Lubavitch International DEC.2010/JAN.2011 by Chabad Lubavitch Headquarters

‫ב’’ה‬

W W W. LU BAV I TC H . C O M

LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL NEWS FROM THE CHABAD–LUBAVITCH GLOBAL NETWORK|DEC . 2010 / JAN. 2011

FAMILY FIRST: CHABAD CONFERENCE photo credit: Meir Alfasi

FOCUSES ON THE JEWISH HOME

jLI teenS LAUNCHES INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Young. Smart. JewiSh. They are The children of The baby boomers who cuT Their TeeTh on hi-speed inTerneT and The virTual world iT placed in Their laps while sTill in The sTroller.

Mr. Gennady Bogoliubov addresses the International Conference of Chabad Shluchim

espite chilly temperatures blowing off the new york harbor sunday evening, november 7th, 2010, the ambience at the Gala banquet of the international conference of chabad shluchim was warm and inspired. The backdrop of the podium, designed as a brightly lit living room lined with bookshelves filled with Jewish books was meant to convey the warmth of a Jewish home. The pier’s bare structure, beautifully transformed for the event with handsome lighting, draped walls and ceilings, was the venue for the 4500 person sit-down dinner at elegantly set candlelit tables. The dinner capped off the fiveday conference. workshops and lectures at this year’s conference focused on the Jewish home, highlighting the necessity of an authentically Jewish environment as the setting for success in reaching outwards to others. as illustrated in a video segment shown at the dinner, chabad representatives do not shy away from difficult circumstances,

accepting appointments to places where essentials like kosher food and Jewish schooling for their children are not readily available. what they lack in the conveniences of life in an established Jewish community, they compensate for with a can-do resourcefulness. but there is no compromising, they insist, when it comes to the quality and centrality of the home environment they create for their children. rabbi moshe new, director of the montreal Torah center addressed the theme of the conference. “outside of our homes we perform, but when we come home we can be who we truly are.” it is how we conduct ourselves in the comfort of our own space, he said making his point, that we succeed in creating a nurturing home for those we love, and those in search of the warmth that shluchim oﬀer. “never before have people needed a haven, a place to nurture their Jewish roots as today. we can provide that by continued on page 4

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n numbers and buying power, the millennial generation has surpassed its parents. but they are also more environmentally responsible and pragmatic than their elders. businesses vying for their loyalty have learned to market their brands with edgier pitches that deliver direct, honest messages. at the rohr Jewish learning institute, a new initiative has caught the attention of this sassy segment. one thousand teens in 50 locations around the world have signed up and become involved.

with Jewish educational programs like the wildly popular myspace yourspace courses, Jli is reaching 13-18 year olds who want to explore hot-button issues in a culturally relevant context. since its launching, the program has run four courses and registration numbers have doubled. now, a new internship program is challenging many of the teens involved to take leadership roles in recruiting peers and planning events for their local JliTeen chapter. The interns convene once a month on an continued on page 3

CHABAD OPENS CENTER IN

LISBON, PORTUGAL

he only country in europe still without its own chabad representatives, portugal now welcomes a new addition to its 300-member Jewish community. rabbi eli and raizel rosenfeld of brooklyn, have moved to lisbon with their two small children, where thy will work to complement the achievements of the city’s proud Jewish community. with a grant by mr. George rohr, this development, said rabbi moshe kotlarsky of lubavitch world headquarters, is “the result of the enormously successful merkos shlichus, or summer internship program.” in 2006, eli visited portugal, and he developed friendships with many in lisbon’s Jewish community that endured and grew over the years. continued on page 10

communiTy Pooling Resources: Chabad and jewish Federation partner

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inTerview Speaking with the Gechtmans

chanukah Allegheny vs ACLU

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campus Confronting AntiSemitism on Canada’s Campus’

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LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL

EDITORIAL

LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL

‫ב”ה‬

NEWS FROM THE CHABAD–LUBAVITCH GLOBAL NETWORK

The mission of the Shluchim is to create a dwelling place for G-d in this world. By Jewish law and Chasidic interpretation, the Shliach,

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or emissary must be of similar status to the sender. It is this similarity that makes it possible for the Shliach to act in place, and on behalf of the sender. Empowered by the sender, the Shliach’s actions are thus his own achievements. – The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of blessed memory

70 YeARS AND STILL ON MESSAGE

Chairman rabbi yehuda krinsky Editor-in-Chief baila olidort

Executive Editor rabbi Joseph friedman Managing Editor Zalman feldman Media Relations yaacov behrman

Staﬀ Writer mordechai lightstone Contributing Writers r. c. berman s. fridman dvora lakein mendy rimler Design rochie pinson

Published by lubaviTch news service

The oﬃcial news network of the chabad-lubavitch movement since 1958

lubavi Tch world headquarTers

770 eastern parkway brooklyn, ny 11213 email: editor@lubavitch.com www.lubaviTch.com

eventy years ago chabad-lubavitch established its headquarters in the united states. seventy years, says the psalmist, is a lifetime. in terms of the progress made and the distance traveled, it seems many lifetimes. readers familiar with chabad today may find it hard to reconcile the movement as they know it with its humble beginnings. with little resources and a poor command of english, chabad men and women set about, like many immigrants in a new country, in search of lost family—their fellow Jews. The baby steps were tiny and often met with resistance; they found people afraid to identify, ashamed to be Jewish. many were hoping to dissolve their identities in america’s great melting pot. still, chabad shluchim persisted, expending enormous eﬀorts to convince an ambivalent mother to send her young child to cheder—then an attic room in a small row house—or to encourage a storekeeper to close shop on shabbos. Today, even before their babies are born, parents nab spots on waiting lists of chabad’s state-of-the-art preschools. musty rooms in dilapidated buildings that doubled

as shuls and classrooms have given way to magnificent chabad centers where hundreds join every week in celebration of shabbos, to study and to pray; chabad representatives, once scorned for their chasidic garb, are a familiar presence in local, state and national offices where they are sought out for their community leadership. seventy years ago one needed chutzpah to live as a Jew in america. keeping kosher, observing shabbos, obtaining a Jewish education were difficult. Today, Jews are free to assert their identity openly, unselfconsciously, with minimal effort. chabad houses stand as lighthouses everywhere on the map, making it possible for the Jew to wander without fear of getting lost. employing every form of hi-tech communication, chabad is reaching Jewish people in far out places, helping them connect meaningfully to their heritage through real time classes and interactive study, in dozens of languages. it is a stunning evolution, made all the more remarkable if we consider that in terms of substance, little has changed. Today, as then, shluchim—now the grandchildren of the pioneer generation—answer to the same mission statement, pitch the same

message and stay true to the same model: every human being is worthy; every individual represents a world; through the practice of mitzvahs we create a better society; the chabad house is a Jewish home, and a Jewish home is a holy place where people are welcome and nurtured by the warmth of yiddishkeit. Ish u’veyto—the biblical term for the Jewish household was the theme of this year’s recent conference of chabad shuchim. The family unit—the young couple with their passion for the Jewish people, with the stamina to make a lifelong commitment to their ideals, to plant strong roots, raise a family and build a community—this is the model that the rebbe chose to represent his vision for Jewish life. over the course of 70 years, chabad shluchim have proven their ability to stay on message and bear the strength of their convictions. in a world where change seems often to be the only constant, it is a rare quality they possess, and as the articles in this issue of lubavitch international illustrate, there is hardly a jewish demographic today that does not benefit from chabad shluchim and the gift that they bring with them. – Baila Olidort

DECEMBER 2010 / JANUARY 2011 | WWW. LUBAVITCH . COM

REACHING THE TEENS

A COMMUNITY OF JEWISH TEENS GROWS ON BOSTON’S NORTH SHORE

are in 9th grade, teenagers are barely engaged in Jewish life. Thanks to campus chabad and hillel houses, many reconnect again in college. but the gap years spell missed opportunities for Jewish teenagers, and chabad representatives rabbi yossi and layah lipsker were disturbed by this hole in their services. “we hit on the idea of creating the equivalent of a new community of teens, where kids can form connections to other Jews,” says rabbi lipsker, who quickly discovered that he hit on a winner. now a household name in the north shore boston area, Jewcrew is directed by david nathan, a local resident and long-time member of the community who says the program aims to build Jewish identity among the teens, through great programming.

