Rabbi Fishel's Blog
It’s always a good idea to know what you’re getting yourself into :)
That’s why we compiled our most frequently asked questions about High Holidays at Chabad Naples . Hopefully, this answers some of your questions, but as always, feel free to reply with any questions if we missed something! Who are the Services geared towards? The services are geared toward Jews of every affiliation and every age. No prior Shul experience is needed . Come as you are, and expect a warm welcome from the Rabbi, Rebbetzin, and everyone around you. We're a friendly congregation. If you're new to our services, be prepared - someone will make you feel welcome. Does Chabad Naples have any meal options? Yes! There is a delicious community holiday dinner the first night of Rosh Hashanah, but sadly our Rosh Hashana dinner is now sold out. To be placed on the waitlist in case of a cancellation, please email [email protected] or call Michelle at 239-262-4474. There is also a fabulous Kiddush Lunch following services on both days of Rosh Hashanah, September 12-13 Is there something for children and what does it include? The Children's program begins at 11 am on both days of Rosh Hashanah - September 12-13 . They will enjoy holiday food art, games, and an interactive service followed by the hearing of the Shofar. The children are highlighted on the stage highlighting the beauty of children and the power of Jewish experience. What if I don’t know Hebrew? The prayer books are all bilingual, and we incorporate directions and prayers in English. Rabbi Fishel offers running commentary, insights and instructions in English, so we can always be “on the same page.” His sermons are relevant, humorous, and if he does his job right - meaningful. You may even be thinking about them after the services. This may lead to a lively conversation. Or even a spirited debate. Imagine that. Our cantor is great so just listening to the melodies is uplifting and heartwarming. How long is the service? (for real!) We’ll admit it’s a bit of a long one, going from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. If you
Everyone is welcome to join regardless of affiliation or level of observance. Chabad Naples is for the entire community because everyone should have a place to feel at home on the High Holidays. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
Now that you know a little bit about us, you may find yourself asking, "What do you actually believe?" Good question. We ask it of ourselves often.
We believe that light dispels darkness.
We believe labels are for clothing, not people.
We believe in emphasizing the joys – not the “oys” – of Judaism. We’re big on the joy thing.
If you won't try it, you won't know what you are missing.
Head on over to our High Holiday site and RSVP for this High Holiday season.
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions at 239-262-4474 or reply to this email.
We look forward to spending the High Holidays with you and your family.
Best wishes for a Shanah Tovah! Sincerely,
Rabbi Fishel Zaklos, Director
Ettie Zaklos, Co-Director
Arthur M. Seigel, M.D., President P.S. If you have a friend or family member who you think would like to join us, feel free to forward this email to them and extend our warmest invitation.
Our Song Became Our Home
How many times can you read the same book? The first time, you cannot wait to discover what happens . By the fifth or sixth time, you already know every turn. Even a wonderful book eventually returns to the shelf.
A favorite song, on the other hand, is different. You can hear it hundreds of times, yet somehow appreciate it more each time . The melody settles into your heart. Before long, you are singing it yourself.
In this week’s Torah portions, Nitzavim-Vayelech, Moses tells the Jewish people:
“And now, write for yourselves this song and teach it to the Children of Israel . Place it in their mouths.”
These words contain the Torah’s 613th and final mitzvah: to write a Torah scroll. Yet the Torah describes what we must write as a song. Why?
A song is not something we simply finish and put away. It enters us and becomes part of us. That is how Torah and Judaism should feel. They should be lived with love, joy, passion, and excitement. Not the “oy” of Judaism, but the joy of Judaism. That does not mean we will understand every word immediately or feel inspired every moment. It means Torah should be something we want in our lives, something we love, return to, and turn to for guidance. We should want to learn it more, sing it more, and feel its values becoming the melody that guides how we speak , how we treat people, and how we live.
I think back to 2003, when Ettie and I told our friends, supporters, and dear mishpacha Stuart and Sondra Avrick, that we were moving to Naples to establish Chabad Naples. Without hesitation, Stuart said, “I am dedicating a Torah.” At the dedication the following year, Stuart let us in on the joke: when we first said “Naples,” he thought we meant Naples, Italy, a place he loved.
Does anyone remember that celebration in 2004? We carried the Torah along Seagate Drive , blocked the street, sang, danced, and cried tears of joy. It felt as though the song that began with Moses had traveled through thousands of years and countless generations until it reached a street in Naples.
