“Shabbos is a gift,” he told them. “Keep unwrapping it, and it will change the course of your life”
Shmuel Mashiach is a Chicago-based businessman who found himself standing in the security line at Ben Gurion Airport, together with hundreds of unaffiliated teens who were returning from their summer trip to Israel as part of the Anne Samson Jerusalem Journey (TJJ), NCSY’s Israel experience for public school youth.
Standing behind him was Eyal, who had kept his first Shabbos while in Eretz Yisrael but wasn’t sure how he could channel that inspiration once he landed back in the United States. “It was amazing,” Mr. Mashiach and his wife Talia heard Eyal saying, “but how can I take this home? My parents don’t keep Shabbos. They don’t keep kosher. How am I supposed to do this?”
Spontaneously, Mr. Mashiach raised his voice loud enough for all the boys on the line to hear. “Anybody who keeps Shabbos for four weeks straight, starting this week, will receive one thousand dollars, on me.” A tumult broke out. Kids, counselors, everyone was turning around. “What? Did he say a thousand dollars?”
They clamored around Mr. Mashiach, and he laid out three conditions to be eligible for the reward: One, they’d have to start this Shabbos. Two, the Shabbosos would have to be spent with a shomer Shabbos family so they got the full experience. Three, they’d have to step into shul at least once over Shabbos — even for just Lecha Dodi or Keil Adon — to relive what they’d felt in camp.
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