Rabbi Fishel's Blog - Chabad of Naples

We need Purim this year. YOU need Purim this year.

Thursday, February 27, 2025 - 8:57 AM

Dear Friends,

On Wednesday, the world witnessed the heartbreaking funeral of Shiri, Ariel, and baby Kfir Bibas. Thousands of Israelis lined streets and highways to pay their final respects as the bodies were driven from Tel Aviv to Kibbutz Nir Oz, the very place where this young family was last united.

The streets were filled with Israeli flags, orange balloons, yellow ribbons, Batman costumes, and signs reading “Slichah.” During his eulogy, Yarden Bibas, facing the unfathomable trauma of his own 500 days in captivity on top of burying his beloved wife and precious children, echoed the sentiment, saying, “Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all.”

Dana Silberman-Sitton, sister of Shiri Bibas, spoke emotionally at the funeral. She said, “They will not defeat us, they will not break us. On the contrary, their mission failed because we united, because we grew stronger, because we became invincible. They lost.”

The Bibas children became our children. Their father, Yarden, held hostage for 484 days, tortured physically and psychologically with no knowledge of his wife and children’s fate, became our brother. Today, his grief is our grief, his pain is our pain, and his recovery is our recovery.

Iconic landmarks and monuments from New York to Niagara Falls, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Belgrade, Brussels, Rome, Madrid, and many Israeli Embassies around the world were illuminated in orange to honor their memory.

And now it is our turn to illuminate our light in the actions we do. As King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes, “And the living shall take it to heart,” teaching us that to truly honor those we love is not only in our grief but in our actions.

There are many meaningful ways we can honor those we have lost by performing mitzvot.

Tomorrow night, gather your family to light Shabbat candles with your children in the memory of Ariel and Kfir. Hang a mezuzah on your child’s bedroom door, bake challah with them, and say an extra prayer this Shabbat. Give Charity in their honor.

As Rachel Goldberg Polin and Jon Polin shared words from their son Hersh, who was murdered after being held captive, “If you have the WHY, you’ll find the HOW.” We each have a ‘Why,’ because we all feel the profound loss. We will now find the ‘How.’ We will find the strength to move forward together and honor their memory, and all those we lost.

Today, the new month of Adar begins, a month deeply associated with joy because of Purim. One of the expressions tied to Adar appears in the scroll of Esther: “Venahafoch hu” – everything flips. Just as in the Megillah, where impending doom is suddenly overturned by salvation, similar surprises can occur in our world today and even in our own lives. At the last minute, evil will give way to good, and darkness will be driven out by light.

So let’s come together this Purim! Let’s stand together, celebrate together, and illuminate the darkness with the joy and resilience of Am Yisroel.

It is precisely, in these insane times, that we ought to muster our strength not to give in to the natural feelings of fear, anger, and sadness that can arise in these situations. And, instead, we choose to throw a party! To say L'chaim! To dress up! To send gifts to our friends and charity to the poor.

It is specifically in this year of 2025 when we need the light of Purim more than usual.

We need to hear the story of the Megillah and how G-d saved the people from total annihilation.

…How queen Esther through courage and faith, managed to be the right person at the right time to save her people.

…How Haman, who seemed to be the strong archenemy of the Jewish people, ended up on the gallows while the Jewish people got to make a holiday out of this day!

We need Purim this year. YOU need Purim this year.

So, won't you come on along to our Purim festivities and bring light and joy into a world that needs it more than ever! www.chabadnaples.com/purim

Together we will turn the world downside up, and like in the days of Purim we will accomplish V’nahapoch Hu – we will turn it all around and bring light, love and laughter to our hurting world.

See you there!

Shabbat Shalom with Love & Light,

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos

Heartbreaking day

Friday, February 21, 2025 - 10:14 AM

Dear Friends,

The cruel and monstrous murders of Shiri Bibas and her sweet boys, Kfir and Ariel, have shaken us all to the core. The Jewish people and all good people worldwide weep in anguish, devastated beyond words. Tears flow, our hearts ache, and we are overcome with unbearable pain.

