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 37^th 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

CHUKAT – BALAK…

This week we read the double portions of Chukat & Balak, the sixth and seventh section of the Chumash of Bamidbar.

Amongst the many episodes related in these portions, we learn of the passing of Moses’s sister Miriam. The water that the Jewish people had in the desert was in the merit of Miriam, which disappeared on her passing.

The water was subsequently restored in Moses’ merit.

The congregation had no water, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.(20:2)

Food nourishes the body, but the body needs water in order to absorb the nutrients in the food. Similarly, the “food“ of the soul is the Torah and the “water” is the Torah’s ability to influence all facets of our personalities, all types of people, and all aspects of life.

When the Jewish people’s existence was threatened in Egypt. Miriam was the one who ensured that there would be a new generation of Jews to carry on G-d’s mission. She both encouraged the Jewish people to continue having children and saved their new-borns from Pharaoh’s decree. On account of her efforts to ensure that the Torah would continue to flow into the next generation, the well existed in her merit.

With her passing, Moses had to assume the role. This teaches us that when the other Jews are in physical or spiritual danger we must come to their aid, even if offering this type of assistance is not our forte. When we help others, G-d in turn will help us with our own needs.

Wishing you a good week and enjoyable meaningful Shabbat to follow.