When Rabbi Ovadia and Nechoma Goldman came to town in 1998, they were told Oklahoma City was reform country. “Nice thought, but you won’t last long here,” was the polite yet clear message. The couple, then in their twenties, was not deterred. Today, two decades later, the community is united around their presence.
For better or for worse, teenagers spend much of their time on their phones—nine hours a day on average—making it an effective way to reach them. At seven o’clock, every Monday and Thursday evening, the cell phones of over 3,000 Jewish teens around the United States and Canada buzz as they receive a text message with a Jewish question and a multiple-choice answer. JText, as the program is called, engages teens using the medium most comfortable to them, offering an opportunity to learn more about Judaism with a tap on their phones.
In October of 2016, Rabbi Meir and Shaina (Matusof) Rapoport arrived to Galloway township to serve Jewish students at Stockton University. They purchased a property on the main street in town, a central location for students. “Chabad House–Jewish Student Center” read they hung a sign on their new door on Jimmie Leeds Road.
This weekend, hundreds of adults and children from seventy five cities around the world will spend Shabbat in Crown Heights exploring the Chabad heartland.
It was terribly upsetting for me to learn about a Jewish pro-Palestinian activist who was feeling right at home at Chabad. American campuses are so hostile to Israel today. As Jews, I believe we must speak in support of Israel, and that we must speak out against the organizations that threaten its survival.
On the day of the mikvah inauguration, Reizy Zaklas took a break from all the hoopla to reflect as we sat in her kitchen. I began by asking her if she would be willing to share some of her personal experiences leading up to this happy moment. She did, at first with the caveat that she did not want these stories published. But after some persuading, she agreed. The following is an excerpt of our conversation.
"For the first time in Croatia, we have the experience of a Jewish community that is practicing all the traditions. And this has changed everything. Chabad is the rebuilding of Jewish life here.”
Prison inmates are allotted a limited amount of visiting hours from family and friends. But for too many, visitors are rare. For some prisoners, years can pass before they receive a personal visit—whether it’s because they’re too far from family and friends for regular visitation or because their relationships have frayed. Contact with the world beyond the prison bars is often critical in the reintegration of prisoners into society once they've been released.
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