Team Kabbalah, The Kabbalah Centre’s global volunteer wing, has been busy with a flurry of activity the last few weeks. With significant events occurring in the world – the escalation of the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza and Superstorm Sandy landing on the east coast of the United States – there has been much work, and opportunity to reveal light, for Team Kabbalah. Here is a look at what Team Kabbalah volunteers have been up to lately.
On November 22nd three Team Kabbalah volunteers distributed Zohars to Israeli troops near the Gaza border. Elik Shacham, Roni Hareli and Efi Amrami (who is also a police officer) were able to approach the first line of troops waiting for orders to enter Gaza. Here they gave Zohars to everyone within reach.
After encountering some resistance from a group of troops’ Commander, who would not let his unit accept Zohars, Elik was granted permission to read to them from the Zohar. Though he felt unprepared for this, Elik asked for help from the Light and Rabbi Shimon, and began his reading. The passage he recited was “Ki Tetze Lemilchama al oyvecha“, which translates to “if you go to a war upon your enemies”. The soldiers were fascinated by the teaching and asked for Zohars despite not having permission to accept, and in the end even the Commander took one for himself.
In all, over 5700 Zohars were distributed to troops along the Gaza border. Most of these were Special Edition Pocket Pinchassim designed specifically for soldiers.
In southern Israel, Team Kabbalah volunteers Rachel Shacham and Elisheva Rapaport handed out Pocket Zohars to soldiers in the Iron Dome, a military air defense system. After disseminating Zohars in Ashkelon and Ashdod, the pair headed to Beer Sheva station. This area is very difficult to drive in with steep, slippery roads, and soon they were forced to abandon their car and climb the rest of the way on foot.
Finally reaching the top of the mountain, Rachel and Elisheva began giving the soldiers Zohars. The unit Commander here was so happy to be receiving the Zohar that he nearly cried, explaining that just before the Team Kabbalah members arrived he had been listening to music on his phone in order to find some relief from the pressure felt. One of the songs that came up on his phone was “Bar Yochai nimshachta ashrecha” and he had been playing it over and over until Rachel and Elisheva showed up with the Zohar. “Then he opened his phone and played the songs for us again,” recalls Elisheva, “It was definitely moving and worth the effort and fear getting to them.”
On the east coast of the United States, where Superstorm Sandy touched down, Team Kabbalah volunteers were able to go to local businesses, private homes, and even approach people on the street to give them the light and protection of the Zohar. All together 1,000 Sacred Zohars and 3,000 Pinchas Zohars were disseminated in different areas of Brooklyn, the Bronx, Far Rockaway, Coney Island, City Island, Queens, downtown Manhattan and New Jersey.
In addition to the Zohar Project, The Kabbalah Centre Charitable Causes teamed up with local nonprofit organizations to collect and distribute items such as food, clothing, flash lights, cleaning supplies, and more. Students and volunteers went above and beyond in bringing and buying different necessities and together we were able to fill a whole truckload of items and into a shelter in need.
A special thanks to all of the 150 Team Kabbalah volunteers who went the extra mile in this light-revealing effort!
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