“ I feel like jewCrew has prepared me better to be the person I am today, open and happy about my judaism.”

ifteen-year-old sasha matusevich grew up on boston’s north shore. in many ways, the public school sophomore is your typical american teenager whose love for dancing made her drop out of hebrew school at age 11. but sasha is also interning at an educational program in her community where she is taking responsibility for recruiting friends and planning events to raise Jewish awareness. “i’m not very observant,” says sasha, who

two years ago joined Jewcrew, a teen program established by chabad of the north shore in boston. sasha now considers it an important factor in her self identity. “i’m a very proud Jew, everyone knows that about me. i feel like Jewcrew has prepared me better to be the person i am today, open and happy about my Judaism.” for the average american Jewish teenager, Jewish education ends at bar or bat mitzvah. once in high school, involvement declines markedly so that by the time they

“The idea is to be proud of who you are, and to feel free to express that,” the 28-yearold youth director and former eco-biologist explains. Three years since its establishment, Jewcrew counts 160 thirteen-to-eighteen year olds who participate in a variety of programs that blend typically popular teen activities with opportunities to explore issues of Jewish identity. The integrative experiences allow teens to develop their Jewish identity in a way that makes it personally relevant to them.

“ When we’re with Rabbi Yossi, we talk a lot about judaism and what it means to be jewish.” nathan is emphatic that Jewcrew is not about sitting in the synagogue or chanting hebrew songs. it is rather an afternoon at a celtics game with kosher hot dogs, paintball shooting on sunday instead of saturday, Jewish music concerts or a shabbat in new york city. sasha is certain that without the Jewcrew experience, “i would be diﬀerent.” it was the informal exposure, she says, that has taught her how one observes shabbat. Jewcrew’s new york shabbaton is legendary among the teenagers, combining the spiritual experience of a halachically observant shabbat at chabad-lubavitch headquarters community in brooklyn, with the saturday night lights of manhattan and a visit to the statue of liberty. dennis averin, 15, a hebrew school graduate from chabad of the north shore, attended Jewcrew for the first time after hearing about it from a friend. “when we’re with rabbi yossi, we talk a lot about Judaism and what it means to be Jewish.” rabbi yossi has shown them, he says, “that being Jewish isn’t a burden, but helps to enhance our lives and be good people.” after participating in the new york shabbaton last year, dennis decided to take a more active role in Judaism by putting on tefillin every morning, and giving tzedakah whenever he has spare change. “it makes me feel good about myself, like i’m adding a light to the world and making it a better place.”

jLI teenS LAUNCHES INTERNSHIP PROGRAM continued from front page

international conference call, comparing notes on their experiences as community leaders. “we wanted to get students involved beyond the classes,” says Gani Domber, program director. “The internship program helps to build a stronger commitment to both the local and global Jewish communities. it also appeals to the students as something that builds their leadership skills.” launched in the summer of 2008, Jli Teens targets the post bar-and bat mitzvah demographic. The sophisticated curriculum invites these youth to weigh in on philosophical questions about the existence of G-d and the relevance of Judaism, as well as to participate in practical discussions on drugs, alcohol and promiscuity. using Jewish texts to guide the round table-style discussions, the courses make Jewish teachings come alive for the teens as they grapple with moral dilemmas and are challenged to make socially responsible

choices in their day-to-day lives. Debbie Willaman, a Jli Teens parent from pittsburgh, pa, said the course was the first time her daughter, Gabby, 16, “was encouraged to talk about real challenges that face young people.” Gabby, she said, has participated in multiple programs and “discovered that being a Jew is a source of pride and that Torah is a well of wisdom to draw strength and guidance from.” with anti-israel sentiment growing on high school and college campuses around the world, Jli’s new course, israel 3d: a Journey Through Time space and beyond, will respond to many of the questions raised by teens encountering hostile rhetoric. participants will take a virtual tour of the

Using jewish texts to guide the round tablestyle discussions, the courses make jewish teachings come alive for the teens as they grapple with moral dilemmas and are challenged to make socially responsible choices in their day-to-day lives.

land and explore its history and culture. They’ll address questions such as: why does Judaism need a homeland? what right do we have to the land? is there a media bias against israel? will there ever be peace in the middle east? Rabbi Benny Rapaport, director of Jli Teens, says he expects the course will “prepare this influential population to be advocates for israel in a climate that would otherwise intimidate them.” speaking of her own experiences as part of Jli Teens, Toby Fadida, a Jli intern in australia, says that just as “things in nature die if they don't stay up to date, it is the same with Judaism. if we don't stay up-todate, we won't survive.” Jli Teens, she says, “is keeping us up-to-date and challenging us.”

LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY BUILDING

photo: Rick Malkin

POOLING RESOURCES: CHABAD, FEDERATION PARTNER FOR JEWISH LIFE Though their platforms are not always aligned, and their members not always in agreement, the Jewish Federations of north america and the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, the two largest Jewish organizations today, are working more closely today than ever before. Executive Director of the Nashville Jewish Federation, Steve Edelstein and Rabbi Yitzchak Tiechtel

his development, leaders in both bodies agree, is the result of compromise, hard work, and dedication to the same cause: the Jewish communities they serve. “we’re in the same business, the business of engaging Jewish souls,” says shalom elcott, president and ceo of the Jewish federation of orange county in california. “at this point, collectively, we are only reaching 18-20 percent of our target population, and we need to reach the other 80 percent. chabad has tremendous outreach capabilities.” elcott works closely with chabad representative rabbi dovid eliezrie, who is based in yorba linda and serves on the local federation’s board. “chabad and the federation share a sense of responsibility to the Jewish people,” said eliezrie. “There is a merging of agendas. Jerry silverman, the federation’s new president, and his team, are wonderful partners.” in typical southern fashion, where things move at a slower pace, it took longer, says rabbi yitzchak Tiechtel, of nashville, Tennessee. “people in the south were not accustomed to being Jewish out in the open. it was hard for them to embrace chabad-style Judaism.” Tiechtel just completed a stint on the board of the Jewish federation of nashville

and middle Tennessee (the five rabbis in town alternate years of service). “in smaller cities, especially, it is very important for the rabbi to work within the infrastructure of the community,” says Tiechtel. now counting 11 years since chabad

