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For Your Inspiration

Rav Noach Weinberg zt"l was a visionary who was dedicated to reach-ing out to thepintele Yid in every non-affiliated Jew. He dreamed of a global movement of committed Yidden who, through their diligence and commitment to kiruv, would inspire a worldwide teshuvah movement. Rav Weinberg felt that only through taking such a monumental step on the part of Orthodox Jewry could the dual plaguesof assimilation and intermarriage come to an end. On many occasions, he shared his ideas with one of his close talmidim, Rabbi Chaim Sampson, who deeply absorbed his rebbi's urgent mes- sage. Four years ago, Rabbi Sampson planted the seeds of an outreach mission through giving gifts to secular Jews. That mission eventually became Project Inspire. Today, Project Inspire is an international kiruv initiative and a beacon of light to all those who merit to work in it, or benefit from it.

The communities of Far Rockaway and the Five Towns recently hosted the world famous kiruv organization in a wonderful Shabbos entitled, "A Shabbos of Inspiration: Uniting the Jewish People this Purim." The event, on Shabbos Parshas Yisro, featured Rabbi Chaim Sampson, Rabbi Motty Berger, Rabbi Yerachmiel Milstein, Rabbi Yaakov Salomon, and Rabbi Mordechai Tropp. The Shabbos was spiritually invigorating and filled with daunting statistics that served as a clarion call to Klal Yisroel. In North America, there are aproximately five million Yidden, but only five hundred thousand of them are shomer Shabbos. Project Inspire originated to inspire, so to speak, each member of the global observant community to reach out to at least ten people. On this calculation, Project Inspire began its historical mission.

"We are looking to make kiruv part of the fabric of every day Jewish living," explains Rabbi Mordechai Tropp, Executive Liaison of Project Inspire. People who participate in our kiruv Training Seminars are now more aware of the people around them. If people say they don't know anyone who is not frum, we say, look around. It could be a neighbor, or a business associate - or a distant relative. When people explain that they are not involved with such people on a social basis, we answer, 'Why not? They are in your life for a reason. Work with them.'"

Not all stories meet with instant success. The vast majority of Jews in the world (90%) are not shomer Torah and mitzvos. Many are not prepared to make changes in their lives. What does the Project Inspired team say about this? Rabbi Yaakov Salomon tells of an incident when he gave someone a book, but never heard from the person again. Rabbi Salomon's own rov, Rav Hillel David, told him, "You were 100% successful. Your job is to try. You accomplished."

Of course, there are lovely stories with very happy endings. Rabbi Sampson tells of a young chossid who took the kiruv training seminar. Soon afterwards, he met a young man sporting a ponytail on a bicycle, who asked the young chossid for directions. The young chossid, in turn, asked his new friend if he wanted to learn about his heritage. The story has a happy ending. They have continued learning together, and the young man with the ponytail is keeping kosher.

During the Shabbos of Inspiration, Rabbi Motty Berger gave a thought provoking shiur at Congregation Kneseth Israel/The White Shul, on "Why Hashem Matters?" On Motzoei Shabbos, at Congregation Shaaray Tefila, hilarity took hold of the rabbeim and participants alike as the acclaimed "Kommon kiruv Blunders" films were shown.

Sunday morning, a Discovery Seminar experience was conducted at Congregation Kneseth Israel/The White Shul. In addition, ongei Shabbos, drashos and divrei Torah took place in shuls and private homes throughout the area, including Agudath Israel of West Lawrence, Baid Medrash Heichal Dovid, Bais Medrash of Harborview, Congregation Kneseth Israel/The White Shul, Congregation Shaaray Tefila, and the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst. Modestly priced mishloach manos were sold at the Motzoei Shabbos event containing cards printed with simple Jewish teachings as a way to break the ice with someone who is secular. The message was simple and beautiful: Approach your neighbor. Don't be afraid.

Rabbi Sampson realizes that most people feel that they are not cut out for such work. "The reality is, loving your neighbor like yourself is the essence of the Torah," he notes. "Ninety-five percent of kiruv is caring. You don't need to know all the answers. Reach beyond your comfort zone. You can say, 'I don't know.' They'll respect you for it."

Many stories abound at these events. Rabbi Berger told the well-known history of Rabbi Dr. Dovid Gottlieb, who in his younger years was a professor of philosophy at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Many of the professors at that time sought out the wisdom of the Bostoner Rebbe zt"l. Dr. Gottlieb approached the Rebbe with an esoteric philosophical question. In this case, however, the Rebbe chose not to give an answer, and invited the professor to learn with him. One learning seder led to another, and soon Dr. Gottlieb was on his way to becoming observant. He has said that had the Rebbe given him a brilliant solution to his philosophical problem, he would never have become frum.

Project Inspire offers kiruv Training Seminars (KTS) for large groups that can be held in a public facility such as a shul, and Home kiruv Training Seminars (HKTS) for groups as small as ten to fifteen people in private homes. Since February 2008, over 4,000 committed Yidden have participated in these seminars, primarily in the metropolitan area. Other branches of the program have conducted seminars in Cleveland, Ohio; Silver Springs, Maryland; and Toronto, Canada.

"The training is a win-win situation," Rabbi Tropp comments. "The non-observant are brought closer to their source, and the frum community also grows. There is an increase in the passion of their own observance."

He recalls a rosh yeshiva once asking Rav Weinberg how to help his kehillah grow. Rabbi Weinberg responded, "If they reach out, they will grow. They'll be called on to review and recommit to the pillars of their commitment." Project Inspire began with an "Easy Outreach" gift campaign centered on the chagim. The idea then was to give gifts as a way of approaching the nonaffiliated to show care and concern.

Since those beginning steps four years ago, Project Inspire has grown into an international movement.

Rabbi Tropp concludes with a story of two children from a frum home, who one day got lost in a wooded area. They were found by a secular family, who called their mother. It turned out that this mother was active in Project Inspire, and the kids asked her to "do Project Inspire with the family who found us." The mother of the lost children gave the other family a gift which led to a Shabbos invitation. The family is beginning to keep kosher. The husband of that family has since remarked, "The children weren't lost. We were lost."

A follow-up Project Inspire kiruv Training Seminar will take place next Monday, 1 Adar/February 15, Presidents Day, at 9:45 a.m., at the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, located at 8 Spruce Street in Cedarhurst. For more information about Project Inspire, or to arrange to host or attend a kiruv Training Seminar, call 646.291.6191, ext. 201, or email infor@projectinspire.com.