A tribute to a world leader

It was a cold winter in 1991 when my parents, Rabbi Yosef and Esty Greenberg, moved to Anchorage. They came to establish a Jewish center to preserve and strengthen Jewish life and culture in Alaska.

This was part of the global vision of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory. The Rebbe, considered by many the most influential rabbi of modern history, with his unconditional love of humanity, dedicated his life to world Jewry and the betterment of mankind in general.

He corresponded with our presidents, and taught his message for humanity to millions via cable TV. He sent his best students to all corners of the globe to strengthen Jewish communities and bring an awareness of divine morality to all people. Throughout his life, he established synagogues, schools, humanitarian and rehabilitation centers, in thousands of cities worldwide. In a positive transformation unlike any in Jewish history, the Rebbe worked to rebuild world Jewry from the ashes of the Holocaust. In 1994, the Rebbe was posthumously awarded the congressional gold medal for his contributions towards world education, morality, and acts of charity.

In the years since his passing, his legacy continues; his message is eagerly sought by a world population thirsty for a moral compass.

At the core of the Rebbe’s teachings is the idea that this world is really a garden, a beautiful garden, waiting for us to perfect so G-d could feel welcome.

A beautiful garden, one may ask? When we look around, we see terrorism, financial crises, human suffering, and inequality.

Perhaps we must dig a little deeper. Looking at the surface of any matter, we fail to grasp its depth, its essence, its true and ultimate potential.

Having lived through WWI, survived Stalin’s communist regime, and witnessing the rise of Nazism, the Rebbe saw firsthand the worst the world had to offer. But he never lost sight of its core. The Rebbe understood that we could not allow evil to dictate our lives. The shattered world had to be rebuilt, and he taught that it was up to every individual, each one of us, to reveal the world’s inner good and reveal it as that beautiful garden. Through mankind reflecting the divine values of morality and justice, we welcome G-d to dwell among us.

Each Sunday, until just a few weeks shy of his 90th birthday, the Rebbe stood for hours on end greeting thousands who came to meet him.

The lines were filled with men, women and children, of every race and color: senators, governors, businesspeople, and communal leaders, but also simple folk. The Rebbe spoke to every person, handing each a dollar bill to be given to the charity of their choice. When two people meet, benefit should come to a third as well, the Rebbe explained.

On Feb. 24, 1991, right before we left New York, my parents went to see the Rebbe, to receive final blessings and good wishes on their move to the Last Frontier. After wishing them well, the Rebbe looked at me. With his legendary smile, he glanced back at my parents and asked, “He’s also going to Alaska?”

Like his ability to see the world’s ultimate potential, the Rebbe saw the potential in each individual.

There I was, a toddler in my father’s arms before one of the world’s most revered men, the once in a millennia Moses-like figure. In that one short moment, with thousands of people waiting on line to see him, the Rebbe turned his entire focus on me and what I could accomplish.

I am lucky to have spent time in the Rebbe’s presence. My short encounters with him, and careful study of his writings and teachings, shaped me into the individual I am and stand as a constant reminder of what I must accomplish.

In realizing this full potential, after my wife and I married in New York, we moved back to Alaska to dedicate our lives to the communal good in the Mat-Su Valley.

But it’s really not just about me.

The Rebbe wanted every individual to recognize his or her potential, and to positively influence those around them to make the world a better place. Through acts of goodness and kindness we can promulgate moral and ethical values that we all share.

July 9, 2016, corresponding to the Hebrew day of 3 Tammuz, marks 22 years since the Rebbe’s passing. This day is an opportunity to bring awareness to his life and teachings, and focus on those values he wished to imbue.

Let’s be inspired to adopt some of the lessons he taught. Place a few coins into a charity box each day. Treat others with respect. Show more consideration for family, friends and neighbors. By unleashing our potential, we have the power to transform the world into a beautiful garden. One person at a time, one good deed at a time.

It will make the world a better place. For all of us.

Rabbi Mendy Greenberg is the director at the new Mat-Su Jewish Center in Wasilla. He can be contacted via email at rabbi@matsujewishcenter.org. This column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman or its parent company, Wick Communications.