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Chabad at George Mason University Opens Kosher Restaurant

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Jewish students at George Mason University in Northern Virginia are welcoming the opening of the Mason Mensch, the first kosher restaurant at the college—and in the northern half of the state. The restaurant was created by Chabad at George Mason University, after Chabad’s Rabbi Ezra and Bracha Wiemer saw increased demand for kosher options on campus.

Some 675 of George Mason’s 40,000 students are Jewish, and while they make up less than 2% of the campus population, they are eager to connect. Sienna Wolfe, a junior at GMU, met the Wiemers in 2021. “Here in northern Virginia there are not a lot of Jews, especially on campus,” says the Los Angeles native, “so it was very important to me in a school like this to find the Jewish community.”

Wolfe attends weekly Torah classes and Shabbat dinners at Chabad. “As a student, going to someone’s house and having a home-cooked meal with a lot of fellow Jews is wonderful,” she said. After hearing from Wolfe—and many others—the Wiemers began working to create kosher food options on campus.

Their initial offering was a kosher meal cart, created in coordination with Char Bar—a Washington, D.C. kosher restaurant, who’d deliver pre-packaged meals each day. As demand grew and the meals would sell out, Chabad partnered with Char Bar, the college, and other Jewish and food service organizations to create the restaurant. Michael Chelst, who owns Char Bar, says it’s “an honor to bring kosher to the university and the Northern Virginia community.”

The restaurant has its own kitchen, and all food is cooked fresh onsite. Diners enjoy brisket nachos, chicken poppers, and shawarma arayes. “I come from a community with lots of kosher restaurants, and the food at Mason Mensch is absolutely incredible,” Wolfe said. “Even non-Jewish students eat there, and it’s nice to see support from other students.”

The Mason Mensch has become a gathering space for Jewish students as well as the local Northern Virginia Jewish community. The opening—at a time when many Jewish students had felt beleaguered on campus after a string of disturbing antisemitic incidents and the arrest of a GMU student who’d plotted a terrorist attack—has made a statement, according to students.

“A lot of Jewish students were afraid to join anything Jewish on campus, and the Mason Mensch gives them a space where they can go and be a proud Jew, eat kosher meals with other Jewish students, and feel safe,” Wolfe said. “It shows the community we’re a strong Jewish presence, and we’re not going anywhere; we’re going to be here no matter what.”

Jewish Fans Find Warm Welcome in New Orleans

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As Jewish football fans from Kansas City and Philadelphia descend on New Orleans to watch their teams duke it out in the Super Bowl, Chabad-Lubavitch of Louisiana is serving as a nerve center for Jewish needs. 

Rabbi Yossi Nemes, of Chabad of Suburban New Orleans in Metairie, has arranged for food delivery to be available through kosher caterers. Nemes also hosted families and individuals for Shabbat, where they joined the community’s commemoration of Yud Shevat — the 75th yahrzeit of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, and the transition of leadership to the Rebbe. 

Chabad-Lubavitch of Louisiana will also staff a stand in the French Quarter on game day, offering Jewish fans the opportunity to do a mitzvah and learn more about Judaism. Rabbi Yossi Cohen of Chabad-Lubavitch of Louisiana says that tourists often reach out to Chabad, and they are always welcome to join the robust Jewish community in New Orleans during their stay. 

“Visitors are often pleasantly surprised to learn about the beautiful Jewish community in New Orleans, with synagogues, mikvahs and kosher eateries dotting the Big Easy,” Cohen said. “And as Jewish fans come to town, we are ensuring they feel welcome to experience Jewish life in Louisiana.”

Marking 75 Years of Transformation

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This Shabbos, the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, marks the seventy-fifth yahrtzeit of the the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, and is the date that his son-in-law, the Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory—assumed the mantle of Chabad leadership. The date has since been celebrated as a day of reflection on the legacies of these two great Jewish leaders.

“I’ve never met the Lubavitcher Rebbe, but my life is strongly impacted by the Rebbe,” said Rabbi Yossi Cohen of New Orleans, Louisiana.

