WELCOME TO CHABAD SOUTHEND

We are delighted to welcome you to our new website for Chabad Southend, a branch of Chabad North East London & Essex.

Now in our third year, we have been working in partnership with the Southend & Westcliff Synagogue Community and its leadership, to provide additional educational opportunities from children through adults.

We currently provide:

– Cheder classes each Monday for children aged Year 1 – through to Bar / Bat Mitzvah, with exciting, challenging and fun interactive classes. Innovative reading learning programme tailor made to each child’s ability and level of growth and development. Jewish knowledge taught by way of interactive arts and crafts projects, hands on experiences, all led by Mrs Devorah Sufrin and our Shluchos based in Gants Hill.

– JWC Jewish Women’s Circle, monthly discussion and activity groups on Jewish topics with social interaction led by Mrs Devorah Sufrin

– Men’s monthly discussion groups in an interactive manner on varying Jewish topics relevant to today’s challenges in the Jewish world led by Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin MBE

The monthly discussion groups are hosted in private homes. If you would like to host a meeting or find out more please contact us.

Chabad N E London & Essex currently has three Cheder opportunities for your children each week accross Essex.

Sunday @ Chabad Gants Hill, Monday @ Westcliff & Southend Synagogue, Finchley Road, Southend. Wednesday @ Chabad Buckhurst Hill.

We are continuously looking at ways of enhancing Chabad’s educational & social services for the Community and look forward to sharing more with you as time goes on.

Thought for the week from Rabbi A. M. Sufrin MBE

Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah

This Shabbat is called “Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot”, (the weekday part of the Sukkot festival – BUT its Shabbat, and all Shabbat rules apply)

After a very full month of TISHREI, beginning with Rosh Hashanah, we come to the concluding days beginning Monday evening 27^th September (6:28pm) for the Festival of Shemini Atzeret (8^th day of Sukkot) and Simchat Torah (celebrating the conclusion of the reading of the Torah) on Tuesday & Wednesday 28/29^th September.

The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchock Schneerson, related, in the name of his father known as the Rebbe Rashab: “The 48 hours of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah must be held very precious. For at every moment one can draw down pails full and barrels full of treasures, both materially and physically.

How is this accomplished, by dancing with the Torah. Interestingly enough, we dance with the Torah in its closed form with its ties and covers, not in its open form reading from it.

One may ask why? Here once again we see the unique character of the whole of the Jewish People. Everyone is important and everyone counts. The Torah does not belong just to the learned, but even if someone is less learned and as of yet not had the opportunity to engage with that which is written within the Torah is still part of it. He / She too can be part of this special 48 hours and take ownership of the Torah with joy purely by dancing.

Services are being held at all of our Chabad Houses and are most enjoyable. Check our websites for times of each of our Chabad services in Gants Hill, Buckhurst Hill and Epping.

Have a wonderful Shabbat and joyous Festival time beyond.