Hello, my name is Reuven Epstein. I live in Safed, Israel, and I just wanted to tell you about two very wonderful people that I know who also live here and do some really special work for a lot of people. Their names are Rav Gershon and Chaya Vogel.

They run a wonderful outreach program here in Sfat, where they invite a lot of students and others from around Israel, especially from seminaries in Yerushalayim, and they invite them to come up—many of them to stay in their home.

They also participate in Shabbos meals with them. This happens every weekend, and they probably have 30 to 40 guests at every Shabbos meal. They have such warm, big hearts. They involve everybody and give special attention to each person they invite. I don’t know how the Rabbi does it, but he remembers everybody’s name, calls them by name, and makes them feel very welcome and loved. It turns out to be a wonderful experience for the young men and women who come here. They really love Sfat and the more relaxed atmosphere it provides compared to the hustle and bustle of Yerushalayim and some of the other big cities in Israel.

They go home with a renewed spirit, more eager to study Torah and deepen their involvement with Judaism and with others.

Here in Sfat, we emphasize the fact that we have a lot of achdut—togetherness—among people of all levels of religion, and we share that with the students who come up here. They really appreciate that, and they take it back to where they came from. 

I just want to say, I hope you find it in your hearts to help support this wonderful program that Rabbi and Rebbetzin Vogel provide for people here in Israel.

Whatever you can give or donate to their cause will be money well spent. They definitely enrich many people’s lives through this program. So, that’s all I wanted to say. If you want to help spread joy and Judaism throughout the world, this is one way to do it.