“ ChAbAD AnD the FeDeRAtIon ShARe A SenSe oF ReSPonSIbILItY to the jeWISh PeoPLe . . . theRe IS A meRGInG oF AGenDAS.”

opened here, it took almost a decade for the federation to recognize chabad as an oﬃcial entity of the greater nashville Jewish community, but they did, and members from across Jewish and secular organizations joined to participate at the recent groundbreaking of chabad’s new Jewish community center. Ted mayden, president of nashville’s federation, considers “chabad an important constituency. The leadership of chabad, both lay and clergy, work very hard to establish and share Jewish values. They have brought a lot of life to the Jewish community as a whole.”

rabbi chaim block has lived in san antonio, Texas for 25 years. in the beginning, he says, he encountered “a lot of resistance.” now, he works “in cooperation with the federation on a daily basis. chabad has a seat at any community planning, crisis, or programming meeting.” but, he adds, “this is not so unusual in the last decade. many colleagues tell me of similar situations in their cities.” Today, reflects elcott, “the federation world has become more spiritual. many members of the federation pray at chabad and a multitude of chabad rabbis serve on boards.” even so, few can boast of bill rudolph’s seamless self. a chabad chasid, rudolph is the third member of his family to serve as chair of the Jewish federation of Greater pittsburgh, where his father and brother preceded him. in his personal life, as well as in his professional duties, the two are solidly intertwined. “The federation was my entrée to Judaism,” rudolph explains. “Twenty-five years ago, leslie wexner [of The limited brand] started a foundation for future Jewish leaders. Through that group my wife and i became interested in religious growth. we went on a shabbaton with chabad and there was no turning back at that point.”

in pittsburgh, as in other cities, the federation’s financial support helps chabad’s programs thrive. “The federation fundraises money to give to service organizations like chabad, bringing spiritual content to Jews,” says rudolph. among its many other beneficiaries, the federation helps fund chabad’s school, the friendship circle, and some chabad houses. The financial support works both ways. federation leaders recognize that when Jews become closer to their heritage through chabad’s work, they direct their philanthropic efforts back to the community, often through the federation’s coffers. in nashville, where rabbi Tiechtel gained community-wide support for the new 14,000 square foot Jewish community center, the Jewish community is enjoying steady growth. “despite challenges along the way, we always remained positive. and in the long run it all paid off. The rebbe emphasized focusing on the positive and sharing the joys of Judaism with others through acts of goodness and kindness. That’s what we did, and now, together, we are on to bigger and better things.”

FAMILY FIRST: CHABAD CONFERENCE continued from front page

photo credit: Meir Alfasi

bringing the aura of our Jewish homes wherever we are, in whatever we do.” apropos the conference theme, ukrainian mining and metals magnate, mr. Gennady bogolubov, who has been sharing his largesse to help chabad shluchim fund their family life-cycle events, delivered the

keynote address. bogolubov established the simcha fund in 2007 and participates in celebrating the birth of a child, bar mitzvah or wedding of every chabad representative, with a gift from the fund. donating millions, said bogolubov, has made him a partner in chabad’s work across the globe. “now

i want to become not a partner, but a part of chabad.” bogolubov held the audience’s attention as he described the unlikely turns his life took, which he attributes to the inspiration of his own chabad mentor, rabbi shmuel kaminetzki of dnepropetrovsk. “Today it’s my pleasure and a big honor to be a Jew in dnepropetrovsk. although i used to be shy to wear a kippa, i now wear Tzitzit.” even under duress, the family unit of the chabad emissary is resilient, and the sense of purpose is not lost. Ten-year old moshe cohen from manchester, england, whose mother, mrs. esty cohen, a respected chabad representative died suddenly last month, won the audience’s quiet admiration as he spoke of his role as a young chabad shliach, and his determination to honor his mother’s passion for shlichut. his mother’s sudden absence leaves moshe and his five siblings together with their father, in mourning but not unmoored. “as i stand here tonight in the presence of thousands of shluchim (emissaries), we

re-commit ourselves to our shlichus (mission) and hold on to our mission. my mother is proud that i am carrying on my shlichus with a smile just as she told me,” he said in a specially prepared thought on the weekly Torah portion. eric dorfman of hanesport, nJ, was one of the many lay leaders who joined their chabad rabbis at the conference. “it’s evident from tonight’s banquet that the rebbe continues his legacy,” he told lubavitch.com. sean Gadd of naperville, il, said encountering chabad has brought fulfillment to his life. “it’s very spiritual, very touching and fulfilling. i attended the lay leader’s conference today as well; it was very good to hear how other people like me now feel so fulfilled in their lives after meeting chabad.” leading the conference, rabbi moshe kotlarsky of lubavitch headquarters brought the audience to its feet in lively dancing that lasted nearly half an hour. Joining the roll call next year, he promised, will be a chabad of saskatchewan.

DECEMBER 2010 / JANUARY 2011 | WWW. LUBAVITCH . COM

INTERVIEW

CHABAD REPRESENTATIVES TO: MUMBAI, INDIA Three months after their move to mumbai, rabbi Chanoch and Leah gechtmen spoke candidly with editor-in-Chief of Lubavitch.com, about their decision to accept this appointment, and the life and opportunities they have since discovered. [The interview was conducted in hebrew.]

An InteRvIeW WIth the GeChtmAnS editor: You’ve been living in mumbai now for three months. any surprises? rabbi chanoch GechTman: after the terror attacks, we weren’t sure there was a future to this place. To our great surprise, many people who were reluctant to come back during those first months after the tragedy are traveling here again, and new people who’ve never been here are coming as well. The chabad house is very active, with visitors here at all hours. it really is an integral part of mumbai’s Jewish business community. editor: You are living in a temporary rental that also serves as your Chabad center. chanoch: yes, and it is already too small. we have on average some 30 people every night for dinner, and about 40-50 for shabbat. That’s only by word-of-mouth, as we do not publicize our programs and services. editor: who does all the cooking? leah GechTman: we trained a staff of local people. it wasn’t easy teaching an indian crew how to work in our kitchen. it took a long time and a lot of hard work to get it right, but we finally got a routine going, and that’s making a huge difference. i supervise them. editor: what were your greatest concerns before coming here? chanoch: security. and i was very concerned about how my wife would perceive mumbai—the poverty on the streets, the odors, the heat can be shocking. but in fact we’ve been pleasantly surprised because we are staying in a location that is quite different from colaba where nariman house is—much cleaner and more residential. editor: You aren’t going to be moving into nariman house. chanoch: no. security experts from israel and india spent a lot of time studying the situation and found that the place was no longer suitable for mumbai’s main chabad center. but it will reopen as a visitor center as per ongoing discussions with security experts. nariman house will be testimony to the terrible destruction, and to chabad’s resolve to stay here and serve Jewish life despite the attempts to destroy it. it will be a memorial to the life that Gabi and rivki lived there. editor: Do you see yourselves as replacing gabi and rivki? chanoch: we see ourselves as shluchim of the rebbe. but we obviously want to continue the work that Gabi and rivki did in mumbai. Gabi was unusual in the way he drew people who were just hanging out in the chabad house, into the study of Torah—he managed to do that at every opportunity—pulling out a Tanya while sharing a cup of coffee with a visitor, a businessman, a traveler, and before you knew it, people came around the table and Gabi got everyone to learn a little. and he did it all with such gentleness. editor: are you satisfied with the security arrangements you now have? chanoch: They are good. we have israeli security. it’s very costly. Thankfully, there are generous individuals who want to help fund the chabad center’s security, because without it we could not be here. editor: You were both leading busy lives in israel, working as Shluchim, when you were approached by members of Lubavitch headquarters concerning mumbai. chanoch : yes, we weren’t looking for another position. my wife and i were working

as shluchim in Gadera, where my in-laws lead a busy chabad center with 200 people on a regular shabbat. so when we were approached about mumbai, several months after the attack, we dismissed the idea.