What we could not have known was that four years later, while searching for a place to rent, we would return to that exact location . The very place where we had danced with the Torah became the first dedicated home of Chabad Naples, which we rented for nearly five years. Before it ever became our place, we had already saturated it with Torah, song, and joy . Perhaps that is what made it our place.
In a very real way, Chabad Naples began by dancing with the Torah . That day captured what we wanted it to become: a place where Torah is alive, Judaism is celebrated, and every person can become part of the song . That is the song we continue singing at Chabad Naples. We pray together. We learn together. We celebrate life together. I often tell people that you only need to schlep someone to Chabad Naples once. Once they experience the warmth and joy for themselves, they will want to return.
Just this past Sunday, that song became a chorus and turned to action with our Kitchen of Kindness . People came together to prepare fresh meals for members of our community who could use some extra care and support. Each meal carried more than nourishment. It carried a song into another person’s life.
There is so much happening in the world that it is easy to slip into survival mode, moving from one day to the next and simply trying to get through it all. But Judaism asks more of us than survival. It asks us to live. To bring song into our homes, enthusiasm into our mitzvahs, warmth into our relationships, and joy into the ordinary moments of life.
Living with joy does not mean pretending that life is always easy. I cannot control the headlines, politics, the economy, the weather, or what tomorrow will bring. But I can choose what I bring into today. I can choose gratitude. I can choose kindness. I can choose joy.
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, perhaps each of us can ask one simple question: Where can I bring a little more song into my life? Perhaps there is a mitzvah I can perform with more enthusiasm, a relationship I can fill with more warmth, or an ordinary day I can greet with more gratitude. We do not have to wait until everything feels perfect. Sometimes the song begins before the feeling does.
Find the joy. Find the song. Carry it with you into the new year. Come add your voice to the song at Chabad Naples this High Holiday season. Join us this Wednesday at our Shofar Factory, where you can make your own shofar. Come experience our meaningful services on the beach, and celebrate with us at our Rosh Hashanah dinner, where only a few seats remain. Let’s bring more song, joy, and Jewish life into the new year together.
May the Torah’s song guide us into a year of gratitude, kindness, faith, and joy . Wishing you and your family a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat,
Rabbi Fishel and Ettie Zaklos
Don't leave it unsaid
In Fiddler on the Roof, after 25 years of marriage, Tevye asks Golde, “Do you love me?”
Golde looks at him as if he has lost his mind. “I cook your dinner,” she answers. After everything they have been through, she is still there, still caring for him and their family. What more proof could he possibly need?
But Tevye still wants to hear the words.
It is funny because they are both right. Love must be shown. But sometimes, it also needs to be said.
This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, makes the same point. In the mitzvah of bikkurim, a farmer gathers the first ripened fruits of his land, places them in a basket, and brings them to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Surely the basket itself says thank you. He harvested the fruit, packed it carefully, and carried it all the way to Jerusalem.
Yet the Torah asks for more than the basket. The farmer must speak. He recounts our journey from Egypt to the Land of Israel and declares that the fruit in his hands is a blessing from G-d. He does not simply say, “Thank You for everything.” He names the journey. He names the blessing. He names the fruit.
The action matters. The words matter. The Torah asks for both.
How often do we assume that the people closest to us already know what is in our hearts? My spouse sees everything I do. My children know I am proud of them. My friend knows how much the friendship means to me. G-d knows I am grateful.
Perhaps they do know. Say it anyway.
Words without action can feel empty, but actions without words can leave something important unspoken. Love needs to be lived, and it also needs to be said aloud.
Rosh Hashanah gives us the opportunity to do that with G-d. G-d already knows what is in our hearts, but prayer gives the heart a voice. We come to synagogue and put our gratitude, hopes, fears, and love into words.
At Chabad Naples, you do not need perfect Hebrew or years of experience. Whatever page you are on is the right page. The prayers are brought to life with commentary, joy, and messages that speak to real life. Come with your Hebrew, your English, your questions, and your family. There is a place for you.
This is what we want every person who walks through our doors at Chabad Naples to feel: We see you. We appreciate you. We never take your presence or partnership for granted. Our friends and partners have helped create a Jewish home where children learn, adults grow, seniors connect, and people receive care.
This Sunday at Kitchen of Kindness, we have an opportunity to do both. Join us as we cook and pack fresh meals, and help us tell people throughout our community: You are remembered. You are cared for. You are loved. If you haven't RSVP'd yet please do so by visiting www.chabadnaples.com/kitchenofkindness . It's a beautiful Mitzvah that makes a real difference in our community.
