Yaakov Raskin | The real nuclear power is inside you

THIS WEEK marks 31 years since the passing of one of the most influential leaders of modern times, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, known simply as “the Rebbe”. The Rebbe was credited with engineering a global Jewish renaissance after the Holocaust, transforming Jewish life in all 50 states and over 100 countries. Though he never stepped foot in Jamaica, his message has reached people in every corner of the world, including right here on our island.

The Rebbe’s message was one of the power of light over darkness, of purpose over confusion, of redemption over despair. He believed that, no matter where you were born or what you looked like, every person could help make the world more peaceful, more united, more holy.

After one of my recent newspaper columns, a Jamaican author reached out with a question that hasn’t left me. He asked, “Rabbi, what do Jews really believe about the Messiah? It feels like we’re living in Messianic times.”

It was a powerful question. Because, in moments like these as conflict unfolds between Israel and Iran, when the world feels fragile and uncertain,– it’s not just a theological question. It’s a personal one.

HOW DO WE RESPOND WHEN HISTORY IS BEING REWRITTEN?

Just recently, Israeli leaders made a bold strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities to prevent the country from gaining nuclear weapons. The predictions of fierce Iranian backlash were terrifying: mass casualties, fallen planes, a collapsed economy. But something happened that defied the predictions of the experts. The number of casualties and injuries are immensely small. Even though Israeli civilians are taking precautions, like hiding in safe rooms and bomb shelters, the amount of destruction has been incredibly tiny.

And all of it somehow feels like a page lifted out of prophecy.

The Yalkut Shmoni, a Jewish commentary compiled over a thousand years ago, writes about a moment just like this: “In the year the Messiah will be revealed, the King of Persia will provoke the King of Arabia, and Arabia will turn to the West for help. The entire world will panic … and G‑d will say to His people, ‘My children, do not fear. The time of your redemption has come.’” (Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah 60:1)

What we see on TV is not just the news, they are the puzzle pieces of redemption coming together right before our eyes.

SO WHAT IS THE MESSIANIC ERA?

Judaism teaches that the world isn’t broken. It’s unfinished. And each of us is here to help bring it to completion. The Messianic era, as described by the prophets and taught by the Rebbe, is not a fantasy — it’s a future that’s already beginning to shine. “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,” the Prophet Isaiah writes, “neither shall they learn war anymore.”

It’s a world without conflict. Without hunger. Without fear. A world where hospitals are quiet because illnesses are gone. Where families are whole. Where the only tears left are tears of joy. Most important is that G-d’s divine presence will be felt by everyone. As written in the prophets, “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the sea.”

That knowledge won’t be reserved for rabbis or scholars, it will belong to everyone. Every soul will feel its divine spark. We’ll see each other not as strangers, but as sacred. And, in its later phase, even death will no longer divide us. We will see loved ones again, not only in memory, but in life. This is not a dream. It is the destiny of the world — and it’s already starting to unfold.

WHAT ABOUT JAMAICA?

Jamaica is not just any place. It’s a land where G‑d is on people’s lips. A land where prayers are said with rhythm and soul. Where faith isn’t old-fashioned, it’s a way of life. Jamaica is a nation of about three million people, yet the impact this tiny country has had on the world of over nine billion people is just completely disproportionate. There is a divine blessing and protection here.

This is not a country that needs convincing that there is more to this world than what meets the eye. We already know it and feel it. Now, we can begin to see that our actions will bring about divine redemption.

The Rebbe taught that redemption is not just a Jewish hope. It’s a global destiny. And every person has a role to play in making it real. He often quoted the Seven Laws of Noah — the basic divine principles given to all humanity, as a recipe for a healed world.

SO WHAT WILL THAT WORLD LOOK LIKE?

Picture a world where there is no war. No hunger. No fear. Where nations don’t compete for power — but collaborate for peace. Where children don’t grow up too fast — because their innocence is never taken from them. Where hospitals are quiet because diseases are gone. Where no one is lonely, and no soul is forgotten.Where we don’t just talk about G‑d — we feel Him. Everywhere. In everything. A world where life finally makes sense.

That’s not a fantasy. That’s what the world will look like once the Messiah arrives.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

The Rebbe famously said: “The world is ready for the Messiah. All that remains is for each of us to open our eyes.” He also said that each act of goodness and kindness we do brings this reality one step closer.

On June 29, the anniversary of the Rebbe’s passing — Jews believe that Heaven is open and blessings flow. I will be praying at the Rebbe’s resting place in Queens, NY, known as ‘the Ohel’. Every year, over a million people visit the Ohel, including world leaders, families, and spiritual seekers of all faiths and backgrounds — many of whom have experienced open miracles.

You can send your name and prayer request either in person or virtually. You can send an email to ohel@ohelchabad.org, a fax to +1 (718) 723‑4444 or send a letter to 226‑20 Francis Lewis Blvd, Cambria Heights, NY 11411. Include your full name and your mother’s name.

Let’s open our eyes and open our hearts. Let’s do something — one real act of goodness — and do it with the belief that it matters. Because it does. Say a blessing. Call someone who’s alone. Give to charity. Stand up for what’s right. Pray with feeling. Study something holy. Say: “Lord, I want to be part of the light.”

From Jerusalem to Jamaica — from the Holy Land to this blessed island — let’s not just wait for the world to change. Let’s be the ones who help change it.

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