. Though articles in Compass may discuss delicate issues or challenges (not problems) faced by shluchim, we try to use sensitive, positive, solution-oriented words, and to conclude each article on an upbeat note.
We are deeply grateful to Rabbi Dr. Dovid Sholom Pape, longtime editor of The Moshiach Times, for having shared so many fascinating hora’os he received from the Rebbe regarding the content and illustrations in the magazine. They warrant an entire article of their own. Though The Moshiach Times is geared toward children, seeing the way the Rebbe was so particular about every last detail has heightened our awareness and sensitivity when illustrating and designing articles in Compass.
Here’s one example: Whenever The Moshiach Times featured a front-cover illustration depicting an upcoming yom tov, the Rebbe was particular that the illustration should clearly incorporate the mitzvos of that yom tov. Similarly, it should be made obvious that the prohibitions of that yom tov are not being transgressed. A Pesach illustration must include some sort of visual reference to four cups of wine and three matzos, and of course no chametz should be seen—regardless of how relevant these items are to the scene being depicted in the illustration. Similarly, a Shabbos illustration should not include tools with which melachah is performed, unless it is clearly indicated that they are not for Shabbos use.
When designing a recent Compass halachah article answering questions that often arise in Chabad House kitchens on Shabbos, the designer found a stock image of a hanging rack of various serving utensils that she felt suited the article as an accompanying illustration. Instead of using the image as is, she turned the slotted spoon into a regular spoon without holes and substituted the whisk with a large fork.
The image in question was only intended to make the article more visually appealing and had no relation to the questions being answered. The average reader—and even those involved in the magazine’s production—would likely not even notice exactly which utensils were displayed. But the fact of the matter is that slotted spoons and handheld whisks are not to be used on Shabbos. Since the hanging rack in the stock image seemed to be affixed to a wall and on display, we understood that the illustration should include only utensils that may be used on Shabbos and made the necessary changes. Our attention to this matter was thanks to what Rabbi Pape had shared with us.
Another example: When The Moshiach Times presented the Rebbe with an illustration that included a boy and girl near each other, the Rebbe wrote that the girl should be “b’keren acheres” (in a different corner/section), and that there needed to be an object or some other sort of visual separation between the boy and girl. Even though these were hand-drawn illustrations of young children. Now, when we feature illustrations of young boys and girls in Compass, we know to be careful about this.
The Rebbe often highlighted the importance of consulting with rabbanim and mashpiim and following their advice. We are extremely grateful to our rabbinic board, Rabbi Yosef Shusterman, Dayan Levi Yitzchok Raskin, and Rabbi Baruch Hertz. Not only do they meticulously review and weigh in on all halachah-related articles and matters in the magazine, but their guidance has provided us with clarity and direction across the board. Additionally, Compass staff frequently consult with mashpiim and senior shluchim and shluchos for their perspectives and input.
When we were setting the magazine’s policy regarding the types of photos that should or should not be featured, our rabbinic board advised us to consult with Rabbi Aharon Dov Halperin, who received directives from the Rebbe in this regard when Kfar Chabad Magazine started out. Indeed, those have become Compass’ policy, too.
Every issue of Compass features multiple excerpts of the Rebbe’s sichos and letters. These are usually presented along with English translations or summaries prepared by Compass’ staff. The purpose of the translations and summaries are to convey the Rebbe’s message to the reader in a clear, flowing, and relatable English. In order to achieve this, the text needs to be paraphrased instead of being translated word for word. At the same time, it is of utmost importance that the translator stay loyal to the Rebbe’s particular choice of words and not gloss over seemingly insignificant terms or details. We are grateful for the guidance we have received in this regard from Rabbi Michoel Seligson and Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, based on the extensive research each of them has done on the Rebbe’s directives on this subject.
Though we try our best to translate the Rebbe’s words accurately and to follow the hora’os I’ve just shared (as well as the others that we have become aware of over the years), I’ll be the first to admit that we are all human and make mistakes. Sometimes the very points we are looking out for simply slip through our radar.
For example, it was brought to my attention that a detail in an illustration in one of our recently published issues depicted a Jewish child violating halachah. Though this was in fact the subject of the article it was illustrating (and, as expressed in the article, the child in the illustration was unaware of that halachah), the Rebbe taught us to always see and portray every Jew in the best light and certainly would not approve of such an illustration.
