Dear Friends,
Next week will mark ten years since Ettie and I arrived in Naples for the first time as a couple. We came, we drove around, we hit 5th Avenue (not sure if we grabbed a coffee or not, it was a long time ago) and we looked around the area. Not knowing a soul, nevertheless we hoped very soon to establish a home, a center of goodness and kindness - Chabad of Naples. We were planning to hold High Holiday services as our first event and we eventually held services in The Hilton on Marco Island, probably because no one told us there was a Hilton in Naples. I don't believe it was before Internet-- perhaps just before we became so Internet-dependent! Definitely before iPhones! Those of you who have been along for the ride, will recall all the names and locations, trials and errors, from the rental on Park Shore to stopping at all the hotels along 41 from Vanderbilt Beach Road as far south as Golden Gate Parkway. We pretty much covered all of Naples until we found a home next to the bicycle shop. We had an awesome time there on Seagate, and now----today we have this unbelievable beautiful center with an even more incredible thriving, growing, and amazing community.
We just want to say thank you to G-d and thank you to all the wonderful people of Naples & Marco Island. Thank you to you - our extended family. It has been an amazing ten years with indescribable emotions, so let’s just be content with a genuine and simple 'thank you'. Naples is the most amazing place to live, hands down! We truly look forward to another incredible decade with you – our dear extended Chabad Naples family.
In honor of this milestone, and since the Torah portion begins with Moses’ determination and persistence to get into his promised land, and because our last decade has been an amazing journey to get into our promised land/building (Chabad of Naples), I want to share with you this old saying:
Aspire to inspire before you expire. Happiness keeps you sweet. Trials keep you strong. Sorrows keep you human. Failures keep you humble. Success keeps you glowing. But only G-d keeps you going.
In honor of the decade since Ettie and I came together to this beautiful paradise, share this with a friend and LIKE Chabad Naples so we can continue bringing love and warmth and good deeds in an even more “LIKEABLE” way!
Have a great Shabbat,
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie