New Shluchim to Puerto Rico

The Columbia Journalist

Two weeks ago, Levi Stein and his wife, Leah, made a huge decision. But before they could tell their extended family or friends, the Steins had to write a letter. They sought the blessing of the late Menachem Schneerson, the former leader of the Jewish Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

The Steins read their letter aloud at Schneerson’s gravesite in Queens, said a prayer and left the letter there. After they left, they started telling their loved ones about their decision.

The couple, who were married just over a year ago, will permanently relocate to Puerto Rico as Chabad emissaries. They plan to move with their newborn baby in July.

The Steins will be one of 3,800 emissary couples stationed in more than 60 foreign countries, with the goal of reaching out to every Jew – non-religious and modern Orthodox alike – and bringing them closer to Judaism. Whether that means through installing mezuzahs on their doors, hosting Shabbat dinners at their homes or holding prayer services or educational workshops, Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries dedicate their lives to spreading their faith by moving to a foreign place and starting their lives from scratch.

“I was dreaming all my life about this mission,” said Stein, the youngest of nine siblings, all emissaries in different states, from Michigan to Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

“The question was: Siberia? Thailand? Or New York?” Stein said. “And we are moving somewhere in middle…somewhere where I can feel I can make a difference.”

There are about 30,000 Lubavitchers in the United States and more than 80,000 around the world, according to Sue Fishkoff’s book, “The Rebbe’s Army.”

Stein visited Puerto Rico during Passover four years ago to help the current emissary, Rabbi Mendel Zarchi, who has been stationed in the city of Carolina with his wife for 13 years. More than 200 Jews were visiting for the holiday that year, so Stein helped make the hotel kitchen kosher and welcomed the guests. He visited again last summer when Zarchi went out of town to help keep the synagogue and Chabad house open.

“I saw how little time he had, how much more he can expand, but [it] isn’t because he doesn’t have enough manpower,” Stein said of Zarchi. Stein plans to focus his services on different areas and islands that Zarchi wasn’t able to reach.

Stein feels lucky that he has Zarchi already settled in Puerto Rico to help guide him. “Thirteen years ago,” Stein explains, “In terms of kosher food, observant infrastructure, there was nothing…I have it easy.”

Stein currently works for Chabad.org, the news website located in Crown Heights, and hopes to continue to contribute information and articles after he moves.

He compared the process of choosing the location where he would work as an emissary to dating. “First you date different places, figure out what your match is,” he explained. “We felt this was a match for what I’m good at.”

While the first step is out of the way, much is yet to come. Stein and his family must prepare by finding an apartment, hiring movers and making a list of goals they wish to accomplish – whether opening a winter camp, a Friendship Circle (an organization for special-needs children), or programs for the local business community or for visitors. “What we are working on now is developing exactly what the greatest needs are, and what we feel we should start first,” Stein said.

Stein is used to traveling – he studied in Russia for a couple of years and moved to New York from Michigan after he was married – but he recognizes not being so physically close to his family will be a big change. “I’m hoping they’ll come visit me often,” he said, noting that weddings, holidays and Chabad conferences will bring them together frequently.

The biggest challenge Stein foresees is raising his child with a Jewish education – as of now, there are no Jewish day schools in Puerto Rico. Jews in Puerto Rico may choose to home-school their children, send their children back to the states or have them complete online schooling.

Opening a Jewish day school in Puerto Rico may become one of his goals. “I’m hoping by the time our kid will need a Jewish day school, we’ll have one,” he said.