It's over.
Yesterday I received an email from Rabbi Lazar telling us to move on. Prime Minister Medvedev told the chief Rabbi that he had spoken to the head of the FSB and there was nothing more he can do. Other Rabbis need not fear, according to Medvedev, but we may not return.
For many of you readers, this means the end of reading the blog, as it will for now be alot more boring, based on our personal lives. I may even reopen the blog.
There are some final things to look forward to, such as Chayale's trip back (iy"h) and the goodbyes she will make, the journey of our stuff to return to Montreal, perhaps a final emotional letter to my community pleading with them to find a decent leader and stand up for themselves, and I'll iy"h repost some of the more inspiring stories of things that happened to us while we were on shlichus to Stavropol, Russia, a place that I will very much miss.
To all of you, thanks for all your support through our shlichus, and the time we were stuck in limbo.
Now it's time to figure out what to do with our lives (once again). Should I go to school, or back on shlichus?
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8 comments:
Your done for good?What about a couple of years down the road?
I think it's for good. Apparently the FSB has something against Yisroel Silberstein and myself. They told R' Lazar that other Rabbis can come take us over, but we cannot return. :(
Dear Zvi, it is a very sad day today, that I learn that you are no longer going back to Russia. The passion you and your family have and had during your time in Stavropil was truly inspiring to us simple folk. It's hard to imagine what it must feel like to do something with all your strength only to have it taken away.... for no reason at all.
All I can do is wish you and your family much success and happiness, and I'm sure somewhere down the line you'll IY"H see how this was somehow for the good.
My two (additional) cents: throughout all this time you stood strong in defiance of the crazy people there who wanted to stop you from spreading yiddishkeit... not to mention the authorities etc... you fought back to the best of your ability because you couldn't let them win! I (humbly) feel that leaving the world of shlichus (which you are so successful at) and going into a plain job or university to become just another bookkeeper, lawyer, creditcard processor, would be a huge waste of talent! and in someways would mean they won!
I am not in a position to judge you and support anything you decide, but you do a heckuvugudjob in the shlichus field and they can't afford to lose you!!
Thank you for the kind words.
I truly hope someone goes to Stavropol to continue our work, as there is so much work to be done.
As for myself, I think I will be taking a small break from Shlichus to learn a profession. I've seen too many frum families going through the unendurable because they stuck with shlichus too long and never had anything to fall back on. Perhaps I'll revisit shlichus in a couple of years, but for now I need to learn how to support my family while the opportunity is there (my kids aren't getting younger).
Although, truth be told, I will miss the sense of purpose shlichus brought. And if I were offered the chance to return to Stavropol, I would go in a heartbeat. Even though the difficulties are larger than they were, and we'd stuck with: barely any salary any more, no frum people or kosher food nearby (save for the Danzingers 5 hours away), anti-Semitism worry, no school for the kids, not wanted by the government, nor by the 'leaders' of the community.
What a shame.
No words. Just hugs (())
Eli
same here, and whatever you decide to do, we back you up 100%.
love,
shua and bashie
Zvi and Chaya'le:
It is known that something in life only ends once the mission has been completed. However sad it is that something ends, it is also a reason to rejoice, as it signifies the completion of what one was sent to do.
Yet look! One mission was completed, and you are being sent to find yet another. Some people work on the same mission throughout their entire lives. It is the special ones that are sent from mission to mission, applying their special powers to achieve a great and lasting success.
I know that whatever you choose, you will have hatzlocho in that path. I know that wherever your path takes you, you will leave behind a better world.
Be well, and have a great Shabbos!
Thank you, Levi.
I hope you are correct.
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