In the Big Easy, scores of Jewish people will gather on Friday evening. Longtime community members will join Jews visiting just for the weekend in advance of Sunday’s Super Bowl. They will hear from fellow community members, Jews who lived all or most of their lives in the American South, and who never met the Lubavitcher Rebbe—but whose lives have been transformed by his leadership. 

Seventy-five years after the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe passed away and his son-in-law, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, assumed leadership of the worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch movement, there are more than 3,500 Chabad-Lubavitch institutions, staffed by some 6,000 emissary couples in more than 100 countries and territories. In the past 75 years, Chabad-Lubavitch has established Jewish communities in hundreds of cities.

This Shabbat, those Jewish communities around the world will gather to reflect on the leadership of these two giants, and the resonating impact they continue to have on Jewish life today. 

In Miami, Florida, author Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson of Belgravia, London UK will keynote what Chabad of Kendall is calling “Inaugural Shabbat,” focusing on the Rebbe’s wisdom for designing a life of purpose. After Shabbat, Kalmenson will speak to a crowd of hundreds at The Shul in Bal Harbour. A few hours north in Orlando, Chazan David Babinet will share his personal journey from his life as an opera singer to a lifestyle committed to Torah.

Chabad of Mequon, Wisconsin will host an evening titled, “This World is a Garden,” on Sunday, February 2. Drawing inspiration from the sixth Chabad Rebbe’s final chassidic discourse, titled “I Have Come to my Garden,” they will explore themes of connection, resilience, and the divine spark in every part of creation. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra String Quartet will serenade participants with chassidic melodies.

Chabad of Charlotte, N.C. will gather to be comforted and inspired at a community Shabbat dinner at the Chabad House days after the center was the site of the funeral of beloved flight attendant Ian Epstein, who perished in the midair collision on the Potomac. 

At Chabad Flamingo in the greater Toronto, Ontario area, Rabbi Sholom Ber Hertzel of Chabad in the Golan Heights keynoted an evening honoring the Rebbe and recalling the Rebbe’s guidance and support for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel and around the world.

In Blue Ash, Ohio, the Jewish community will host guest speaker, Rabbi Mendel Block of Plano, Texas. And similar community Shabbat dinners and get-togethers will take place in cities from coast to coast paying tribute to the enduring impact of the Rebbe’s leadership. 

“World Jewry is deeply indebted to the sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Joseph I. Schneersohn, for transferring Yiddishkeit to the United States, and for laying the groundwork together with his son-in-law, the Rebbe, for the Jewish day school system and Chabad’s outreach activities,” observed Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of the educational and social services divisions of Lubavitch. 

Santa Fe Foodies Welcome Chabad’s Manhattan Avenue Deli

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The aromas of fresh pastrami and homemade matzah ball soup wafting through the heart of Santa Fe, a city more known for its chile verde than its Jewish cuisine, is a fresh surprise. But besides serving up authentic New York fare, the new, aptly-named “Manhattan Avenue Deli” in New Mexico’s capital is forging Jewish connections.

Local foodies and casual eaters flocked to the deli opened by Chabad in November. Members of Facebook groups like “Santa Fe Foodies” raved about the new spot and its delicious fare, with high points for the pastrami sandwiches matzah ball soup.

Chef Aaron Moskowitz ensures each dish tastes as good as it looks. “When the idea to open a deli came up, I was immediately on board.” With a rich culinary background and a longtime relationship with the Levertovs, Aaron was the perfect pick.

He wants to fuse the New York classics with the tastes of New Mexico. “Green chilies are very popular here — we are looking to start incorporating more local flavors into our traditional dishes.” The restaurant currently sources most of its ingredients from New York to ensure the strictest kosher standards, but they want to start making fresh baked goods right in Santa Fe. “We are going to start baking bread, rugelach, and babka so everyone can enjoy a bite right out of the oven.”

Until a few months ago, kosher food was scarce in the Southwestern region of the United States, the closest kosher restaurant being in Denver, Colorado. But with the completion of a new 16,000 square foot Chabad House, which included a full-size commercial kitchen, Rabbi Berel and Devorah Leah Levertov saw an opportunity: to offer quality, kosher food to anyone who needed it.

