Camp Gan Israel Calgary |
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The
following is from a talk of the Rebbe to the children of Camp Gan Israel
in New York: “Our
camp is called "Gan Israel." "Israel" is the name of
all Jews; all Jews are included in this name. This was also the personal
name of the great saintly man who was the first to reveal the teachings
of Chassidism to the world, for his
name was Rabbi Israel - Baal Shem Tov.
There
is added emphasis to the above for children who attend Camp Gan Israel.
The word Gan means, "garden." In his last discourse, the
Previous Rebbe explained how the world is G-D's garden, a place that
grants Him pleasure as He watches fruits grow. Gan Israel means "a
garden for Jews," a place where Jews grow, a place intended to help
Jewish children grow up as Jews. When
Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov was still a child of five years old, his
father said to him: "My son, have no fear from any one, except G-d.
Love every Jew, whoever he may be and however he may be, with all
the Fire of your soul!" These
two things -- the Rebbe said -- that is, fear of G-d and love of our
fellow man, accompanied Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov throughout his life
and was the guiding force to his holy work.
The
lesson for every one of us, including, of course, the children, is
namely, that these two things should be the guiding light to show us our
way throughout our lives. Finally,
there is one rule that should always be remembered, and which the
Rebbe's father said to him when he was a boy of four: G-d gave man two
eyes, so that at toys and candies he should look with his left eye (with
little favor), but at every Jew he should look with his right eye (with
love), to see the good that is in him". The
main message and focus of the Chasidic philosophy is: love to our fellow
man without differentiating between colors, race and level of
observance. With
this in mind, the Rebbe has founded the first Camp Gan Israel in New
York. There are now over 400 camps with over 150,000 children
attending worldwide in the Chabad Lubavitch network of Jewish day and
overnight camps, under the leadership, inspiration and guidance of the
Rebbe. This
message of love & harmony between all human kind, our people &
our holy land Israel, is the theme of Chabad Lubavitch worldwide and in
particular Chabad Lubavitch of Alberta; Caring & Sharing! May we continue to prepare our neighborhood and ourselves to the realization of the Rebbe’s prophecy; the imminent Redemption through Moshiach, when we will all go together to Israel. |