We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hirsch Minkowicz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Hirsch, thanks for joining us today. We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?

Several months ago I was invited to speak at the 50th birthday celebration of a childhood friend who was unfortunately diagnosed with ALS ten years ago when he turned 40. By now the disease has hijacked every part of his body from head to toe. His mind is sharp as a knife yet the only movement he has in his entire body are his eyelids.

Around the time he was diagnosed he composed a song called ‘Shine a Little Light’ (https://youtu.be/uGWoChObb40) where he talks about each persons ability to bring a little light into this world. The song became famous and he has become a hero due to his supernatural fight to keep living and spread a little light every day.

So here I am invited to speak at his 50th birthday, and I am filled with anxiety about what words of inspiration I can bring to him and his family after he has spent the last several years rendered immobile by ALS unable to walk, talk, eat, type, or do anything else.

On the way to the airport to catch the flight to Los Angeles where he lives, I stopped off at the Georgia Aquarium where a Jewish festival was taking place. It was an afternoon of mingling, entertainment, food and music. At some point they called a young children’s choir up to the stage to perform, and after a few songs they suddenly started to sing ‘Shine a Little Light’ by Rabbi Yitzi.

With a tear in my eye, I headed to the airport as I formulated in my mind how I would share with Yitzi about the little light he shone that day 3000 miles away.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

In 1998 I moved from Brooklyn. New York, to Alpharetta, Georgia to start the local chapter of the international Chabad movement. Chabad is a group that is dedicated to helping people get in touch with their essence and heritage by inspiring them to connect with their tradition and roots.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I am very fortunate that I absolutely love what I do. It is very meaningful work and it inspired me every day. Without a doubt, I would certainly choose if I had to do it all over again.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Learning to love people and embrace the idea that every person is unique and has something incredible about them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chabadnf.org
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/rabbihirshy
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/rabbihirshy