Ep. 59: The ‘Fail’ That Became A Success with Rabbi Dovid Weitman

What did we do? How could we have made such a mistake? How could we have made such a mistake? And I I'm quiet. I'm quiet. The plane goes off. I go in the first guy was in the executive class. I told him the story. He gave me I go back. What's going on? I told him the story. He made the mak all what is inside. We arrive in New York. The Reb is going out to the area be safer. >> The yard sight of the Reb's father in the which was founded by thebal specifically for and of the father. There's a very interesting story behind it and please stay tuned later on in the episode for more details. I'm Yasi Cayman. Welcome to among an ongoing faban about life as a vibrant connection with theb and inspired living shaped by the way he teaches us each and every day. [music] How are you? Thank you for the invitation. Good to see you. >> Okay. Thank you for accepting it. Um, so I know you a little bit from a distance. I was actually on in Brazil when I was a Bakar, but we interacted once or twice then. But, uh, never oneonone like this. So, there's some there's certain things that I know about you and certain things that I don't know. So, I think we should start from the beginning. Maybe you can share with me a little bit about where you come from and the background and uh, how you became vit in Brazil. We we'll go through that. >> Okay. Okay. Let's start. I'm originally from Belgium from Antropish. It's a veryish town. A lot of a lot of And my family originally they come from Poland. They born in Germany, but they came all from Poland. Both sides regional sidim. that they are Holocaust survivors. My father was on a train already that should arrive in Avitz and he jumped from the train. He was 14 years old and he he pushed another five people that bam survived with him and after the war my parents are more modern but they gave me a full Jewish education. They sent me to yeshivas and so on. Send me to litivas. I learn >> I learn in Israel. I learned in Israel. I learned a bit in Bisat Talmud. I learned in Shivan. I learned year and a half, two years in Israel. And my father as a survivor a holocaust survivor also I had always let's say a bit a tendency I loved also the town is my uncle was the for many many years by the basis and I I liked it even I had a small picture of the and I had some friends in school that So I had I had some connection and my father wanted me very much to be a dentist. He learned that well why he looked all what kind of the perosa that's best for and so on and also of course worried for and that was his will. He wanted it very much but I must say the truth but I wanted to learn more. I wasn't happy enough with the learning and my friends I got finally for two three weeks in vacation in Bruna and there >> when I'm missing so you had a vacation from the sha >> I was already back in Belgium my father wanted me to start I started a bit to learn the dentist but it was not what I wanted so I went on vacation by Iminoa it was a winter vacation I I loved this very much. And >> how did you get there? >> Because of friends. Like I told you, I had some friends already there. I had some friends that were going for the there was they had a program I think for the for the vacation for the winter vacation in Kanuka time. So I went and I learned in the Kers and I loved it and by coming back I decided I'm I'm going back to finish. I I go I I'm going back to Yeshiva. my father wasn't convinced about I must say the truth even so we decided the deal I'm going to the rebul and if he wants to come and ask the reb whatever the rabbi will say if the reb says I should go and learn be a dentist I will do it can I interject so I just I'm trying to understand the story so you had this I don't know conviction that we're going to ask the rabb Yeah. >> But but that was already from the two months in or you was before I I arrived and this was in Elo and my father was insisting I should come back to enter. So we make a deal. He came to New York and the Reb received in for between remember the are after sukis and he came he came specially I wrote to the reb what I want to do but I must say the truth I was quite scared because I knew that the reb especially in France to learn in in university to do mim there so I didn't know what the reb will do but we left it he went to the rabbi he was there another 25 minutes at least. The Reb must have questioned many things about the war and the way it was and about Belgium and so on other private things. But at a certain moment the Reb told him your son will continue in yeshiva and the Reb use the word your son will be mame will teach to you. He said it clearly to him and my father understood that's it. The Reb said it very clearly that's that's what your son will do. By going out by of the door, the Reb called him back and the Reb asked him if he knows why people give out some leak before Yumiper. The Reb told him that this she said no. The Reb told him that's the min is because you should not during the year if you left you under you should stand your hand and bet I think what the Reb wanted to tell him don't worry about the of your son don't worry we will take care I think that's that's just about what the Reb was telling him it's okay it's okay it's arranged and that's it and stood in Hashem learned there And it was beautiful and we had fantastic I don't have to tell you man I don't I saw I saw the difference of course from where I learned in and this and this took me a long time and after it was very interesting because I wanted but already then I wanted in tissue to stay in New York after a year and the reb Uh I wrote it in there was still I was in and the Reb told me a few thing to learn and the Reb doesn't answer me where to learn. At a certain moment the Reb took a dollar and tell gives me the dollar and said this dollar you should change for French Franks. So I understood I have to go back. So so I went to Breno with another year. So that's around just how I arrived in Gavich and how I learned in bin and also in bin beside the learning which I love and I still keep on learning I think it's important even in but I had also many possibility of this was very and also special in camps I will maybe if you want I'll tell you a bit more about my first was with Di Mosovich he was he was my my teacher and he he knew that I have relatives in Sweden and I knew a bit the question so we organized has 10 days in Sweden seven eight days every day in another place in it was very very special and he taught me we went visit people and in the and so on it was a very special thing and interesting we came This was invat maybe if I'm not mistake maybe later Odor maybe but after that interesting the spoke many time with binomki the reb groups in from in Sweden the boim should go around all over Europe. So there was a there was a of ina. So the so then they went out in all countries in Europe. But the Reb said I got a good guru from Sweden. That was that was very very special. Also I I I worked many time in camps for Pebb. He had camps there called [clears throat] camps of Ghana and with my good friend obviously and we organized and we directed was the head counselor so on and so on this so had some beside that we made some in other place in Switzerland was once with with students means I I got experience of shikas already in France Hashem Sai with students and Sai with kids in camps. This is important for maybe for the to understand the the future of the thing. One interesting story about the ink in Sweden. We went [clears throat] in Sweden, we went mainly in the capital in Stockholm, but also small v. And there is a small town, I don't know even if you can say that it's in on the map, a small town an hour an hour and a half from Stockholm, the capital. It's called Vestros. And we got to know there there are there are two Jewish families. Okay. So, we took a car. We decided we call up. We go there. [clears throat] We went there. First family wasn't there. The other family [clears throat] called Linderman I remember till now is there we go there and we speak and we go we give mus and film a bit and put on and the guy knows how to put on film and then he says you know I made my bar mitzvah in he's a Frenchy guy he looked at him guy 30 40 years old didn't didn't look like [clears throat] but it was true his parents were leaving their clothes and he spoke and he was a kid. In the middle of the talking, he tells us that he's the only one in the whole neighborhood that knows how to read Hebrew and there are many Jews in small towns or they're around many. So they get together and keeper they get together and he's the he's the only one that knows what to read. He's the he tells us he goes by car. What can I do? I'm not so religious but remember he told us that he has difficulties to eat without meat without the since he was in interesting I'll call upon him he didn't learn he was a kid I'll call upon him in the we wrote to the old for what we did the whole week whole thing and we wrote about this Jew ginderman and a year after another went to visit him we gave already the addresses to the other that went Nigeria. Look what's interesting. A year after or during that year, he gets a letter from the Reb and a telegram. He gets a from the Reb. The Reb says a letter is coming. A long telegram with a letter tell him, I know that you know and you make the letter, but you should know you should not go by car to be the for keeper and the begs him to go before and to do it the recording in the telegram. And then another letter here you see an unbelievable thing from letter we're speaking about the small town one Jew and the and the rebads he gets a letter I don't know if it was after or the next I have the letter I have the telegram the thing unbelievable the rebs and tells him as a you're going to do it's very important but you should know as a you should not go back unbelievable the interest the individual ual attention to one small Jew in a small town a big I'm tell you this is interesting anyway you want to so know a bit how I arrived to Brazil that's what you asked me before >> well be before that you ended up learning in 770 >> yeah yeah of course I learned in 770 a few years >> so how did that happen >> no naturally after the year that the Reb told me to go back finish I went I went to 770 >> so maybe maybe before the you could tell me a little bit about what it was like learning the 77 being around the bring being being around the rabbi all the time >> this was this was this was something very special