Around the Community

from Baltimore Jewish Home - 10-15-20

PEOPLE

STAR-K and the Shehebar Sephardic Center (SSC) Work Together to Support Jewish Communities

[Reprinted with permission. This article first appeared in the Shehebar Sephardic Center publication.]

Unbeknownst to many, the STAR-K organization - a massive and well-known Kashrut agency in a competitive market - has undertaken a unique approach to their strategy. Aside from their expertise in Kosher certification in every area of food production, STAR-K has also undertaken to support the religious development of several smaller communities where the placement of a rabbi can work providing certification and also be present to undertake prayer services and perform other religious functions.

The following is the SSC interview of Rabbi Jonathan Goldschmidt. He and his wife, Rebbetzin Elisheva, are STAR-K shluchim in Southern India.

We originally heard about the unique position from Rabbi Kassin, the Rosh Yeshiva of Midrash Sephardi in the Old City of Jerusalem where we had completed our semicha and were introduced to STAR-K. Within a very short time, I flew to India to meet with Rabbi Joel Weinberger of STAR-K and, also, with the ancient Jewish community of Cochin, India.

After extensive training and a pilot trip with my wife and two children, we settled into what has become, for us, not only the adventure of a lifetime to assist in running the Paradesi Synagogue, but also a wholesome and productive time for our family. We found a genuine and warm welcome both from the local Jewish and Indian community and we quickly felt comfortable and at home in our new surroundings.

STAR-K worked overtime to cater for our needs as an Orthodox Jewish family in the south of India with young children, and to deal with the paperwork and bureaucracy needed to live and work there.

The position itself is one of a great amount of travel and adapting to change. I have performed over 400 plant visits across Asia as a mashgiach in a variety of settings and learned incredibly interesting things about food production - and have taken some journeys into parts of India that few have had the privilege to see.

Some of the more memorable moments for us at India’s oldest running synagogue have been the dedication of a new Sefer Torah that we brought from the Old City of Jerusalem across India in hand luggage to the Paradesi Synagogue, and the renovation and reactivation of the only kosher mikveh in Southern India - managed and run by my wife.

With the help of the Hallegua family, the community undertook renovation and opening of a hall near the synagogue to provide the Shabbat and Festival meals for the thousands of Jewish visitors the synagogue receives.

The honor of being present as guests and running a prayer service for the rebuilding of the Kadavumbhagam (Ernakulam) Synagogue - originally built in 1549 - was a celebration made more jubilant by the presentation of a Sefer Torah gifted from a synagogue in Israel.

After some time, STAR-K strengthened this beautiful and successful initiative by the addition of Rabbi Shai Beneli and his wife to be assigned to the Jewish community of Kolkata, India.

Kolkata has had a Jewish community for about 200 years, and they have built one of the biggest synagogues in Asia. For about 40 years, there has been no rabbi to guide the Kolkata community -- but, thanks to STAR-K and Midrash Sephardi, they were able to be with the Kolkata community for half a year. Half a year where every single Shabbat we were able to host prayers in the magnificent Maghen David synagogue. Half a year that we had the ability to bring back life to the synagogue and to help reconnect the community with its roots. Some members of the community got the chance to experience preforming the mitzvot

of some holidays for their very first time. We were able to see that, with our time and consistency that we spent in Kolkata, the community was reviving its connection to Judaism.

Prior to the placement of rabbis in India, a great deal of the Kashrut was undertaken by overseas Rabbis at great cost in terms of travel. STAR-K is privileged to have worked with Rabbi Levie and his son Yoffiel, from Mumbai, who in addition to speaking the local languages have in-depth firsthand knowledge of the food industry in India. Their assistance and guidance, especially during initial training, was invaluable and has helped us to understand the specific issues in India in terms of food supply chains and production methods. Their knowledge, support and understanding of India have been crucial for our success.

Throughout our experience we were able to remain in contact with Rabbi Kassin and his Halachic advisors from Midrash Sephardi - as well as STAR-K, itself - to ensure that things were undertaken the correct way to suit a variety of requirements. We are proud of the Halachic standard we have been able to uphold for the synagogue, mikveh, and the Kashrut of food production, all made especially complex by the location.

