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
PINCHAS……
This week’s portion is Pinchas, The eighth portion in the Chumash / Book of Numbers. This week’s reading will be the same as in Israel as we have now caught up once again following the day sequence resulting in the difference between the readings in Israel and the diaspora. We have now caught up.
G-d told Moses, “take Joshua the son of Nun, a man of spirit and lay your hand upon him”. (27:18)
Joshua was chosen as Moses’ successor by virtue of his consummate diligence in absorbing Moses’ instructions – both from the Torah that Moses taught and through Moses’ personal conduct.
The difference in their leadership was that Moses’ was largely based on miracles whereas Joshuas’ was conducted naturally. Therefore, it was specifically through Joshua’s leadership that the purpose of creation – to sanctify the natural, mundane world – was fulfilled. Nevertheless, Joshua succeeded only because he was a selfless reflection of Moses, his selflessness enabled the miraculous nature of Moses’ leadership to carry over into his own natural leadership. This, Joshua’s first conquest, the city of Jericho, occurred miraculously.
As of Thursday 2nd July, with the fast of Tammuz (17th) we enter into the three week period, a time of increasing sadness as we travel the lead up to the 9th Av (Fast) commemorating the destruction of our Temples in Jerusalem.
With our continuous prayers for an everlasting peace in Israel, the diaspora and our valiant IDF soldiers, with the coming of Moshiach.
Wishing you a meaningful Shabbat and successful week to follow.
