Is the news getting you down? Are you in a rut? Or just feeling low?

We’ve all been there. How does a person “turn that frown upside-down?”

There are a bunch of things that usually help. Exercise. A good night’s sleep. Connecting with a friend. All of these – and many more – are solid suggestions.

But sometimes, a person may need an extra pick-me-up.

Take me, for instance. A few weeks ago, I was feeling … shall we say … “low-energy.” I hadn’t had a break in a long, long time. The last few months had been very challenging. The news was getting me down. My stress levels had been affected by nearly three years of war in Israel, rising antisemitism worldwide, and a (seemingly) crazy world spinning out of control.

I had just completed a successful but grueling speaking tour in Australia (speaking 21 times in 9 days, across three cities) and I was tired. There are no direct flights from Israel to Australia. My connection was in Bangkok, Thailand. And so, upon the recommendation of family and friends, I stopped in Koh Samui, Thailand, for a few days of vacation. The goal was simple: Relax.

The island has beaches, kosher restaurants, and a Chabad. What more does a person need?

Nothing, actually, at least for a short vacation.

Settling in on Friday morning, all was going well. My hotel was nice. Thai people are friendly. The pace was slow. The prices were low. The island was gorgeous. The beaches were empty.

I was delighted. Even more so when I kept hearing Hebrew. Lots of it. Turns out Koh Samui is a popular Israeli tourist destination.

They are an interesting generation, these young Israelis. Only three years ago, before October 7th, they were sometimes criticized. Some said they were disconnected from their heritage. Some said they were weak and lost. But they weren’t, and October 7th proved it. Tens of thousands raced back to protect their families and their people. Hundreds of thousands spent much of the last three years defending their homeland. Nearly all of them cried at the burials of their friends and relatives.

Such young people deserve a vacation. And where do these young Israelis go on Shabbat?

Chabad, of course.

There were no fewer than 700 (you read that right, seven hundred) guests on Friday night! Incredibly, this is a typical crowd for Shabbat there! (On holidays, they get far more). No one forced them to come. They plan their vacations around going to Chabad on Shabbat!

Rabbi Mendy and Sara Hinda Goldshmidt are the Chabad emissaries in Koh Samui, where they moved in 2010 as part of Chabad Thailand, which is led by Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor in Bangkok.

Like other Chabad centers in Thailand, they host massive Shabbat meals every Shabbat. Their holiday events are so large they rent party tents to accommodate the crowds. They offer care, guidance, brotherhood, Torah classes, emergency assistance, hospital visits, translation help with local authorities, educational materials, a kosher grocery store and numerous Kosher restaurants, tefillin, and so much more.

For the few hundred Jewish families who live there for longer stints, they help with mezuzahs, creating a community, minyanim, and are even opening a pre-school. Perhaps most importantly, for all visitors of all ages, they offer a home away from home, a Jewish connection, and a positive experience with Jewish life.

What was the highlight of my (too short) trip to Thailand? I thought it would be the quiet, the beaches, the nature. And all of that was great. But on this trip, the highlight wasn’t outside at all.

It was inside the Chabad, experiencing 700 young Israelis singing “Am Yisrael Chai,” “Adon Olam,” “Vehi She’amda” and other favorites. Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Chabad Rebbe and author of the Tanya, taught that a small amount of light has the power to dispel much darkness. The light of Chabad certainly did it for me.

Feeling Down? Visit Chabad!