A CNN reporter once stood in the famous “dollar lines” that formed every Sunday outside of 770 Eastern Parkway. When his turn came and he stood before the Lubavitcher Rebbe he asked, “What is your message to the world?”
The Rebbe replied, “Every person should increase in acts of goodness and kindness.”
Over the ensuing weeks and months, the Rebbe’s message reverberated around the world and spurred the creation of countless projects that addressed the Rebbe’s theme of doing good. Years later, the Rebbe’s message is again being brought to the forefront with Chabad of Jacksonville’s latest project: “Tidal Wave of Goodness.”
Launched on Superbowl Sunday at the Alltel Stadium in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, where the superbowl was held last week, the project was the positive response of Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky to the tragedy of 228,164 deaths in the Tsunami disaster. Rabbi Kurinsky figured that more than 200,000 people would converge here for the superbowl. His goal was to get the written commitment of that many people to do an act of goodness and kindness to match the number of deaths in the Tsunami Disaster.
“What better way to memorialize those who died in this terrible tragedy than by doing acts of goodness. The Rebbe has taught us that there is no better response than kindness in times of despair,” says Kurinsky.
With the help of ten Lubavitch rabbinical students, Chabad at the Beaches together with Chabad of Jacksonville distributed close to 50,000 postcards addressing their theme. Stopping every person they could on the streets of downtown Jacksonville, they hoped to spread the message of the Rebbe to the world. Thousands of people put their name to paper last Sunday committing to a mitzvah–one man from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania pledged to “tutor some children in poor school systems,” another woman from New York vowed to “call home more often to let my folks know that I love and appreciate them.”
Rabbi Kurinsky is hoping for many more. How long does he plan on plugging away?
“We are going to keep at this project until the job is done,” says Kurinsky.
To find out more information or to join in Chabad’s efforts go to Tidal Wave of Goodness.
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