The “Menorah Community” youth project of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, which has been actively developing thanks to the efforts of the Zislina family, held another men’s Torah class dedicated to the weekly portion of Lech Lecha and to one of the most important questions that arises before every person: how to dare to change one’s life, to leave the familiar behind, and to take a step toward the unknown, if it is precisely to this that the Almighty calls.
The class was conducted by Rabbi Reuven Kaminezki, who turned to the story of the Patriarch Avraham, who received the command of the Almighty to leave his native land and familiar surroundings and set out for wherever G-d would direct him. Avraham did not know what awaited him ahead, but he was ready to leave his former life, because he trusted the Almighty and followed His will.
This story became an occasion for a discussion about a problem that remains relevant today. Why is it so hard for a person to give up the familiar, even if it hinders them from moving forward? Why does the fear of losing what one already has sometimes prove stronger than the striving for change? And where does one find the courage to take a decisive step when the future is unknown? The example of Avraham shows that true courage lies not in the absence of fear but in the readiness to overcome it for the sake of fulfilling the will of the Almighty. It is precisely faithfulness to the Torah and trust in the Almighty that help a person not to stop before difficulties and to open new opportunities for spiritual growth.
“The story of Avraham reminds us that sometimes the most important step in life requires giving up the familiar and overcoming the fear of the unknown,” noted Levi Zislina, director of the “Menorah Community” project. “Our classes help young people see in the events of the Torah answers to the questions that arise in their own lives, and understand that the true guideposts for change must be the will of the Almighty, the Torah, and the teachings of Chassidus. We are grateful for the opportunity to carry out this important work within the united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
