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Rabbi's Corner

25 Years Later

Dear Friend,

This week marks 25 years since the disbanding of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war, and the beginning of complete religious freedom for Soviet Jewry. Even for people like myself, who had been hearing the Lubavitcher Rebbe foretell this event for many years, the swift and non violent fall of a vast communist empire was astonishing and miraculous, nothing short of a modern day Exodus from Egypt. "Let my People Go!", the battle cry of the worldwide Jewish community in the 70's and 80's, became a reality as tens of thousands of our brothers and sisters emigrated to the US and Israel and enjoyed their first taste of religious freedom.

Twenty five years later is a good time to reflect on these monumental events and remind ourselves of the latter half of the above mentioned verse: "Let me people go..so they may serve Me!" Religious freedom is a gift we have been granted, and one that nearly every Jew in the entire world can enjoy today. What a blessing this is! In a world of many frightening and dark possibilities, remember that we live in a very special era, one where all the wonder and wisdom of our Jewish heritage is open and available to us. If you're looking for a 2017 resolution, here's my suggestion: Take advantage of your personal religious freedom and study some Torah. Raizy and I are running multiple Torah learning opportunities here in the Sutton Place area, see below for details, and join us!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Shmuel Metzger 

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