editor: why were you asked to take the assignment? chanoch: as a rabbinical student, i spent time in mumbai helping the holtzbergs. Gabi was a dear friend, and i knew mumbai and the community. but after five months there, i knew i’d never want to live there. it’s not an easy place.

nariman house will be testimony to the terrible destruction, and to Chabad’s resolve to stay here and serve jewish life despite the attempts to destroy it. It will be a memorial to the life that Gabi and Rivki lived there.

editor: what made you change your mind? chanoch: we were approached numerous times about it, and at some point, i began to think that maybe it deserves at least some thought. but until my wife would have a chance to visit mumbai and get to know the place, it really wasn’t relevant. leah: at first i wouldn’t hear of it. but then it occurred to me that if the rebbe would ask us to take the assignment, we would be honored. That changed my way of looking at it, and i began to consider it.

editor: what areas are you now focusing on? chanoch: now that we already have a lot of our initial programs in place, we are hoping to build a support center to serve the immediate needs—food, medicine, financial assistance—of the local Jewish community. we plan to develop educational courses and social activities that will help people here build a higher quality of life and improve their dayto-day existence.

editor: when we last spoke, you weren’t sure what life in mumbai would be like for you as a mother of a young baby, and as a Shlucha. how do you feel about it now? leah: That i can build a life here. The living conditions are much more diﬃcult than what we were used to. in israel we’d spend a lot of time outdoors. in mumbai, we stay indoors a lot because of the heat and the polluted air. Getting around—transportation, is also complicated. but we’ve found many nice places and parks in pleasant, safe areas, so we do get out and enjoy. more importantly, we found a community of people who are grateful to have us here, people who need our support. There’s a great sense of purpose in the busy pace of our lives here and the central role that chabad plays in their lives.

LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL 6

CHANUKAH

ALLEGHENY VS. ACLU: GooD FoR ChAnUkAh

HOW CHALLENGES TO PUBLIC MENORAH DISPLAYS HELPED ILLUMINATE THE HOLIDAY

hen the u.s. supreme court ruled in 1989, that placing chabad-owned menorahs in public spaces did not violate the establishment clause, it set a slab of precedent for chabad centers to rest their menorah requests upon. but as seen with the 2006 hullabaloo over seattleTacoma airport’s menorah, the ruling, as well as numerous other federal and state decisions in favor of the menorah, is no magic bullet.

flecting on the legal paper trail of chabad’s menorah displays. over the years, as calls from representatives lit up the switchboard at lubavitch world headquarters, rabbi krinsky’s oﬃce put them in touch with the well-known constitutional attorney nathan lewin of washington, d.c. who has litigated many of the menorah cases. lewin led chabad’s case before the supreme court and created a packet of legal materials to help chabad representatives present established precedents that While the majority of Chabad-Lubavitch consistently supported representatives found little or no opposition, public menorah dislitigation against the menorah triggered a plays in a clear, concise manner. attorney ﬂurry of legal battles in several communities, charles saul of pittsin federal courts and others, all of which burgh, pa saw ultimately ruled in favor of placing the meno- chabad’s landmark rah on public property. allegheny vs. aclu suit together with mr. lewin all the way on the 21st anniversary of the allegheny through to the supreme court. vs. aclu ruling, the experiences of chabad when rabbi yossi kaplan of chabad of representatives across the united states re- chester county, pa, ran up against opposiveal just how useful or not the landmark de- tion to his plans for a courthouse menorah, cision has been in bringing chanukah’s light, he called saul for legal advice. rabbi kaplan message of peace and religious liberty to the didn’t think lighting a menorah at the county public square. from montana to mumbai, courthouse was such a big deal, but the comfrom the western wall to the Great wall of missioners hemmed and hawed and were on china, chabad’s public menorah lightings the verge of denying the request. pursuing a number in the thousands. legal remedy was not his strategy, but hearing in many locations, initial discomfort over the logic behind the many successful cases public menorahs have given way to appreci- gave his request solid legal standing: first ation for the event: town commissioners kin- amendment free speech rights and no viodle menorah flames, Jewish community lation of the establishment clause. leaders vie for spots on the menorah dais. not only did the arguments that prevailed menorahs have become such a part of civic in the highest court of the land impress the life that city councils add on their own em- county’s legal eagles, but rabbi kaplan made bellishments, arranging for inflatable danc- sure the commissioners got an earful from ing dreidles and electric signs proclaiming the chairman of the state republican party, “happy chanukah.” the young republicans and politically conrabbi yehuda krinsky, chairman of the nected friends at the local Jewish federation. chabad- lubavitch educational and social “we are pleased that community and poservices divisions says that he did not expect litical leaders helped the county commissionany serious interferences in the 2010 public ers see merit in our request,” said rabbi menorah displays. kaplan at the time. “This year, the court“while the majority of chabad-lubav- house menorah will go up as usual. i believe itch representatives found little or no oppo- everyone’s happy with it.” sition, litigation against the menorah in fort collins, colorado, the city denied triggered a flurry of legal battles in several chabad’s request for a menorah in the pubcommunities, in federal courts and others, all licly owned old Town square. “if you want of which ultimately ruled in favor of placing to resolve the issue peacefully without going the menorah on public property,” he says, re- to court, you can try to educate them, but

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here it was not enough. They are still resist- court, saul, the attorney along with margoant,” said rabbi yerachmiel Gorelik. in a lis edelstein, in pittsburg, reviewed the compromise that was finally hammered out, rebbe’s writings that touched upon benefits the downtown development authority al- the state gives religion, such as the tax exlows chabad to light the menorah on the emption for contributions to religious charsquare, but it cannot be left there overnight. ities. Those arguments, recalled saul, were The menorah spends the night on an out- eventually adopted by the supreme court. door patio of a pub that borders the square. while other state and federal cases won in addition the city now has an official holi- by chabad after the allegheny case broadday display at another location which in- ened the base of support in favor of public cludes a menorah. doing everything short of seeking a legal remedy has made rabbi Gorelik a minor media star. The new york Times interviewed him and wrote about the admiration of the general community in respect to his case. over a dozen radio talk show National Menorah is lit in front of the White House '79 hosts and Tv journalists have interviewed ...we are confident of prevailing, because rabbi Gorelik. newsafter all is said and done, the menorah is paper editors have come out in favor of a universal symbol of religious freedom chabad. and independence which totally conform all the noise may with the American ideal. not have solved the menorah placement problem, but it has helped chabad draw crowds of 400-plus to menorahs, the landmark decision spread the the lighting ceremony. Guests of honor, message of chanukah. filled with informanotes rabbi Gorelik, included senators, con- tion about chanukah’s history, meaning and gress members, and the attorney general. This observance, allegheny vs. aclu is now part year he expects the tradition to continue. of the curriculum at many law schools. as “we’re really on the map here now,” said the students study, the goal of publicizing the rabbi Gorelik, who established chabad in chanukah miracle is achieved a thousandft. collins just over five years ago. “it’s as if fold. “what the rebbe accomplished with we’ve been here for ten years.” his encouragement here is unbelievable,” said back in 1986, rabbi yisroel rosenfeld of saul. chabad lubavitch of pittsburgh was caught of the small pockets of resistance that still off guard when the aclu and anti- occur every year, rabbi krinsky says, “at this defamation league sued the city and al- point in time, the number of instances where legheny county to have chabad’s menorah the placement of chanukah menorahs in taken down. The mayor had welcomed the public areas is refused, is rapidly diminishing. menorah, but faced with the prospect of the whether we decide to actually litigate or not lawsuit, the city was preparing to back down. depends on local circumstances. but we are “They weren’t going to follow through. That’s confident of prevailing, because after all is when we got involved,” said rabbi rosen- said and done, the menorah is a universal feld. “we felt, based on what the rebbe said, symbol of religious freedom and independthat we should pursue it.” ence which totally conform with the amerin preparation for the case that would ican ideal.” eventually be heard before the supreme

