Bringing Light to the Darkest Places on Earth

Communicated Content

Bringing Light to the Darkest Places on Earth

The
Aleph Institute presents, below, a letter sent by the Lubavitcher Rebbe
to men and women in prisons nationwide a few days before Chanukah in
1977/5738

BEH
Beginning at 12PM EST on Monday, November 26th, friends and supporters
of The Aleph Institute, will join forces to raise $1,080,000 towards
Aleph’s advocacy
for men and women isolated from the regular community, which includes
U.S. military personnel, prisoners, and people institutionalized or at
risk of incarceration because of

addiction or mental illness.

The
campaign will provide continued resources for Aleph’s national staff to
respond to thousands of crisis calls, emails and letters from people
headed
to or in prison anywhere in the world, as well as their families.
Additionally, it will help Aleph provide
Jewish chaplaincy for men and women in the Armed Forces, and
life-saving work to help people who are addicted or mentally ill to get
off the streets, out of prison, and into recovery.

This
year for Chanukah, Aleph will be BE”H sending 1048 menorahs, 1620
candle sets, 1335 dreidels, 303 Courage booklets and 1666 Chanukah
chocolates to soldiers
overseas and people in prison; and for children who have a parent in
prison. Aleph’s Family Services division sends gender and
age-appropriate Chanukah gifts from an anonymous post office box, with a
note “love from Daddy (or Mommy).” In 31 states, from Dec
2-10, volunteers will visit more than 900 Jewish men and women behind
bars to share the Chanukah spirit and light the menorah with them in the
darkest places on earth.

“It
is very heartwarming to feel considered and valued when everything we
know in prison attempts to convince us of the opposite. Aleph’s loving
kindness
shines like the sun in this bleak place… toda raboh.”

All donations during this campaign will be tripled!

www.charidy.com/aleph

Founded
in 1981 by Rabbi Sholom Ber Lipskar in response to a directive from the
Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Aleph
Institute ensures
its mandate “No One Alone. No One Forgotten,” through a multitude of
programs that connect Jews in isolated environments to the broader
Jewish community.

The
Aleph Institute presents the following letter sent by the Lubavitcher
Rebbe to men and women in prisons nationwide a few days before Chanukah
in 1977/5738

[Free translation]

By the Grace of G‑d

15 Kislev, 5738 [November 25, 1977]

Brooklyn, N.Y.

To All Jewish Detainees, Everywhere

G‑d be with you —

Greeting and Blessing:

In
connection with the forthcoming days of Chanukah, I extend to each and
all of you prayerful wishes for a bright and inspiring Chanukah,
coupled with the fulfillment of your hearts’ desires for good in every
respect.

Chanukah
brings a meaningful message of encouragement — in keeping with all the
festivals and commemorative days in our Jewish Calendar,
which are meant to be observed not just for the sake of remembrance,
but also for the practical lessons they provide in our daily life. One
of the practical teachings of Chanukah is as follows:

The
special Mitzvah pertaining to Chanukah is, of course, the kindling of
the Chanukah Lights, which must be lit after sunset — unlike
the Shabbos candles which must be lit before sunset; and unlike also
the lights of the Menorah that were kindles in the Beis Hamikdosh even
earlier in the day.

The meaningful message which this emphasis on kindling the Chanukah Lights after sunset conveys is:

When
a person finds himself in a situation of “after sunset,” when the light
of day has given way to gloom and darkness — as was the case
in those ancient days under the oppressive Greek rule — one must not
despair, G‑d forbid, but on the contrary, it is necessary to fortify
oneself with complete trust in G‑d, the Essence of Goodness, and take
heart in the firm belief that the darkness is only
temporary, and it will soon be superseded by a bright light, which will
be seen and felt all the more strongly through the supremacy of light
over darkness, and by the intensity of the contrast.

And
this is the meaning of lighting the Chanukah Lights, and in a manner
that calls for lighting an additional candle each successive day
of Chanukah — to plainly see for oneself, and to demonstrate to others
passing by in the street, that light dispels darkness; and that even a
little light dispels a great deal of darkness, how much more so a light
that steadily grows in intensity. And if physical
light has such quality and power, how much more so eternal spiritual.

What
has been said above pertains to our Jewish people as a whole, as well
as to each individual Jew, man or woman, in particular. The
conclusion that follows from it is, that though our Jewish people is
still in a state of Golus (Exile), and “darkness covers the earth,” a
time when “nations rage and peoples speak vain things,” etc., there is
no reason to get overly excited by it; we have
only to strengthen our trust in G‑d, the “Guardian of His people
Israel, who slumbers not, nor sleeps,” and be confident that He will
protect His people wherever they be, and will bless them with Hatzlocho
in all things, and in a growing measure; and that
He will hasten the coming of our Righteous Moshiach to bring us the
true and complete Geulo (Redemption) which is fast approaching.

Similarly
in regard to each individual, those who find themselves in a state of
personal Golus — there is no cause for discouragement and
despondency, G‑d for bid; on the contrary, one must find increasing
strength in complete trust in the Creator and Master of the Universe
that their personal deliverance from distress and confinement is on its
speedy way.

All
the more so when this trust is expressed in a growing commitment to the
fulfillment of G‑d’s Will in the daily life and conduct in
accordance with His Torah and Mitzvos — of which the Mitzva of kindling
the Chanukah Lights is particularly significant in that it symbolizes
the illumination of the soul, the “Lamp of G‑d,” with the light of the
Torah and Mitzvos, “for a Mitzvah is a lamp
and the Torah is light,” — illuminating it in an increasing measure
from day to day, to bring about the fulfillment of the prophecy: “The
people wailing in darkness (of the Golus) will see a great light” — the
light of the Geulo.

With blessing for Hatzlocho and good tidings in all above,

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Please watch these videos to get an inside look into the work Aleph does around the world:
https://vimeo.com/302346340
and https://vimeo.com/302348211

Join the movement and #GiveHope: www.charidy.com/aleph