Located on the aptly named Manhattan Ave, the deli is now open two days a week with catering options as well. A warm, inviting vibe with exposed brick walls and New York themed decor, the eatery serves up classics like pastrami on rye and piping hot potato knishes.

Rabbi Shmuel Itkin, manager of Manhattan Avenue Deli and son-in-law of Rabbi Berel Levertov sees the restaurant as a way for Jews to connect. “Many people come to the deli to enjoy delicious kosher food — people who would have otherwise never stepped foot into a synagogue.” With the restaurant located inside the Chabad center, the deli not only satisfies appetites but also draws people into a space where Jewish culture and community come alive.

“I love ordering lunch for my office from the deli,” says Dr. Loretta Torres. “It’s really incredible to have tasty, kosher food so easily available in Santa Fe. Rabbi Shmuel truly works hard to make it possible.”

But whether you’re a tourist or a local, Jew or non-Jew, deli aficionado or just hungry — Manhattan Avenue Deli has something to nourish your body — and your soul.

Today In Jewish History: 20 Teves

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Today in Jewish History: 20 Teves, Passing Of Maimonides

The “Rambam,” acronym for Rabbi Moshe ben (son of) Maimon, passed away today, the 20th of Teves in 4965 (1204). Born in Cordoba, Spain on Passover eve in 1135 or 1138, the Rambam became known to the world as Maimonides.

He was of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages, as well as a preeminent astronomer and physician to the world. His fourteen-volume Mishneh Torah carries significant canonical authority as a codification of Talmudic law and his works on philosophy, including the Moreh Nevuchim (Guide to The Perplexed) is studied the world over. When, as a child, his family fled Jewish persecution in Spain they became nomadic wanderers, eventually settling in Morocco and from there: Egypt. In Egypt Maimonides gained world renown as a court physician and community leader, assisting people of any race. He is buried in Tiberias in Israel.

The Tombstone of Moses Maimonides, also known as Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon or the acronym the Rambam

Florida’s Amelia Island Welcomes its First Rabbi

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Douglas Greene, a real estate investor, moved to Amelia Island, Florida about 15 years ago. Like many of the island’s residents, Greene and his wife, Carolyn, enjoy the balmy weather and laid-back lifestyle on the island, which, at the northeastern tip of the state of Florida, is the southernmost of the Sea Islands chain along the East Coast. 

When Greene first moved to the island, there wasn’t much in the way of Jewish life. With no synagogue to attend, a small group of residents would get together on Friday nights to celebrate Shabbat together, but “it was more of a social scene,” said Greene. He’d been a member of a shul in Potomac, Maryland before moving to the island, but wasn’t satisfied. “I wanted more Judaism, but I also love it down here. My parents, sister, daughter and their families live here.”

Greene reached out to Rabbi Yoseph Kahanov, of Chabad Lubavitch of Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, some 45 miles away. 

With Rabbi Kahanov’s help, Greene negotiated with the city of Fernandina Beach to purchase 20 burial plots in the local municipal cemetery, which were enclosed and sanctified as a Jewish cemetery. 

“I woke up in the middle of the night one night thinking, ‘Okay, I got Jewish death taken care of. Now I need to start working on Jewish life,’” Greene told Lubavitch.com. “So I started talking to Rabbi Kahanov about bringing someone up here.”

Fred Borakove, a Jewish resident of the island, said that many of the island’s estimated 1,000 Jews were interested in a little more formality in their lives. But for the many retirees who call the island paradise home, helping create a new Jewish center seemed daunting. “Almost all of us have built one or two synagogues in our lifetime,” Borakove said. They didn’t feel they could build another Jewish center on their own.

“It’s a pretty herculean task and somewhat daunting for a couple to decide to move here,” Greene said.

Douglas Greene lights the giant menorah on Amelia Island alongside Rabbi Levi Katz

Earlier this year, Rabbi Levi and Mindy Katz visited the island. Rabbi Levi Katz grew up in Surfside, Forida, where his parents, Rabbi Menachem and Rochel Katz, work with the Aleph Institute. Mindy Katz grew up in Key West, Florida with her parents, Rabbi Yaakov and Chanie Zucker, of the Chabad Jewish Center of the Florida Keys. “We felt that they would be perfect,” Greene said. “The fact that she’s from Key West and he’s from the Miami area, they kind of understood the culture—particularly Mindy, who grew up on an island like ours.”

