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Rabbi Fishel's Blog

We feel crippled and trapped

Dear Friends,

Advice for Life:

The Rebbe's Advice for Leading a More Purposeful Life

The Rebbe's spiritual leadership is the force behind the modern Chabad movement. Join this new fascinating course to journey through the Rebbe's practical wisdom on work, family, health, and well-being. Discover how the Rebbe applied Jewish values to serve as a guide for finding deeper meaning in everyday life.

Experience the Rebbe's exceptional approach to uncovering timeless meaning in everyday questions of health, work, family, fulfillment, struggle, and inner peace.

Join us for a fascinating six-week course offering a close-up of the Rebbe's powerful and transformational Advice for Life.

Our first lesson kicks off at 7:00 PM - 8:35 PM on January 30 at Naples, and tackles the meaning of work, money, and career. Specifically, we’ll answer the question: Does work have inherent value and purpose?

In the weeks ahead, we’ll get a view of how Jewish values inform our quest to find meaning in life and answers to everyday dilemmas.

Starting January 30 at 7pm. Learn more and RSVP at www.chabadnaples.com/adulteducation

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When the Jewish people were leaving Egypt they were being chased by their oppressors and found themselves trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea.

G-d had commanded them to continue traveling but, with the sea in their way, they were at loss about what to do.

According to our tradition it was only when Nachshon walked into the water until it came up to his nose that the sea miraculously split, and the Jews were able to cross on dry land. Nachshon knew that G-d had commanded them to travel, so he did his part and moved forward. In that merit G-d took care of the rest in a miraculous way.

There are times in our lives where we feel crippled and trapped. The ominous obstacles in front of us seem to be insurmountable. We learn from Nachshon that we don't have to figure it all out. Rather, we have to move forward and do whatever we can do. We must push ourselves and work towards our goal, even against impossible odds.

When we do this, G-d will split the troubled seas for us and we will find ourselves moving forward to achievements that are beyond our wildest dreams.

Wishing you and your family a warm and safe Shabbat,

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos


Thanks for everything colonel!

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Yesterday we honored the soul of our beloved Charles Sues, with so many of our community members present.

This picture was taken May 9, 2004 at a Torah dedication, and it’s a befitting tribute to his legacy, as a man who was unwavering in his dedication to Judaism. He was a proud American, a grateful and commited Jew, and a wonderful human being.

Whether joining us for Shabbat services or whipping me in tennis, Charles was a dear friend and supporter of the community in Naples and beyond.

He was a dedicated family man (married for 71 years!), an army veteran, and a man of big opinions and an even bigger heart. He believed there was a right way to do things, and he wasn't shy about telling you what that right way was.

He leaves behind an impressive number of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, to carry on the torch he fought so hard to keep lit. I’ve never seen someone beam with such pride as Charles when his grand children and great grandchildren would gather around him at the synagogue.

Thank you, Charles, for the honor of sharing 20 years with you. Thank you for teaching me what it means to be strong yet soft, fierce yet loving, determined yet caring; a strong Jew and a proud American.

We will certainly do our best to continue to honor his memory and gladden his soul.

Thanks for everything colonel!

You're Invited: Groundbreaking Ceremony

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Dear Friends,

Ettie and I are beyond thrilled to share with you that tomorrow we are finally breaking ground on the long-awaited Big Build!

So much work has been put into reaching this incredible milestone and we couldn't have done it without the remarkable support of our community.

You've supported and cheered us on since we announced this historic project and now we invite you- friends, supporters, alumni and community members to please join us in person as we break ground on a new chapter of our Jay and Patty Baker Preschool story.

Join us for the Groundbreaking Ceremony on Friday, January 19, at 9 AM. Kindly RSVP to [email protected]

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Where would we be without our dreams?

Dreams come in all sizes, and that’s what makes them so exciting and in some ways, so challenging.

No one can enforce what we dream, how we dream, or how large are dreams are: we are free to build and shape them as we desire. Perhaps it’s easier to realize a smaller dream, but there is nothing to stop us from dreaming large! Have you ever dreamed of winning a super large lottery, and then tried to decide what you would do with the proceeds and how many people’s lives you could improve?

Or perhaps, as you arise each day and thank G-d for merely restoring your soul, that’s quite enough for you. Maybe the dream of perfect happiness for you is walking in the sunshine on this earth and enjoying family and friends in good health.

Each time we enter our magnificent Chabad of Naples & Naples Preschool of the Arts and allow ourselves to absorb the holiness, beauty and joy and to focus on how many willing hands went into making this dream come true, that is when we can be truly thankful for realizing one of our most precious dreams. It may have seemed impossible at one time, but again, where would we be without our dreams?

So, let's continue dreaming together tomorrow.

Join us for the Groundbreaking Ceremony on Friday, January 19, at 9 AM. Please RSVP to office@[email protected].

Let's gather to celebrate this significant milestone and the bright future that lies ahead. We eagerly anticipate seeing everyone there!

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos 

Good pic.JPG

 

 

Never lose your spirit

Dear Friends,

Ettie and I are beyond thrilled to share with you that next week we are finally breaking ground on the long-awaited Big Build!

So much work has been put into reaching this incredible milestone and we couldn't have done it without the remarkable support of our community.

You've supported and cheered us on since we announced this historic project and now we invite you- friends, supporters, alumni and community members to please join us in person as we break ground on a new chapter of our Jay and Patty Baker Preschool story.

Join us for the Groundbreaking Ceremony on Friday, January 19, at 9 AM. Kindly RSVP to office@[email protected]

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Do you know how the Jews reacted when Moses came to tell them the news that they will be leaving Egypt? Think they partied and danced? Not quite… “And they did not listen to Moses out of shortness of breath.”

