🕰️ This Day in Jewish History
June 24 / 9 Tammuz
Today’s date resonates deeply across millennia—with moments of great challenge and profound resilience in our Jewish story.
586 BCE – The Siege of Jerusalem
On the 9th of Tammuz, King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian forces breached the walls of Jerusalem and entered the City of David, setting the stage for the destruction of the First Temple. This somber date marks the beginning of a bitter exile, a turning point that forever shaped our spiritual journey .
June 24, 1940 (28 Sivan) – A New Chapter for the Rebbe
After fleeing Vichy‑occupied France, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson and his wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, arrived in New York. Soon after, the Rebbe assumed leadership responsibilities for Chabad’s outreach, igniting a global renaissance of Jewish life and connection .
Reflections for Today
🕍 From Destruction to Renewal
The walls of our spiritual Jerusalem may break down, but our collective memory and connection to God endure. These events—ancient and modern—remind us that hope transcends even the darkest days.
🔥 The Power of a Single Arrival
A refugee’s landing in 1940 ignited a worldwide movement of Jewish warmth, learning, and belonging. One person’s arrival can ripple across generations.
What It Means for Us
On 9 Tammuz, we pause for shivah de‑tzom—reflecting on loss, confronting challenges, and reaffirming that even in exile, our identity and faith thrive.
On the anniversary of the Rebbe’s arrival, we observe how leadership, vision, and love can revive traditions and uplift a global community. It’s a celebration of renewal, unity, and purpose.
Questions to Ponder This Shabbat
How do moments of collapse shape our spiritual growth?
Let’s consider how personal/emotional “walls” falling can lead to rebuilding stronger foundations.In what ways can small acts—words of encouragement, a text, a smile—create profound transformation?
We each carry the spark to inspire positive change in others.How does this week’s Parashah echo with dismantling and rebuilding?
Look for themes of challenge and renewal, division and unity.
Final Thought
From the walls of Jerusalem to the streets of Brooklyn, the Jewish people persist—creative in adversity, hopeful in renewal, and bound together by timeless values. May we, too, draw inspiration from these milestones: navigating our own challenges with courage and uplifting others with warmth and vision.
Wishing you a reflective 9 Tammuz and Shabbat Shalom—may your Shabbat be filled with peace, inspiration, and renewal.