This week, we said goodbye to our dear friend Nicole Williams, Sarah bat Gabriella v'Dovid. We knew Nicole for 23 years, and during all that time, she never stopped expressing her love in words.
I vividly remember one Shabbat when Ettie threw a birthday Kiddush for me at Chabad Naples. Nicole stood up at the other end of the social hall, made her way across the room, and began sharing stories about how loved she felt, how much she loved us, and what Chabad meant to her.
In the final weeks of her life, I visited Nicole many times. Last Sunday, only a day and a half before her passing, I sat with Nicole and her family. Together, we told her how deeply we loved her, what she meant to the Chabad Naples family, and how much she had given.
Nicole always made sure we heard her love. Thank G-d, in those sacred final moments, she heard ours too.
That is the message I want to carry with me into the Jewish New Year: Do not leave love or gratitude unspoken. Tell your spouse what you still admire after all these years. Tell your children exactly what makes you proud. Thank the friend who stood beside you. Thank G-d for the blessings in your hands.
Be specific. Say it out loud. Then live those words through what you do.
May Nicole’s neshamah have an aliyah, and may the love she expressed so freely continue to inspire all of us.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat,
Rabbi Fishel and Ettie Zaklos
A Guardrail for the Soul
One of the easiest mistakes in life is to confuse what we have with who we are . A beautiful home. A fine car. A closet full of name brands. These things can bring comfort and enjoyment, and may we all be blessed with them in abundance and know how to appreciate them. They may enrich a life, but they are not the essence of life . That distinction is so important, so fundamental that the Torah builds it into the architecture of a home.
In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Teitzei , we read: כִּי תִבְנֶה בַּיִת חָדָשׁ וְעָשִׂיתָ מַעֲקֶה לְגַגֶּךָ “When you build a new house, you shall make a guardrail for your roof.”
On the simplest level, the reason is clear. A roof needs a protective barrier so that no one falls. Trust me, after everything the city required for our new rooftop at Chabad Naples, I now know quite a bit about guardrails. Every requirement and every detail had to be exactly right. It has been quite a project. You’ll love it. But there is also a beautiful lesson here . Building a new home represents reaching a place of success and security. You have worked hard. You have nice things. You finally have a place to park the car, display your collection, and hang the television on the wall. Enjoy the home and build a guardrail . Create a boundary between what you possess and who you are. Never allow the things surrounding you to define your worth, identity, or purpose.
The roof needs a guardrail to protect a person from falling. The soul needs one so that we do not fall into the trap of mistaking what we have for who we are . Whether or not you have every tchotchke you want, you are a child of Hashem . You are here because Hashem wanted you here, and nothing you own or lack can make that more or less true.
Rosh Hashanah gives us an opportunity to rebuild that guardrail. Jewish thought speaks about the difference between the ikar and the tafel, between what is primary and what is secondary . Throughout the year, those priorities can become confused. We give enormous attention to things that are ultimately secondary while neglecting the people, values, and relationships that are essential. Rosh Hashanah invites us to put everything back in its proper place .
That is also part of the meaning of Tashlich . We stand beside the water and ask Hashem to cast our sins into the depths of the sea. On Sunday of Rosh Hashanah, we will gather at the beach to hear the shofar and experience Tashlich together. Here’s the exciting part: the inner work does not have to wait! Right now, we can begin throwing away the grudges, distractions, burdens, and misplaced priorities that weigh us down. Keep the blessings Hashem has given us. Toss out the confusion that makes the secondary feel essential , and make room for what actually matters.
That is why this Rosh Hashanah, let’s focus on the essentials . Come join us at Chabad Naples. Throughout the services, I’ll share running commentary, messages that speak to real life, and, I hope, a little humor too. We’ll pray, sing, celebrate, enjoy amazing food, and share the friendship and camaraderie of being together. Come recharge, reconnect, and begin the year uplifted , surrounded by warmth and family.
Remember who you are, and be there for one another . Be there with one another. Enjoy the house. Drive the car. Treasure the tchotchkes. And build the guardrail. Let the blessings fill your life. Never let them become your life.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat, Rabbi Fishel and Ettie Zaklos
You're Booked!
That's it, you're booked! Tell your friends, tell your boss, spread the word, these dates are all booked up for you.
The annual Conference of Jewish People and G-d (COJPG) , commonly referred to as " The High Holidays " begins F riday night, September 11, 2026 , with Rosh Hashanah and continues through Sunday night, September 21, 2026 .