Charles Votaw/ lubavitch.com/LNS

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DECEMBER 2010 / JANUARY 2011 | WWW. LUBAVITCH . COM

CAMPUS

CHABAD ON CAMPUS OPENS JEWISH STUDENT CENTER IN MANCHESTER manchesTer's 1500 Jewish universiTy sTudenTs now have chabad represenTaTives To call Their own. rabbi Zalman and mushky loewenthal agogue. moved to england's second largest Jewish The university has a long community three weeks ago to serve Jewish history of welcoming Jews to students at university of manchester, mancampus. established in the chester metropolitan university and salford early 19th century, university university. of manchester was originally Though their first big chabad event is known as owen's college. in a still in the planning stages, the couple is al- departure from the style of the ready well versed in the art of running a times, owen's college's charchabad center. mushky loewenthal's par- ter declared students “should ents direct the chabad center of sharon, ma. rabbi loewenthal, raised in “ You can make a london, was inspired by the phenomenal difference work of his siblings, three of on campus. We are whom are scattered across very excited to be at a campuses. “you can make a pheuniversity campus. nomenal difference on camStudents are the future pus. we are very excited to of british jewry,” be at a university campus. students are the future of british Jewry,” said rabbi loewenthal. not be requested to make any university of manchester has a lively declaration as to, or subject to, Jewish student scene. Jsoc, Jewish student any test whatsoever of their resociety, hillel, and aish haTorah all have ligious opinions.” an active presence on campus. There's a Jewwith freedom from religious discriminaish student center on campus, complete with tion built into its foundation, university of student synagogue. benji silverstone, direc- manchester attracted many Jewish students tor of aish haTorah in manchester and and professors. scientist chaim weizmann rabbi yy rubinstein, senior campus rabbi was perhaps its most famous Jewish staff for manchester and liverpool, welcomed member. weizmann rented a lab at the unithe addition of a chabad student center. versity and was employed in 1905 as a “i have been profoundly impressed by the chemistry demonstrator and lecturer. loewenthals. They are an exceptionally sinmanchester itself is home to england's cere couple indeed,” said rabbi rubinstein. second largest Jewish community. chabad “i expect we will work nicely, in harmony, on centers have been serving the wider mancampus.” he has invited rabbi loewenthal cunian community for years, and there are to give a shabbat lecture at the campus syn- vibrant yeshivas in north manchester.

many Jewish students commute from orthodox communities there to the university of manchester in the south part of the city, but the majority of the Jewish students are less aﬃliated. The loewenthals, whose work is supported by philanthropists david slager and Zalman klyne, have made those students their priority. “we want every single Jewish student to be comfortable and to have a place at a shabbat table,” said rabbi loewenthal. mobilizing unaﬃliated Jewish students to openly identify themselves as Jews might be a hard sell. university of manchester is

home to vociferous anti-israel activists. in 2007, students at the university chose alnajah university in israel's west bank as their twin. al-najah is the alma mater of nineteen palestinian suicide bombers. earlier this year, Jewish student mobilized to block a “peace through education” statement that labeled israel as an apartheid state. “Jewish students tend not to identify with Jewish organizations, because that would put them on the front line of intimidation,” said rabbi rubinstein. “i think Zalman will do an excellent job to show students there's nothing to be prouder of than their Jewish identity.”

GIVE TO CHABAD-LUBAVITCH make your donation online at WWW.LUBAVITCH.COM/DONATE or use the enclosed envelope and mail to: LUBAVITCH INTERNATIONAL 770 EASTERN PARKWAY BROOKLYN, NY 11213 or phone us at: (718)774-4000

LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL 8

CAMPUS

WHEN STUDENTS NEED THEM MOST . . .

MAPLE LEAF MADNESS

CHABAD ON CAMPUS

CHABAD CONFRONTS ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVISM

CANADA EXPANDS CARLETON UNIVERSITY AND U OF OTTAWA

ith a grant from the rohr family foundation, chabad student network, serving carleton university and university of ottawa, purchased a three-story home this year. about 70 to 90 students come to friday night shabbat dinners. chabad representatives rabbi Chaim and Yocheved Boyarsky plan to open a kosher cafe in the building to give students better access to kosher food on campus throughout the week.

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO AND WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY

habad representative rabbi Moshe and Rivky Goldman recently purchased “The mansion,” a 5,000square-foot home known for hosting wild parties, and transformed it into the rohr chabad center for Jewish life at the u of waterloo and w laurier u. The center has been become the darling of the neighborhood, hosting spirited but civilized shabbat dinners for 30 to 40 students each week. university administration oﬃcials have taken notice, partnering with chabad by sponsoring a chabad-led holiday meal at laurier on rosh hashana. This winter, laurier administrators are planning to purchase a large-scale menorah, a first for the campus that’s home to 600 to 800 Jewish students.

DALHOUSIE AND KINGS UNIVERSITY

ay out in halifax, nova scotia, where there are just 2000 Jewish residents and 700 Jewish students, chabad on campus has seen impressive growth, too. rabbi Mendel and Basya Feldman have been leading chabadlubavitch of the maritimes for 16 years. after purchasing a permanent home last november, their rohr chabad house and latner student center serving dalhousie and kings university now comfortably accommodates about seventy student guests each shabbat. opportunities for a more active Jewish life on campus have started a trend that may help to build the local Jewish community. according to mrs. feldman, more nova scotian Jews are now choosing to stay local for college.

YORK UNIVERSITY

ast year, chabad at york, led by rabbi Vidal and Chanah Leah Beckerman, moved into its new home, about an eight-minute drive from campus. for the first time, the center is now oﬀering sinai scholars, an intensive Jewish study fellowship. other new programs include project chesed chabad, which sends volunteers to visit homebound elderly on a regular basis. in honor of chanukah, students build a menorah out of canned goods, which are then donated to the needy.