The Katzes moved to Amelia Island in the fall, and hit the ground running. They immediately launched programs and events aimed at reaching the many demographics that make up the Jewish community, lowering the barriers of entry for Jewish connection.

“They are there and they will help you, whatever degree of formality of service that you want,” Borakove said. “People are coming around to understand Chabad; to understand that you don’t have to feel embarrassed that you might not be able to read Hebrew anymore. Rabbi Katz said in one of our Shabbat services that G-d understands many languages including English—wow, I never thought about it that way!”

This Chanukah, more than 200 people joined Chabad’s public menorah lighting at Pocket Park in downtown Fernandina Beach. “I was blown away to see how many people were there,” said Borakove.

“They’re coming out and saying, ‘We’re Jewish; we’re not afraid,’” Borakove said. “‘We’re not keeping a low profile. This is how we celebrate.’”

Greene says the community is excited for an infusion of Jewish life on the island. “It’s very fulfilling for me,” he said. “I’m in my mid-60s, and I have a granddaughter who’s going to need Jewish education.“

“My kids are thinking of moving to Jacksonville because there are more Jewish resources available there—but now, maybe they don’t have to.”

Rabbi Katz speaks during an October 7 memorial event
Gathering to pray on Amelia Island
Rabbi Levi and Mindy Katz share honey cake with an Amelia Island resident

Chabad Centers Offer Refuge Amid Raging Wildfires

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On either side of them, houses burned.

While the fires tearing through the Los Angeles area have left several dead, and entire communities in ruins, Chabad has boots on the ground.

“The rabbis and rebbetzins spent most of the day yesterday up in the fire zones trying to assist people,” said Rabbi Chaim Hanoka, of Chabad of Pasadena. “They’re helping to put out fires at the homes of members of our congregation. We’re also doing welfare checks and bringing food and snacks to the residents who were up there, as well as firefighters and law enforcement.”

The elderly and the disabled are especially vulnerable and needy, and Chabad shluchim are providing them with food, shelter and other critical support.

Rabbi Chaim Hanoka brings aid to community members in need as fires rage

“We are currently setting up a City of Refuge — for lack of a better term — at Chabad of Pasadena,” said Rabbi Hanoka. “We are offering food, meals, coffee, clothing, counseling and a place to stay for anybody who needs it.”

The devastation is staggering. “Hundreds of homes have burned to the ground. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated — for a city like ours, that’s a lot of people — and we’re doing whatever we can, day and night, to help them out.”

Although Chabad of Pacific Palisades sustained extensive damage to outbuildings and storage areas, it hasn’t stopped the shluchim from setting up a command center at its main facility. 

Serving food to evacuees at Chabad of Pasadena

“Right now one thing we can really offer is emotional support,” said Rabbi Sholom Diskin of Chabad of Pacific Palisades. “We’re talking about complete destruction; it’s unreal what happened. Most people don’t have houses, most people are just in shock.”

Diskin is fielding calls and helping others even as he faces personal devastation: his own home burned down. 

“We’ve been in touch with all our congregants over the past few days, checking in on everyone,” said Rabbi Avi Cunin of Chabad of the Palisades Village. “Almost everyone’s homes are burned.”

Evacuating Torah Scrolls from Chabad of Pacific Palisades

Cunin recalls seeing a middle-aged woman and her son frantically running down Sunset Boulevard. They’d had to abandon their car as the flames spread. Cunin urged them to come into the Chabad House. “We ended up driving them out of harm’s way,” Cunin said. 

Further north near Pasadena, Rabbi Mendy Grossbaum of Chabad of the Crescenta Valley is mobilizing local teens with an eye towards launching an effort to help clean up fire-damaged homes once conditions permit it. “We are waiting for everything to settle down first,” he said. “The fires are still raging.”

