Rabbi Sholom Duchman - Shareholder's Report - Colel Chabad Miami Gala 2026

A single coin, a single copc, a single prkele, a ducat, a penny. The alter rebby taught that when a Jew gives sedaka, something real is created. Our men, a shield. It doesn't look like much. It's easy to think it doesn't make a difference. But in Jewish life, a coin is never just a coin. A form of protection. And when that zedaka supports Jews in Erit Israel, that protection is even stronger because Eritis Israel is the heart of the Jewish people. What happens there affects Jews everywhere. This wasn't just an idea. More than 200 years ago, the alter rebi established Kell Habad to support Jews living in Erit Israel so they would not be left alone. It mattered so much that he was imprisoned for it. From that moment on, this shield never stopped being built. Generation after generation carried it forward. The world has changed in the past 200 years. Wars, famine, industrial revolutions, population shifts, scientific breakthroughs. But the mission of Kohal Kabad has not. Indeed, in our times, our rebi Rabbi Manakah Mendel Schneersen took it upon himself to revitalize Kell Habad so that it could address the challenges of a dynamic changes in the Holy Land, a new young society, new immigrants, Holocaust survivors, victims of terror, war, widows, and orphans. During the winter of 78, the Rebi personally summoned a young man to lead this expansion. With the Reby's guidance and blessings, and with the help of its many partners, Kell Habad continues to grow leaps and bounds, charging forward and becoming a conglomerate of today. The impact of the oldest continuing operating charity in Israel is evident everywhere in Israel. Soup kitchens, dayc care centers, nonprofit supermarkets, holiday food distribution, free loan funds, immigrant aid, help for widows and orphans, dental care for children. The list of Cole Habad's humanitarian services goes on and on. Ladies and gentlemen, the annual shareholders report. Good evening. Before I begin, I must mention the absence, the passing of a very dear friend, a Rabbi, Rabbi Shalom Shalom. He stood on my side for my earliest days. Actually, he prepared me for my Bitzvah speech, a deepical discourse. and from one gave me the ofabad in the early 80s. He stood by my side. He traveled with me, took part in many programs in Israel, sharing the love and passion for which he was known with everyone he met. I also must mention the absence of a great friend and partner Steve Zar Kurszer. In 1980, Steve personally donated and had shipped our very first van from years on wheels to us. Mayor the memories continue to be a blessing. My dear friends, once again, I stand here in Miami at the Pyina surrounded by these red chairs, incredible energy, a room filled with friends who have made this an annual commitment. And tonight, in the middle of the turmoil we're faced with, I want to begin with something simple. Kabad is rock solid. Not reactive, not scrambling, not figuring it out as we go. Rock solid. We're firm in mission. We're stable in structure. We're disciplined in leadership because we're built that way. We can pivot in a single moment. When pro trajectories change overnight, when headlines shift by the hour, when fear spread through our people, we don't start building relationships. We don't start building infrastructure. We have it. And that's exactly what happened to bear Shabas. While others were assessing, we were acting. Since Shabas ended just in Israel just 120 hours ago, 77,000 families received a simple text message. Your Kabat food card has been reloaded. Stay safe and enjoy Pudd 11,000 elderly, 25,000 Holocaust survivors, a thousand Twitters and orphans, 42,000 struggling families with children, lone soldiers, reservist families, different amounts, different programs, different needs, but one thing in common. Those moments were made possible because of you. This is not emergency scrambling. This is infrastructure. That's 200 years of credibility emotion. This is what the Reb taught us. This is the path laid before us for over two centuries. Each year I stand to share what we've accomplished together with you, our partners, our shareholders. This is your impact report. Kabad operates 75 programs, 75 active programs across Israel. We begin with our core mission, food security. What began as a modest food crate initiated by theatic family has grown into a life-changing national program. The national project of food securities food bank of Israel. The program provides families with food cards allowing them to shop with dignity and choice. In addition, the families receive fresh, healthy products, including fruits and vegetables delivered directly to their homes. We're helping 42,000 families every single month, twice the month to the reach of last year. The total cost in 2025 was 66,816,896, of which 70% was funded by the Israeli government. I want to give a special thank you to David Baim for sponsoring the food food cards in Ashkalan. United Soup Kitchens of Israel, chaired by our dear friend Oxenberg, operates 27 kitchens across Israel. We serve over a million hot meals a year. The cost was $6,746,375. A special thank you to our partners at the claims conference. Our meals on wheels in partnership with Kenny Ed delivers groceries and fresh nutritious meals to 15,000 homebound elderly. many of them Holocaust survivors. The cost was $4,367,568. Our growing chain of not for-profit supermarkets helps thousands of families save 20 to 30% on their grocery bills. This year, we reached almost $15 million in sales. The cost of Ka Kabat was zero. We plan to open our 10th store in Tiberius next month. In 2025, the total cost for food programs alone was $128,724,275. Yes, food security is a top priority, but it's only the beginning. The crown jewel, the song of our most heart-wrenching and urgent responsibility is our widows and orphans program. This is not about temporary relief. It's a lifetime commitment. Day after day, month after