ON CANADA’S COLLEGE CAMPUSES Fighting the New Anti-Semitism with Light york were forced ultimate goal: supporting the Jewish hometo barricade them- land. selves inside the at the rohr chabad centre for Jewish hillel offices when life at the university of waterloo, and wilan angry mob frid laurier university, chabad’s rabbi chased them moshe and rivky Goldman recently introyelling “die, Jew, duced the J-learn program featuring a sedie, Get the hell ries of mini-courses to help students acquire off campus!” fundamental knowledge of Judaism. in adbrenda Grin- dition, mrs. Goldman expanded her Girls saft, a psychology club to include evening classes about Jumajor at york, said daism for women on campus. according to that while she feels rabbi Goldman, the reception from stusafe at york, “there dents has been encouraging. is hostility” toward “canadians are polite. when i speak on Jewish students. friday night, there is a greater chance that “chabad is where people will listen, take it seriously,” rabbi “At university campuses in Canada and in Jewish students Goldman said. can go to feel The toughest time for Jewish university the U.S., many future leaders are being comfortable being students on campus in recent years has been educated in poisoned environments, where Jewish and proud the annual “israel apartheid week,” which Israel is portrayed as the bad guy.” of it,” Grinsaft often goes hand in hand with harassment of said. Jewish students. launched in Toronto, iaw eremy izfo may soon be analyzing debtcountering the anti-israel activism, now takes place in forty cities, fourteen of to-earnings ratios of fortune 500 compa- chabad at york is offering an encore round them in canada alone. nies, but today the economics major at of “The land and the spirit” class, which last year, students at york university orcarleton university in ottawa, canada, is gives students a chance to explore the role ganized a mitzvah marathon at york during looking at chabad on campus's bottom line of israel in Jewish history, religion and cul- iaw week. students —Jewish and non“There are other places that promote ture. developed by the rohr Jewish learn- Jewish alike—made pledges to perform hanging out with Jewish people, but chabad ing institute, the course helps students gain good deeds. in addition, they sold brownies takes a different route. everyone knows that a perspective on the Jewish claim to the land and sent the proceeds to the chabad Terror chabad is the place to go to be involved of israel, chabad at york co-director victims project of israel. with Jewish life,” said izfo. chanah leah bekerThe number of chabad centers on cana- man explains. dian campuses has doubled over the last five according to mrs. years. Today, nineteen campuses benefit basya feldman, from chabad representatives on site. an- chabad representaother eight are served by local chabad cen- tive at dalhousie ters. for canadian university students facing university in halifax, growing anti-israel sentiment and harass- nova scotia, while ment from pro-palestinian activists, many Jewish students chabad's more visible presence on campus on campus are is especially welcome. staunchly pro-israel, “There’s a lot of tension between muslim some are not. “it is and Jewish students. we are small in num- more popular to take ber, but we have a lot of pride, and we make a lefty, ‘pro-peace’ sure everyone knows who we are,” izfo said. stand,” she said. posters plastered around carleton depict dr. Gil Troy, a hisa mockup of an israeli helicopter dropping tory professor at bombs on a teddy-toting palestinian toddler. mcGill university in The student council is run by pro-palestin- montreal and author “ Studies show that if you have a strong ian representatives and professors make no of why i am a connection to Judaism, you will have a secret of their anti-israel leanings. even Zionist, said that it is strong connection to Israel.” apolitical Jewish students feel uncomfort- vital to counter the able and confused. anti-israel pro“The propaganda’s logic is backwards, but poganda on camconvincing,” said mrs. yocheved boyarsky, puses. “at university campuses in canada chabad at ottawa u hosted a similar chabad representative at carleton and ot- and in the u.s., many future leaders are program to encourage students to perform tawa u. “students come to shabbos dinner being educated in poisoned environments, good deeds. right alongside the iaw tables, with us despite a very anti-israel outlook. where israel is portrayed as the bad guy.” chabad set up their own table with cards for we encourage them to think, to question, chabad’s response is less about shouting students to make good deed pledges. a and to see the issue through the broader down and in-your-face protests than about poster of the western wall hung behind the view of history.” teaching students to connect with their her- table. in ottawa, Jewish students represent only itage. This approach, says Troy, who believes “a lot of students tell us they felt comtwo percent of the student body. but group that embracing israel is central to Jewish forted and encouraged to walk by and see size does not seem to mitigate the threats identity, is a critical part of the picture. our table during the week of hatred,” said and taunts. york university, a commuter col“studies show that if you have a strong mrs. boyarsky. performing mitzvot is more lege near the Jewish community in Toronto, connection to Judaism, you will have a than a nicety, a comfort zone among the vitis one of the top ten universities attended by strong connection to israel.” and chabad, riol. “historically, Jews have been victorious Jewish students in canada. yet the attitude he said, “creates a spiritual conversation and over threats to their existence by strengthon campus is fiercely, sometimes violently a cultural conversation, getting the issue ening their performance of mitzvot and anti-semitic. last year, Jewish students at away from politics,” which helps achieve the staying with the Torah.”

DECEMBER 2010 / JANUARY 2011 | WWW. LUBAVITCH . COM

SPECIAL NEEDS

DeSPIte DISAbILItIeS, YOUNG COUPLE FINDS LOVE AT MAYANOT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL

hen Zak khazanovich was in middle school, he once drew up a list of goals he planned to reach in the future. included were many things that other kids might also wish for, but conspicuously missing was the prospect of marriage. khazanovich, 20, who lives with cerebral palsy, had a life changing experience last summer that put marriage back on his list. rabbi mendy levertov, chabad representative in khazanovich’s hometown, phoenix, aZ, recommended that he sign up for the 10-day Taglit mayanot birthright program and experience israel for the first time. rachel Goodman, also 20, has asperger’s syndrome. like khazanovich, she had unsuccessfully signed up for various Taglit israel programs before, but now both finally found themselves enrolled in the summer program. Goodman, who lives in Tucson, first connected with khazanovich on birthright program’s facebook page. coordinated by rabbi noach pawliger, the mayanot institute of Jewish studies began this program for young adults with special needs three years ago. pawliger says the premise is simple: Taglit israel provides free trips for Jewish teenagers so they can

learn about their heritage, and special needs adults deserve an equal opportunity that would allow them to enjoy the full tour, not the abridged version usually oﬀered them. “The trip draws young adults from many states across the country. for the most part, people find out about us through a local

“we were in the negev desert on the eighth day of the trip,” rachel recalls. “it was a beautiful, starry night, and Zak and i were relaxing after dinner near a cluster of bedouin tents. Then he asked me to marry him, and i said yes.” chloe lipp was one of 10 volunteers who accompanied the 21 special needs travelers. with no experience interacting more than anything, the trip with special needs as a empowered the pair to lead their group, lipp felt a little nervous when she enrolled lives with more self-conﬁdence for the trip. but her fears and independence. quickly dissipated when she saw the excitement and happiness the kids rafriendship circle or chabad representative. diated over the course of the trip. “for some of them, being able to ride a when we found out that two of the participants had already established a firm friend- camel was really tremendous. The look on ship over the phone and online, we tried to their faces when we would lift them up on have them fly to ny on the same flight.” the camel was priceless,” lipp says. Though the program caters to high funcalthough Zak and rachel didn’t make it onto the same flight, rachel says that when tioning individuals, pawliger says that over they met in Jfk airport, she felt like she had time he has been able to “stretch the specknown Zak for years. over the next leg of trum a little to allow for more to join the the trip and throughout the whirlwind tour trip.” on april 17, Zak and rachel will beof israel, the two were inseparable.

come husband and wife. until then, Zak is working on his culinary skills – he now cooks supper every day – and is also studying hard for his degree. rachel does the laundry too. more than anything, notes wendy, rachel’s proud mom, the trip empowered the pair to lead their lives with more self-confidence and independence. “for many years, we tried to find a program that would fit, but never found the social network that truly catered to rachel’s needs. with chabad’s trip to israel, my daughter’s fiancé, for example, who walks with a walker, was able to participate in so many regular activities. Zak gained the physical stamina to do so much more than before, and rachel, who used to have a lot of social difficulties, found a new confidence here. she is continuing the friendships she made on the trip. This program is a model for others to learn from.” lipp, who was invited to the wedding along with many of the participants and staff of the trip, will be present when rabbi pawliger marries them off. “This is one wedding i’m not going to miss. i wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she says.

