Natanya is on Fire




All the Chabad rebbetzins gather in New York every year for an extended weekend of gathering, workshops and recharging their batteries.


At face value, taking over her duties while she’s at the convention pushes me to my limit. Besides for my regular work, last week I had a minyan to pull together for Friday night and then Shabbos morning, with guests, teaching, davening etc. On top of that, I also had the responsibility for four of our younger children.  It’s not easy to get anything done while caring for children.  


The bright side is that I get quality “Tatty time” with my children.  The kids helped with the mailer you hopefully just received, and we went on a hike on Sunday.  Levi said, “This was the best day of my life!”


Besides for the benefit of my relationship with my children, two things really stick out to me this year:

  1. I appreciate how much Natanya does.  I challenge anyone to care for all the children like she does and get anything done for the community.  She is amazing, and we are all so fortunate to have a woman so dedicated.

    According to Torah, women are exempt from time bound positive mitzvahs, like daily prayer, reading Torah, Tefillin etc.  It’s a good thing they are because I don’t know if I could stay sane taking care of children, and spending the 2 hours a day for my morning Torah study and davening.  Doing it for just 6 days was rough.

    I’ve heard some people speak of the “women exemption” in some kind of negative light like women must be less than if they aren’t obligated in the same things as men, but I think most people asking that question don’t realize how big of a commitment it is to put on tefillin and pray every day.  G-d bless all the women for raising our children! 

  2. Besides for Natanya’s commitment to the Abrams children, she cares so much about the community!  I used to resent how adamant she was about going to the convention every single year and leaving me with the children.  Not every rebbetzin goes, and why does she have to be so religious about it.

    Last year on Thanksgiving she planted a seed that I only came to truly appreciate this year.  We celebrate Thanksgiving every year on the Friday after.  At our Shabbos table, we all go around and say what we’re grateful for.  Can you imagine, that of all the things Natanya could be grateful for, the top of her list at that moment was: “I am grateful that the Rebbe has allowed us to be his shluchim”.  She was grateful that we can be in Temecula as the Rebbe’s personal representatives, and live a Jewishly complicated life to serve the community.

    Being a shlucha is deeply important to Natanya and while we’re both very busy these days (Natanya with children and me with a property development), nothing is more special to Natanya than you.

Speaking of which, Natanya is hosting a Women’s Circle event, and I really hope you can come and spend the evening with her.  Yes, show her how much your cherish her.  Details below or in this link (women only please).


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