and we maybe didn't didn't profit enough every day to d with the something special and everything every minute and I I learned a year and a half more in 2017 and then another year and a half in k another So you got So you were there and you got married. What year what years are we talking about? >> I got married I got engaged in Z and I got married in [snorts] got married in we were bo in 17 and uh there was few things interesting. We were going in the summer to make camps like I told you for French kids. One camp in Italy that's where they proposed me my wife from the family tiple big man in Milano and then one once in France camps and we were all the people going after Ma you know you stay after Ma and you you the Reb goes out of M and it has normally for those that are traveling. Yeah, we were going traveling already to to the camps and the rebs to every one of us. Then he turns to me. He said so everyone understood that something might go on and that's exactly what happened at the end. I got engaged in Italy. Um >> in Italy while while you were there for the camp >> after the two camps. after the two camps. Yeah. After the two camps, my was Yeah. >> And the was was in Italy. >> Yeah. Was in Italy. My the family of my wife is very very attached to they were in Italy. They brought they brought the first rabbi rabbi perov still they connected to the rebels in the 50s the youths and they brought a rabbi men was very strong connection with the tippil and the gelics. Very very strong connection. many many letters and so my the family of my wife has also a lot lot of connection with Russia we'll come to that a bit later >> okay >> you went back to >> after a year year a year maybe and a half year I wanted already to go to I had a pitch but on the other side I like very much the learning I liked very very much the learning so I wrote the reb um I wrote the reb what should I So the the reb as you asking so I asked the reb should I make another year in I said the rebut I don't remember the lotion but the reb as you ask me no as you have doubts so >> you have a doubt about staying in means it's not for you okay already and that's what happened and I got a few proposals me after all I'm from Belgium my wife is from Italy We we never dreamt about Brazil. I don't think we knew exactly even where it's on the map. But we got a proposal from Rabbi Alpen, a very serious proposal. But I had also other proposals in Europe in Brussels from Rabbi Kikin. I had something from Rabbi Gen. So we had some some three proposals I think in Europe and one in Brazil. I wrote to the Reb and the Reb told me if your wife is agrees and sort of to get interested about Brazil. So really we >> yeah that chose out of all the >> hat pushed more to Brazil clearly and so that's what that's what we did and the interesting thing that the rabbi alen roads and they made me also right that the main will be to work with students which I had some experience and with young couples and also because of the French that I know good French after all that's the language in Belgium and France that I should also work with the Svardi community. You love the Spartic community because they were the the community in Brazil were originally from Lebanon and from Syria and they speak French. The old generation speak very French and you see that the Reb's view also reb after many many many years I became the the rabbi. I'm here the rabbi of the Syrian community of the Saffra synagogue. So, >> so that was already built into the original. >> That was already in the in the in the beginning of the Yeah. Yeah. Now coming to Brazil worked mainly with students mainly mainly with students. a few I arrived after like in Brazil 47 years ago and we work we concentrated a lot on students and on young couples and bashim two months after arriving there in July we made already a seminar for students my Portuguese wasn't so good was but I >> it's it's related to to French now Portuguese >> yes it's close to French I know Italian for my wife so it helped me a lot and we already made first seminar like we called you wrote to the Reb. The Reb was very happy with answers. I always >> So you it was called seminar. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> How do you decide how do you decide to call that? Because we started that inv next to so we decided to give it the name for the reb of course the reb was happy and we got straight away maybe 20 boys and after two three weeks and after that girls from students and from that started the small nucleus of bal that we worked on them and forew next I brought already to the from students brought aut to the rabbi from students. This was very very important. We had Shabbatons and Shabbasim and all kind of Sunday and the Rabbi Alpin had the mitzah tank. We were going around with it. So slowly slowly grew the the the group we would say of Balichu and then there was >> so then we had a few things very interesting that happened in that first of all we started to translate I think it was I'm sure we started in Brazil as the reb permission to translate there is a book in Israel. Amuno mother, many letters from the Reb about mother and science. >> Yeah. Terror and science, the the theory of Darwin, evolution and the age of the universe and the Reb all these long letters that we know to to to people scientific people. So we the Reb gave us permission we started to translate that every morning. We worked on that. a young man manage bandi and also a special lawyer a lawyer from Gaza very very important lawyer Dr. Shiman and we worked on that and it was almost ready and we arrived to the reb this is an interesting story and this this we had already the proofs of the book the book wasn't ready but the proofs were ready and this Dr. He goes into the Reb. We were there >> with you. >> Yeah. With me. There was a whole group. We had 30, 40 people. And he goes, he tells the he gives the Reb the book, the proofs. The Reb tells him straight away, I don't speak Portuguese. I'll try my best to understand. Then he wanted to be clever. So he tells the he wanted to come back for he says I hope to bring the book already ready. The reb tells him like that bring me better the students and the scient science people that will read the book. Let them come to brains and let them know that there is no contradiction between science and is much higher than science. So you see a lotion from the bring me these people to fang. It's a very rare lotion. The reb should speak about his theb says >> I don't bring me the book bring me the guy the nefesious bring me the >> it's a very it's a very deep story. So what is it? >> Very very interesting story. From then on we understood and we started to make foots to go to the Reb. Every huge we did that and after Gimas we changed it. We now we do that in Elo. We never stopped to make foods to the and the Reb gave lot of attention all the student answers private answers a year or two after stopped the way the last year we still only the group of Brazilian in the Reb's room and there were many stories. I will tell you two three stories just a bit to understand but mish the rabbi gave a lot attention private and dollars and gave because the group of students was like that they were coming to New York they staying from before afterish sorry then the boys would go for months or three weeks in Morrison and the girls in mun there was a time that we had the red maybe 10 20 girls Brazil in Morrison for whole year many of them would stay because this is vacation is the vacation in the hemisphere south hemisphere. So that was and every year we repeated that and the gave a lot of attention. They were sitting together that happened an interesting thing. There was an old man, his name is he was living in another state in some in Brazil in Salvador and Rab was him and he became he was already 80 years old b well I'm going across it he saw he saw the group of students going he asked me reb can I join my dream is to see the reb What should I say? Jew once. It was a group of students. But once there was another one. I said, "Okay, fine. He comes with us." Very sentimental guy. A lot of emotions. We arrived. Normally when you arrive know the whole group everyone says in front of the rebre stays on the side and you say when it was his turn he just saw the reb couldn't see because he started to cry the reb stood there 10 minutes he couldn't he couldn't speak okay arrive goes in you can understand the whole afternoon we prepared the place the seats and hold the thing the he sees coming after first he got a heart attack in the middle of he couldn't make it his emotion was too big heart attack there no heart attack heart attack goes to hospital on him he was very worried we didn't know what to do we asked he should tell the family not to tell the family the rebels what should why should his family and the reb sends him a cedar with his signature inside and the rabbi told him you should make him hid in the hospital. So he was going around with the whole thing trying to make me show him I call upon him came the night of and the doctor didn't let him out from the hospital. He was in New York there broke broken jewel he missed. Okay. Pass another way too. He's free. He comes back. He writes to the rabbi. I came specially and I missed what's so I look the lotion. What the Reb tells him. So the rabbit tells you how long was in the was 20 minutes not more. He had a heart attack. The rabbit tells him >> this is a that that answer is a very famous answer but the background of the whole story is not I mean for me it's not famous so I don't know about others for sure you get the there were many interesting story there was another older man he his name was Federman he was a senator from another from Kuritiba I don't know if you know today but this is another state in Brazil in the south of S Paulo and this person in the seminar levit that we had for students was a nephew of him so he got to know he got to hear about the reb he had the cancer leukemia very strong and the doctors told him he has a month to finish he heard about the rebba he also asked me very much permission if he could come to to to to the I said yes he wants to come come in the food okay he was very very far from Yiddish his name was Federman I'll call upon him he went to one thing important many Brazilians that went to didn't speak not French not Hebrew not Yiddish not Russian not English. So I had to stay next to the door. It was inside the room. I heard everything and then I translated him in the in the >> in front of the rabbit. >> No, I translated him outside. >> Mhm. >> I heard who is the Reb tells him like that you are a Jew that made many many favors to Jews and non-Jews. He was expecting the Reb would tell him maybe the guy is very sick and put on film every day. Cashes is muza not the word of a of a mitzvah and the rabbi tells him you are a Jew that makes a lot of favors to Jews and non Jews and you should continue it and the repeated three four times you Indian is to make favors to Jews and non-Jews and g and he lived another two three years at least he went to the memorialator look the story in betabad that time by Rabbi Alpen there was a group of ladies was called Ezra that were making with poor people and so on. One day one of these ladies come and tells me he was living in a small town next to Kurit town called Pontaga. There were 10 Jewish families not more. This lady comes came from Poy that he needs a wheelchair. He has no money for a wheelchair. I said I know somebody. we have that senator in the meantime he I sent him film I went by him at home he became more room and so on I he gave money for for publication of kabad I'll call upon him I said yeah okay I called this senator Mr. fedman here this and this tree the poor guy in need I take care he took care the next day passage so we see the said already your Indian is to make favors Jews and non-Jews the whole time the whole time repeating very very interesting when I was in the with these people one of them one of them I remember he was a young boy I would not say his name he was a young boy the reb stopped up the middle and said translate. He told me to translate in front of him. Do that. And this happened twice. And I felt that the Reb was testing me if I learned Portuguese. The Reb once wanted me because normally I was translating outside. I felt very much the Reb wanted to see if I learned the language. >> Mhm. >> This boy the rabbi told him he should go to Petropolis to the Shiva. He was young. He was 17, 18 years. Metropolis is the is the shiv that everyone went to >> next to Rio next to Rio Jane next to Rio and now we're from Rio Byam. So this boy wanted to go to university. The Reb told you should go at least one year to Petro. He didn't like it so much. I don't know why. He tried didn't work and he cut off with me. >> His beard. >> No, no, he cut off any contact I tried to call. >> Oh, he cut off. Okay. I didn't say >> he didn't let he restoration and he didn't go he didn't stay he didn't listen to the reb look 36 years pass unbelievable I meet I met in S Paulo a young Tommy with a beard and everything against he came to from Israel I say what's your name he tells me that excuse me your father his car and said yes. Yeah, my father full at the end he came back son all we see a word from the if it doesn't happen first generation happens the second generation it's his I couldn't believe it that's the guy that that didn't listen to the he was in he saw the reb he got the unbelievable and like that and this was a very very special. The work with the students also made us make translations of in Portuguese because we had to teach them and there was nothing. So we started boss again. Today you have whole things of my and everything in Portuguese and we got many many told me once to send all what we translate we should send him I should send to Portugal and to Africa whatever. But this also brought other other words also works. Of course uh the work also with the students to get new guys we started to miss pigishas like the New York that pages you know when I started to make pages 400 people 600 people many buses from Rio came this was the beginning the the young people in Rio that's how they after road to the reb was there all these big issues brought people from many other towns and we sometime we had for a shop this 800 900 students of beautiful pishases with lectures and so on. One of those pigishas we brought Dr. Branov. He was a few years after he came out of Russia and he was already in in BVA a very important researcher and his story just as a refused in Russia was very important for the students and we brought him he agreed to come and he spoke it was fantastic many people he touched many many people and also we arranged him many things scientific he was received in the university by director he got a special medal and so on before going I'm telling you this should know how the reb goes into this is what I want to tell you before going to Brazil he came through New York he was inidus I understand it was more a private jus but the rebel always pushed him on his scientific research did not make magnetism or something like that after he came back from Brazil he went again and then the rabbi asked him how was it which language you speak how many students were there and so Every pigisha, every pigisha we were making like a pasta. I don't know how you call it such like like you know that with a lot of such a thing that you keep and you can you can have a tika how you call it tik >> folder like a folder like a folder [clears throat] >> with a lot of articles about information. some very important speak with the name. I sent it a week before to the Reb. There was somebody go to Reb. I wrote a like every month. I sent all the papers what been the Gisha about the program. When he was in he tell me the Reb speaks him asked him many questions also what he did about his research and he told the Reb and the Reb doesn't the the folder my folder I have already mine. The rebels the folder of the vision rebine I have already I got already the reb in the in the room of the reb one of the of the big professors that received Rabbi Dr. Brand his name was professor Fleming Agoy got very insp about him. What a man hosting Russia get out from communism already. Very nice letter. When I wrote to the Reb said and pictures and so on, the Reb some one time I sent pictures to the Reb. The Rebi sent me back the pictures and please write me on the other side of the pictures the name of everybody's there and what's exactly what you see how the what happened and the and I liked and the reb and I got the letter from professor Fleming the you see the reb got very the rebi was very very interested in the scientific work of of of of I got the letter of Dr. of Fleming and the Reb was happy about >> you sent it to the Reb. >> Yeah. Yeah. I sent it to the also you should see the the impression the the the whole that he made in Brazil. It was very strong. >> Okay. I think I tell you a bit. Let's hear about the questions. >> That's beautiful. Yeah. Um you also you also were involved with printing of uh of Tanyas that was in Brazil. >> Yes. Let me tell you Brazil was very involved in printing tanas. Just you know first of all he's the one that printed maybe thousand tanas all over the world. Rabbi Alpen printed many over 100. He had a whole kiru from there especially the in whole Brazil every town. My work with the printing started when I arrived in Brazil. I got to know that 350 years before some Portuguese Jews were in receipi there was with whole kill of Portuguese Jews that it was after the inquisition >> I think that's the that's the first Jews balance >> even the one that started the community in New York were from the city you know the 23 pilgrims that arrived they they arrived from receip So I wrote to the reb if maybe I should was not yet a whole campaign about tas didn't exist yet okay but I wrote the reb already they were printing tas not so strong I asked the rabbi do you think I should print said yes then I had an idea maybe we should sell the printed tan maybe the smallest possible I have one here my my my desk I said smallest >> so the reb wrote me very interesting the reb answered me So the Reb answered me like that first of all about only if there are some Jews there living and the second thing if you should be ready then I should print the and I brought I printed both it was in a special cover. Okay. >> Why did he want to do it so small? >> Because I wanted it pocket people should keep it by themselves. >> We printed it. That was my beginning with the tanas. But slow first of all you see from everything something comes out. Then I made one in Paraguay. I decided I'm doing South America just so I asked the rebel Paraguay. I made one in Paraguay also very small. And you see from the two things look what's going from recei look what happened. Never he when you do something something good comes out. Many years later I found the manuscript of that he wrote. He was a fantastic wrote in he wrote he wrote in everything I gave out already with three books about that unbelief. Unbelievable was from Rei and from Paraguay there was no many years later I got a letter from the reb and I had somebody a student that went to make a sed and brought muses whatever the reb writes me the writes me please get interest today there >> you saying because your print is over there the rebad anyway way after we started to print more in other places. I've printed in the capital of Ecuador which is Kito and then also in the capital of Lima >> for Peru. I'm sorry of capital of Peru is Lima. This I printed maybe I printed it in to me I think. Okay. And I sent it to the Reb. It arrived to the Reb before or before. No, before of you can look at the Fbranov the Reb comes down to the Fbran with the two and they were small not so small like the but they were like that the Reb comes down with the two and puts him next to him and in the middle the Reb speaks from America and for sure this will help in the countries for the Yiddish guys but there were some problems would help them I got a whole about that for I was very happy. Okay. And of course after I got the letter that I was sending $20 for every personally in the letter for people that were printing tanas. A bit later look what interesting thing a bit later I asked the reb to print the tanya in Guana. Guyana there is a surinam is the whole is the Dutch Guyana and there is the French Guyana and then Bolivia but I wrote to the Reb I'm not sure if there is more than one Jew there already had told me in receip only if I was a bit afraid if I can print I don't get an answer I don't get an answer this was like that I don't get an answer this was end of meal There is a rally forem by the rally of the rabbi speaks of time and make a whole of it. And even where there's only one Jew, the rabbi goes back to his room. He tells what he calls me up. He said, "Rabbi says only one man has an answer already." Okay, I got I got it. I send I send him to to to Guana French Guana. The captain is Cayenne and to Surinam the capital is parameib. The truth is he found even one more than one cayenne only one but I think in Surinam there was a small whatever he p the from there he goes to New York. He arrives to New York before He arrives there. He sended do anything more. Shabas is in the middle of the foran the rabbi where's where's the calls him gives him the without him asking anything and the reb speaks another tb interesting of the reb I always asked that I should have clear answers from the very very very clear than the so that's how I and after I printed also in Bolivia printed also in small towns in Boliv like Chabamba and so on but my part of is only in South America but some people made much more than me >> but that [clears throat] but that's not the only thing the that you did outside of Brazil, right? >> No, we did some other other places. Yeah. >> No, maybe you could tell us about it. I'm talking about Russia, right? You you you went to Russia. >> I can tell you a bit more about other things. >> Okay. I got I got first of I one of the pupils that were in the one of the girls that was in the married uh somebody very interesting. She married the cousin. She asked the rebba if she can marry her cousin. The rebim. Yes. Very interesting. >> Family katana. And they went to live in Kinshasa. Kinas the capital of Congo. Capital what once it was called Z. Today is Congo. They went to live there. So first of all they didn't have a mikvah. They didn't have a mikvah. So the Reb gave them $100 to buy built a mikvah. She was going every month in in a in a in a in a river with alligators and so on. Then after they built anyway I went there in Kinshasa a lot of shuring. It's very interesting how you see all the reb how do you end up going there? >> I they were living there. They were living there. They were my they were my students and I knew them. So I went there. He asked me to come to give lectures and there they speak French or French or Dutch or Africans which is like Dutch. So there was a big big Jewish community and I asked the Reb and the Reb told me be careful about the Mikis look and I arrived there and there was like a big M is in the community. You see the rebash we went there went there was went then then after went and it's interesting we got from the family to to happen I was involved in the bringing a in in Congo B is still there very that was one of the we did we involved And also there's I went twice in to the in Russia and this was still in BRV's time in communistic time. What's the story with Russia here? It's a very interesting story. First of all, my wife's family is very involved in Russia because they were handling with furs and they were buying furs on auctions in Russia in an ingrat and they were like diplomats. They never looked at their suitcase nothing. So the brothers especially the older brother Schlmer Ysef Carlo was going by the reb inside three times a year. who remembers him is good sent was tall with a mustache like them was for an hour or two he was a big asking in the reb's room was waiting already chimadanas suitcases is what he has to bring to Russia if it's fill in whatever found even some that still brought those time and he was bringing out of Russia kisad kisad from the reb's father my and so on this they did 10 years or more or 15 years many letters from the reb that's not important till once they were caught and the reb told them you finish your mission in Russia that but my family family my wife's family is very connected to Russia me myself when I was in Belgium even young still 16 maybe 17 maybe 16 there was in Belgium a small group of fumemer young people that were very big activists. They were doing some some pulas against uh against Palestinians and against Russians. It means we when we knew that there is a Palestinian something against Israel meeting, we would throw some things there. We would we make it and uh we sat in prison a few time. I remember good m prison and and and I was involved also and why against Russia because those time there was a lot the thing the appeal of let my people go. So there were a lot of demonstrations >> in America. Yeah. >> Lot of demonstration especially of Jews that Russia should open their door. Let the Jews go out. The slogan was let my people go. And I was involved in these things. When I came to Lubavage and when I learned more and I got to know more the sister, I saw that the Reb was very against those demonstrations. I would like to bring your attention to the fund that the Reb established specifically of his father and there's an interesting story behind it and gave and said that we find an interesting phenomenon in the United States that there are schools that have and sometimes more sometimes equal amounts and you know there's a government requirement to have it and that's why many of the schools have it. But the Reb said even if there is a government requirement to have, there is no requirement and the government does not meddle at all into which one is more important and which has priority. Yet we find an interesting phenomenon that there are schools that prioritize. How so? When it comes to paying the teachers, the teachers of the get paid quicker, more on time and even more money than the teachers of and the schools rationalize it. They say, "What do you mean the teachers that teach and they they'll still come? They'll show they'll still show up the next day even if they don't get paid." But the teachers of the if you don't pay them, they're they'll go somewhere else. The rabbi said therefore he's establishing a fund specifically for malam and malam of kesh that they can come and if they get a headshake if they're getting delayed in payment and their own money from the school they can take a from this as well the should be supporting other causes of inesh and the said that this is something that he gave the reason of the where the seed money for this came. He said there was a woman who either her or her husband worked in a school and they were owed back pay $5,000, but this is 1964 which is about4 $50,000 today. And somehow they got a check all at once. Everything all the back was paid to them at once. But this woman rationalized and says that said that you know she didn't rationalize it just the opposite. She said if I survive till now without it and we're living then therefore I don't need it. So she gave a check to the rebba. the $5,000 that she received, she gave it to the Reb. The Reb said that it's a large family and they definitely don't have a savings account and they didn't grow up in Medina in Russia with Nefish. They're American. Nevertheless, she had this conviction that she if she was a able to survive and she got this check, you know, unexpectedly she has given away to the Reb. Therefore says with this is the seed money with with which I will start the fund and therefore every single person should give the equivalent whatever that $5,000 meant to this woman that's how much we should be giving to this therefore that exists till today this year has given out many many loans to teachers that that were waiting on on pay or or or a loan which is goes against their pay and therefore Um it is incumbent upon every single one of us that we can all donate this year on or around to and to and wrote numerous times around that specifically used the word that we should be donating around specifically when it comes to therefore every single one every single should donate to this year and you could do so at magbus.org or that's m- agbis.org. And you can look for the tab fork. And with this, we will all have aus in honoring the rabbis's father and honoring the rabb and helping the kadusha of our children and helping the why because the rebates you have to do it diplomatically, quietly behind the curtain. You this demonstration just harm the Jews. That's not good. Okay. I felt bad because I participated a bit in this terrorist group there. So I wrote as a ba when I was in seventh center you ask me about 770. When I was a I wrote to the reb asked forgiveness what I I feel I understand it was not such a good thing. And I wrote to the I'm ready to go to Russia on whenever the wants. I think a bit for Jew to write like that but I don't know if it's like that look this was in I got married came to the to Brazil base just about came to Brazil from Los Angeles Russia He came to to help I don't know how he got to my he wrote to the rabb that he's coming he's going to sit by me the rabbi gave but okay I helped him a bit on his things he was collecting money for the Russian Jews for mill for new immigrants and so on and I helped him went around here and there I don't know how and what he must have go back and he told the rabbi he told the people that were involved and I got the permission to go with my wife to Russia on the shower. You see how this past how many years? Three. I wrote this writes to the I write to the already [laughter] it came out. The Reb didn't forget about me. The Reb didn't forget about me. Six years later, I'm going there for Keeper. We were there for 10 12 days by day. Teaching my wife, teaching the ladies. I'm teaching the men. They came all over from Russia, from you came over there from Musbakistan, from Georgia, from from Armenia, from from the all the all the activists that Kabad had all these and we taught them during day by night all night for it was very something very very special. This is another part that's too long to speak about but this >> where was it based out of >> we were we were in Mos and something very very special you know we had a long went to it was a time that some activists were taking were were caught by the KGB they were bit afraid so we made a big Fbran in Malikovka this is now we're from Mos came the guys a whole night. Very emotional. There are some pictures about some something. I'm just telling you a bit about Russia. How did they arrive to Russia? How did And then a year and a half later, I went back to Russia. Then we had from Argentina and also with a lot went around. Very interesting. This was still communistic time. We asked the Reb if we have permission to go to see the from the and if yes where should we go or Rasto and the Reb said yes and he gave us permission he rabbi wrote Rasto so we went to Rasto at that time there was no middle winter there were some interesting I don't know if what you want to hear if you want I can tell you a story about Russia interesting story >> a little bit on the topic Okay, I'll just say one one story that happened in Russia. I'll tell you there are many important things. It's not when I was there with Sui, we gave you a lot of fur visited many people. We brought a lot of things. I don't have to tell you the suitcase. We were six hours maybe four hours six hours by the on the airport guy waiting for us because we came as tourist of course South American tourist was a cascade. You know, I don't have to tell you all the and was there a guy already waiting for us in that know Spanish? Exactly. They were waiting. What's that? What's this? Everything something they confiscated. Okay. We arrived then on the we didn't that that time we were supposed to be in Moscow in Leningrad and in Ria. We arrive in Ria. I remember like today a guy waits for us. His name was not Yam Yuram. Okay, he tells us follows follow me already 20 30 people waiting in an apartment for a shir we are in the tum of at once he says the gim oius gim mean the three letters we understood what it means kg is after us so he goes out of the tra we take another one gimoius we made that three four time and we see we are followed He said it's too dangerous, impossible. If you go there, you put in danger all these guys. We had to completely battle. We underated that night. Okay. On night three, I went to visit one Jew personally that I knew that the address and went to visit the old lady that was a cousin that was a from the Jacobson. This lady gave him there gave him She said I have that let's give I please give it to the reb the was very interesting because there was it was manuscript there was some pirushim from the from the it's already printed okay we take it with us we knew before going to Russia such missions of course you are briefed first time when I was my wife I was briefed by Rabbi Rabbi Liy Rabbi Liy went there many The first time and the second time I made the video of the people speaking to the rebel like the Reb looked it with I heard it from he looked at very very seriously good to know when you when you have such a such an important thing we were briefed you have to leave it in the American embassy. You're not allowed to take it out because they checked you when you go out and it doesn't pass. You are checked. So [clears throat] what happened? We went to Ria then from Ria to to Rasto. It's a big flight from Rasto back to Mos and you come in with two suitcase full lot of fil of whatever tell you whatever we go back with nothing. So how do you do it? We pass in the old shipova. There there are old yishes for and you put it in your suitcase. You fill it up like that. Should be something. Okay. We didn't give that safe. We didn't have time to put it in the American embassy. But normally that's the way how they get it back after to New York. We arrived at the airport. Who is waiting for us? The same agent that speaks English. That guy from the Spanish that speaks Spanish. Yeah. Open all the suitcase. He said, "Hey, but this is completely different things that we Yeah, we met people. We make we changed the thing culture here." The guy looks looks but this all these old books become to Russia. You know in the beginning written is what printed in what print how do you what's going on here of at once he sees the book that's the the he takes it out manuscript crazy you take out that in Russian me and we literally start to cry what will the wait we cannot forgive ourselves it's crazy this is crazy No, no, it's from our grandfather. This is from we don't travel without our grandfather give up. That is from Russia belongs. You want to take out king? He calls an old lady that's a cultur from Russia and she said of course nothing to do he sends he sends three to go to the checkin because was late we going to miss the flight. It was a flight to Austria, Austrian flight, I don't remember, through Vienna. And he tells me with the policeman, the full you know these red guys that policeman with the lady take all the books in the room and you sign a protocol. You give it back to Russia. I'm going the room the policeman is there and the lady and I'm telling what am I going to do? The policeman went out and then I thought maybe a bit chut you know in Brazil sometime you know sometime a bit to get money but then I remembered that before going to Russia the reb send me out a lot of dollars $18 or more $36. He wrote me the told me only change it officially because the difference between the nonofficial official rubble was 200 300%. The rabbiton is everything official is not that I saw the books were like that look what I'm telling you books were whole pile like that the lady is writing every book the name thing and she makes me protocol she's the policeman went out I said that's the moment I put my hand in where is the manuscript I stood out I put it in my in my pants it was winter I had winter coat. I was trembling because you you could not see the difference. Everyone sees the difference between the manuscript and printed book at least by I said she's writing. She didn't perceive. She made me sign. I run to the I run to the gate and I'm saying I must give that book somebody before they perceive. Don't perceive. It's impossible not to perceive you. Everyone knows the difference between them. It's one minute they're going to cut me. I'm looking everybody maybe that's his nation from that's nation I'm afraid I arrive to the gate I see a friend from Belgium but this is diamond old friends from Belgian diamond I'm telling him his name is Alutski I said listen don't ask question I'm leaving my coat here inside there is a book you take it and we in the plane will we will speak about he understood I'm going to the plane and S is crying what did we do how could we have make such uch a mistake. How could we make such a mistake? And I I'm quiet. I'm quiet. The plane goes off. I go in the first class. I was in the executive class. I told him the story. He gave it back. I go back. What's going on? I told him the story. He made the mak all what is inside. We arrive in New York. The Reb is going out to the oil. Gave gave the safer. Uh >> I must have told the story to one of the masim. The next day the sent me out a beautiful letter. The rebel mist wrote me a beautiful a beautiful beautiful answer. So that was one of the adventures I'm just telling you. Okay. >> A real adventure. >> It's a with suspense and drama and everything. >> That's exactly how it was. >> Okay. It's amazing. Um so I have a question for you. um were I want to hear a little bit more about the but were other like that you got regarding that you didn't mention till now >> there are many minors on the reb different one I don't know what you want to hear what you don't want to hear but I'll tell you a few things that maybe might be interesting um [snorts] the reb spoke a while sort of certain time about that children in public schools should start the day with a small after the Reb spoke a silent prayer before he spoke about silent prayer. At that time I had a good connection with the ministers of education and I felt I could present that. So I asked the reb should I speak with them about should I try to do the reboke but America didn't know if it's for Brazil or not. I should I asked the reb. So the reverence in me underlined. So the Reb told me not to do it because the the land is very very Christian and they will change it not to non the Reb was speaking about a non denominational prayer. So that was a very Brazil years later I saw that they the public schools they they propheted and they put you understand so the said that was >> it's very interesting you know because America there's no relig it's not a religious state but Brazil I think is officially >> no also it's separate also separate it's very it's maybe the one of the biggest Catholic countries in the world. They're very Catholic. The Reb the Reb knows exactly and the Reb Catholic because the Reb knew exactly what once I wrote to the Reb that I feel that really I don't have time literally for more things to do is missing and then So much what to do. This man is short. Take also for the children. Take care of the family. How do you join all these things? Take care of your family. Take care of and still missing. How do you join all that? I told I was bit desperate. I wrote the rebel long letter about this was I think in the Reb answered me like that. you and then between the Reb writes it means in English means most of the have such problems you think you're the only one that you think that you underlined what You should you should get in inquire what other really you have to have quality time and you have to see with the family how to do it sometime you have to cut up a bit very clear answer very important maybe for then there was a time very interesting maybe sometime you get over the head from the rebels so it's important that they get over the That is also important and you have to say it at a certain moment I don't remember which year I think it was some two three together with me another two with me we found as we had so many pupils already and in Moristan we said maybe we make a mo in Brazil and we wrote to the whole plan and we wrote to the we don't see any big any other said nobody has that we we don't see it's going to so the reb underlined twice and put the question mark and then the rebate like that started to Brazil a bit to be more quiet there was some that's what's missing the rebs You're not You don't want to see what's going on. The Reb gave us over the heads. You're telling me there's no problem. Just this is missing. We got it over the head not to do it. >> Okay. I understand there were some strong miners from the >> Reb. >> Yeah. But that's got look what the Reb I tell you. You see how the Reb goes into I was once by Shabas. I was by Shabas. It must be I was ashim. I was going by the at least twice a year. Friday night tells me the Reb wants to give you mashk tomorrow. I got I didn't sleep the whole night. I didn't ask. I didn't I didn't come for a know what what the Reb wants. Okay. What happens the middle of the between the two? The Reb calls me. First of all, the Reb asked me vu. I found it funny. So I said some rebu where? So I remember I came through Peru to Lima got important. So I told him okay and the says the gives me two people that were not exactly connected. On the contrary, see that this and this tells me tell me his name should say this and this >> people one was the other one was not I cannot say that. >> Okay. You see to take care of that. Okay. So of course that's first thing I did I came to S. follow and I arrived I'll tell you soon I invited him and his wife and his wife put them together a bit with you see what the rabbi thinks about I think it's important for to see how important by the such a thing of I'll come back to that remind me the word the meantime the rabbi asked me I found it funny why I'm going knows where I'm going and Friday night told wants it means it's planned by the reb. The reb knows exactly. He wants me to sell that in S. Paulo. What happened? The plane broke in Lima. I was there stocked for 125 and I had suitcase full because was that time I was I was with a big in Brazil 3 4,000 kids. I I had the printing of three 4,000 names. So Pash was given to the reb. So I had a suitcase with all the things of sashm in in in let's see what's to bring from New York to Brazil once in Brazil. We made a nice passport for Hashem with that you stamps you put your general your captain your coral and so on. The Reb send it out to the Hashem in New York. They should copy the P. What did I do? I was there. I found out where are the Jews. Unbelievable. Shabas in New York. When I was shab at by somebody that told me that he knows a Jew in a Jew in Lima. His name Mandel. I looked the book. I found it. I went he brought me to the rabbi. There was a rabbi there. His name was Rabbi Yigel. Forgot the last name. Rabbi Yigel Freeman. Yagel. Yel Friedman. So we went to school. I explained him all how it works. Sim Hashem. He took most of the thing that I had and to implant in Lima the Jewish school and all the thing. When I came back I wrote to the Reb. I understood already why the reb I made my I hope I did what the rebel. Three years passed maybe and we decided in Brazil to make a nice to make a nice book for the you know from very nice me. Okay. Went to Rabonim. Everyone wrote some Rabonim, some I get a horror from the said you should connect with Rabidman. He should also write some you see the doesn't forget anybody. Look just because two three years before he was a rabbi he helped a bit for one day for you if he was you should see that he should write in that confel >> amazing so I want to ask you I know I know I have to remind you about the kid of Alav didn't forget about that um but there's also so first of all there's a big mid that you had I actually worked there when I was in Brazil I taught in the in the camp. Um, and some some of the were the head counselors and some of them were were teaching and also there's the tenad. So maybe you could tell talk to talk to me a little about those those maest one is tenyads and one is the camp soil. Tenyad is an institution that's only social institution in Hebrew it's called sad we gave it a soup kitchen a few people and me myself we got together before when the reb was going to make 90 years it must be two weeks before the stroke and we wanted to give a present to the reb And we decided because in Brazil you have a big disparity between the rich and poor not so much middle class. You have people very very very poor that live with less than two $3 on a day and things are very very poor. 20% make under poverty line and there are some poor Jews. So we decided I think the reb would be happy to make a soup kitchen for poor people to give them food every day. Not food only. So there a whole meal a three course meal. We wrote it to the reb and we wrote that we're going to call it and and the green and we got a nice nice answer. This was two weeks before the stroke and we started no sorry we wrote it's called today that time we called it mamesh was the mamesh agreed was very happy. Uh it's existed already more than 33 years and we give over thousand meals every day for people. It's a very special moist when the federation wants to show something nice to people that come delegation so on they bring them to the tenad and it's all the media very known the president and all very senators and big big personalities came already to to visit it special name it's name after the rabbi the whole thing it's a whole mo it's a whole building only for of course when you have such a population of poor people it's not only food sometime they need clothes and certainly one Is it tennis for the children? Whatever. Of course, this is 10 yards. The camp is in I will say the story a bit because I think it's an important thing. When I arrive in Brazil two months after in August of there was in Rio de Janeiro the was from a young man. He was he was working with Rabbi Blumenfield. So I went to the I was never in Rio and I decided I'm already in Rio. Let's visit Rabbi Shiva from from Petropolis. I went to >> the only time I was in Rio also. So >> okay. So we are together. So I went to visit Rabbi was very happy received me very nicely beautiful in in the mountains something has by the way on his own tons of stories and from the a whole book about of course but about Brazil. I hope you know that there is two books about Brazil and Brazil. There you have many answers because >> in the the magazine we wrote an article about you should see the books the Reb literally shoot in Brazil so many we get to know so many people letters from the Reb. So when we put them together and we don't have everything but Brazil was very very not strong not only in the printing of tions but many many other things give you an example that the rebate came out from Brazil and there are some words that the reb speaks about Brazil and S Paulo should be mock Brazil bro there was a there was a reporter we going out of the story I think there was a reporter in Rio that what he He that he was he went to for bring the first in the 50s and then speaking was to Brazil many many letters unbelievable very interesting many things about Brazil put a lot a lot of lot a lot of personal there that's that that reporter went to bring and then he wrote an article in his newspaper Yiddish it was English newspaper and he wrote that Brazil is but he came came to Brazil but came to Brazil from he's doing a beautiful the reb got this article and the reb writes him letter thank you for speaking about I don't agree with you that you call Brazil a midbar and midbar is something where nothing grows in Brazil if we come the right people they will grow fantastic Hold it. It's in legal Scottish. You can see it's also in the book. The truth is the Reb corresponded there is letters from the Reb to three presidents from Brazil. They wrote to the Reb. I don't think in the United States you have that United States you have two maybe three >> Bush Reagan. Yeah. >> Two. I think we have three put a lot of K. Anyway, I was in Rio. I was there by by Rabbi Mamini and he tells me I would like to have more pupils. we have not enough what could you help me to help more talid I tell him look I don't I came here to work with students but my experience from Paris that when you make a good camp and it works good and you have good kids that from there you can mish them because the mish is already from 16 years old you know you can be m them to the yeshiva it works >> make a make a camp >> yeah oh very good you should make the camp make a camp when it's by us the summer the summer by us is in December January very good came December January some people were against didn't work I saw a bishop politic but I made the seminar le of students I didn't make it I arrived two three weeks after in New York with the we going to I go into I just had given my paper to the rebb I don't know if the reb read it or not the rebba picks up his head and ask me why did you make the look I know I want to explain I came back from Rio and like every month I wrote the d to the reb this was two lines I wrote to the reb that I was in petrol is what I told her what he asked me what I answer two lines it's a d on four or five pages six months later the rebb asked me why was missing tips I didn't want to make to tell the rebb that somebody was a game I said we didn't want there should be problems so the reb picked up his head make me a big and said no if you work with okay but I understood that the rebb wants the camp was clear >> this is second this is the story of this I understand the next year I already didn't ask anybody I understood the rebs the camp I make a camp make a came Venezuel 3 weeks before I had already 50 60 kids 45 kids I have all the list I write to the red letter B all the kids here we're making no mishim all the first time at was the head counselor rented the place the day we're going out of the camp I get a letter from the I feel it's heavy I open Then then I see that the Reb took my letter, cut it off a piece and wrote with his handwriting. He wrote it. He put me my letter inside something very I said he took the letter. He cut off my piece. I said the Reb is happy. Made the camp finished the camp. I call up in New York. I tell him the camp was I arrive in New York two weeks after he shows me where a white man camp was. The rebroim the details the details. I understood that the Reb really likes the camp. I sent pictures and things in 10 years, 10 years we rented places not easy because you have to rent a place. You have to be a get truck and bring you all your things. You have to be cashuring and play and pots and pans. I don't have to tell you that. After 10 years, I decided one night I'm writing to the Reb, the Indian from campb we should have a steady camp. You believe me or not, the same week a Jew calls me up. Never spoke with the Jewish name Mr. Leinski Zangis. He tells me I wrote I bought I bought the camp from the reform sh in campus dean which is in the mountains. I don't have what to do for it. It's a long range investments. I heard that you're making camps. Maybe you just to have it. I thought I cannot believe it. Answers from the reb >> to buy it or to use it. >> Look, he tells me I can give it to you for 5 years. You don't pay anything. Just you pay of course electricity and water but nothing. I went there Sunday I remember we made we put it $100,000 we make the sh bigger fantastic 35 years pass or 40 I'm still using the place for you to know just that every five years we renew it the but what happened there you could make a camp for 100 people so we used it a few years really we must have used it from me till noon something like that we used it no more from sorry from it was before and not the 87 90 years maybe but the camp grew more than 100 kids we have 150 kids mim we have team camps camp and so on it's bigger it's bigger I want to make an interruption if you don't mind rabbi came and I want to make interruption the the 10 yards you know the 10 yards the kitchen that we have to sustain that it's a lot of money. So we of course have donors here and there and we make once a year we make a show. We make a concert it's called. So we brought already David and Aid and Shui and Daddy all these Jewish singers. Okay. Every normally these shows have 2,000 people, 500 some 3,000 and this helps us. We can make a book. It helps us with the money for a few months. Okay. One year isn't good. It must have been tough. Maybe we couldn't find a singer. This one is busy. This was nobody this everybody. No singer. What do we do? What can you do? We cannot do a meeting. The volunteers of Tenyad. We have 300 volunteers, ladies and men. A few volunteers came by. I said, "Listen, we have an idea. We found a singer. He said Yiddish. He knows who singing Yiddish." I said, "You're crazy. Yedish. Who speaks Yiddish? All people nobody else will kill. I said they'll come 100 people that's all they insisted. They insisted we have to do we cannot stop. I told him make me a favor just take a whole for 150 people. There may not be more. They listen to me and I was ashamed tell you the truth. I took a plane. I went to New York. I didn't want to be there because I felt that's going to be a failed. It's going to be complete and I was right. There was 120 people only old age people. They show they they show the video of that and this guy sang in Yiddish. Okay, around. [snorts] I'm writing to the Reb one night and I said, "Listen, Reb, you gave us a camp like that. We used it for a few good years, but camp is bigger. Maybe we can get a bigger camp." Reb, we should get a bigger camp for us. We need a place really camp. I write it. Two, three weeks later, we had a pish of students in a hotel that we rented. I arrive Friday in the hotel. I see a guy, oh, oh, I know you. He's the guy that was helping me to rent always places of camp. I tell this guy, oh, maybe you know a place to buy the camp. Yes, I know a place here. Not for 10 minutes. Very good. We go to Sunday morning with a nice 300 students whole night for B. I Sunday morning I go with him. I love the place. That's where they play swimming pool and courts and speaking and everything first. I don't have a penny. I say a few here and there. I ask him give me the name of the of the of the balabos. Okay. He gives me the name balabos in Italian viceno son Monday I called the guy. This was around August September. Listen good to me. I called the guy and I told him listen I saw your place. It's nice but I don't have a penny. It's very important to understand to to buy it and oh we go why do you have such place you have place already for 100 people no I bring schools you poor people me also poor people Jewish are you Jewish he said yeah of course I'm a rabbi so oh my is a Jew I said who is your he said I'm marrying him Thursday said yeah this guy okay we we're going to meet other by the place after the we speak in the meantime I call say range you can pay in many installment but cost of the million dollar very big place okay I arrive there don't have the money I'm very interesting the place I don't know what to do I got an inspiration from this veno I cannot buy the place like that maybe there's some problem sewing sewage here I must test it I want to use it for one summer if it's good I promise you I buy it no problem he take it whole summer he gives it to me so beautiful few acres of against the camp comes February finish the camps I know the go is going to call me he's going to call me the guy what do I do I sit down one night I open the skesish it's very rarely I open I fall on the reb The rising like that because the writes through the children we get to the parents oh letter only about Ghani robot camps I said wow that's that's me passes three days I'm sitting I go to the soup kitchen to the tenyard only once a week. Who who directs the Q soup is my son. I go there for lunch once a week. I'm there sitting Wednesday by lunch. Knocks at the door. Jew small Jew. It's a normal. I was sure he comes for okay put my hand in the pocket. He sits down. He tells me like that. Rabbi, we were three brothers. We born in Romania. During the war, we saved ourselves in Cibir. We came to Brazil. Boris, my brother, Olga, my sister, and me. We never got married. Every one of us had a factory of textile. We made a lot of money. Boris passed away two years ago. Olga passed away last year. All the money is by me. And I'm looking what to do with the money. I think I froze. Now listen what he's telling me. Five, six years ago I was a I was by a concert of it was such a beautiful night and there they showed a video of an institution. It's three weeks I'm trying to remember the name of the institution. This morning I got it. I'm here. It's tenyad rabbi. What do you propose me? What can you help me? I thought it's not possible. what I'm telling you. Listen to me. I'm telling him and I start to tell him all my plan. I want to buy a can the children and the teenagers and he makes the whole time with his head like that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I said no we can make for rabbis make for here is the summer the whole year. You don't need to winterize. You can't it's everything. I tell him that we can make there for for for a couple day. Yeah. Yeah. At a certain moment I got nervous from $18. No problem. I said $180. No problem. We're not speaking with $180,000. He said no problem. End of the story went long. He paid the million dollar. He paid everything and he told me there will be one money left over to buy some more around which which we did for him and we have a beautiful camp gan this the answer so we use it the whole year all the schools all the people here even lit when people come there have rented for shabas with the big picture they use it it's a big keshashm use camps and seminars for students and pishes whatever and what do we learn from that why I tell you the story because I think You can learn something beautiful from that I thought will be a will not work out that was a shame that I went out from there came the Yeshua this old Jew if he wasn't by that concept of hidd from there came the yeshu twice the reb gave me a camp like that on platter on silver platter without doing anything do you understand how much the reb takes care of isim he gave it to me like that I just asked reb as you told me please take care twice like that it's worth belie and he tells the rabbi asked the reb then the reb turns to him we should see that the should be also be happy is working for us. The word is literally opening our doors for us. It's unbelievable. Unbelievable. I don't know why you got it. >> Amazing story. I don't tell you word more word less. [snorts] Unbelievable. I had another like that. Not the M that has that I was sure it's a failure it's terrible became I tell you I don't know if you have patience I don't know if you patience for my my speaking I don't know >> it's very good I want to ask you also about and and after the rabbi alpin decided around the between I forget the between me and to expand on other places. So, Rabbi Shroud opened in one neighborhood rabbi and finally I went to the south of S. Polo which is called mari and there we opened the mari and grew it grew today to takes care of it is rabbi David very nice it's a not easy community because it's very f people south of many that they're traveling here but it grew it was from the beginning from scratch we started >> I spent many many was living there is Mr. horn Ellie Horn and he helped us for the rent and so on. Just want to tell you an interesting story. When I went to Mulia, I was happy. I got the rent. I rented the place. How did I get to there? Because my wife was teaching my wife was teaching one of the families there. This is another story know and through and there they were teaching the children. So the comes comes to the wife we know and she got need to know his family and that was the second one that was interested. So with the horn we had and the third one they paid the rent but the rabbi is speaking the whole time and I I'm just renting. I felt bad every person and I'm happy that I paid the rent just started. I didn't know what to do. What can I do? It was I remember like today it was listen to me. I came back from to Mr. horn and I see a closed and I said the it's the last day of I know the reb is going to change not I mean the gel every it's going to be finished soon you know what I don't hesitate I look I got out of the car I looked small like you say nobody's looking I jumped over the thing I went into a belongs to >> you. You went you went in. It's not belongs to you. >> I started to say I don't have a penny and I told you want me to buy I don't have money. At least I'm making I show you that I would like to buy it. I make a at least something I did. I never told that to anybody because people would think I'm crazy. So I'm not doing that's what I did personally with me the Reb and that's it. The sho started five six years later the already growing I don't tell them that I have already have already I don't tell them yeah but I've rabbi you should try okay I will look for now for the first time I'm sending to the I would like to meet you doesn't answer me I would like to meet you in Brazil you can force him I went agent I went okay he had to answer my phone. Finally, I told him, "Listen, I want to speak with you. I'm interested in your okay fine." He received me in his office. Find a guy. We speak speak. He tells me, "Listen, I I'm not interesting to do to sell it too much. And I'll tell you the truth. I know two Jews. If you know them, if you're connected to them, then we can talk. If not, not." First one is Ellie Horn. I'm I'm going with him in the park sometime Sunday. Second one is Mr. add this that his son is in the same class like my daughter. I told the first one is my president the second is the vice president. Wow. But when I heard that I said I'm not [clears throat] going to deal let them deal with them. So they put down the price 20% the other one not 20%. We bought the bashem two three years ago Rabbi Goldberg which is there built a beautiful building on that same that I asked the Reb that I make a king. There is a beautiful just to show you the Rebel listens to us, listens to us listens to us. Anyway is working good is beautiful. Thanks God. >> And how did you um so you said that the rabbi told you there was there was one of the is supposed to be involved with >> Yeah. >> that and now you're a rabbi in in the >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. This is interesting. Yeah. Also, um when I arrived to Brazil, I arrived like already Rabbi Alman presented me to Mr. Joseph Saffra and we had already small shear and then I start to give a shar to his nephew. This nephew brought another group of him and during years many years few years I learned with them Tanya every Tuesday night I remember in the inab maybe three hours we start at 9:00 we finish 12 11:00 to 12 have t with them every these people lately became the became the vad became the how you call the board of the synagogue of saf and they remembered about me in the meantime I started to give shim also in their youth movement as far have a big youth movement called net And after even though I was volunteering giving many shuring in the swadi community during many years but after a certain moment they asked me to be officially the rabbi and I agreed I understood that it's important also and through that we get to more and more kahillas more people is a growing flourishing community today I would say 600 families maybe almost 300 3,000 foresm and Mr. Safra this is not a speaker this another talk very very very connected to the reb >> I was going to ask you about that he has a whole of the reb this is another talk about the other many families that we we can speak this another talk I think like that we I can tell you maybe something personally if you want I don't know I don't know what >> yeah yeah that's it >> ah I was thinking about the move be you asked me I said I said there is another story that I felt that that's not the story that I thought it's going to be a filler and at the end it became just about the reboke strongly on a shabas about very strong public is a long I think it's maybe I made mistake and we were listening the at night and sometime an hour two hours difference it was already 10 11 o'clock with we hear and we have to do something >> don't remember exactly which okay rabbi me on the phone another rabbi thing we think what can we do we remembered we have a very big huge kanuka that we left on the Jewish club Makabi and the next Sunday we got to know there's a very big soccer game that's between the team of S Paulo and Corinthas this is a very 80,000 people in the stadium beside the millions people looking division we decided we must put that there the rebels as if public we must put it there how we do it we got telephones here 11:30 at night we got to know that one of the board of the s it's in the s paulo stadium one of the people in the board is a Jew his name is called Jimmy Franco I'm calling this guy 12:00 at night I didn't know what would be his reaction Mr. Ji, I heard about you in the board. We just got an appeal from the Lubai Reb, the world Jewish leader. We have to put Republic everywhere and we want tomorrow in that game. He took it very seriously. Come to me 9:00 in the morning with your car. We go to speak with the president. I had the booklet a bit already with pictures from America from public manuras. That helped a bit. I go by him. He takes me to his car. We go to the president. He took it seriously. >> The president for not listen. >> What do you mean the president? >> The the president going >> of the team. >> The president of the board of the team. We go by him. I explain him that it's please light. Light who doesn't want like everyone li brings peace. And here I made a mistake. A very big mistake. I told him this will bring the victory of the team. S Paulo will win. Told him bring muzzle. I wanted to convince I was young. This will bring muzzle to the team. The guy loved it. He takes the phone. He gives in the in the stadium. In the meantime, Rabbi Shuku went to take out with a big truck the mana. They should let him in and put it in on the stage. All water. He loved it. Okay. We arrived there. The the game must have been 4:00. We arrived at 2:00. They put in the man the full I don't know if you know Brazil they're crazy for soccer and Corinthas is a very popular team more than S. Paulo we got interviews the the radio the guys what what's this thing there what's this what's going on here? So we say no lights the Jewish light and we we win the victory of the and the thing brings light and peace and again we said no most probably to bring masle to the team of in the stadium there were many guys from the other team from the heard it on the radio they throw literally stones on us I remember one storm took me here the glasses okay but we did ours 3:00 the stadium was full I'm telling you 80,000 Many Jews, many Jews made their sign. Oh, Rabbi, Rabbi, we saw that it was making many Jews and they couldn't believe them. And this goes on television million people, 50 million people, this 220 million people. Okay, we stood there a bit, but all the time in my life I saw a game. The game starts one zero for Corinthians. They losing S. Paulo 200. I told Rabbi Shro, let's go out from here. They're going to link us. We We got going out alive from here. We run away somewhere. In the meantime, some people saw us. They laughed of us because we said they lost again. We did everything. The publicity the was but we didn't go back even take them because we sent some people going to take with the truck. We told them they going to win. They lost. I was sure. Okay. Look, this marries his daughter to Mr. Ades, the president of the synagogue. I got close. I made the wedding. We're getting close. Two, three years passed. I we never spoke more about that. I didn't want to talk more about this. One day Franco calls me three years later. Rabbi, the president of the S. Paulo club would like to speak to you. You agree? He made me such a favor. Okay, I agree. I come to pick you up as the car. What does he want? Okay. Franco comes to pick me up. We go to the stadium. He opens the door. 50 people sitting, the whole board. The president speak. Rabbi, do you remember the game? I put my head down. I said, "Of course, I remember." You know, Rabbi, that we lost that game. It was the best time in our life. After that, we won the international. We won the Latadoras. We won in Japan. We won the intern. We won the best. That it's true. They won in Japan. The best team in the world. This gave us such a blessing. You have no idea. The manura was fantastic. Rabbi, we're going through many problems. One of her players, she tells me the name, passed away two weeks ago. We got a crack in the stadium. The city prohibited we cannot have 80,000. Only 40,000 people. We're losing money. Please, could you bring back the manera and always the final is around Kanuk? We promise you we'll put it in the best place that all television my engineers will put in. Then we'll put on the board where it's lighting. One side, Merry Christmas. on the other side we put every moment rabbi please could you bring the man back I thought I'm I'm dreaming and we did it in a few years so sometime you think that it's not going but every pula has his parents every has his parents unbelievable unbelievable okay >> amazing >> okay >> personal personal experience with I'll tell you one which I also think But it's important maybe could help other to see how much the has usim in mind around [sighs] meal around toshin meal me and my wife went by the doctor the doctor started to say that we I have to make tests and things and things very bells and thing got scared. I told my wife, we're taking a plane. We go to the Reb. This was we arrived by the Reb. I arrived there. I wrote a long letter to the Reb. I wrote exactly what the doctor said. You have to make this and this to him. She would do it. She would not do it. And then I wrote to the rabbis Mar doesn't let me come past 3 four hours mines called me to come back I arrived there look first of all where I wrote and all the thing what the doctor say the reb cut off with scissors he made a hole listen the reb made a hole in the letter. Then I learned a newer goer. He cuts off. Not only takes away the decree. When the Reb takes off here, he takes it off there. Go in the Shabas there is there is so he was a mo I think maybe he took away the Anyway. So the Rebok of that. Then when I wrote that, look what the Reb writes me. Underline twice. Okay. So, Rabbi the Reb cut off the whole thing doesn't exist more. Then the Reb writes in under I answered you already underlined. Wow. So you can see oh was happy me your wife was pass I wanted to tell you cuts off the whole thing then the reb writes I answer you start to tell the rebb says answered me I don't remember such an answer and the reb have such an answer I go to mosques and I ask maybe is there a letter on the way something they don't I come back home a month later. I get a letter T like a thanking letter for the Tanya from Peru and Lima Peru and Ecuador Kito under with the handwriting they wrote the Reb wrote me okay was happy said the reb writes me I don't have such an answer cannot be there is no there is no mistake by the rebel it doesn't exist such a thing I said maybe comes another letter We'll wait. I'm waiting, waiting, waiting. Comes I said it's impossible. I open all the letters. Reb said the Reb wrote me the look what I found out when I became a to me. The rebro at that time was not like today with with telephones, you know, you wrote from Europe a letter that comes in by post. Look what the Reb answered to my wife. She didn't write a word about that. Seven years before ask, seven years before the Reb, you know many letters the Reb got in between. You know I really remember the three package every day and the Reb opens the letter that is on his name. The Reb oni I answered you already. Looking seven years under seven years later when I open exactly for the inauguration. The Reb send a nice letter in Yiddish and the Reb writes that there is a certain letter in the is done to be of the and the Reb writes with his handwriting not the time >> of Yiddish handwriting. It's unbelievable how much the Reb takes care of and thinks about us and we know it. And the Reb said it once, I think about this more than he thinks about me. That's that's that's >> amazing. Amazing. >> Definitely will be >> that was to my wife. My wife got many very interesting. Once my wife was there with a few daughters, she wrote her duke and then the she gave my duke to herb whatever on my on my rabbit writes to her. I'm going to write to your husband. Who am I? The small picture of the Reb writes to my wife. It takes his time for us. It's unbelievable how much the thinks about us. What should we say? What should we say? What should we retribute? >> We should think about the rabbel. I think I gave you a small >> I think I think everything you gave was excellent and amazing. I want to give you a that you should continue and see opportunity for the invitation. You should be with everything you do the whole thing. People are so happy to hear and emphas. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you.