WELCOME TO CHABAD HAVERING
Chabad North East London & Essex launches the foundation for its latest Chabad Branch.
Chabad N.E. London & Essex are delighted to announce the recent launch of its newest chapter in the area of Havering, which covers amongst others the area of Collier Row, Romford, Hornchurch, Upminster & Rainham.
With the ongoing migration of the Jewish Community across Essex, Chabad locally have been mapping where families are choosing to live outside the well-known areas of Ilford, Redbridge & beyond.
Activities began in January with regular meetings, discussion groups, one to one learning and a Challah bake led by Mrs Devorah Sufrin. Last week a joint Challah bake was held in Romford Synagogue to which there were some twenty five participants. A new website displaying recent and ongoing services is live on www.chabadhavering.co.uk.
Rabbi Sufrin MBE, Exec Director Chabad N E London & Essex says; “continuous requests have been made to us over a fair period of time, asking Chabad to get more involved in the area of Havering. In discussion with my wife Devorah, we decided that we must respond. In addition to three thriving Chabad Houses, based in Ilford, Buckhurst Hill & Epping with full time Chabad Emissaries, regular activities are held in Southend and now Havering.”
For now, these additional areas are serviced in the main by Rabbi & Mrs Sufrin, as the foundations are laid and relationships are built, scouting the wider areas mapping where Jewish people are living. This is often the way that in due course the seeds are sown in order to secure further Shluchim (emissaries) leading to full time Chabad Centres.
Funding will have to be secured to bring these new areas into realities, but as Rabbi Sufrin tells us,
“even though funding is always a concern and a challenge, however, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Schneerson zy”o taught us so well, that when it comes to Jewish Education and the needs of securing Jewish Communities, we cannot allow funding to hold us back”
Rabbi & Mrs Sufrin celebrate their 37th anniversary of Chabad leadership locally picking up the baton of his late Parents Rev Aron Dov & Hennie Sufrin z”l who laid the first seeds for Chabad back in 1976, from which Chabad across Essex continues to flourish.
Thought for the week from Rabbi A. M. Sufrin MBE
Noach…
The second section of the Book – Chumash of Genesis, is named after its central character, Noah (Noach in Hebrew). It begins with the account of the great Flood that washed the world clean of depravity and degeneration into which humanity had sunk since the creation of the world.
G-d told Noach to build an ark in order that he, his family, and representatives of all forms of animal life survive the Flood.
G-d told Noach, “Come into the ark, you and your entire household.”
Allegorically, “entering the ark,” means that we should immerse ourselves in the study of Torah and in prayer, in order to protect ourselves from the “flood” of worldly distractions that threaten to “drown” us in materialism.
This does mean however, that when we do this, we should become unconcerned about the needs of others. We cannot be content with our own preservation alone. We are empowered to bring our families, our children and ultimately the entire world into a wholesome, safe haven of Torah study and prayer. The plight of our fellow person should give us no rest, for we are all like one body. If one of us is spiritually ill, we are all affected, and the health of our collective self positively affects the health of each one of us.
Wishing you a meaningful Shabbos and a successful week to follow.
With prayers for an everlasting peace in Israel with the coming of Moshaich.