As entire neighborhoods lay in ruin, the scenes are surreal. “It’s been overwhelming; the devastation is absolutely horrible and beyond belief,” Hanoka said. “But I have no doubt that Hashem will give all of us the strength to rebuild; not just to rebuild but to rebuild bigger and greater.”

Donate To Chabad’s Relief Efforts
Rabbi Sholom Ber Rodal of Chabad of Mt. Olympus leads a Torah class by candlelight amid widespread power outages
Devastation in Pasadena
A home engulfed in flames in Pasadena
Entire neighborhoods were devastated by the flames
Preparing food at Chabad of Pasadena

Remembering Chanukah With My Father

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The Chassidic masters used to say, “Listen to the Chanukah candles; every one tells a story.”

As we prepare to kindle the special 8th light, I would like to share a personal story:

When I was a young teenager, I would often come home from yeshivah to celebrate Chanukah with my family. Inevitably, my father OBM, would draft me and my siblings to help with the various community menorah lightings he had arranged.

I remember one Chanukah dressing up as clown, dancing around the mall singing Chanukah songs at a public menorah lighting at Regency Square. I remember going to hospitals, jails, and the Beth Shalom Home to hand out tin menorahs and boxes of candles so that everybody who wanted could light the menorah.

But it wasn’t always glamorous. Many winters I stood outside in the freezing cold trying to help my dad install gasoline lanterns on a giant menorah he had built on the corner of Parham and Patterson avenues – my fingers so numb I couldn’t feel them. Then, each night, I had to put on all the winter clothes I had in order to go outside and refill them. And I remember the stares.

Not the innocent stares that came from non-Jews who had probably never seen a menorah – let alone two Chassidim at a busy Richmond intersection. But the stares of contempt, and sometimes even anger, from fellow Jews who didn’t like the fact that my father had taken Chanukah out of the closet and placed it on the streets of Richmond for all to see.

As I got older, I became aware of what seemed like an annual debate between my father and the rest of the community; From the Federation to the Rabbis, to many of the lay-leadership, everybody was against public menorahs. My father kept insisting that the message of Chanukah was a universal one – and that the Jewish community should proudly embrace the opportunity to be a “Light unto the Nations,” but he was (literally) fighting City Hall.

Urged on by his mentor and teacher, the Lubavitcher Rebbe OBM, my father kept those menorahs burning anyway, and at one point, had over a dozen giant Chanukah menorahs on display all over the city.

Last week I was honored to be invited by our Governor and First Lady, Dorothy and Terry McAuliffe, to a Chanukah celebration and menorah lighting at the Governor’s Mansion. Standing there, watching our Federation leaders, Rabbis, Lay-leadership, and Jews and non-Jews alike, sing the blessings and kindle a menorah (on state property, no less!), brought tears to my eyes. How many of the people here know, I wondered to myself, that this moment was made possible by the tenacity of a single man determined to teach the world to proudly celebrate light?

Even though it was already the fourth night of Chanukah, my heart was bursting to say the blessing “she’hehcheyanu v’kiyimanu vi’higiyanu l’izman hazeh!”

As I looked around the room and watched my colleagues and friends joyfully and publicly celebrating Chanukah, I couldn’t help but squeeze my fingers and marvel just how warm it felt inside.

Happy Chanukah!

How To Chanukah

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The Menorah

On each of the eight nights of Chanukah, this year beginning December 25 through January 1, we light the menorah. Here, in a nutshell, is how it works:

Though meant to recall the seven-branched candelabrum that once stood in the Temple, our modern-day menorah has eight lights, plus one more, known as the shamash, or “servant”, that serves to kindle the other lights and is set slightly apart from them. On the first night, close to nightfall, we use the shamash to light one lamp; on the second night, we add one more; and so we continue, adding another light each night so that by the end of the holiday we light all eight lights of the menorah.

Ideally, the lights must comprise fuel and wick—that includes candles, cotton wicks in olive oil, or paraffin lamps, but not gas or electric lights—and need enough fuel to burn for half an hour after nightfall. On Friday afternoon, the menorah is lit before the Shabbat candles, which are lit earlier than usual, before sundown, so make sure to use more fuel or longer candles. After Shabbat, be sure to wait until after nightfall and the Havdalah ceremony to light. 