From delivering kosher food, meat and wine across Asia for us, to sending Chazanim, Mashgichim and Rabbonim from Israel and abroad to India -- to assist us in running all services, festivals, the mikveh and many other circumstances requiring rabbinical supervision – STAR-K has assisted countless individuals with their ability to keep kosher and maintain Orthodox practice, worldwide.

With the assistance of STAR-K, it became more possible to visit other communities in India and provide services, ritual items, and kosher food to places which could not otherwise have been possible. We hope that with our hospitality and services we have been able to provide warmth and kiruv in a unique location and opportunity.

Although, for the time being, the Coronavirus may have impeded our ability to perform shlichut for the communities, it has in no way slowed the ingenuity of STAR-K as it performs remote Kosher auditing at a variety of plants deemed suitable. We were privileged to be amongst some of the first to pilot and test the system and see its limitations as well as its advantages.

We look forward to further adventures with new and existing communities in the coming years, and hope that we can return soon to the beautiful Paradesi Synagogue and to one of the most exciting chapters of our lives.

Raise4RAJE Exceeds Expectations

By: Staff Reporter BaltimoreJewishLife.com/Jeff Cohn

On September 22, RAJE Maryland – the all new Baltimore-based branch of the international Russian American Jewish Experience – launched their first ever matching campaign. The campaign was met with an outpouring of support from volunteers who showed up to make calls and texts to community members, friends and family. The campaign exceeded expectations, raising over $50k in 48 hours that was matched by several generous donors totaling $140,000. It was notable that the campaign received over 340 donations from across the Baltimore Jewish community and beyond – a very high number of new donors for a relatively new organization.

The funds will go towards expanding the program as it begins its second year as well as to funding dozens of educational trips to Israel and Europe as soon as the global pandemic resolves itself. RAJE Maryland is currently recruiting for four online interactive learning fellowships including an introductory leadership program, a level 2 program, an introduction to Gemara program, and a chavrusa program that pairs students with local community members. Online programs will be run in conjunction with RAJE branches in Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, New Jersey, and throughout the greater New York area. This is in line with RAJE’s mission is to create a vibrant international and local community of young Russian Jews, ages 18-33, who want to explore their unique national, ethnic, and cultural identity while learning more about their Jewish heritage. Since its founding in 2006, RAJE has engaged over 5000 young Russian Jews through a dynamic Fellowship program that culminates in a heavily subsidized educational trip to Israel and/or Europe. With hundreds completing the program each year, RAJE has become a rite of passage for Russian Jews in many major cities.

“During the Aseres Yemei Teshuva we got together and showed Hashem that we care about bringing His children closer to Him - there’s no better way to start the year!” RAJE director, Rabbi Gavriel Horan, said. “The tremendous support that we received was a testament to the incredible chesed of Jewish Baltimore. I feel so blessed to be part of this incredible community. We could not have succeeded without help from our board, our team leaders, and all the volunteers – as well as our dozens of matchers and hundreds of donors.” Team leaders helped raise almost 40% of donations during the campaign. Teams were led by the RAJE board – Aryeh Gross, Dov Ocken, and Dr. Elie Miller - along with team leaders Dr. Mordy Leybovich, Hirsch Gornbein & Apex Reimbursement Specialists, Yitzy Bortz, Avrumi Friedman & Team Merkaz Torah U’Tefilah, along with RAJE staff, Rabbi Josh and Tamar Livingstone and the Horan family. RAJE students and parents also helped promote the campaign throughout the Russian Jewish community. The campaign was streamlined through TheChesedFund. com run by Baltimore’s own Chaim Chernoff and facilitated by crowdfunding campaign coach Keith Rosenblum. The Chesed Fund helps thousands of individuals and organizations run crowdsourcing campaigns like this commission free.

“It’s great to be part of this exciting new project to bring Russian Jews back to Judaism,” board member, Dov Ocken, said. “RAJE is filling a unique niche and doing incredible work alongside the many wonderful kiruv organizations that already exist in the community.”

To find out more about RAJE Maryland go to www.Rajemaryland. com.