Quite a number of people had reviewed the illustration in the design process, but this particular detail had made it to print without being noticed by any of us. As soon as the error was pointed out, it seemed to jump out of the page at me, so painfully obvious. I was and still am quite troubled. I feel like I failed the Rebbe by not picking up on this and have misrepresented the Rebbe in this regard. And now that the magazine has already been distributed, the error is out there for eternity.
After this incident occurred, I took time to think of what steps could be put into place to prevent such an oversight from happening again. I think that’s what the Rebbe would want me to do—to use my mistakes as springboards for growth.
Q. Are there any incredible or inspiring stories you can share that have occurred with the magazine?
I often think of Compass, and all sources of inspiration in general, as a bench on a sidewalk. When a person is feeling spent and achy after hours spent walking toward their destination—perhaps carrying heavy packages or the goods they’ve acquired along their way—they are thrilled and grateful when they spy a bench, a place where they can sit and rest and garner new energies with which to continue their journey.
As each of us travel through our life’s journey, we may have moments when we feel like that exhausted traveler. And Hashem, in His kindness, plants a bench in our path, an inspiring vort, story, song, or message that revives and uplifts us at just the right time and gives us the strength we need to move forward.
I feel humbled and privileged when I hear about the impact Compass has on its readers, but I’m just like that curious little kid who’s eager to be in on the action and “help” the workers install a new bench into the sidewalk. All I’m actually doing is witnessing hashgachah pratis and the Rebbe’s kochos at work.
One such scene took place last year, when a shliach was trying to convince a woman out of having her deceased sister cremated. Though this shliach had successfully dissuaded others from choosing cremation in the past, this time, after many conversations that seemed to have gone nowhere, he felt like he needed new tools.
The shliach related to me that while he was on the phone with the woman, he remembered that Compass had recently featured an article on the subject of convincing Jews to choose Jewish burial, and that the article had been accompanied by a letter of the Rebbe on the subject. At that moment, he found the magazine, turned to the relevant page, read the Rebbe’s letter to himself, and then proceeded to share its message with the woman. It was then that a shift occurred within her. Baruch Hashem, the woman agreed for her sister to be buried according to halachah.
A second story: Shortly after COVID hit, a shliach shared with us that he had discovered a way that just about anyone could construct a kosher men’s mikvah in their garage or backyard for approximately $350. Of course, we were thrilled to feature his innovative idea as a “how-to” article in our next issue. Baruch Hashem, over the next few months a nice number of shluchim followed this shliach’s lead and built these DIY mikva’os in their respective locations.
A shliach once shared that an article we had featured about Mivtza Ois Besefer Torah inspired him and his wife to get 150 children to purchase letters. On another occasion, we were told about how a particular detail mentioned in a Compass halachah article on officiating at weddings made a reader aware of a real issue in their own kesubah and led them to having it rewritten.
Sometimes, the most amazing stories are the ones left unshared. The ones we only know about because of messages like, “Wow, X’s article was so powerful,” or, “The magazine arrived at just the right time,” or, “You have no idea what this magazine has done for me.”
But again, while hearing these stories is encouraging, and baruch Hashem we have heard many more, they are not our stories. They are simply snapshots we are privy to see of shluchim helping one another, of the Rebbe finding a way to answer his chassidim, and of the Yad Hashem that is present in every aspect of our lives.
Q. In today’s digital age, do you see the magazine continuing to run in print, or will it be moving online?
No matter how digital the age, we Yidden continue to turn off all our devices each week before Shabbos. And that’s often when we can actually sit down and read. So we continue to savor the printed magazine. Despite the prohibitive shipping costs.
That being said, each issue of Compass is available at shluchimexchange.com.
Q. In your unique position as the editor-in-chief of an established Lubavitch publication, what advice can you give to young shluchim and shluchos, and even young Lubavitchers just moving their way through the world, on how to better communicate through writing?
כ”ק מו”ח אדמו”ר נשיא דורנו אמר כמ”פ – בשם הצ”צ – אודות גודל המעלה של דברים הנדפסים, שדיבור הוא רק לשעתו, דבר שבכתב הוא לדורות, ואילו דבר שבדפוס הוא לדורי דורות. (שיחת פ’ בראשית מבה”ח חשון תשכ”ד, תורת מנחם לח ח”א ע’ 185)
On a number of occasions the Rebbe pointed out, in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek, the superior advantage of the printed word over the spoken word and even over that which is written by hand. The spoken word only lasts “lesha’ato,” for the amount of time it takes to articulate it, and can only be heard and appreciated and acted upon by those within earshot. A handwritten note lasts “ledoros,” for a limited number of generations. Something that has been properly printed (or digitally published) lasts “ledorei doros;” it continues to impact its readers for all generations to come.
