Rose Amongst Cactus

Mcallen, TX.

I return from my trip today, with my wife and daughter, to my dear younger brother, Asher and his wonderful, pregnant wife Dina and two daughters, Mushkah and (T)Cherna. What a wonderful family and place. G-d bless em.

Mcallen Texas - the city of bottled water and water softeners. Citrus fruit  and corn farms. Little league horse racing  and pawn shops - virtually on every block.

Situated in the Rio Grande Valley, on the border with Mexico, this region is actually home to a few hundred Jewish families. Mostly of South American descent, yet many other American and Israeli citizens have migrated here over the years for business. Being on the on the border with Mexico many companies have manufacturing plants down here and with the rich farmland many produce farmers have called the Rio Grande Valley home.

Amidst all this is a Chabad Home. A sand brown brick home, nestled in a cul-de-sac and at the end of the road, amongst sun parched trees and plush green grass.

Well it was a “home” for the first year, but after growing out of the their home, Chabad of the Rio Grande Valley moved into a beautiful store front, which now houses a house of Prayer, a Teens Club, Weekday Services and weekly Torah classes, not to mention the striking array of fresh meat at Kosher Valley Market, where a Jew can even purchase a Kosher Rib eye steak or a Cabernet Sauvignon wine, from a selection of other kosher wines and meats. All of this is a major hit in the valley. It also hosts a Summer Day Camp off site, both day camp and watersports sleep-away camp which brings together children from far and wide. Another major hit in Texas.

You have to understand the Jews here are spread out over 250 miles or more. From Mercedes  to Brownsville. From Mission to South Padre Island.

You also need to understand where this place is situated - to understand what type of novelty this Chabad – Hecht Family is. For example, say you lived in Indiana – well, you can understand what we are talking about. Say you lived in Montana or Idaho, or even Utah you too can understand. But, if you tell me you live in Florida or NY or even New Haven Connecticut you simply don’t understand what this means that your closest kosher food wholesaler market is 1,300 miles away and nearest retailer and Jewish school is 500 miles away having to Ship kosher food in both for your family and the community, having to pay the exorbitant sums for freight just to be able to eat kosher. The self- sacrifice of this family is outstanding. Remarkable. Unbelievable, and simply mind boggling how they pull this all off for over two years now, and G-d willing for years to come.

Woe! Think about the kids. Never mind no cousins No Jewish neighbors. No Jewish classmates. They wake up each morning to Mommy and Tatty…Rabbi and Teacher and…Friend. And when the kids will be a bit bigger they will have to hire girls from a different state to come teach them and that will be a cost n’ half when that happens. Yay! to these guys, and Howdie too, for two young people who moved out, and do what they do.

Hey, and don’t go thinking this is some hick- Mexican/-red neck town, (that too) it also is, but it also has multiple regional respected Hospitals, Walmarts, Costcos, Home depot, Lowes and did I mention pawn shops . Also, only 20 minutes away is one of the largest outlet malls in the state similar to Woodbury commons, NY, and the like. This city and region has flourished over the years and Chabad is now a major part of all the success.

The people that I have meet over our extended weekend have expressed their deep and sincerest appreciation to Rabbi Asher and Dini for coming to RGV. As one man, a produce farmer and distributer explains it to me like this, as he points to a gorgeous picture on canvas of Asher and Dini’s kinderlach on the wall, “You see that picture on the wall, a beautiful one at that, before Asher came it was a blank canvas RGV -  and now, it’s this.”

On the even sunnier side, there are some clear blessings and conveniences for my brother’s family, for example, thank Heaven that there is a kosher women’s mikvah only ninety minutes-drive away, on the world famous South Padre Island. Also, another little plus for the Rabbi and his wife, that they do have a semi men’s mikvah…in their back yard that is, as the house they rent comes with a pool - a little, well deserved, perk, for these two renaissance people. (One more thing, if you were looking for an acre’aland and a house and pool for a only a quarter million you can get one  here – consider moving to Mcallen, if your looking for a nice “quiet” suburb).   

What one small man in altitude (5,2” to be precise) has accomplished in longitude, in such a short period of time is simply - elevating.

I leave you today with a thought: “Spoiled”.

Spoiled is the word I come to think of, not the spoiled  kosher milk that we can easily replace in NY in a moments task, as a New Yorker, rather spoiled in the sense that there are Jews “in America” who live 1,000 miles away from Kosher milk and Kosher meat, and we in NY, Florida and California, have every flavor milk you can dream of and every cut meat you can cut up right in our won back yard. We have thousands of Jews in our neighborhood  and Jewish schools and institutions at every turn. Family and close friends to turn to for support. What kind of life do you think this young and talented and ambitious couple with kids have out in Mcallen, TX a place you never heard of and most likely have never been to.

The only thing I can think of is “Grateful”. We must be grateful. We must use out the amazing easy hand-out opportunities that we are given in the big city. We must appreciate our place daily, weekly and always to maximize our potential as we have it as we have given to us on a golden platter.

Sure we have our own applicable challenges but our platforms are deeper and bigger and broader and stronger in every way, maybe not as many oranges or ears of corn, but we big city boys have a “head start”, let’s make it happen.

I wish my brother Asher and his wife Awesome success in all they do. And surely, I am confident that by the time I’ll be here next they would have established many many more great projects beyond our wild imagination. Considering that, as one man tells me your brother is a: ball of energy – who won’t hear no for an answer – he continually get’s things done.”