| Some of you saw this article entitled "At the Aipac Conference, A Capital Experience" http://lubavitch.com/news/article/2026142/Chabad-at-AIPAC-A-Capitol-Experience.html
Below are some musings from my experience... it reads rather "Bloggerish".
Several people asked me, "How does Chabad compare to AIPAC?"
AIPAC is a large organization that promotes a strong U.S. - Israeli relationship. Chabad is a large organization that promotes Judaism, in several tracks, educational, religious, and social services offerings. Since Israel is such a major component of Judaism it is only natural that both organizations have interest in each other.
There is no question that Chabad's presence was felt at AIPAC . I met more than a few of my colleagues there, among them... Rabbis Pinchus Herman, Aharon Herman from North Carolina, Chaim Shul Bruk from Montanta, Yossi Gordan from Chabad on Campus National, Dov Hillel Klein from Illinois, Yitzchok Raskin from Burlinton, Vermont, Aaron Margolin from Norfolk, VA, and of course Levi Shemtov, Chabad's "Rabbi on the Hill" in Washington, D.C.
Michael Oren spoke about his inspiration as a youth from a Chabad Rabbi Sholom B. Gordan from Maplewood N.J.
Chabad on Campus was one of the few organizations asked to participate at the Campus Delegate Dessert Reception.
Random people came up to me to introduce themselves and talk about their connection to Chabad.
AIPAC has 6,500 participants in the annual conference of members.
Chabad had 4,000 Rabbis and Lay Leaders and 3,000 Rebetzins and Lay Leaders at their annual conferences. (As I write this I wonder...if all the Chabad supporters were to come to the annual conference, how many people would that be?)
AIPAC's conference focused on what we could individually do to help Israeli security. Chabad focuses on the effect every single person and every single mitzvah has on the world.
AIPAC is professional. Chabad is heimish.
If AIPAC takes you for a trip, there would be several coach busses to take you. If a bus is breaks down, then the professional driver would radio or call for an alternate bus.
Chabad would put you on a school bus. If it broke down they would ask people on the school bus behind you to squish a little to make room.
Both AIPAC and Chabad feature an impressive roll call at the annual gala banquet. Chabad is of the Chabad families from all over the world, by country and state of the thousands of locations in hundreds of countries. AIPAC's is of the hundreds of honorable dignitaries present at the banquet.
I think what AIPAC and Chabad have most in common is the optimistic hope for the future coupled with the determination do everything in our power and use every tool possible to bring about this future.
They both do a great job, but both recognize that they have a hard journey ahead.
When they finally succeed (finish) there won't be any reason for the organizations to be around anymore.
Let's get to work. |
Friday, May 08, 2009
AIPAC and Chabad
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