Parasha Insights - Chabad of Great Neck

HOW TO SPEAK SO YOUR CHILDREN WILL LISTEN?

Thursday, June 29, 2017 - 4:30 PM

During wartime, a Jew would come to the country’s border with a wheelbarrow full of dirt. The border guard looked at the man’s papers and all was in order for him to cross. The guard suspecting that the man was smuggling some sort of contraband in the wheelbarrow., took a shovel, poked around in the dirt, but found nothing. The man was allowed to cross.

The next week, the Jew once again came to the border with a wheelbarrow full of dirt. Again, the border guard found that the papers were in order and dug through the dirt, but still found nothing. And again, the man was allowed to cross. Week after week, it was the same story: Man approaches the border with wheelbarrow full of dirt. Guard finds nothing of interest… Read More »

I WAS CHALLENGED TO BECOME A LEADER

Friday, June 23, 2017 - 12:00 PM

On March 15, 1958, Jack Kennedy was a politician in his 40's. The opening line of one of his speeches made him a legend. Previously, his father John had been lampooned in the press as trying to use his family's money and influence to buy the election. Reaching into his pocket, Jack pulled out a telegram he said was from his dad. It said, "Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary—I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide."

This week's Torah portion, Korach, tells of a serious challenge to Moses’ leadership. Moses's first cousin, Korach, led 250 community leaders in a revolt: They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community… Read More »

WE CAN DO IT WE ARE STRONG!

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 1:04 PM

The local Jewish Federation charity had never received a donation from the city’s banker, a very wealthy Jew, so the director made a phone call. “Our records show you make $800,000 a year, yet you haven’t given a penny to charity,” the director began. “Wouldn’t you like to help the Jewish community?”

The banker replied, “Did your research show that my mother is ill, with extremely expensive medical bills?” “Um, no,” mumbled the director. “Or that my brother is blind and unemployed? Or that my sister’s husband died, leaving her broke with seven kids?” “I … I … I had no… Read More »

I KNOW THE SHEPHERD

Friday, June 9, 2017 - 12:00 PM

There was once a jungle in which one lion thought himself a king. Everyday he got up, went over to the chipmunk, pinned him to the ground and asked, "Who's the toughest animal in the jungle?"

To which the chipmunk, in a meek little voice, always replied, "You are!"

Then the lion would find the bird. He would grab the bird, pin him to the ground and ask, "Who's the toughest animal in the jungle?"

"You are," the poor frightened bird would reply.

This went on each day, all morning. The lion would go to every other animal, pin them to the ground and ask his question. Finally, one day, he came up to the elephant. Grabbing him by the leg, the lion squeezed it and asked, "Who's the toughest beast… Read More »