The Atlanta Jewish Community: True Models Of Chesed 

In September 2017, Hurricane Irma was headed towards South Florida, and it was predicted to wreak tremendous havoc in our neighborhood of North Miami Beach. We had recently moved to Florida and were frightened by this news and had no idea how to prepare. Then, to my pleasant surprise, I was forwarded an email from the Atlanta Jewish community inviting all South Florida residents to come to their neighborhood where they would happily host and handle all needs for evacuees. Wow! What chesed. So, on that Thursday, September 7, we packed our bags, and made our way up to Georgia. Our experience was beyond description. There were over 1,000 Jewish families from South Florida that had fled to this remote community all with minimal time to prepare. Devoted Atlantans worked around the clock to accommodate each displaced family providing three delicious meals a day in Congregation Beth Jacob, even making an all-day snack room available for guests to grab a bite anytime. Our hosts, Rabbi Tzvi and Temima Oratz, were so warm and welcoming. On Sunday morning, the Atlanta community offered a concert and other entertainment for the visiting children providing an experience unheard-of for refugees escaping chaos; we were literally being treated to a 5-star vacation.

Then came Monday and Irma decided to make its way up to Atlanta. Even though at this point it had weakened to a tropical storm its force still caused plenty of damage knocking out power in the entire neighborhood. Trees were down making driving difficult. Meanwhile, I received an email from the Atlanta community leaders with a blaring subject line: “Important Dinner Information For Florida Guests.” I assumed the email would say that unfortunately due to the conditions and lack of power supper tonight would be cancelled for the South Florida residents which would have been completely understandable, yet when I opened the email, this is what I read:

“Due to the volatile weather and blackouts, we have been advised to avoid moving around large numbers of people, especially children. We have therefore decided not to hold a public sit-down dinner tonight at Beth Jacob, and instead to offer a “to-go” dinner for our Florida guests. A team of volunteers is currently assembling pre-packaged pans of food for families, and we ask that our guests send one person from each family to Beth Jacob to pick up dinner to bring to host homes.” 

The memorandum then provided hotline details, and a safety precaution. Despite their own challenging circumstance, the community went above and beyond to provide such incredible chesed for their fellow displaced brethren. I found those six days spent in Atlanta to be so eye opening and inspiring regarding our responsibility towards each other, and I still hold on to that email as a constant reminder defining genuine chesed. 

The paradigm of real chesed in the Torah was Avraham Avinu. Immediately following his bris milah, Hashem made the world so incredibly hot. Rashi explains the reason for this intense heat was because Hashem knew that Avraham loved to do chesed and in turn he would want to be busy hosting guests, yet Hashem just wanted him to rest, therefore he made the world unbearably hot so that no guest would venture out. Then, Rashi tells us something intriguing explaining that Avraham was “mitztaer,” in pain. Upset that there was nobody available to serve, Hashem sent three angels disguised as people to walk by for Avraham to invite in. We know the rest of how this episode transpired.

Did you ever stop and wonder why Avraham was disturbed? Isn’t chesed something that is necessary when there is a particular need where someone else requires assistance? Wouldn’t it make sense to say to Avraham, “I know you love to perform chesed, but there’s nobody around today that necessitates your aid. The world is so hot that people are not going outside, so in turn you are patur, exempt performing acts of kindness. Why are you so bothered?” The Alter of Slabodka beautifully explains that Avraham Avinu had a very real perspective of how the world ticks and came to a real recognition of Hashem through noticing the perfection and consistent kindness put into everything in existence clearly noticing the essence of Olam Chesed Yibaneh, how our world is built on Hashem’s kindness. Everywhere Avraham turned, Hashem’s hand was present constantly giving to every single creation. Even before the creation of man with Adam HaRishon, and with humankind the need for chesed, Hashem set up this entire majestic world so perfectly to be prepared for our race. Avraham realized that Hashem’s sincere desire to give is the purpose of chesed not “due to a particular void that needs to be filled.” In turn Avraham thought, “I want to emulate the ways of Hashem,” and proceeded to develop a real desire to want to give to others and sought out any way to help creating chesed opportunities, even if “there is no pressing need directly in front of me.” Avraham’s passion to give of himself to others was so authentic that the lack of guests was a troublesome pain.

During this period of mourning over the loss of the 24,000 talmidim of Rabbi Akiva, let us look towards Avraham Avinu and the affection of the Atlanta Jewish community as true models of bona fide chesed. We should ask ourselves, “Can I take on a small act of kindness and become a source of giving towards my home or community?” or, “What can I do to further my desire to give to my brothers and sisters?” B’ezrat Hashem with continual thought in this manner, we will merit growth in all our relationships and emulate the pillar of chesed that our Creator used to assemble this entire world.

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Rabbi Yaakov Moskowitz is a motivational speaker who has inspired Jews around the world through his engaging lectures and videos on a wide array of practical Jewish topics. To receive Rabbi Moskowitz’s short clips, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..