AN AMAZING STORY
Dear Family,
I hope everyone is well.
Next week is Yud Shvat, the day that The Frierdike Rebbe passed on, and the day that the Rebbe took over the Chabad leadership a year later.
Both these leaders lives were totally devoted to the Jewish People, and in particular, every individual that they could reach out to, either themselves, or through their Shluchim
So I thought that it would be nice to have a story this week for a change, and I saw this remarkable one, which contains so many beautiful points and lessons
I will summarize it, but am also attaching the full version below, for those who have the time. We have additional news though!
The story is about a 16 year old Chinese non-Jewish girl from a small town in China.
Her father was abusive, and so her mother left him.
This girl lived with her mother in poverty and despair, because, in addition, the mother was suffering from a terrible depression.
The story starts when the author of the story was on a trip to Singapore. She loved visiting Chabad Houses whenever she travelled 'to meet these Chabad families who dedicate their lives to unconditionally embrace their fellow Jews.'
It was Friday night and she went up to light candles in the Chabad House, and she saw a young girl of about 16, with Asian features, hiding in the shadows.
The girl asked in broken English if the author was a real Jewess, and whether she could hug her, and of course the author agreed.
And then she stood there watching the candle lighting, and crying.
She was invited to participate in the Shabbos meal etc, but she was too shy, and refused.
After the meal, the intrigued author was happy to find her and to sit down and talk to her.
After giving a background to her personal circumstances, the girl continued, saying that a co-worker of her mother had tried to help her mother, by giving her a page from a sacred book called Tehillim, which had been sneaked into China somehow or the other (Psalms of David - which was probably an English translation) - the mother knew some English because she was a teacher.
The mother knew nothing about the existence of Jews, but she was desperate to overcome her inner darkness, and she read this page over and over, connecting to the light through the mystical poems.
She now told her young daughter that somewhere in the world there exists a Nation of people who bring the purest light and peace to the world. She made it clear to her daughter that she (the daughter) was going to find these people and live among them, regardless of the effort that it will take.
The mother then found out that Jews pray in a synagogue, and the closest country that had one was Singapore. And the mother then sold everything that she could to buy a one-way ticket for her daughter, as a high school exchange student.
The first thing that the daughter did in Singapore, was to go directly to the synagogue address which her mother had had given her, and this was the start of her magnificent journey.
The Rabbi and his wife embraced her with respectful caution, and allowed her to have food and sleep on the couch.
'Do you know what is my biggest dream? The girl asked the author. And without waiting for an answer she continued 'To walk the streets of Jerusalem, wearing a long skirt, just like all real Jewish women.'
Of course the author was tremendously moved and discussed her with Rabbi Abergel, the Chabad Rabbi there, who had been watching her progress for the past few months to see if she was sincere. And he was gradually becoming more confident.
At the same time the author left money for her 'future Jewish sister' to purchase skirts, in contribution for her dream. SHE KNEW WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT THIS SPIRITUAL, LOFTY TEENAGER WILL FIND HER WAY!
A few months later the author contacted Rabbi Abergel to get news of how the girl was doing, and he replied that he had arranged the Sydney Rabbinical Court to help her with conversion and that she will eventually be sent to Israel to study.
At this point the author burst into tears - There is something so transcendental about impossible dreams becoming a reality!
The author actually, is not up to date with this girls story.
The girl has been a close friend with our family in Stamford Hill for the past few years.
She is intensely intellectual, and fully at ease learning all areas of Torah in Hebrew! And at the same time highly sociable and lively, always ready for a laugh or a smile.
About a year ago she got married to an amazing Ger from Italy (also an amazing story) here in Stamford Hill - one of the liveliest weddings I have ever seen, with guests coming from all over the world, who had been so touched by these 2 sincere souls. And they now have a little girl, their first child.
They are both 'power-house' Jews inspiring all who come in contact with them.
In the words of the author -'HER VISIONARY MOTHER WAS RIGHT AFTER ALL. SOMEWHERE IN THIS WORLD LIVES A NATION THAT KNOWS G-D, IS CONNECTED TO THE TRUTH, AND SINGS THE PSALMS OF THE GREATEST POET, KING DAVID!'
<https://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/4624330/jewish/The-Im possible-Dream-of-a-Chinese-Girl-in-Singapore.htm> https://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/4624330/jewish/The-Imp ossible-Dream-of-a-Chinese-Girl-in-Singapore.htm
Gut Shabbos to all