By C.B. Weinfeld

Ira was taking his family on a mini-summer trip to a fair in Lancaster County, PA, home of the Amish. There was a bearded man, dressed as an elf, with a bright red t-shirt and adorable elf ears, Santa’s perfect helper.

That rugged elf was Shlomo, an Israeli who had traveled around the world to find meaning in his life, working at a Christian museum in the middle of nowhere.

On Friday night at the Project Inspire Convention keynote address, Ira introduced his dear friend Shlomo, now happily married and the proud father of two young children, to the audience. Today Shlomo has smicha, he and his family live in a thriving Jewish community and Shabbos is the highlight of their week. Despite the physical distance, Shlomo and Ira are connected by their shared circumstances that created a special bond between them. More than 1,100 people laughed and applauded and wiped away a tear or two as the two men embraced.

And to think that it all started on a hot Sunday afternoon at a county fair, when Ira sensed a hidden Jewish spark, gathered up his courage, and invited Shlomo for Shabbos.

There were constant surprises in store at the Project Inspire 2020 convention. Particularly inspiring were the Project Inspire partners and leaders, ordinary individuals like you and I, who lead ordinary lives in ordinary communities, but whose concern for their fellow Jew transcends barriers and leads to extraordinary results.

In Scottsdale, Robin Meyerson, a published author and the director of Project Inspire Arizona, kept trying to invite Karen Kaplan, a sweet woman in the community, to her home for a Shabbos meal. She reached out, time and again, but there was always another excuse.

“I had every reason to give up, but I decided to keep trying,” Robin told an audience of women at the special session entitled “Women Changing the World” facilitated by Rabbi Chaim Sampson, Founding Director of Project Inspire. Eventually, after too many invitations to count, Karen accepted the invite.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Karen joined her on stage, and the two women were given a sustained round of applause. Today Karen joins Robin in inviting unaffiliated families into their community.

At the Motzei Shabbos program, father and son duo Motti and Daniel Kornfeld from Israel moved us all with their powerful journey of song, of a father accepting his son with love as he embarks on his own journey.

David Cohen of Coos Bay, Oregon, was another highlight of the weekend, as David shared his unique story of discovery and return with help from his Project Inspire 1on1 chavrusa from Boro Park.

The Diaspora band, one of the first Jewish bands in the seventies, wowed the attendees as they rocked the stage for a rousing rendition of oldies-but-goodies.

Over the weekend, we heard from countless people whose lives were forever transformed, just from saying a friendly Shabbat Shalom, from reaching out and inviting the receptionist at the doctor’s office, the mailman, the guy shopping at the local supermarket. After all, this is the message of Project Inspire. You don’t have to be a professional or expert to reach out. There are millions of our brother and sisters who are right there, waiting for us to notice, to say hello.

Rav Nissan Kaplan from Eretz Yisroel graced the weekend with his presence and powerful call to stem the tide of assimilation and apathy. As he expressed in his keynote address, sharing a remarkable story of return that took place twelve years ago in Newark Airport, “I wanted to change Klal Yisrael, so this situation happened to me and if you want to change Klal Yisrael, it will happen to you. That’s what the Ribono Shel Olam wants: for us to want it with all our heart and soul.”

Rav Moshe Weinberger, the Rav of Congregation Aish Kodesh of Woodmere, enthralled the assembled with his address during which he decried Judaism by rote, a Judaism that is merely practice, devoid of heart and soul. “The Ribono Shel Olam wants our fire, our connection,” the Rav passionately expressed.

Words of Torah were also shared by Gedolei Rabanan including Rav Hillel David and Rav Shmuel Dishon.

In his closing remarks, Rav Shmuel Silber, the Rav of Suburban Orthodox Congregation of Baltimore, spoke of the Eliyohu Hanovi within us, of our G-d given ability to lift our wings, propel ourselves out of our comfort zone and face our fellow Jew.

It’s not enough for us to grow in our spirituality, to live in our box and ignore the tens of thousands, nay, millions of unaffiliated Jews who are just waiting for us to reach out.

What’s the worst that can happen?

You’ll get a strange look, and feel a bit silly for a nano-second.

But if you brush past a brother, ignoring the pintele Yid crying out, and walk on, you’ll have lost an opportunity forever.

Project Inspire, a program of Aish HaTorah. A movement of frum people taking responsibility for our fellow Jews. No professional experience necessary. Just an open heart.