month, year after year, 24/7, we are there and we provide unwavering support as these orphans navigate child adulthood. From therapy, tutoring, afterchool programs, barbas mitzvah celebrations, scholarships, and retreats. Since the October 7th Holocaust, we have expanded to hold the hands of a new generation of young widows and orphans whose husbands and f and and fathers gave everything to our people. The total cost last year was 11,356,641. There's another there's another silent crisis emerging and it's growing every day. Families survived two years of co followed immediately by two years of war lived with fear and instability and trauma as the background music of their lives. Yes, Amy story is resilient but they need help and that is why restoring mental health is one of the most urgent priorities right now. Through programs like nouk warmhouse, yat misha therapy center, penium center for single mothers, we're giving people the tools to heal. We recently opened the Mundra Center in Gusion. The cost last year for this was $792,375 is dedicated to giving seniors purpose, structure, and community. Many people at retirement are still young, energetic, and capable. We have 140 senior centers. The seniors come every day for three to four hours and engage in Torah study, attend inspiring lectures, take part in group activities, and even enjoy physical exercises all through local kabat houses and synagogues. This project was personally initiated by the Reba. The Reba personally highlighted the mental health benefits of participating in such programs and the Reb personally requested that be dedicated in memory of his father. I believe this is the Reb's only personal request in the 50 years of leadership. Our goal for 2026 is to reach 300 locations engaging thousands of seniors. The total cost last year was a,612,240. But our work expands across every stage of life. The Larissa daycare network provides care, hot meals, and growth experience for 1,350 preschoolers in our 20 centers so mothers can go out to work with peace of mind. The cost last year 10,539,942. I want to give a special thanks to the York family for the York educational campus we just finished inim and thank you to the alenic family and Isaac Na for their part. Our two flagship residential rehab centers base finger and gravski center amigdala ach continue to set global standards for care helping individuals with neurological disorders not just to survive but to thrive. The cost $9,542,419 and thank you Ronnie and Elanor for creating independent apartments for these terminally handicapped. We once again hosted $420 weddings for needy couples. Two weddings every passable night at our elegant Gutnik and Luxembourg and Luxembourg wedding halls. We saved families millions of dollars. A special thank you to the Ubec family for the orphans wedding fund. leveraged our infrastructure in every city municipality. We distributed 20 40 foot containers of brand new brand name clothing through organized community pop-up shops. The value was over $5 million. The cost to us was $125,486. All of this runs on a shoestring budget from a small office in a building donated to Kabad over 120 years ago. Our overhead total cost was $2,152,860. Our numbers tell the story of impact. In 2025, we spent aiding the poor, the sick, and the forgotten $183,852,220. We continue to build. I'm proud to introduce a new pilot initiative. The rena matza bakery fast established in partnership with the be known matza bakery. The handmade matza bakery create sustainable employment that AI will never replace. We're currently providing over 50 jobs to local families in need. Operating 10 months a year ensures a steady income. In addition, we developed a visitor center where tourists, schools, and groups can come and see firsthand the meaningful process of baking handmade matzah. The matzah will be sold in Israel at a subsidized rate, but will also be available here in the US at a premium price because every bite supports morim families in need. On your way out, I invite you, please take a box of kola kabata dam matzah to enjoy with your family at your sed table and it's really delicious. We also just broke ground on the Jerusalem Tower. We're building 50,000 square feet of kass on Yafa Street adjacent to the Makni Yehuda market. This $50 million project will house lone soldiers, a soup kitchen, a synagogue, a volunteer center, a factory for handicapped, and house the Lax and York Suck Education Center to encourage and inspire the giving of Zucker. There are many dedication opportunities available. It will be my greatest pleasure to speak with anyone interested in securing a legacy that will endure for generations. I thank the Reba for entrusting me and my extension and by extension my family with this enormous responsibility. Kabad is an integral part in the Kabad movement. We continue the enduring legacy of the Kabad Lebas in each generation. Their boundless love and commitment to every single Jew empowers us and remains the secret to our success. Everyone joining us tonight is a partner in continuing the holy institution. Each of you received tonight the ofb and all the previous leers given to those who partnered this holy institution above and beyond over the top. My dear friends, but tonight is not just about inspiration. It's about action. And right now, every one of us can make a real difference. To the many new faces here for the first time, welcome. Tonight is your moment. We ask you please take part in the work we're doing. Friends, we're living through a time of war. And while soldiers are defending Israel on the battlefield, Kahabat soldiers are on the humanitarian front, caring for the elderly, the poor, the families who suffer the most in times like these. Families just like us sitting in this room here are suffering in times like this. And with PES around the corner, tens of thousands of families are counting on us. With your help tonight, we can and will provide for them. Thanks so much for joining us.