Richmond Chabad grows

Letters

Editor: The Jews of Richmond can now stop worrying so much about the survival of traditional Chassidic Yiddishkeit. Thanks to the unflagging efforts of Rabbi Yechiel and Rebbetzin Chanie Baitelman, there is a new sense of community and spiritual revival. From a standing start with no more than four or five interested people, these two shlichim (emissaries) have, in a few years, founded a solid and growing base of operations from which dozens have been inspired and instructed to lead a richer and fuller Jewish life.

Chabad is different from other Jewish paths and practices. Leaders are married couples specially selected by central Lubavitch in New York for their level of Jewish learning and demonstrated dedication. Around the world, Lubavitch remains the strongest and most influential Jewish movement in 300 years. Whereas most synagogues have contractually bound short-term associations with a rabbi, Chabad rabbis are sent out to provide strong permanent leadership and training based not on legalities but on commitment to a particular community. Where most synagogues have elected boards and dues-paying members, successful Chabad leadership is based on continual achievement and merit, and membership is by voluntary donation alone.

Therefore, it is no surprise that in a five-year period the little shul above a pizzeria has grown to nearly 100 families, with many more people happily, but less regularly, included in our numbers. We have yom tov [holiday] services, a Hebrew school for young kids, several classes each week for adults and students, a successful summer camp program and a weekly toddler program. But all of this appears routine on the part of the enthusiastic Baitelmans. What makes our shul special is the feeling of warmth and inclusiveness that we share. Often on a Shabbat morning, more than 40 adults attend the minyan, along with many children. Not bad for a place nobody had ever heard of a few years ago. We also host a terrific, hot kiddush every Shabbat – complete with many l'chaims, stories and songs.

Chabad of Richmond also has a Sunday morning group that turns out for minyan in ever-increasing numbers. Starting at 9:30 a.m., as many as 40 men and boys show up to put on tefillin, many for the very first time. After the brief shacharit [morning] service, we socialize for an hour each week – over a hot breakfast that could not be purchased for $10 at any restaurant. During and after the breakfast, there is a lively discussion period with topics ranging from points of Torah, to timely current events and recent simchot in the community. This is followed by the playing of a weekly tape sent from New York Chabad headquarters, in which the Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneersohn z"l, is featured relaying his timeless messages of optimism and encouragement. Mornings like this give us a sense of communal enjoyment and purpose that help us to start off our week, and most people describe these sessions as unique in their Jewish experience.

Best of all, we have Jews from all over the world who have turned to the Baitelmans for spiritual guidance, many of whom have never had the opportunity to fully appreciate the benefits of a Jewish education and ahavat Yisrael [love of Israel]. We have had people come to join in from several of the former Soviet republics, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, Morocco, England, Australia, Israel and the United States. In the past few weeks, there were Russian Jews with tears in their eyes saying Kaddish [mourner's prayer] for a loved one for the first time. Many of us have forged new friendships and business relationships with people we otherwise would never have met.

For details about this unique community, go to the Chabad of Richmond Web site, www.chabadrichmond.com.

Dan Rusen
Richmond

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