The Hebrew word for breath is Ruach. But Ruach also means “spirit”. This passage can be translated as "And they did not listen to Moses out of lack of spirit."

In the history of Egypt not a single slave had ever escaped. How could an entire nation ever walk free? Moses was a dreamer, they thought. It is just not realistic to hold out such high hopes, only to have them dashed yet again. And so the people were utterly despondent and spiritless and, therefore, they could not hear, i.e. absorb, Moses’ message.

It happens all too often. People become so set in their mediocrity that they give up hope of ever achieving the breakthrough. This is true for marriages, careers or our spiritual aspirations, we lose the desire to dream.

The Torah is teaching us never to lose our ‘spirit’, our hopes, our dreams and resolve!

Shabbat Shalom and have a great week ahead!

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos

Thank you!

Dear Friends, 

I take this opportunity on behalf of Ettie and myself, to wish you and your family the very best in 2024. May it be a year of blessings for you, for our community, for our country and for our Holy Land of Israel and may we enjoy these blessings in the best of health and happiness.

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We are beyond grateful for the outpouring of community support for the year-end matching campaign. A record number of over 402 people made a generous contribution during the campaign. 

We would like to take a moment to thank you, and our beautiful community as a whole, for helping make the last twelve months such a resounding success. 

Despite the many challenges, the last year has been a time of tremendous growth. More people than ever before were impacted, assisted, inspired and touched in so many ways.

None of this would have happened without the unwavering encouragement, financial and moral support from so many of you who are truly our partners in making this happen.

Thank you to all who donated in 2023 and helped make it a year of continued success. It was the collective power of these donations which helped meet the evolving needs of our community.

To our steadfast Chabad of Naples Partners and our dedicated POTA Circle of Hearts members, thank you for being the backbone of our organization, and providing the critical funds needed for us to operate and grow. Many who support Chabad Naples generously throughout the year, out of the limelight, may not have been listed in this campaign, they too are very much appreciated and admired. Thank You for providing Chabad Naples with the means to be able to do the work it does, year round.

Thank you to the dozens of volunteers who gave their time and energy to the center, or who helped so many in times of need.

Thanks to the thousands of you who participated in programs, holiday events, classes, and many services and celebrations, who enabled us to spread more light and blessings in 2023.

We are all so blessed to have each other and to have such an incredible community. Let us take a moment and recognize the blessings in our life and go into the new year filled with optimism and gratitude!

Looking forward to good and even better times ahead together as a community in 2024. and wishing each and every one of you good health, happiness and continued success!

We can't wait to spend an epic 2024 with you.

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos

Arthur M. Seigel

A miraculous community response!

Dear Friends, 

WOW! THANK YOU!!! 

A miraculous community response! Together. We did it! One community united in a beautiful effort to help bring light to others.

It's a long post, but from the heart (so I'm allowed:)) and if you get to the end of the post do it!

Phase 2 COMPLETE! Together we raised 1 million dollars in just 12 days!

Ettie and I are so touched and humbled by the outpouring of love and support.

In the past twelve days, 397 generous donors came together with contributions of all sizes.

We have now reached the milestone of $6 million raised of the total $7.5 million campaign

Knowing that you are eager to support Chabad of Naples & the Jay & Patty Baker Preschool of the Arts, is inspiring and empowering. This accomplishment will be the force for even more growth, education and celebration, going forward.

To our visionary donors and the namesakes of the preschool, Jay and Patty Baker, your incredible generosity made all of this possible.

To our 2023 matcher, Howard Ash, you made this campaign possible.

To our incredible donors, we are so grateful for your support. Every dollar you have donated will help us build a bright future for our children and community.

To our steadfast Chabad of Naples Partners and our dedicated POTA Circle of Hearts members, thank you for being the backbone of our organization, and providing the critical funds needed for us to operate and grow.

To every supporter and volunteer of Chabad of Naples and POTA in any capacity, we are so grateful for your friendship and partnership.

 The list of names deserving of mention and thanks is long, but time is short, (the weather is beautiful) and the festivities are beckoning:); so instead of announcing a long list of names, I will ask you to like this post for all the incredible people at Chabad of Naples.

On behalf of every soul that will be inspired and ignited thanks to your investment, we thank you!

The week we will witness the initial stages of our project, including fencing, excavating, grading, and clearing at the site. We look forward to providing our community with progress updates on the construction throughout the project so you can know what to expect.

The construction is not expected to interfere with our regularly scheduled Chabad & Preschool calendar and events. However, parking on our campus will be limited as soon as construction begins.

We are very grateful to our next-door neighbor, the Horizons building, for generously offering their parking lot for our use throughout the duration of the construction. For larger events, our community is welcome to park on the nearby Publix which is a very short walk from campus. Your continued support and involvement are crucial, and we appreciate your patience as we embark on this exciting endeavor together.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, we will be hosting a grand community-wide "Ground-Breaking Celebration" on January 19th at 9:00 AM. Please mark your calendars for this special event, where we will formally celebrate the onset of construction and share the joy of this significant achievement.

We still need $1.5 million to reach our goal for the Big Build, and invite our community to partner with us to reach the finish line.

Every donation counts.

If you have not yet had the chance to donate, we welcome your support. Every additional donation will now go towards completing Phase 3 of our fundraising campaign which will bring us to the Big Build finish line!  www.chabadnaples.com/buildthefuture

We are SO excited for 2024 and the future ahead. We are hopeful to complete the final fundraising Phase 3 in 2024 and look forward to sharing more in the weeks and months ahead.

May we all be blessed in 2024 with a year filled with light, love, abundance, and personal and communal growth.

Thanks to YOU, our community will continue to move forward with strength!

With our deepest appreciation,

Let’s keep the momentum going! www.chabadnaples.com/buildthefuture

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos

Arthur M Seigel

 

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