As I sit at home with the kids while you are away at the Kinus Hashluchos, I thought it would be a good time to put my thoughts on paper.
I would like to make a tribute to you;
To your constant work (yes I think it is real work)
To your constant smile (even when there is no reason to)
To the constant hosting (and they get excited at 15 guests for Rosh Hashanah dinner)
To your constant example to our children (I can tell by the look in their eyes)
To inspiring a whole town about the truths of life (think of all the people you have touched)
For dealing with a less than perfect husband (no comment on that)
Op-Ed: My dear Shluchah…
My dear Wife,
As I sit at home with the kids while you are away at the Kinus Hashluchos, I thought it would be a good time to put my thoughts on paper.
I would like to make a tribute to you;
To your constant work (yes I think it is real work)
To your constant smile (even when there is no reason to)
To the constant hosting (and they get excited at 15 guests for Rosh Hashanah dinner)
To your constant example to our children (I can tell by the look in their eyes)
To inspiring a whole town about the truths of life (think of all the people you have touched)
For dealing with a less than perfect husband (no comment on that)
And the flip side…
Putting up with all the stress (even if sometimes you are going to blow)
Putting up with our lack of finances (it will change – I am trying)
Putting up with the occasional disappointment (it is not your fault)
Agonizing over the chinuch of our kids (the Rebbe is our partner)
And the list is way to long to write everything.
I truly believe that Shlichus is a 2 person team. Each member plays a different role and complements each other. As the Gemorah says that the man brings the wheat into the house and the women turns it into bread. This applies even more with shlichus. The man is out there doing a lot of the legwork to make sure the moised is running smooth; whether it is the administrative work or government stuff or cultivating the baaei baatim or raising money or raising money or trying to raise money… it is all to make sure that the wheels are turning. When that is going well, then people come in the door and are wowed by the better half of the couple. You show them a smile and the warmth of Yidishkeit that leaves an everlasting impression on their neshomah.
I know that when we first moved out we had great visions of big buildings with a large minyan and turning over the city in a few weeks while people would immediately recognize how great we are and start throwing money (a lot of money) at us…but reality has set in and every neshomah is as difficult to move as it is hard to move that dollar.
We have learned to appreciate the little mitzvahs-the lady started to make Shabbat dinner and the man who came the first time to say kaddish. Not the big sefer torah project or the women’s university with 10 lecturers all day.
But we know that we are changing people’s view at life and their involvement in Yidishkeit.
We also wanted that big building with many classrooms for the nursery and the teen lounge with a pool table where all the locals wil come to hang out. Nu. We have it a bit different. We welcome them into our home.
When the whole world is crying poverty and waiting in line for bailouts…as of yet merkoz isn’t doing that ;-).
But BH we have bread on the table (most of the time) and we are able to cover the checks (when they call to tell us it bounced).
And as you go to spend the weekend with friends and family and get inspired for the upcoming year, I cannot tell you enough how much your patience means to me that you know that I am trying my hardest to make sure we are (somewhat) comfortable at home and that you or the kids shouldn’t have to lose out from the economic situation. It is difficult – and believe me it is difficult – to keep things afloat (I try not to tell you all the gory details) but with Hashem’s help we will get through this speed bump as well.
On those really hard days, when I come home from a meeting a ‘drop’ disappointed…Your support means the world to me and I want to let you know that the greatest thing is to come home and see you smiling, showing that you know what an important role you play in my life and shlichus.
I hope you enjoyed the kinus.
—
A. Shliach
avocado wrap!!!!!
This letter brought a silent tear to my eye. i encourage all men to sit down at this time and take a moment to thank their wives.
SHLIACH
beautiful!!!!, showing gratitude is a great trait to have, whether to a friend, a wife, a mashpia, etc… HATZLOCHA RABBAH!
YIDD
wow!!!
so meaningful!!!
n’eNOW!!!
Proud Mother
This is beatuful answer to all the people who don’t really understand the concept of Shlichus & believe huge results = success. Not true. Every baby step is a massive success & the Shluchim/Shluchos build on them every day.
As the mother of Shluchos & the shviger of Shluchim I want to publicly thank them & their colleagues for their incredible Meseiros Nefesh & for bringing the world closer to Moshiach.
Impressed Wrote!
Beautifully & so honestly wriiten! I agree with Avocado….every Shliach should show Hakoras Hatov to his Eishes Chayil @ This time!!
anon
So beautiful, ihope every shliach writes hie amazing wife a letter!!
bocher
shliach…while your at it, also a sincere thanks to the bochrim that help you out!
Shlucha
Thank you my dear husband for staying there with our 5 kinderlach.. I miss all of you
me
very nice
mt
thats nice and really touching
but of course, as always, “appreciate once u dont have it” they cant tell that to theyre wives while theyre tere? they cant do it anytime, ONLY when the womans not there?
a crown heights resident!!!
whu is this only to a shlucha this can apply to any wife i to work extreemlty hard and to all this for my family why should i be singles out because we are not lucky tombe on shlichus???
whatever
how flippin pathetic. Say it to your wife, not to the world.
