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
Ki Tisa…to take…
The Ninth section of the Book / Chumash of Exodus tells of G-d’s instruction to Moses to take a census of all adult males by collecting a silver half – shekel coin from each one. This fund was used to purchase those sacrifices offered up on behalf of the Jewish people. The portion concludes with the incident of the Golden Calf and its aftermath.
G-d tells Moses: “this is what everyone must give: a half-shekel, of the shekel used for holy purposes, which weighs 20 geirah.”
The half shekel was an expression of Jewish unity – rich and poor alike gave the same amount. Everyone gave only half a shekel to teach us that we can only achieve unity when we all recognise that we are all halves. To be a complete shekel, we must unite with our fellow.
Similarly, we are also only a “half” in our relationship with G-d. The ten powers of the soul – our intellect and emotions – parallel the ten powers that G-d used in creating the world and continues to use to constantly re-create. When we channel all ten powers of our soul – every nuance of our being – toward uniting with G-d and fulfilling our Divine mission, we align our soul powers with G-d’s attributes. Our ten becomes twenty – a holy shekel.
With our continued prayers for peace in Eretz Yisroel, world peace with Moshiach.
Wishing you meaningful Shabbos and successful week to follow.
