UPDATED COVID MESSAGE – DECEMBER 2020
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
Nitzavim & Vayeilech
This week we read a double portion of Nitzavim & Vayeilech, as we draw closer to the High Holy days.
The first beginning with:
Moses said to the Jewish People, “you are all standing today before G-d….the leaders of your tribes, your elders, your sheriffs…from your woodcutters to your water drawers.” (29:9)
How can we truly unite? After all, some of us are “leaders” while others are “water drawers” and the like. What could Jews of such a wide spectrum of social standing possibly have in common?
The answer to this is threefold: First, who is to say who is ultimately higher on the ladder of achievement? Appearances can be deceiving and we tend to over evaluate ourselves while under evaluating others.
Second, even if we have evaluated ourselves correctly, just because we excel in one aspect of our life does not mean that there are not others areas of life in which others exceed us. Everyone is a leader in some way: therefore, our collective success depends on every Jew’s unique contribution.
Third, the difference between the Creator and any creature is infinite. Realising our own puniness relative to G-d’s absolute reality eliminates any feelings of superiority we may have over other people.
When we consider these three perspectives, we can truly stand together, united, not only with feelings of love towards each other but also with behaviour that testifies the truth to these behaviours.
Wishing you a successful week followed by a peaceful and meaningful Shabbat.
