Wisdom from the Field By Tzviki Krasnjansky

For this episode of Wisdom from the Field, I sit down with Rabbi Mendel Lipskar, head shliach to South Africa for more than fifty years, for a rich conversation about what it truly means to be a shliach.   Rabbi Lipskar takes us back to the beginning of his shlichus, sharing the stories and guidance from the Rebbe that shaped his life's mission. Along the way, he reflects on building Jewish life i...

In this episode, I sit down with Rabbi Yitzi Steiner, shliach at the University of Minnesota, for a rich and honest conversation about campus shlichus, fundraising, family life, personal growth, and learning what really matters with time.   A major theme of the conversation is simple but powerful: time is your best friend. In building relationships, raising support, and finding your own way, thing...

  In this episode, I sit down with Rabbi Chaim Shaul Bruk, shliach to Bozeman, Montana, for a bold, honest, and deeply refreshing conversation about staying focused on the true mission of shlichus.   Nineteen years after moving to Montana, Rabbi Bruk reflects on building Jewish life across one of America’s largest states, with one of its smallest Jewish populations — from his early Merkos Shlichus...

In this episode, I sit down with Rabbi Menachem Caytak, shliach to Troy, Michigan, for a powerful conversation about building a community before it was obvious to anyone else.   Still in his first seven years on shlichus, Rabbi Caytak shares how he began building Jewish life in Troy one door and one relationship at a time — with persistence, grit, and a willingness to keep showing up.   Again and...

  In this special episode of Wisdom from the Field, I sit down once again with Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman to explore a practical and highly organized approach to annual fundraising.   We discuss the shift from constant year-round fundraising pressure toward a more structured annual campaign model — including donor strategy, major gifts, ambassadors, campaign planning, and how presenting your moised...

In this powerful conversation, Rabbi Yossi Mintz of Chabad Redando Beach shares the mindset, courage, and relentless persistence behind building one of the most impactful shlichus operations in California.   What began as a small grassroots Chabad house in Redondo Beach eventually grew into a thriving network of programs, schools, community initiatives, and a $70 million Friendship Campus — but Ra...

  In this rich and honest conversation, I sit down with Rabbi Moishy Goldman, shliach at Chabad of Waterloo, to explore the realities of shlichus — both the practical and the internal.   We speak about the balance between having strong bitachon and doing your part — including Moishe’s powerful line: “I send my invoices to heaven.”   We also get into the ups and downs of fundraising, losing major d...

What does it take to build a moisad over decades — through uncertainty, pressure, and real-life challenges?   In this conversation, Rabbi Moshe Meir Lipszyc shares his journey of over 35 years of shlichus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — from starting with almost nothing to building a thriving community.   At the center of it all is a powerful belief:   The Rebbe doesn’t say “no.”   A life rooted in...

Delegation is one of the biggest growth challenges for shluchim.   Many shluchim know they should be delegating — yet still find themselves doing everything themselves. Why is that?   In this conversation with Rabbi Yosef Romano, founder of Chabad Suite and Chabad Concierge, we explore what really gets in the way of successful delegation.   Drawing from years of working with shluchim and helping t...

  In this episode of Wisdom from the Field, I sit down with Rabbi Mendy Levertov, shliach of Chabad Young Professionals (CYP) in Austin, Texas.   We explore what it really takes to build a YJP community from scratch — from early uncertainty and financial pressure, to steady growth, to purchasing a permanent building.   Mendy shares openly about:   Starting YJP in Austin with no clear roadmap The e...

In this episode of Wisdom from the Field, Tzviki sits down with Rabbi Alex Kaller, founder of the Chabad Russian Center of South Florida, for a rare, open conversation about building—both externally and internally. Rabbi Kaller shares his journey from growing up Jewish but secular in Moscow, to discovering Yiddishkeit, choosing shlichus, and arriving in Florida with no contacts, no infrastructure,...

In this episode of Wisdom from the Field, I sit down with Rabbi Peretz Chein and Chanie Chein for a wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation on Avodah Pnimis—inner work—and what it means to truly live with presence, vitality, and personal geulah on shlichus. We explore their work through M54 Institute for Insourcing - עבודה פנימית. a learning model built around insourcing—shifting from exte...

What if fundraising isn’t a necessary evil — but a sacred part of shlichus? In this second conversation with Rabbi Zalman Teichtel, we explore the spiritual inner world behind fundraising: the mindset, the meaning, and the avodah that transforms asking for money into an act of leadership and connection. Rabbi Teichtel reflects on the response to his first appearance on the podcast and why validati...

In this episode of Wisdom from the Field, I sit down with legendary fundraising coach Mendel Duchman, whose message can be summed up in one word: Padyom — pick yourself up and go. Mendel has spent decades on the front lines of shlichus, working directly with shluchim in their communities, meeting balabatim face-to-face, and helping moisdos regain stability and momentum. Drawing from real-world exp...

In this unforgettable episode of Wisdom from the Field, Tzviki Krasnjansky sits down with Rabbi Aryeh Kaltman, shliach of Chabad of Columbus for over 34 years. Rabbi Kaltman shares story after story from the front lines of shlichus — raw, unfiltered, and deeply empowering. From being thrown out of donor offices to building lifelong partnerships, from losing major donors to witnessing open miracles...

This first Field Note explores a question that comes up again and again when someone considers making a bold fundraising ask: Am I asking for too much? Starting from the practical and moving deeper, Tzviki reflects on knowing your numbers, reframing the ask as an invitation rather than pressure, and reconnecting to the true value of the work we do. A short reflection for shluchim navigating fundra...

Baruch Hashem, Wisdom from the Field has been running for a number of months, and the feedback has been deeply encouraging — hearing how these conversations have been helpful, practical, and meaningful in real ways. As the podcast has grown, and inspired by the Rebbe’s teaching of ילכו מחיל אל חיל and the Chanukah message of continually adding light, I felt there was an opportunity to add somethin...

This week on Wisdom from the Field, I sit with my uncle, Rabbi Moshe Krasnanski, whose life story is anything but typical. As a young bochur, he helped pioneer Chabad activities across the country. Later, he entered the business world — intentionally — because he “never wanted to fundraise.” But in the middle of financial success, something shifted. The call to shlichus returned. And with a family...

In this farbrengen-style conversation, Shmuly Rothman returns to explore a healthier, happier, and far more effective approach to year-end fundraising. We discuss how a shliach can show up b’simcha u’betuv leivav, drop the pressure of “I need this guy,” and enter each conversation with the intention of uftzuhoiben — uplifting the donor, regardless of the outcome. Inside the episode: Why simcha is...

In this candid and insightful episode, Rabbi Avi Rabin, Shliach to West Hills, CA, reflects on twenty years of fundraising, community-building, and inner growth. What begins as a discussion about end-of-year campaigns evolves into a masterclass in fundraising mindset—how a shliach’s inner clarity, self-worth, and relationship to money determine everything. Rabbi Rabin describes how he shifted from...

When Rabbi Chaim Hanoka looks back on three decades of building Chabad of Pasadena, one phrase sums up his approach: “No guts, no glory.” From renting a storefront with no idea how he’d pay for it, to announcing a building campaign on Simchas Torah and making it happen, Rabbi Hanoka shares the grit and faith it takes to build something from nothing. But the real heart of this conversation lies bey...

In this brilliant episode of Wisdom from the Field, Rabbi Yosef Plotkin of Greensboro, NC shares how friendship became the foundation of his fundraising success. Seventeen years ago, he arrived in a small community full of established institutions and plenty of skepticism about Chabad. What could have been an uphill battle turned into a thriving center — powered by relationships, transparency, and...

In this episode of Wisdom from the Field, I sit down with Rabbi Shmuly Novak, shliach to the University of North Florida, the Town Center community, and Ganenu Preschool in Jacksonville, FL. Rabbi Novak shares his candid journey of learning that fundraising isn’t a side job — it’s part of your shlichus. We discuss how to balance multiple communities, why clarity of audience is crucial, and what it...

In this powerful episode of Wisdom from the Field, I sit down with Rabbi Sholom Duchman, director of Colel Chabad — the oldest continuously operating charity in Israel, founded by the Alter Rebbe in 1788. Rabbi Duchman shares over four decades of fundraising experience, from starting with no donor base to building a global network of supporters — all while staying deeply connected to the Rebbe’s g...

This isn’t a regular episode—just a quick and important announcement  from your host, Tzviki Krasniansky. If you’re a shliach who’s been feeling stuck, plateaued, or just ready to grow—in your fundraising, shlichus, and your personal life—this may be exactly what you’ve been looking for. The next round of my group coaching program is starting soon, and there only a few sots left.  It's a small, in...