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 Teitzei…..When they go out….
The sixth portion of the Chumash / Book of Deuteronomy continues Moses’ second farewell address to the Jewish people.
Moses told the Jewish people, “if you go out to war upon your enemies, G-d will deliver (your enemy) into your hands, and you will take (back your enemy’s captives.”(21:10)
When we contend with evil, we are “going out to war.” We are “going out” of our true selves, for waging war is unnatural. Our soul’s native environment is the peaceful, infinite Divine consciousness it experienced before it entered the body.
Since our souls originate in G-d’s essence, we have the upper hand over evil even before the battle has begun. We are “upon” -i.e., above – our enemies. In addition, G-d only created evil in the first place in order for us to vanquish it. For both reasons, the Torah goes on to assure us that “G-d will deliver your enemy into your hands.”
The Torah thus teaches us that in order to win the war against evil, we must identify with our Divine soul. We are then backed by the full power of G-d’s holiness.
Wishing you a meaningful Shabbat followed by a successful week.
With our continued prayers for an everlasting peace in Israel, our brothers and sisters the world over and our IDF heroes/ines.
