A Lubavitcher on the East Coast recently came up with a unique idea how to spread Yiddishkeit and Chassidus, and is sharing their idea with the hopes that others can do the same – and maybe even do it better.
A Lubavitcher on the East Coast recently came up with a unique idea how to spread Yiddishkeit and Chassidus, and is sharing their idea with the hopes that others can do the same – and maybe even do it better.
In a conversation with Anash.org, the Lubavitcher shared how they started the project, and what they hope other can take from it.
“The city that I live in houses many Little Free Libraries, which are library stands put up voluntarily in private yards with the motto “Take a book, share a book”.
“In a moment of frustration from the moral topics being thrown around during the recent election, it dawned on me that perhaps there could be a way to utilize these Little Free Libraries as a tool to spread messages of Chassidus, Sheva Mitzvos, and really just basic morality to those living around me.
“Most “ism’s” have taken root via the written word – one person reads about it, h/she shares it with a friend, who passes the book to their neighbor, and so on, until a revolution explodes. I sincerely hope that here too, sharing books with true meaning and upstanding Torah values (specifically accessible to any audience) can be a way of touching many more people in the world around me – and in a profound, “long-shorter” way,” they said.
This individual began bringing books that discuss Yiddishkeit and Chassidus to the Little Free Libraries in their area, dropping them off with the hopes that people will notice and read them. Some of the books already included in this cause (generously donated by both individuals and organizations) include ‘Seven Gates of Righteous Knowledge’ by Rabbi Moshe Weiner and Dr. Michoel Schulman, ‘Social Vision’ by Philip Wexler, Rabbi Eli Rubin, and Michael Wexler, ‘Be Like the Moon’ by Rabbi Levi Welton, ‘Positivity Bias’ and ‘Seeds of Wisdom’ by Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson, and others as well.
The donor keeps a record of where the books have been dropped off so that they can diversify where to place the next batch. Additionally, each book contains a bookmark describing the donor’s intention, and includes an email address if they’d like to continue the conversation.
“I daven that this can be a way of heeding the Rebbe’s call to be a lamplighter – by doing whatever I can to illuminate my place of residence with seeds of kedusha,” they said. “I hope that others can adapt the concept to fit the needs/resources of their own communities as well!
For more info or to donate books/help out in any way, please email: [email protected]
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