So those are the days that you (and all of us) are all booked up. We're scheduled to spend quality time, submit annual reports, catch up on our mission progress with our Creator, and receive blessings for consolation, happiness and health from our Best Friend.
In this week’s Torah portion, we read about the Torah scroll that never left the kings side.
The holiest Jewish object is the Sefer Torah, the Torah scroll. For a Torah to be kosher, every letter must be carefully written. Each letter is a critical part of the whole Torah. If one letter is missing, the entire Torah scroll is invalid
At the same time, the laws of the Torah scroll state that each letter must stand on its own, surrounded by empty space. If a letter is slightly connected to another, even with a thin ink mark, this too invalidates the scroll.
Our sages teach that each of us possesses a soul that corresponds to one of the Torah letters.
For our souls to develop and succeed, they must reflect the two laws of the Torah scroll. On the one hand, we all need to understand our responsibility to the greater community. We are a part of the whole and cannot exclude ourselves from our collective responsibility. When we act irresponsibly, we affect everyone. We don't act in a vacuum, and whatever we do must be good both for ourselves and for others.
But we are also individuals. Each of us has a unique contribution and a special way of making a difference. The world is a better place because we don't all do the same thing. Everyone can shine brightly with their own personality. Our individuality needs to be appreciated and protected. Each of us has different personalities, talents, and strengths that must be nurtured in our own special way.
We are all responsible to each other, but we are special in our own way.
We are very excited for a complete High Holiday experience, like no other !
For twenty-three years High Holidays at Chabad of Naples have been inspiring, family-friendly, soul stirring, insightful and uplifting.
Whether you joined us in the past or not, we look forward to welcoming your entire family this year at your Chabad Naples family. Please RSVP today so we can plan accordingly!
Rosh Hashonah is a mere four weeks away. It's never too soon to prepare, so gear up and get ready for the High Holidays. Have you made plans yet? Our doors are open - plan to join us! Visit the website or contact Michelle at the office for information.
We take this opportunity to wish you and your family an early Shanah Tova U'metuka - a good and sweet year, a year filled with happiness, blessing, success, naches and all good things. May this year be a year of growth, a year of prosperity, a year of peace and serenity in Israel and beyond.
Rabbi Fishel and Ettie Zaklos Arthur M. Seigel
No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
The Word That’s Stealing Your Life
One of the most deceptive words we tell ourselves is “tomorrow.” It sounds harmless, even hopeful. But tomorrow has a way of becoming next week, next year, never. Still, most of us live as though there will always be more time to make the call, repair the relationship, enjoy the people we love, begin that mitzvah, or make the change we know we need to make.
In this week’s Torah portion, Re’eh , Moses tells the Jewish people: רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה
“See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse.”
On the simplest level, Moses is speaking about free will. G d gives us the choice between blessing and curse, between right and wrong. But there is a beautiful insight hidden in one small word: הַיּוֹם, “today.”
What if “today” itself can become either a blessing or a curse?
Life is fragile, and our time in this world is limited. That awareness can become a curse if it leaves us asking, “If everything eventually passes, what is the point?” Or it can become a blessing, awakening us to the value of every day, every relationship, and every opportunity to grow, give, forgive, and bring more goodness into the world.
Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, who spent much of her life helping people confront mortality, saw this again and again. When we imagine we have forever, we become distracted by small irritations and unnecessary nonsense. We postpone what matters because we assume there will always be another day.
But when you truly understand that each day you awaken could be your last, everything changes. You stop merely existing and start truly living. You stop postponing growth and begin becoming the person you were created to be. You stop turning inward and start reaching outward to other human beings. Every day becomes precious because you realize it is not guaranteed.
As Hillel teaches in Pirkei Avot, Ethics of Our Fathers :
With the Jewish New Year approaching, many of us are thinking about the changes we want to make. But we do not have to wait for Rosh Hashanah to begin. Make the call. Repair the relationship. Begin the mitzvah. Spend the time. Whatever you have been postponing, do it today.
We are excited and blessed that so many people choose to celebrate the High Holidays at Chabad Naples, and we are expecting a wonderful crowd. Please take a moment to make your reservation today so that we can plan accordingly and welcome everyone properly. You and your family are always welcome at the world-famous Chabad Naples. www.chabadnaples.com/highholidays .
And you do not even have to wait until Rosh Hashanah. Come join us this Shabbat. We cannot wait to see you all in shul tomorrow.
