Rabbi Yitzchak Newman, the longtime Dean of the Hebrew Academy in Huntington Beach, California, told the following story.
About fifty years ago, in 1976, the school's leadership came up with an innovative idea for the summer. Since many of their students came from non-observant homes, they worried that the Jewish education and inspiration the children received during the school year would slowly fade over the summer months.
Their solution was a travel camp.
The plan was to take students on school buses and RVs to Yosemite and other beautiful destinations throughout California. Along the way, the children would continue learning, growing, and strengthening their Jewish identity.
The itinerary was prepared, locations were secured, families signed up, and everything was ready to go. There was just one final step: They wanted the Rebbe's blessing.
A letter was sent, but no response came.
They waited. They followed up through the Rebbe's staff. Still nothing.
As the departure date drew closer, they became increasingly anxious. The plans were in place, but how could they move forward without the Rebbe's approval? Another letter was sent and they were assured it would be placed at the top of the pile.
Still no answer.
Finally, Rabbi Newman traveled to New York for the Chassidic holiday of 12-13 Tammuz and hoped he might receive guidance directly.
As he walked into 770, the Rebbe's secretary, Rabbi Binyomin Klein, informed him that a response had finally arrived: Instead of running a local travel camp, the Rebbe wanted them to send the children to a fully immersive overnight camp on the East Coast.
Rabbi Newman was stunned. Back in 1976, flying was still relatively rare and prohibitively expensive. From his perspective, the suggestion seemed almost impossible. The costs would be drastically higher, and these were not families looking for a fully observant camp experience. They had chosen this type of Jewish day school precisely because it provided a strong Jewish education without forcing a particular lifestyle upon them.
How could he possibly convince these families to send their children thousands of miles away to an Orthodox summer camp?
Rabbi Newman consulted with the Rebbe’s chief secretary, Rabbi Hodakov, who suggested that he write another letter to the Rebbe explaining the obstacles.
A short time later, the Rebbe's response arrived in writing: בטח לא שאל אף פעם אחת, "Certainly, he didn't ask even once."
In other words, the Rebbe was saying: You have already decided the parents will say no, and you haven't even asked.
So Rabbi Newman went back to California and did what the Rebbe suggested. He approached the families one by one and presented the opportunity.
Every single family agreed.
Today, virtually every one of those children lives a full Jewish life. One became a Chabad emissary in California. His own children are now serving as emissaries as well. Others found their way into different parts of the Torah-observant world. One became a respected Torah scholar who knows the entire Talmud by heart.
The Rebbe possessed an extraordinary faith in people. He believed that individuals were capable of far more than they imagined.
How many opportunities do we abandon before we even ask? How many dreams do we dismiss because we have already decided what the answer will be?
The Rebbe's message was simple: don't answer the question for someone else. Ask. Try. Believe in people.
When we do, we often discover that the limitations exist only in our own minds. And when those limitations disappear, the possibilities become endless and the impact can last for generations.
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