There are two blessings to be recited before lighting the menorah each night, and on your first time lighting this year add a third, the Shehechiyanu, a generic blessing for special occasions. After lighting, while watching the candles burn, the Haneirot Hallalu prayer is recited, along with other traditional songs. 

Blessings and Prayers

The blessings provided here can be recited in Hebrew, transliterated Hebrew, or English. Recite all three before lighting for the first time this year, but only the first two on subsequent nights. 

First Night of Chanukah

Wednesday, Dec. 25 – Eve of 25 Kislev

After sunset, recite blessings 1, 2, and 3* then kindle one light on your menorah.

Second Night of Chanukah

Thursday, Dec. 26 – Eve of 26 Kislev

After sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, and kindle two lights on your menorah.

Third Night of Chanukah

Friday, Dec. 27 – Eve of 27 Kislev

After sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, and kindle three lights on your menorah. The menorah must be lit before lighting Shabbat candles. Light Shabbat candles 18 minutes before sunset.

Fourth Night of Chanukah

Saturday, Dec. 28 – Eve of 28 Kislev

After night falls and Shabbat ends, recite blessings 1 and 2, and kindle four lights on your menorah.

Fifth Night of Chanukah

Sunday, Dec. 29 – Eve of 29 Kislev

After sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, and kindle five lights on your menorah.

Sixth Night of Chanukah

Monday, Dec. 30 – Eve of 1 Tevet

After sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, and kindle six lights on your menorah.

Seventh Night of Chanukah

Tuesday, Dec. 31 – Eve of 2 Tevet

After sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, and kindle seven lights on your menorah.

Eighth Night of Chanukah

Wednesday, Jan. 1 – Eve of 3 Tevet

After sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, and kindle eight lights on your menorah.

Chanukah Fun Facts

Keep on Spinning!

When is a spinning top not just a spinning top? When it’s a dreidel. The beloved Chanukah game—especially popular when played for chocolate coins—was popularized in eighteenth century Europe, although accepted attribution places its origin squarely in the Chanukah story. In this account, the four-sided top served as a pretense for Jewish children to gather and study Torah under Greek oppression. 

A hundred more mystical, homiletic, and symbolic explanations dance atop the top’s little handle. The four letters inscribed on its sides (Nun, Gimmel, Hay, Shin) reference the historic Chanukah miracle; their numerical value is the same as that of Moshiach, pointing to our future Redemption; and, in a way, the dreidel tells the story of everything in between: As the centuries have turned, we Jews sometimes fall over, but then we persevere, get up again, and keep on spinning. 

A Whole Megillah

Everyone knows about Purim’s Scroll of Esther, but have you heard of the Chanukah Megillah? Many of the details of the Maccabees’ exploits come to us by way of a somewhat obscure text more commonly referred to as “The Scroll of Antiochus.” More details appear in other ancient sources, like the writings of Josephus and the Books of the Maccabees, but they have not survived as Jewish texts. There were also brief mentions by Greek and Roman historians of the ancient world like Diodorus and Tacitus.

Although, unlike Esther’s Megillah, the Scroll of Antiochus is not part of the Tanach—our holy Scriptures—it is however cited in Jewish sources going back to the Gaonic era. Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, a pre-eminent tenth century Babylonian Sage, traces the work back to the days of the Hasmoneans, although others contend it was composed closer to the Gaon’s day. Some communities have had the custom to read the Scroll aloud, and it has even been printed in some prayer books.

The Main Miracle

The two most famous, albeit brief, rabbinic accounts of the Chanukah story appear in the Talmud and in our liturgy. A few lines in tractate Shabbos explain just what the holiday is commemorating, while the V’al Hanissim prayer is inserted into the holiday prayers, and Grace After Meals gives a synopsis of the Chanukah miracles for which we give thanks to G-d.

Interestingly, these two sources emphasize different aspects of the Chanukah story: V’al Hanissim makes much of the Maccabees’ defeat over their foes, while the Talmud scarcely mentions the battles, and instead focuses on the miracle of the menorah.

All of which raises the question: Which of these miracles is more significant: The astonishing upset in war, or that marvelous oil that lasted for eight days? What do you think?

