Ep. 19 // "In Defense of Gezhe" w/ R' Mendel Duchman

R' Mendel Duchman lives in Los Angeles and is a businessman, business coach and motivational speaker.
He is also, to my mind, one of today's most outspoken motivators and cheerleaders for shluchim and Lubavitch around the world.
But while R' Mendel very much lives in "today," he is also a staunch defender of the idea of "gezhe," or the value of holding on to one's past that can be traced to the old home back in Russia.
While "gezhe" has come to mean all kinds of things today, in our conversation we discuss how the past is an important part of today's story and something that needs to be better understood, even celebrated.
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Homesick for Lubavitch is a project of Yuvla Media.
Bentzi Avtzon is a filmmaker who specializes in telling the stories of thoughtful and heartfelt organizations. Business inquiries only: [e-mail]
Connect with Bentzi
Website | www.yuvlamedia.com
Instagram | / bentziavtzon

[@rando-user]

These POLAR SELTZER adds are getting really good.

[@rabbiyitzhakcohen9312]

My father was from Ireland. He told me that Ireland was neutral during the war. When the horrors of the holocaust were revealed the Irish people fled bad that they didn’t participate with the allies. So they decided to do something good for the Jewish people.
They decided to let in Jewish refugees, Lubavitchers it was a win win situation for everyone.
My father belonged to the Litvich community as a child seeing Chassidim for the first time made a great impression on him.
Shabbos afternoon they would visit the Chasidim and Farbreng with them.
One of his childhood memories,when ever you walked done the street where the Chabad Chasidim lived , it didn’t matter what time of day one would always here someone reading Tehillim or learning or nigunim out loud.

[@HomesickforLubavitch]

very interesting! thx for sharing

[@racgordon]

After the war, the Republic of Ireland donated a very large amount of Beef through the “Joint” to feed Jews in the DP camps. The kehillah in Dublin were overwhelmingly litvishe yidden and there were also shomrei shabbos yidden there there. At the time there were not sufficient shochtim in Ireland and so a group of Lubavitcher Shochtim were sent to Dublin to shecht this meat. The had a tremendous effect on the community and later some Lubavitchers married Irish Jewish Girls.

[@HomesickforLubavitch]

Fascinating. Ty

[@racgordon]

@@HomesickforLubavitch If you are interested, reach out to Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin (Shaliach in Ilford, UK. He would know more of the detailed history. His Zeide, Reb Henich Wolfson a”h, who lived in Dublin was involved with this group of shochtim).

[@absraskin]

R’ Meir Avtzon lived in Nevel as well.

[@rudeb7]

Where is the photo?

[@myopinions1]

I never heard of him. His parents not him.

[@miralev7396]

Immaturity with white beard..