Chana Piekarski
This beautiful letter was originally sent to me to post anonymously on The Shluchos Network of The Shluchim Office. I too received many beautiful responses about its contents. I actually suggested to the shliach (who remains anonymous to me as well) to identify himself to his wife- and I hope he has by now. In any case, it is one of the most meaningful tributes I have read to a shlucha.
Yasher Koach to all the shluchim and shluchos and their tzeirei hashluchim who constantly make the Rebbe and Chabad Lubavitch proud.
Chana Piekarski, The Shluchim Office
ch resident
kol hakovod.
all but one of my children are on shlichus so i can identify. However, the couples who are not on shlichus also work hard, also have their good times and hard times. the wife also stands next to her husband helping. at times it is he who is the one helping and standing by her, where she might be doing more. financially, people who are not on shlichus have the same problems making ends meet. i have seen refrigerators that are empty here in CH. I have seen people whose homes are up for foreclosre here in CH. I have seen head of households out of work here in CH. All of the issues that are written in the letter can also apply to CH. Yes, we have schools but many of us have children who don’t quite make it in our system and technically do not have a school to go to. People here in CH do not get shluchim discounts on anything that the shluchim do. Yes, the work of a shliach is so much more rewarding than that of a “plain farmer” in CH. However, many many many couples who are looking for shlichus can not find it so they are here.
We should all be happy and productive and have nachas from our children.
Also a tear in my eye
Wow absolutely beautiful. I am so happy for the community they are in that they have such a strong and adoring marriage. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Chava
Why are people taking a beautiful thing and making it ugly? A shliach wrote a letter to his wife, a shlucha, so that’s what it is. Why not to the women of CH? If a husband from CH would like to write a letter to his wife (and have it shared so others can learn from it), nobody will stop him.
Stop looking for negativity, please.
–
May we be reunited with our Rebbetzin–the biggest Shlucha and Chossid–tonight!
Lubavitcher
This is a very beautiful letter and we can all write our own meaningful ones to our dear wives (shluchos).
I have a question for all shluchos why couldn’t any of you write a letter to your husband (shliach) and have it posted here as well by the shluchims convention?
avocado wrap!!!!!
Dear “Impressed” the name is Avocado WRAP, if you are going to make a reference do it right.
Nebech
Is this what chassidishe men write?? And indeed, SHULUCHIM???!! Nebech, they became influenced by the strange customs of those strange places. Think of any real chassidishe yid of yesteryear – would he ever write something like this? Nebech.
The only thing missing is to wish her a Happy Valentine’s Day.
proud lubavitcher
to all those who are complaining that its geared to only shluchos: Relax, it was just one shliach who wrote it and obviously it could be said to any other lady & plus – after all, we are all shluchim/shluchos, arent we???
Ess Passt Nisht
I agree with Nebech!! Such a letter should be VERY private, if at all. To publish such a letter is simply ; ess passt nisht! I am shocked!!
Burned
To Chana Piekarski,
Please do not post such “romantic” notes on The Shluchos Network of The Shluchim Office. Nothing good can come out of it. As a shlucha, it created ill feelings in my heart – why doesn’t MY husband write me such notes? And yes, I became resentful, till I spoke to my mashpia, a few weeks of non-sholom bayis was healed.
Such notes do not belong on any public forum. Just as any gesture of love between husband and wife are to remain behing closed doors.
Disgruntled Husband
avocado wrap!!!!! You must have little avocados dancing around in your head. My wife just called me and demanded I write her a similar letter …or else. So “thank you”, but please don’t do me any more favors.
Ruth
Beautiful letter, and no matter who wrote it, it’s a tribute to all of the amazing women who work tirelessly at Chabad Houses around the world.
Shout out to my “movie star” rebbetzin, Nechama Greenberg! One time when I was telling you about a Jewish family I’d met in town and invited to join us by Chabad, you said, “Hey, you’re a shlucha too!” I can’t think of a better tribute!!!!
Oy Vay
Oy Vey! This is sick. And the ones who applaud it are even sicker. Being a shaliach does not mean that you endowed with wisdom. The author was unwise for writing this. The publishers were even more unwise for publishing it.
The aytza: Become more chassidish!!!!!!
A Star Is Born
Ruth, I do not think your Rebbetzin considers it a compliment to be described as a “movie star”. I would be insulted to be described in such a manner. As we assimilate among the nations, we lose our sense of values and start adopting theirs. Keep inviting people to grow and you can describe yourself with the glorious title of “shlucha”. That indeed is a HUGE compliment. But movies stars are not at all stars – they like movies are all make believe. Someone wise once told me that in Hebrew the word movies (mo’vez) means death! In that context, a movie star is a star of death. We celebrate Torah which is chayim – life! You and your Rebbetzin are “Torah stars”. Keep on shining!