The Chanukah Heroine

Along with the latkes, the doughnuts, and the chocolate coins, another important culinary custom on Chanukah is to eat dairy foods. As the story goes, the brave Yehudit (Judith) had the enemy general Holofernes let his guard down by posing as a collaborator, and then fed him salty cheese and plenty of wine. The wine went to his head, which—once he fell asleep—he promptly lost to her sword. The story is commonly placed in the Chanukah context, which is why it became an excellent reason to enjoy some cheese over the holiday, as well as the source of a special custom for women to take a break from doing work for at least the first half-hour of the menorah lights burning.

The scene of Yehudit, decapitating the general has also become a much frequented subject for artists since the Renaissance. From a sculpture by Donatello, through paintings from Baroque artists Carvaggio and Artemisia, to more modern interpretations by Kehinde Wiley (more famously known as President Obama’s portraitist). Judith on Red Square, by Russian-born Jewish artists Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid, reimagines Holofernes as Stalin and Yehudit as a young girl. There are even menorahs depicting the Chanukah heroine and the hapless Holofernes.

Trois-Rivières Historic Jewish Community Welcomes Chabad Center

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Sometime during the height of the COVID pandemic, Rabbi Aaron Spiro posted an ad on Facebook — something that read along the lines of: “Are you Jewish? Do you live in Trois-Rivières?” These questions would soon be answered with an unexpected Jewish revitalization in one of Quebec’s oldest cities.

About a two-hour drive from Montreal, the city of Trois-Rivières gets its name from the three channels where the Saint Maurice River meets the Saint Lawrence River. 

The city has a strong Jewish history. British businessman Aaron Hart, one of the first Jews to live in North America, settled in Trois-Rivières in 1761. His son, Ezekiel, was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada in the early 19th century, initially unwilling to take his seat because the swearing-in oath included the phrase, “on the true faith of a Christian.”

Today, the city’s “Hart Street” honors the family’s legacy, and until recently, this was the sole memory of anything Jewish in Trois-Rivières. The last known synagogue closed in the 1950s; even the Jewish cemetery was relocated to Montreal in the 1980s. However, with the Montreal Torah Center’s L’Chaim Project, which aims to revitalize Jewish life around Quebec, an opportunity arose. In 2021, Rabbi Levi New called up Rabbi Aaron Spiro, asking him to participate in a new outreach project to help those feeling isolated due to the Covid pandemic. “Reach out to the Jews of Trois-Rivières,” he said.

After a few Facebook ads, people responded, and the dormant Jewish spirit of the city was awakened. Soon, Aaron and his wife Amanda, along with their 3 children, began visiting the city once a month, offering programs for Shabbat and holidays, with a growing number of participants.

Gina Levine saw the advertisement on Facebook and was overjoyed. “I had been living here for over 30 years, holding strong to my Jewish beliefs and traditions all throughout. But when the Spiros came they brought our small, but warm, community together.” She joined around 25 others in the first public Menorah lighting in the city’s history, a celebration that, she says, “brought tears to my eyes.”

Eventually, the Spiros began making the trek more often. However, each time, they were met with a challenge: where would they host the programs? Searching for a proper venue and koshering kitchens time and again was proving to be quite the hassle.

But just before Passover of 2024, Aaron received an unexpected call from a Montreal acquaintance who offered them a spacious, furnished condo in Trois-Rivières rent-free for Chabad use. Within 10 days, they moved in, furnished it, and hosted a Passover Seder and holiday services. After Passover, they held an event to inaugurate the new Chabad House, drawing 100 attendees. These days, the Spiros visit the city pretty often, hosting Shabbat and holiday services and meals — and soon, Rabbi Spiro says, Torah classes.

“The Spiros’ efforts to reach out, especially to my son, have made a big difference,” says Sam Falk. Sam lives in a small town nearly two hours north of Trois-Rivières, but he feels a close connection to Chabad there. “It’s comforting to have a Jewish presence in what feels like a spiritual wilderness. Knowing there’s a place to connect for Shabbat and holidays means so much.”“Every Jewish person in the community has a unique story,” says Rabbi Aaron. Some moved recently, while others settled there decades ago. Some even live in even smaller towns nearby and travel to Trois-Rivières for Jewish events. “Whenever we meet a new face, the first thing they often say is, ‘I thought I was the only Jew here.’ We’re here to let them know that that’s not the case.”

