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
SHOFETIM…..Judges..
The Fifth section of the Chumash / Book of Deuteronomy continues Moses’ second farewell address to the Jewish people. The Jewish people are commanded to appoint Judges throughout the Land of Israel to try cases and uphold the law. Further instructions relate to the appointment of the King, the priests and the prophets.
“you must appoint judges and sheriffs for yourself in all your cities.” (16:18)
The Hebrew word for cities used here is (she’arecha) literally means “gates”. The “gates” of our bodies are our ears, eyes, nose and mouth, through which stimuli from the external world enter our bodies and personal world. This verse is telling us to set “judges & sheriffs” to guard these “gates” against the intrusion of any material that could be harmful to our spiritual wellbeing,
Regarding the Messianic future, G-d only promises to “restore your judges, as in former times,” but not the sheriffs. In the future, negativity will not hold sway over us, so there will be no need for protective measures to ensure that we follow G-d’s will.
With our prayerful wishes for a long-term peace in Israel and the protection of our IDF soldiers, with the coming of Moshiach now.
We welcome Rabbi Shea and Rebbetzin Hecht of New York, as our scholars in residence on our last formal Shabbat service at our Gants Hill Centre.

