Reviewing: “Kan Tzipor 2: Life’s Special Moments” by Stephen J. Savitsky. Feldheim Publishers. 258 pages. ISBN: 9781680256956
Stephen Savitsky has returned with Volume 2 of “Kan Tzipor: Life’s Special Moments.” Published recently by Feldheim Publishers, this second volume continues to share with his ever-increasing audience firsthand stories from friends and acquaintances who have come to realize that they have been blessed with “magic moments of opportunity to do chessed.” Whether these stories took place locally or in distant climes, recently or 40 years ago, they train us to become what the author has called “Observant Jews,” on the alert for unexpected moments during which we can perform acts of kindness that will greatly impact the recipients and earn us blessings and long life.
The inspiration for the two volumes came to Savitsky after he spent much time pondering the mitzvah of shilu’ach ha-kan presented in Sefer Devarim 22:6-7. Contrary to most of the 613 mitzvot outlined in the Torah, shilu’ach ha-kan does not require planning, preparation or any monetary expense. It simply requires us to be on constant lookout for those moments in life that simply “happen,” such as the appearance “out of the blue” of a bird’s nest in which the mother bird is resting upon her eggs or already hatched chicks. The mitzvah requires that if we wish to take the offspring for ourselves, we must first send away the mother so that she does not see the appropriation of her children. Not only is this a seemingly simple mitzvah to observe, but it also comes along with an immediate and very special and rare reward—that of arichat yamim, long life, granted sparingly in the Torah and reserved for mitzvot in the lofty category of honoring one’s parents. Savitsky studied many commentaries on this unusual mitzvah, but none fully satisfied his quest for its meaning. Ultimately, he concluded that within the mitzvah was a profound lesson for mankind.
“There are moments in the life of every person that I have dubbed ‘Kan Tzipor Moments.’ These are moments that happen when you least expect them as suggested in the text ‘ki yikarei,’ if it should happen. Sometimes Hashem calls out to you. He ‘taps you on the shoulder’ and says, ‘Shmuel Yosef Savitsky, I have a spectacular opportunity that I am about to offer you. If you take advantage of this moment, your reward will be lema’an yitav lach—you are going to feel exceptionally good about what you did, and the bonus will be v’ha’arachta yamim, your days will also be lengthened.”
Through the professional leadership positions he has held within the national and international Jewish community, Savitsky has access to thousands of individuals. From 2002 until 2014, he served as president and chairman of the board of the Orthodox Union (OU). His other major leadership positions include chairman of Partners in Torah, member of the executive committee of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, and serving on the boards of the Mesorah Heritage Foundation, the Jewish Agency and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. He is active in local shuls and organizations on Long Island where he resides with wife Genie. When addressing different communities, on Pesach and Sukkot programs, at organizational dinners and on kosher cruises, Savitsky introduces his concept of a “Kan Tzipor Moment” to his audiences, which has resulted in his two volumes to date.
The stories included in “Kan Tzipor 2” take place across the globe, many in Israel, from Arad to Silwan. They take place on ships, planes, taxis and cars. They take place decades ago in Europe as the black clouds of the Holocaust were descending on the Jewish world. They take place as recently as Oct. 7, in the aftermath of the worst attack upon the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Every reader of “Kan Tzipor 2” will no doubt find a story that speaks most personally to him/her. For me it was “Boots for Soldiers.” As a dear friend of Hadassah Wachstock, who now resides in Yerushalayim, I was very aware of the acts of chessed that her son Yakir and his wife Mira were involved in for many years as part of the Holliswood, Queens, community. Since shortly after Oct. 7, I have been following Yakir’s highly successful “Boots for Soldiers” organization, which has raised over $2.5 million and sent over 50,000 pairs of top-of-the-line military boots to IDF soldiers defending our people on the front lines.
Wachstock’s “Kan Tzipor” moment came on Oct. 11, 2023, in the middle of the night, when IDF Major David Jacob mistakenly contacted him believing him to be an Amazon reseller with a connection to boots. When trying to explain that his specialty was toys, games and gifts, the silence on the other end was piercing. It was then that Wachstock took upon himself the goal of supplying the urgently needed boots for the reservists that the major was requesting. “Somehow, if the Almighty wants it to happen, I will get those 88 pairs of boots to you.” And so he did.
Seven years prior to this phone call, Wachstock had befriended a total stranger whom he assisted in getting his children into a local yeshiva They remained friends and on that fortuitous night, Wachstock called his friend, an Amazon seller, who revealed to him that just that week he had invested in the sale of boots. Through their joint efforts, within a few days, 88 pairs of the best quality military boots in the sizes required were donated and shipped free of charge by El Al to the courageous reservists on the front lines. From that first shipment, “Boots for Israel” was formed and is still going strong through the indefatigable efforts of Wachstock, who flies across America raising funds.
“Kan Tzipor 2: Life’s Special Moments” is available at your local Judaica stores.
In anticipation of a third volume of “Kan Tzipor,” Stephen Savitsky is offering a free copy of his new Volume 2 to anyone who submits the summary of a story which may be included in an upcoming volume. Just bring your short summary to your local Judaica store, leave your contact information, and you will receive a free copy of Volume 2. Or you can email your summary to savitsky@kantzipor.com and the volume will be shipped to you. (See full page ad in The Jewish Link)