What are we waiting for? Today is the blessing.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat,
Rabbi Fishel and Ettie Zaklos
You Woke Up for a Reason
Imagine, what if a pill could help children become more resilient and reduce their risk of depression and high-risk behaviors? Parents would be lining up to get it.
That powerful question comes from a lecture by Dr. Lisa Miller, a psychologist and professor at Columbia University and the author of The Awakened Brain . Dr. Miller describes human beings as “wired for spirituality.” Her research, including brain-imaging studies, has identified areas of the brain associated with spiritual awareness. She explains that this natural capacity can be cultivated and that the brain’s spiritual circuits can become stronger as they are engaged through prayer and other spiritual practices, helping us develop greater resilience and a deeper sense of connection and support.
Modern research is giving expression to something the Torah has taught for thousands of years: the soul also needs nourishment. There is a verse in this week’s Torah portion, Eikev, that I have always loved. Its simple words carry such beauty and power. Moses tells the Jewish people:
לֹא עַל הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם “Man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds from the mouth of G-d.”
Bread represents everything that sustains us physically. We need food, shelter, security, education, and opportunity. We want our children to develop their talents, achieve their goals, and build stable lives. The Torah teaches us to nourish another dimension of the human being as well. We need meaning. We need purpose. We need to know that our lives matter and that we are connected to something greater than ourselves. Material comfort and accomplishment can enrich our lives, while spiritual connection gives those lives direction and deeper meaning.
This is especially important for our children. Grades, talents, and accomplishments can all enrich a child’s life, but their deepest sense of worth begins long before any achievement. Every child should know: G-d created me. G-d loves me. My life has purpose. There is goodness that only I can bring into the world.
My parents understood this deeply. Growing up, they framed both the end and the beginning of every day around purpose. At night, after saying the Shema, we were taught to say in Yiddish a phrase that means, “Tomorrow, I have to wake up a different person.” Then, in the morning, my parents would come into our rooms and call out, “Wake up! Wake up to serve the Creator!”
Looking back, I better understand what my parents were trying to give us. They wanted the first message of the morning to be that G-d had given us another day, and there was something meaningful for us to do with it. That is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children: the knowledge that they are loved, that their presence matters, and that they are here for a reason. There is a deep human desire to be needed, and our children should know that they are essential participants in life. Every prayer, mitzvah, act of kindness, and good choice allows them to add something unique and meaningful to the world.
Adults need this spiritual nourishment too. Our careers, responsibilities, possessions, and full calendars can give structure to our lives, while prayer, Torah study, mitzvot, community, and a personal relationship with G-d feed the soul and give that structure purpose.
Our generation has access to comforts and opportunities that earlier generations could scarcely have imagined. At the same time, it is deeply painful to see how many children and adults are struggling with sadness, anxiety, loneliness, and confusion. Mental health is complex and deeply personal, and professional care should always be sought when it is needed. Alongside that care, meaning, faith, belonging, and a relationship with G-d can provide an important source of strength. They remind us that we are loved, guided, and never truly alone.
This is what we strive to give every child through Preschool of the Arts, Summer of the Arts, Hebrew School, and all of our children’s programming. Alongside a strong and beautiful education, we want each child to know that they are needed, wanted, loved, and cherished.
Please save the date for the grand opening of the magnificent new addition to our educational campus on Sunday, November 8, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Join us as we open a space where even more children can grow with learning, warmth, belonging, and purpose, and where our entire community can come together to celebrate, connect, and grow together.
This Shabbat, let us remind our children, and ourselves, that G-d values us, our choices carry meaning, and the world needs the goodness we were created to bring. Tomorrow morning, perhaps we can offer the message my parents gave us: “Wake up! Wake up to serve the Creator!” You woke up for a reason. G-d has given you another day and something meaningful to do with it.
May G-d bless us with healthy bodies, peaceful minds, and awakened souls. May He send healing, comfort, and strength to all those who need it, and may our homes nourish both body and spirit, giving every child and adult the knowledge that they are loved, needed, guided, and filled with purpose.
Rabbi Fishel and Ettie Zaklos
The question my mother still asks me
To this day, I can hear my mother asking me, “Fishel, are you wearing your Moshiach glasses?” Moshiach represents the Jewish hope for a healed and redeemed world filled with peace, goodness, and the clear presence of G-d. To wear Moshiach glasses is to look at the world as it is and recognize the beauty, blessing, and possibility within it.
This week’s Torah portion, Va’etchanan, contains one of Moses’ most heartfelt prayers. After leading the Jewish people through the desert for forty years, he pleads with G-d:
