Video: Tanks on the Times Homepage!
Earlier this morning a video interview with with Yishai Eliefja, a Yungerman who mans the weekly Mitzvah Tank, was featured on the homepage of the New York Times.
“We go out there like soldiers, with a mission to conquer the world with light, with goodness, with kindness,” said Yishai Eliefja, 23, a Hasidic Jew who works for the Chabad Lubavitch’s “mitzvah tanks,” or “synagogues on wheels.”
The mitzvah tanks, which will resume operation on Wednesday now that Passover has ended, were inspired by the teachings of the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson and aim to engage secular Jews in acts of tradition and prayer in order to advance the coming of the Messiah.
“We look at the mitzvah tanks as the front line Marines in the rebbe’s arsenal,” said Rabbi Mordy Hirsch, who is also involved with the administering of the mitzvah tanks. “People are depressed today. Everyone has their worries, their headaches. The mitzvah tanks idea is a warm, comfortable home environment in the hustle and bustle of Fifth Avenue.”
Although the tanks are a familiar sight in certain neighborhoods in New York City, a parade of 61 tanks — symbolizing each year since the rebbe ascended to leadership in Crown Heights, Brooklyn — snaked through the city on April 14.
“We invite them in the tank, to have something to eat, something to drink, and we have a blessing,” said Yishai Eliefja, the bearded 23-year-old driver of one of the mitzvah tanks. “Instead of going to the synagogue, we bring the synagogue to you.”
I Want Moshiach Now
very nice!
Good Work!
HAZLACHAH RABA!
MAY YOUR WORK BRING MOSHIACH CLOSER!
OMIEN SELAH!
Nachman Sanowicz
Great work.
Al Yaivosh mipnai Hamaligim is the nesoyon of our generation which will bring the hisgalus of our Rebbe MH”M . Look in the mamor kimai Tzaischo mieretz mitzraim arenu nifloos distributed and learnt yesterday by seudas moshiach.
Nice!
Love it! Thank you NY Times and Chabad. This story truly highlights the diverse culture of NYC. It’s a breath of fresh air to see people openly and proudly proclaim their identity and culture. This is a shinning example of citizens exercising their First Amendment right to free religious expression in our pluralistic society. E. Federman. p.s. See the NY Times is not our enemy as this is a shinning example of very fair reporting of Frum Yidden :-)
Surprised journalist
Wow! This was actually inspiring and there wasnt one cringe worthy second! Thanks for posting!
Shimon
Yeah, why aren’t there 40 complaints about the NYTimes after this article? If they’re such rishoyim we should protest anytime they write, not only when it isn’t something 100% positive. This shows that the NYTimes is the perfect place for Eli to have gone to. So lets forget about that aspect of the story and focus on the women’s voting rights and not how he got people talking about it.
Eric
Mazel tov to our nephew…yasher koach
See you in Chicago
Uncle R, Aunt C, cuz S and P