A Chanukah Message From Rabbi Krinsky

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Dear readers, 

I’m waiting for Chanukah.

In fact, I can’t wait to give thanks “for the miracles of those days in our time . . .”

It’s one of the blessings we recite when we light the menorah. 

Those days, the people of Israel faced existential threat.

Those days, the tiny nation of Israel stood alone, vilified by its foes. 

And in our time too.

Those days, the people of Israel stunned their enemies with a miraculous victory. 

And in our time too!

On Wednesday night, December 25, the first night of Chanukah, let us give thanks for the light that is finally shining through the darkness. 

Let us celebrate the miracles of those days that we are seeing in our time. 

With each additional light of the menorah that we’ll kindle over the course of eight days, we will shine light on the miracles that are unfolding before our eyes.  

In our time, the Chanukah lights illuminating the night skies will penetrate the darkest of places—even Gaza—with miracles of deliverance for our hostages.

Join me, dear friend, in making those lights shine their brightest. 

In your home, in your neighborhood, in your community. 

And let the light finally triumph, dispelling darkness once and for all. 

This Chanukah, may we see the miracles of those days in our time. 

For the people of Israel, the soldiers on the battlefront and the hostages in captivity.

For Am Yisrael. For the whole world. 

Wishing you personally, a joyous and illuminating Chanukah. 

Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky

Chabad Opens in Leander, Texas, Amid Tech-Fueled Boom

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Rachel Binder’s family had no idea they were Jewish.  

Her great-grandmother made sure of that. But when someone in the family discovered a menorah and Torah books hidden away in a closet in their great-grandmother’s home, they had questions. Rachel and her uncle did some digging and confirmed that her great-grandmother hid her Jewish identity.

“I’m trying to teach my children the rituals, customs and culture of Judaism,” Binder told Lubavitch.com. “It’s important to me because it was kept from my family. We’re trying to do our best to raise our children and teach them.”

Rachel’s determination to bring Judaism into her children’s lives was challenging in Leander, Texas, a fast-growing suburb north of Austin. The location near Austin was great for her husband, who works in tech, and the suburban setting was great for her kids, who enjoy living in a home with a backyard. But when they first got to Leander in 2021, there was very little available in the way of Jewish resources, Rachel described.

“There was nothing here. Walmart and Target didn’t even have Hanukkah candles. When I asked for them, they’d confusedly send me to the birthday candles.” Rachel missed the public menorah lightings she had experienced in California, before moving to Leander. “It was heartbreaking not to see that for a while.” 

Then, two years after moving to town, she heard that the city would be having its first-ever public menorah lighting, held by Rabbi Shmuly and Nechomele Levertov, who’d just moved to town to found Chabad of Leander. 

Rabbi Shmuly grew up in nearby Austin, where his parents, Rabbi Yosef and Rochel Levertov direct Chabad of Austin. Growing up, Shmuly says, Leander had a much more rural feel than it does today. “We used to come to Leander to ride horses at a family friend’s ranch,” Levertov described. “But now, it’s being built up very quickly.” Indeed, Leander was the fastest-growing city in the US for a time, with many West Coast imports—like the Binders—moving in to work in tech in Austin.

More than 100 people, including the city’s mayor, attended that first menorah lighting at Robin Bledsoe Park. For Rachel Binder, it was a milestone not just for the city, but for her family. “To have the Levertovs come here, to host menorah lightings, to be able to expose my children and to give them an opportunity to be a part of it—it was wonderful,” she said. “They are so welcoming. They reach out to us weekly; they’re very accepting of my family, there’s so much warmth and kindness.”

The Levertovs have hosted holiday events and lots of family-friendly experiences, including a shofar factory, a sukkah-mobile, and next week, a menorah workshop.

“They treat everyone like family,” Binder said. “It’s so wonderful for our children, and we feel grateful and blessed that they came.”