Ahavat Yisrael

Ahavat Yisrael—Love of the Jewish people—is one of the most beautiful concepts in our tradition. Rooted in the Torah's commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself," it means unconditional love for every single Jew, regardless of background, denomination, or where they come from. The Lubavitcher Rebbe and Chabad, has been instrumental in emphasizing this concept as a cornerstone of Jewish practice and outreach—calling us to bridge the divides that sometimes separate us and realize that every Jewish soul has that divine spark.

Look at the people in this design—Jews from every background, every walk of life, every skin tone, every culture. Ashkenazi and Sephardic. Israeli and Diaspora. Orthodox and secular. Observant and cultural.  Liberal and conservative.  That's the reality of the Jewish people. We are as diverse as humanity itself.

We have so much to learn from each other. The religiously observant Jew can benefit from the perspective, contributions and lived experience of the secular Jew. The secular Jew can observe the benefits of a close community and gain spiritual wisdom and meaning from the traditions of the more observant. We're not meant to agree on everything—we're meant to respect and love each other despite our differences, and grow from what each other brings to the table.  (Granted, the extremists on either side that offer aid and comfort to our enemies should largely be ignored and can kiss my tuchas, but I digress…)

The small portrait of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in the corner represents his legacy and vision: a Jewish people united across all our differences, learning from one another, practicing unconditional love. That's Ahavat Yisrael in action.
Unfortunately we sometimes fall short of this lofty mission.  In a factionalized Jewish world of labels and denominations, we too often can default to “building fences”between each other and casting judgment without enough compassion.  Let this design stand as a reminder and a recommitment to always keep Ahavat Yisrael as one of our highest priorities.
As an extension of this thought, here’s something to gnosh on for a moment.  Both Hillel the Elder and the Lubavitcher Rebbe made the teaching of “Kavod HaBriyot” or “Human Dignity” a cornerstone to their missions.  This can be understood as finding a middle path, compassion, and avoiding extreme stringencies when it comes to the practical realities of people’s lives and circumstance.  In other words, let’s try to leave judgment to Ha’Shem and focus on what unites us, Ahavat Yisrael.  Put differently, you Gotta Love the Jews!!!

For a deeper understanding of Ahavat Yisrael, please take a moment to check out this wonderfully thoughtful piece from Chabad.org 

Here's similar material in video form

Here's a short but powerful snippet from The Rebbe himself.

And here is a video from my dear friend and Rebbe, Rabbi Jonathan Goldschmidt, with some thoughts on the "balkanization" rampant today in our faith.  B'H we can become more unified in the years ahead.