Jerusalem - the Ship of Judaism
The world is awash in turbulence. The ship of Judaism and its message are being violently tossed about. Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, is being challenged as it attempts to ride high above the impending waves of falsehood and immorality.


Jerusalem, the legendary sturdy ship of Judaism, is being threatened by the gathering inundating waters of immoral desires, which relentlessly crash against its bulwark demanding of it acquiescence and acceptance.

This towering tzaddik has a message that has not been heard enough.



Jerusalem, the symbol of peace and tranquility, is now facing the swirling "waters of apostasy" that seek to have its waves pound away at all judgment and disapproval.


Jerusalem, the majestic oasis of holiness, is desecration's intended prey, as it seeks to unleash upon its decks the fury of immoral abominations.


Did you hear? Jerusalem is to have its streets inundated with a parade of spiritual impurity. Jerusalem, with its streets and its walkways, its holy inhabitants and its precious youth, is being pushed to surrender under the guise and banner (really a charade) called tolerance and acceptance.


The Jewish leadership in Israel and in the Western world seems powerless to steer the ship of Judaism to safe harbor, as there is today no recognized captain of the ship to gently, but firmly, guide this ship to safe port.


All Hands on Deck
The third day of Tammuz marks the leadership of the captain of our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, z.tz.l. This towering tzaddik and manhig Yisrael has a message that has not been heard enough by all the passengers and crew-members riding on the ship.


Now is time for "all hands on deck," to bring the message of Moshiach and redemption to the world.


In the interim, we must be resolute and strong - strong in the sense of our unity and love for one another; strong in our love of Judaism and of the One Above who gave us the Torah at Sinai to observe and protect; strong to not allow the waves of open disregard for basic Torah and tradition to be flaunted in a manner that desecrates and demeans all that is held sacred by Jews since time immemorial.


Should the modern "Peor" idolatry and immorality of alternative lifestyles be allowed to come off unopposed, then its ramifications are indeed very ominous and far reaching for the entire ship of Israel and the Jewish people.


Gimmel Tammuz - the third day of Tammuz - gives us the lesson of gimmel, which is gemol dalim - "be kind to the poor and destitute." Give more tzedakah, and take one more fellow Jew under your wings and share with him or her knowledge and spiritual nurture, even as we increase in our acts of kindness for one another.


On Gimmel Tammuz, we must remember the captain's call.



On Gimmel Tammuz, we must remember the captain's call:


1) No territorial concessions to the enemies of the Jewish people, an act that compromises pikuach nefesh ("preservation of life").


2) No adulterating of the Giyur (conversion) process. A Jew is either born of a Jewish mother or has a conversion according to the Shulchan Arukh. Either it's kehalacha or not at all.


And now, in our storm-tossed generation, amidst the proliferation of "alternative lifestyles," it is time to see through the fog and mist of the storm. We must hear the clarion and uplifting call of the captain of our generation:


3) We want, and need, Moshiach now!