FIGHTING

ILLINI

ZBT FRATERNITY PARTNERS WITH CHABAD It takes a village . . . or a team. In this case, four groups partnered to put a smile on the faces of special children from the State of Illinois.

niversity of illinois men’s basketball team hosted the 4th annual alley oop for autism, a philanthropy project by the Zeta beta Tau fraternity in partnership with the chabad center for Jewish life, in support of The stuart i raskas friendship circle of illinois. now in its fourth year, alley oop gives its home state children with special needs a memorable day of fun and excitement. after the successes of the past years, current philanthropy chair robbie lowe ‘13 had the idea of hosting the event with the fighting illini. head coach bruce weber embraced the idea and worked together with his staﬀ to make it happen. The children enjoyed an hour-long basketball clinic with the nationally ranked team, and received a gift—a photo of the team, autographed by every player and the head coach. at the ZbT frat house they were hosted with a kosher lunch. later they were joined in the stands by their families to watch the team play in the orange and blue scrimmage. “with their unique challenges, these children teach us all important lessons in the power of the human spirit,” said rabbi dovid Tiechtel, executive director of the chabad center for Jewish life at illinois.

LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL 10

EDUCATION CHABAD OPENS CENTER IN LISBON continued from front page “i’ve gone back many times since, and the warm reception we’ve received has had a lot to do with our decision to move there,” says eli, 26. lisbon has a beautifully restored synagogue—shaarei Tikvah, a newly restored

bookS In RevIeW

FULL DEVOTION a DiSCouRSe BY The LuBaViTCheR ReBBe publisher: kehot publication society 108 pp /$14.95 www.kehot.com kehot publication society, the publishing arm of the chabad-lubavitch movement, has released a new volume in its acclaimed hasidic heritage series. full devotion oﬀers a lucid translation of one of the landmark discourses of the lubavitcher rebbe, rabbi menachem m. schneerson, of blessed memory. The discourse was delivered in 1952, just two years after the rebbe assumed leadership of the chabad-lubavitch movement. among the central themes discussed in the discourse is the dialectical tension between the desire to serve G-d with a whole heart, and the concern that love and awe of G-d may inflate the individual’s sense of his own self. it is only by contemplating

the transient nature of life, the discourse concludes, that one may turn their focus on their mission in the service of G-d. “every discourse in the heritage series oﬀers a self-contained lesson in living a more spiritual, G-dly life,” said rabbi yosef b. friedman of kehot publication society and editor-in-chief of the series. “in this particular discourse, readers may discern the devotion of the rebbe, as he applied himself to the fulfillment of his mission in his own life.” full devotion is the 26th volume in the hasidic heritage series. mr. Jeﬀerey cohen, chairman of beco management sponsored the publication of this volume.

when he left europe for the united states in 1941. “The rebbe made a public address here before he left, and for us, this connection is a big inspiration,” says eli. The young couple will offer one-on-one study sessions and look forward to sharing their shabbos table with guests. The local supermarket carries a “We feel blessed to be joining this strong line of kosher products, community. We’ll be focusing on reaching out “but we’ll be asking to jewish people who are not affiliated, or family and friends to who may be reluctant to get involved, and we bring staples such as also hope to work with jewish tourists,” kosher meat and dairy foods whenever they mikvah, and an active community made up visit from abroad,” chuckles raizel. of both sephardic and ashkenazic Jews, The rosenfelds are parents to mushka, many of them in the medical and other age one and a half, and three-month old professions, observes rosenfeld. menachem mendel. while most of the “we feel blessed to be joining this community converses well in english, eli strong community. we’ll be focusing on and raizel are determined to study porreaching out to Jewish people who are not tuguese “so that we’ll be able to talk to our affiliated, or who may be reluctant to get children.” involved, and we also hope to work with Jewish tourists,” says raizel, 23, who comes with life experience as the daughter of chabad representatives in connecticut. portugal has a long Jewish history, but with the forced conversions and expulsions of the 15th century, its Jewish population was almost gone. in 1917, one hundred Jewish families of marranos were discovered in belmonte, in northeastern portugal, and according to some statistics, a quarter of the country’s population is of Jewish descent. To the rosenfelds, the city has special interest because lisbon was the point of departure for the lubavitcher rebbe, of blessed memory,

CHABAD OF MANHATTAN’S UPPER WEST SIDE

oPenS koLLeL PRoGRAm advanced rabbinical students will dedicate several hours daily to their own studies and the remainder to teaching and studying with community members in traditional chevrusa (pairs), in the upper west Side of manhattan

habad of manhattan’s upper west side recently opened its kollel erev (evening kollel), adding an authentic yeshiva experience to the variety of opportunities for Jewish engagement at this burgeoning center of Jewish life. under the guidance rabbi yisroel fried, the kollel brings a quorum of rabbinical students from the chabad-lubavitch flagship yeshiva in brooklyn, to chabad of the upper west side’s interim address at 97th street, four afternoons a week. The students come prepared to explore a wide range of texts, from Talmud to kabbalah, with their study partners. mark elzweig, owner of a wall street executive search firm has been studying the

ration from the deep love of learning that permeates the atmosphere. “when the rabbis sit down to learn, you can see that this is a very joyous experience for them.” with a high concentration of Jews— some claim there are easily 7000 Jews who attend shabbat services on the upper west side, “this Jewish community of educated professionals is ripe for the program,” said rabbi shlomo kugel, director of chabad of the upper west side who founded chabad here with his wife rivka, 27 years ago. The advanced rabbinical students will dedicate several hours daily to their own studies and the remainder to teaching and studying with community members in tra-

has been studying at chabad on Thursday evenings for the past year and a half. he is grateful for the chevrusa style of study that has helped him delve into the chasidic texts he chose to study. “i really don’t have the skills to learn by myself, so studying with a chevrusa allows me to do a lot more than if i were doing this on my own.” The experience, says strulowitz, is also a refreshing departure from the plethora of

“ thIS koLLeL IS not AboUt heARInG A LeCtURe. It IS jUSt PeoPLe Who WAnt to heLP Someone LeARn toRAh. It IS InCReDIbLe.” second book of samuel each Thursday evening in a program that preceded the newly launched kollel. elzweig draws inspi-

ditional chevrusa (pairs). Jason strulowitz owns a limousine company in new york city. like elzweig, he

activities and programs typical of the local scene. “This kollel is not about hearing a lecture. it is just people who want to help someone learn Torah. it is incredible.” major funding for the kollel, says rabbi meir ossey, a full time rabbi at the chabad center, has been provided by mr. david slager in memory of his grandparents, mr. david and leah slager and mr. david and rina attar.