The evil is incomprehensible.

The indifference and the silence of the world around us is so so loud.

And the painful exile and suffering of Jews continues in our generation

Finding the right words feels impossible, but on a heartbreaking day like yesterday, and after 15 months of such pain, we must remind ourselves that, thank God, we stand with life and goodness, on the right side of history. We are the ones whose young people risk their lives to protect the lives of children. We are the ones who feel the pain of the Bibas children as if they were our own family.

In our Torah portion, Mishpatim, we are taught how to live as a moral Jew. How to properly treat your employees, how to be a responsible caretaker of your animals, the importance of not hurting another human being and what our obligations are if we do, how to have a judicial system that is just and impartial, the vitality of being kind to a stranger, the commandment to refrain from creating public hazards, prohibitions against bribery and lying, the Mitzvah to care for an orphan and widow, and the prime Jewish idea of giving to the poor and vulnerable, so they are not left destitute, hungry or homeless.

This is Judaism and this is who Jews are.

We love.

We care.

We empathize.

We do good.

Let's honor their holy and precious souls as they are brought to burial, and as difficult as it seems, let's try to channel today's emotions into actions. Action in confronting our enemies, action in improving ourselves, strengthening our unity, increasing in mitzvot, and reciting prayers and Psalms in their loving memory.

Let's join together this Shabbat at the Chabad of Naples Mishpacha to honor their precious souls.

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir you will never be forgotten. Your red flaming fire and light will continue on and in the strongest of ways.

We will be prouder Jews

We will be stronger Jews

We will ensure your flame lives on through more Torah, through more Mitzvot, and through the strength of the lion of JUDAH.

This is your name, sweet Ariel and Kfir - both mean lion. You will bring out our lion and strength, and your death will not be in vain.

We are all Bibas.

May the memory of Shiri Bas Yosef, Ariel Ben Yarden, Kfir Ben Yarden and Oded Ben Bilhah remind us how blessed we are to be part of Am Hanetzach, the eternal nation.

We pray that God will finally wipe away all tears, heal the broken hearts, and bring true comfort to us all.

With broken hearts and much love.

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos

A Shabbat of Song, A Symphony of Souls

Friday, February 7, 2025 - 1:23 PM

Dear Friends,

This Shabbat has a beautiful name to it. It's called Shabbat Shira - it's the Shabbos of song. A Shabbos dedicated to song. Could you imagine that?

Why the name? Because in this week's Torah portion we read about the awesome song that Moses and the Jewish nation sang after they crossed the reed sea. In their gratitude, they broke out in song and melody, men, women and children. The words of their song have been inserted into the daily morning prayers. It's known as the Az Yashir.

We honor this song by dedicating the Shabbos to song.

There are many special things about song. Here are two:

1. When many people talk at once it's called interruption. When many sing together we call it harmony! The more the merrier! There is nothing more beautiful than a packed shul singing the prayers together. Each person adds value to the song.

2. You could listen to the same speech once, maybe twice if you're lucky. How many times can you listen to a song you love? Endless! There is something so beautiful about song that we could never tire from the melodies which uplift us.

These are just two examples of the uniqueness of song. And in these times we need song more than ever.

Song has a way of freeing our spirits. It allows us to feel uplifted even when the news makes us feel otherwise. It is one of the greatest medicines against sadness and despondency.

And this is what makes Chabad of Naples so special. When you walk in on Shabbat morning, whether at 10:30 or 11:00, you’ll find song, joy, and unity filling the room. It’s not just about the melodies it’s about the spirit, the togetherness, and the uplifting energy we create when we sing as one.

This Shabbat is also deeply significant because in 1951, the Rebbe officially assumed the mantle of leadership, inspiring a movement that has brought light, warmth, and song not only to Jewish communities but to people all around the world.

So come join us this Shabbat. Let’s sing together, celebrate together, and embrace the harmony that makes our community so extraordinary. Because at Chabad of Naples, song isn’t just something we sing, it’s something we live.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos