Miami Kids Practice Interviewing

By: Mrs. S. Rosenfeld

Once again it is Friday — time to watch The Living Torah. As the screen flickers on we await the Rebbe’s holy countenance and his immortal words. We watch and are transported back to those incredible years when farbrengens abounded and occasions to see the Rebbe were many. Perhaps at times we took those magical days for granted and didn’t take advantage of every golden opportunity.

Today memories flood our minds, waiting in line to receive a sefer or a dollar from the Rebbe, the anticipation, crush, awe and then the Rebbe’s words, spoken to each of us personally. We recall how we ran home quickly and wrote the date and the words of the Rebbe on the dollar he had just given us and added it proudly to the growing pile of dollars that we treasured. Some people had more personal stories, a surprise answer from the Rebbe or a miracle story, which they were happy to share with family and friends.

I open up my eyes and find myself back in the present. I look around at my children and students and can see from their faces that for them the feeling is different. Though my generation lived with the Rebbe for far too short a time, at least we have our own distinct memories. We listened enviously to awesome stories of the older generation who had come from a more intimate and less crowded time in Lubavitch. Then we heard the early shluchim who had kept up a steady stream of correspondence with the Rebbe and now have all those letters to sustain them. But at least we know the feeling and understand what it meant to be part of it.

Enter “The Living Torah” and “My Encounter with the Rebbe.” What a magnificent, albeit daunting, project. Some clichés cannot be improved upon: “A picture paints a thousand words.” With the advent of technical and media resources we are now able to give the next generation a taste, a glimpse , of what was. Even more, we, together with our children, continue to hear more than we ever knew. We learn from each “Encounter” what a privilege it is to be a Chassid of the Rebbe..

This past week we were privileged to host the team from “My Encounter with the Rebbe” at our school, Lubavitch Educational Center in South Florida, which also encompasses Beis Chana, Klurman Mesivta and Yeshiva Gedolah Rabbinical College.

The students were given a behind-the-scenes view of the production. Rabbi Mendy Alevsky gave a presentation about how this project began, and the cameramen showed the students the technical aspects of lighting a set. The students then viewed some footage and discussed what worked and what needed improvement.

The highlight of the program was when the students were involved in staging an actual interview. Some students got a chance to be the interviewer and pose their own questions to the interviewee. The children listened intently as first Rabbi Leibel Schapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah of Miami, and then Mrs. Rivka Mendelsohn, longtime teacher, both shared their stories and memories with the students.

Being involved in a project of such magnitude and meaning was a tremendous experience for our students. Based on their reactions I would say that watching “The Living Torah” will never be the same for them.

Thank you to Rabbi Zalman and Mimi Fellig for helping to sponsor this program at our school, to all those at JEM who produce “The Living Torah” and to all those from around the world who sponsor it. May you go me’chayil el chayil with your sacred work until we are all reunited with our Rebbe with the arrival of Moshiach speedily in our days.

Some quotes from our students:
“Last week my school experienced a unique presentation by JEM’s crew for the “My Encounter with the Rebbe” project. Firstly, I would like to mention how inspirational and precious the priceless interviews are. My class, the age of Gimmel Tammuz, never merited to see the Rebbe, and these videos help us attain a greater sense of awe and respect for who the Rebbe really is and how we can connect with him. I would also like to mention how much effort JEM invests into each and every single interview. Now, when I watch the Living Torah, I have a greater appreciation, not only for the interviews and the rest of the clips, but also for how much effort, time and care went into making the video. I would like to thank JEM for making the Rebbe’s presence feel more revealed for my generation, as well as many others.”

“Through these stories we learn about the love and care the Rebbe had for us.”

“A lot of the people who had these unbelievable and personal stories regarding the Rebbe are getting older, and these stories need to be collected, treasured and publicized.”
“I believe these videos keep the Rebbe alive and, although I never met the Rebbe, I can still apply the stories to my life and someday tell them to my children.”

“People who were able to meet the Rebbe had a very special zchus and should treasure it and share it with others.”

“I think that “My Encounter” is especially informative for those who never saw the Rebbe. It shows us how special and compassionate the Rebbe was and how he cared for thousands upon thousands of Jews.”

“I feel that “My Encounter” is imperative for Chassidim to be able to connect to the Rebbe today.”

“Before I watched this presentation, I never really thought much about the Living Torah, but now it is so important to me.”

“It was nice to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Living Torah is made; I now think about that while I am watching it.”

“I especially liked when they allowed us to be the interviewer, and then we heard some beautiful stories from the person we were interviewing.”

“There is no better way to hear stories of the Rebbe than by first-hand experiences. JEM makes that a reality.”
“Sometimes by hearing the Rebbe’s responses to certain situations, we can learn from it and take lessons for our daily lives. We can learn so much from the Rebbe’s reactions to certain situations about how to be more caring towards others and to reach out to every Jew.”

“This project is beautiful and worth every penny. So much work is put into it, and it is inspiring how the people at JEM are so devoted although they may not know the end result of their work. It is greatly appreciated. Keep up the great work!”

“Watching “My Encounter” certainly strengthens my hiskashrus to the Rebbe. Personally, I get more inspired when I hear from people about how the Rebbe touched their lives and so many others. I watch Living Torah every Motzoei Shabbos and “My Encounter” definitely gives me a deeper understanding of what the Rebbe means to us. Thank you.”

“What JEM has accomplished by compiling peoples’ encounters with the Rebbe is beyond our imagination. This is wonderful, not only for the older generation, but even more so for the younger generations who, unfortunately, were not able to see the Rebbe.”

“It was really interesting to see what happens behind the scenes. Recording these stories is a great way to relay the Rebbe’s messages to many people and to capture it for posterity. In turn, we can internalize these messages and try to change our lives for the better. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Last Friday, “My Encounter with the Rebbe” came to life. It is our duty to remember and record the numerous stories that epitomize the Rebbe’s care and love. Thank you, JEM, for this amazing project.”