DECEMBER 2010 / JANUARY 2011 | WWW. LUBAVITCH . COM

EARLY EDUCATION

FLORIDA AFTERSCHOOL ChAbAD’S moDeL PRoGRAm

eronica benarroch is one of 175 children who spends almost five hours a day, every school day, at the chabad hebrew afterschool in highland lakes, florida. story hour, art, tae kwon do, and music are a few of the activities she enjoys there. Tuition is free. rabbi moishe kievman, chabad representative of highland lakes who established the program three years ago together with his wife, layah, says the school has grown from 27 children in the first year, to 175, strictly by word-ofmouth. by year’s end, he expects that number to grow to 250. “we apply for government grants and fundraise locally. if we figure out how to get more funding, we might have as many as 1,000 kids enrolled in five years from now,” projects kievman. housed at the aventura waterways k-8 center in n. miami beach, the afterschool provides children from seven neighboring public schools a safe environment. during the last period of the day, from 4:30 to 6:00, some of the children continue at an after-care program at the chabad house across the road. all fun and games for the kids, kievman points out that the program actually packs real Jewish learning into the downtime hours of these children who otherwise have no formal Jewish education. evi plotnik, a working, single mother says the chabad hebrew afterschool is a perfect fit. both her daughters, libby and Taliah, are there every school day through 6:00. “i am a working mom, and there is nothing better for me than to have a safe place for my kids to be while i’m at work. it’s important for my daughters to know about their tra-

“the passion of the teachers is what makes the transmission of jewish values a stimulating and fun experience”

dition and family values, so that they will have this knowledge when they start their own families,” she says. “Through art the kids learn about Judaism, about Jewish festivals and traditions,” says fela fintz, art teacher at the chabad hebrew after-school whose award winning art is on display at the florida Jewish museum. “The kids make shofars, chanuka menorahs, and honey jars for rosh hashanah. They respond so well, it’s a great way teach them about Judaism,” she says proudly. dr. lilian benarroch enrolled veronica at the chabad hebrew school for her second year. The passion of the teachers, she says, is what makes the transmission of Jewish values a stimulating and fun experience for her daughter. “i love hebrew school, i loved making a shofar and i am really happy go to this school,” veronica beams. To read the full story, go to www.lubavitch.com

HOLY LETTERS IN THE CITY OF THE MYSTICS

Since it opened several months ago, otzar haStam of tzfat has attracted 13,500 international visitors. The multi-million dollar interactive visitors center situated in the city of israel’s ancient mystics, oﬀers guests a hi-tech illuminating exploration of the tradition of the Jewish scribe, insights to the letters and calligraphy of the hebrew alpha bet, and a visual primer on how Torah scrolls, tefillin and mezuzahs are inscribed on parchment. according to rivky kaplan, chabad representative in safed, it is the only such center anywhere in the world, and has drawn the interest of knesset members and numerous vips. “we’ve received numerous requests to replicate this model in various cities around the world,” she says. The center, a boon to the city’s poor economy, has provided local residents with employment and reliable income. Tours are oﬀered in english, hebrew and russian. To learn more, go to www.hastam.co.il

LUBAVITCHINTERNATIONAL 12

EDUCATION

CHABAD'S 18-WHEEL MUSEUM ROARING TO LIFE

Children’s mobile museum will drive like a truck and expand into a 1,000 square ft. space for hands-on Jewish experience.

Like Harley Davidson, Wii, and Clinique who often ply their wares in customized 18-wheelers that transform into mini-circus-like event centers, Chabad is planning one of its own to drive excitement, knowledge, and pride into the lives of Jewish children.

rom the creators of the Jewish children’s museum, the Great Jewish big rig (www.jewishbigrig.com) is still in the planning stages. but with seed money provided by philanthropist David Slager, the project launched its $1.6 million capital campaign that will turn the dream of project director, rabbi Mendy Weg into a plan on wheels. “The Great Jewish big rig will bring an immersive, hands-on Jewish educational experience to any north american parking lot,” said rabbi weg, who conceived the idea. set to hit the road in the summer of 2012, “it will bring the hebrew school and day school chalkboard to life.” chabad’s latest push to tweak modern technological advances in order to strengthen Jewish identity and knowledge will begin with a truck trailer customized from the axle up. on the highway, the Great Jewish big rig will look like an ordinary 18wheeler except for the head-turning custom graphics paneling the sides. once parked, operators will balance the truck and push a few buttons. with a hiss and whir of the onboard generator, the sides will slide out to become rooms; the roof will push skyward; steps will unfurl. when fully

assembled—a process that takes about half a day—the 18-wheeler won't look like a truck anymore. it will be a 1000-square-foot imagination center ready to bring a Jewish experience to children at the far reaches of the north american highway system. motorized mobile museums date back as far as 1948, when illinois state museum’s “museum mobile” brought culture to underprivileged neighborhoods. a year later, the national museum of warsaw put some of its collection on a “museo-bus.” drawbacks of the early museums and many of today’s trailer-based exhibitions are their static, touch-me-not displays. pumping up the wow-factor of the Great Jewish big rig with touchable, memorable Jewish content has the creative minds of the Jewish children museum in full brainstorm mode. “one million visitors to the museum has taught us what children like,” said Jcm executive director rabbi Yerachmiel Benjaminson. The objective of the big rig, says Jcm educational director rabbi Nissen Brenenson, is for visitors to walk away understanding that Judaism is relevant, and feel empowered to work towards creating a better society.”

but will it work? will Jewish children have a long term benefit from a visit to the Great Jewish big rig? Stephen Woods, president/ceo of emG3, a marketing group that created mobile marketing rigs for wal-mart, olympus camera, and others, told lubavitch.com that behavioral science has found mobile marketing eﬀective because it builds connections. studies have found an interaction in a mobile marketing environment to be “20-30 times more impact-full” than traditional promotions like news ads, jingles, and brochures. learning is more memorable when it is coupled with a novel setting, he explains. “when people learn and talk about religion in a synagogue, they may be receptive to what they hear, but they can be desensitized to the message. They always hear about religion there. if you put the same message in a non-traditional environment, it is more effective. Their relationship with the information is completely diﬀerent.” rabbi Shea harlig, director of chabad of southern nevada in las vegas, a place that’s no stranger to great spectacles, believes the Great Jewish big rig will appeal to his community.

“i think it’s a great idea to bring the Jewish big rig to communities that are not in the new york area and have no way to get to the Jewish children’s museum in brooklyn,” he said. his community is seeking spiritual connections, but to make an impression in vegas, “the big rig would have to have a lot of lights.” bringing lights and life to the big rig is weg’s passion. a son of chabad of Tulsa, ok, representatives, he was 18 years old when the idea for the Great Jewish big rig planted itself in his imagination. mechanically inclined, the young chabadnik saw an animation of a mobile marketing truck’s transformation. entranced, he borrowed his father’s tie and met with the manufacturer. in the intervening years, weg acquired a reputation for putting together big events. he’s worked on the lag b'omer parade, the “Taste of yeshiva” multi-state tour, the Jewish learning institute’s national Jewish retreat, and chabad’s super bowl presence in detroit. “i firmly believe the Jewish big rig can surpass the mobile marketing trucks that are out there. we have the creativity. we have the passion.”