While this may be an empowering statement, it literally makes me tremble. Every time we publish an article or send a magazine to print, I wonder what kinds of blunders I might be releasing into the big wide world for eternity. I’ve only shared one with you in this interview, but there have been plenty more. And there’s no way to retrieve them.
If there’s any piece of advice I can share, it’s the advice I keep on telling myself: Check your work before you send it further.
Edit.
If you’ve quoted someone or would like to share something in someone’s name (or in a manner where their identity might become revealed), verify with them personally that they approve of the actual text or photo you’d like to send forward.
Then check your work again.
Edit it again.
And again.
Then have someone else check it.
And maybe even someone else.
And edit it again.
Look at it from every angle you possibly can.
Read it without any vocal inflections and try to visualize how it might be received and perceived by its intended reader (who doesn’t get to see your body language or read your mind).
And its non-intended reader.
And its reader in a hurry.
And in a less-than-desirable mood.
Then visualize yourself handing it to the Rebbe.
Once you’ve modified and edited and re-edited your work—and maybe scrapped it and started all over again—let it marinate overnight and check it again the next day. (If you’re able to print a draft on an actual sheet of paper, do that.) You might be surprised at what you’ll notice with a refreshed mind and heart.
After you’ve done all that, daven for siyata dishmaya and click print (or send).
And then, be on the lookout for constructive feedback that can help you grow.
This process might sound unrealistic when you need to churn out quick text messages or posts, especially while you’re in the midst of doing a bunch of other things, but whether we like it or not, even those will last ledorei doros. It is precisely when we have the least time or patience that we are best off taking a deep breath and pausing to take a second and third look before proceeding.
Q. Many Chabad organizations find themselves at the end of the day filling multiple roles. Does the Compass team assist shluchim in other ways as well?
The Baal Shem Tov teaches us that a neshamah may come down to this world and live for seventy or eighty years just to do another Jew a favor—materially and certainly spiritually. Not just that, but the Frierdiker Rebbe writes that the Baal Shem Tov introduced this teaching by saying that we must have mesiras nefesh to do a favor for even one Jew. And the Frierdiker Rebbe did not exaggerate or throw words around. It is therefore not surprising that, as you say, “Many Chabad organizations find themselves at the end of the day filling multiple roles.”
I should hope that, whether under the official Compass name or not, the Compass team assists shluchim in whatever way they can. After all, isn’t that why we are here?
Q. As many other women look to stand at the helm of major organizations, what advice would you give to help empower them towards success?
To “stand at the helm of major organizations” has never been my aspiration. My deepest wish is and has always been to raise my family as shluchim of the Rebbe—in whatever capacity the Rebbe would like us to serve.
As far as advice to help empower other women toward success, I would start off by asking what exactly qualifies as “success” for a Jewish woman.
First, let’s take a look at how Torah defines our role, and what the Rebbe said in that regard, in order to have clarity on what it is that we are trying to succeed at.
Time and again, the Rebbe pointed out how Yiddishkeit places Jewish women on a pedestal, shining a spotlight on our role as the akeres habayis, the mainstay of our homes and the cornerstones of Jewish continuity. Additionally, the Rebbe highlighted the importance of Jewish women studying and teaching Torah and Chassidus. Thirdly, the Rebbe made it very clear that every Jewish woman is charged with the mission of reaching out to other women and bringing them closer to Yiddishkeit. And that they are encouraged to develop and use their talents in order to do so.
The Rebbe excelled at empowering women toward success. Here is a translation of one paragraph of a most beautiful letter the Rebbe penned to the annual N’shei Ubnos Chabad convention in 5724 (Igros Kodesh vol. 23, pp. 208-209), which I find very empowering (especially in its original Yiddish):
“Jewish women must actively participate in strengthening and disseminating Torah and mitzvos in their day-to-day lives. We are now at a point where, without their help, the entire Jewish nation cannot advance along the trajectory leading us to the final destination Hashem has promised us [i.e., Moshiach]. In all areas of Jewish life, and especially in the realm of providing children with a pure and holy Jewish education, Jewish women and daughters must fulfill the charge brought upon them by Divine providence.
“This is the role of every Jewish woman and daughter—and even more so of Chabad women and daughters, who merited to experience the light and life that Chassidus and the Rebbeim have to offer.”
May today be the day where the ultimate success is finally achieved, and we reach the final destination that Hashem has promised us, with the coming of Moshiach tzidkeinu!
