Why We Haven’t Stopped Dancing: Reclaiming the Number Seven After October 7

Dear friends,

It's been a tumultuous year. 2023 will be recalled with ignonimy, going down in Jewish history as the bursting of the "Never again" bubble. Since October 7 I have been asked over and over again—"Where do we go from here"? My answer has been consistently the same. We go nowhere. We remain exactly where we all were when the horrifying news began to trickle in. In Shul—on Simchat Torah morning, circling the Bima, with our precious children and our holy Torahs.

Dancing. Dancing and weeping while mentally alternating between the preciousness and peril of our destiny. Clutching the scrolls, hugging them, holding our children, tighter than ever, and hugging them as well. Laughing and crying—at the absurdity of the seemingly inextricable link between bearing the historical mantle of faith, that has been a primary force in shaping modern day civilisation into the decent Judeo-Christian civilisation we have occasionally seen flourish, at its baseline decent best, while bearing the brunt of its ugliness, at its worst.

Here at Chabad That HAS been where we are. Consistently.

We all know how to say "Am Yisroel Chai," but it's a song whose often dormant potency of resilience, is awakened only with an accompanying dance. We haven't stopped dancing with those Torahs and those children, and their families. We have danced when every limb in our bodies were begging for permission to go collapse in a corner, and pretend that none of this was happening. Because as a community, we can't AFFORD to stop Dancing with the Torahs.

The chanting of Am Yisroel Chai, during these times has gone from a somewhat tepid half hearted and unconvincing mantra, to an unearthing of a collective Jewish potency and solidarity, at a magnitude that has been nothing short of miraculous. The words have ushered us into an existential portal, the energetic space of AM YISROEL CHAI ITSELF. We have ironically, but magically shifted, from the tragic and perpetual "Nebach" Jew, whiteknuckling ourselves through history–to the new Am Yisroel Chai version, that is vibrating at its highest frequency to date.

Now, make no mistake. We ARE living through a moment of deep crisis. Our brothers and sisters are losing their lives daily, protecting the land of Israel. Protecting OUR homeland. Israel IS the only place for us, if G-d forbid this doesn't go the right way for us. This awareness is shared today by the MAJORITY of Jews, who need only have the capacity to think logically to reach this same conclusion.

CHABAD of the North Shore has been at the forefront of the AM YISROEL CHAI-ing of our community. The Rabbis and their families have not stopped to catch their breath since October 7th. The six satellite centers that Chabad of the North Shore has fielded, have each played a critical role in their respective communities, offering support, counsel, and programming. They have each stepped up and embodied genuine Am Yisroel Chai Ambassadorship.

We have all revved up our engines and haven't stopped running since. From over 30 Menorah lightings, when there were many voices suggesting we "tone ourselves down" this year, to our high impact MISSION OF LOVE to Israel,

that so many of you generously supported— we have truly doubled and tripled our efforts!

Can we count on you to do the same for us? We truly need your support today more than ever as we continue to intensify OUR efforts.

Here on the North Shore, Chabad is widely recognized and appreciated for our rapid response to anti semitism where ever it rears its grotesque head. Can you please dig deep and be there for us so that we can continue to be there for you?

Next Level https://raisethon.com/nextlevel

This year we have grown in so many ways, especially right here in our Jewish hub in Swampscott Marblehead and Lynn: From Our summer weekly Friday community "Ruach bbqs," a lecture with Rabbi Shmuly Boteach, First Friday family Shabbats, Challah Bakes, Shabbat of Poetry, Paint nights, to our Young Adult Lag Baomer! The list goes on. Camp Gan Israel Summer day camp has seen a huge boost in attendance, and the Aleph Academy Pre School has a waiting list for the first time.

Our unique partnership with Epstein Hillel School under the strong leadership of Amy Sheiber Gold, has thrived and the "Nachal" program has now grown into two classes and is poised to have its biggest classes ever in 2025. We are also so proud that our Aleph Academy Preschool, led by Chaya Baron , is one of the biggest "feeders" into our EHS community day school. We feel the responsibility to do our part in ensuring the viability of a Jewish Day School on the North Shore, again more NOW than ever before. We are exceedingly proud of the role we play and will continue to play. Please look for a special video presentation that tells that story.

The North Shore Mikva has filled a gaping void, and continues to be the indispensable institution for our community that it quickly became.

We were also so proud to add the beloved dynamo Hela Nathan to our staff as full time Program Director and Shabbat Coordinator.

In August we welcomed the Newest members of our wider Chabad North Shore Team, RABBI MENDEL AND FRAIDY BARBER, who have been appointed to lead Chabad Beverly-Salem. They have hit the ground running and have already made a huge impact in that community, especially on the Salem State and Endicott College campuses respectively.

Finally, we decided to craft another unique response to October 7th. Instead of ceding the narrative to evil cowards, we decided to counter it with our own— by opening up our 7th Center on the North Shore in Wakefield. This unique center will cater to the many young families that have been flocking to the surrounding towns and cities. This communal cohort, an underserved micro region, somewhat overlooked by the wider community, had caught our attention, and will now get the surge of Jewish energy it so richly deserves.

The bright spot in that constellation has been Temple Emmanuel, and Rabbi Greg Hersh, who have partnered with us on the annual Menorah Lightings, and hosted Matza baking workshops for us over the years. They have been amazing partners and together with Mr Ben Weiner, have welcomed the new additions enthusiastically. We are all eager to work side by side to shine even more light, during these times especially. The number 7 doesn't belong to Hamas. It needs to be reappropriated and restored to its rightful spot as a symbol

of sacredness and holiness. It is the number that belongs to Shabbat, the day of rest. To that end We have appointed Rabbi Sruly and Devorah Leah Brook, as the newest Shluchim to the area. We can't wait to welcome them and their daughter and introduce you all personally.

Stay tuned throughout this campaign as we do a recap of some of our favourite 2023 highlights! We hope you enjoy the videos and photos and contribute generously, and share this campaign with your family and friends!

We couldn't have gotten here without you, and we cherish the good things we have achieved together, but we need your support and encouragement now more than ever.

Our Dear friends and longtime Chabad of the North Shore Patrons Dorothy and Richard Tatelman have magnanimously offered to match every dollar contributed up to $118,000 dollars. Please help us take advantage of this opportunity to double that amount!

The Menorah that they commissioned over twenty years ago, that now graces the top of Chabad of the North Shore in Swampscott, intended as a replica of the original seven branched Menorah, was designed to evoke the universal beacon of light radiating out of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem—resonates now even more powerfully; TRULY symbolizing the way this Burrill Street lighthouse has not only shined so powerfully here in Swampscott, but has extended its light far beyond, literally into seven branches, illuminating every corner of the North Shore, ever closer to being poised to reach every single Jew in the region, Personally!

Much Love,

Rabbi Yossi