A tribute to Rabbi Sholom Dubov

For months, I wracked my brain for a way to express my appreciation and admiration for Rabbi Sholom Dubov, chief rabbi of Chabad Orlando, for the major role he has played in my family’s lives. Put it simply — he fortified our Jewish identification.

He doesn’t need another watch or camera, suitcase or sweater, I thought. Then it hit me. What better way to pay tribute to him than simply create a tribute.

So, as he celebrated his 64th birthday on the eve of Yom Kipper, here is my heartful tribute to him as well as a remembrance of my life’s journey as a proud Jew.

My mother was the middle child o...