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
TAZRIA / METZORA
This week we read the double portions of Tazria & Metzora in the Chumash / Book of Leviticus / Vayikra.
In the previous portion the Torah discusses the laws of ritual defilement imparted by dead animals. In this section, the Torah proceeds to the laws of defilement associated with human beings.
In the second portion Metzora, the Torah discusses the laws associated with someone who is inflicted with Tzara ‘at (Metzora in Hebrew) must undergo in order to be allowed into the Tabernacle again.
One must understand that this affliction is Biblical leprosy not like any skin ailment that one finds today.
Nonetheless, the Hebrew word for Tzara ‘at (Metzora) can be seen as a contraction of the Hebrew phrase for “slanderer” (motzi Shem ra), which literally means “ someone who gives (someone else) a bad name”
This portion therefore highlights for us the need to take extra precaution when engaging with slander against another human being which we are taught affects three people. The slanderer, the one of whom they are speaking and those that listen.
A tall order for us all indeed!
Wishing you and yours a meaningful Shabbat and successful week to follow. With our continued prayers for an everlasting peace in Israel with our much needed Moshiach.

