Rabbi Zalman's Blog

We’re always looking for strange foods and different cultures to make our Shabbat dinner experience unique. So when Rita, a third-year student from Trondheim, Norway, suggested Norwegian, Shterna shouted ‘yes’ while I braced myself.

Turns out, the first course is much like a late night Chassidic farbrengen; plenty of pickled herring, shmaltz herring, chopped herring, smoked salmon, salads full of vinegar and a flow of alcoholic beverages. The second course was a little less familiar, with mushy something and meatballs covered in some brown sauce, which actually turned out whitish despite Shterna’s attempts at browning them. Dessert was more familiar ground, with waffles and ice cream.

All 25 of us had plenty to eat, and plenty of fun to boot.

As I prepare this blog post, the sun has set and the Hebrew date of 10^th Shevat has entered. Tonight, Chabad-Lubavitch marks the 60^th year since the passing of the Previous Rebbe and the date on which, a year later in 1951, the Rebbe officially accepted the leadership of the Chabad Movement.

Through the next 42 years, until suffering a stroke in March 1992, the Rebbe revolutionised Torah study, bringing the text of the Torah, Rashi’s commentary and Talmudic teaching to life in a manner never before accomplished. The value of every single Jew, every human being and every single positive act, again revolutionised by the Rebbe. From a simple office in Brooklyn, the Rebbe taught and inspired a movement which, under the Rebbe’s guidance, would reach Jews in every corner of the globe, amassing an army of some 4000 couples who have left their communities and comfort zones, indefinitely, in their quest to share the beauty of living Judaism with every Jew on the planet.

So Norwegian Shabbat made perfect sense.

Throughout the 80’s, the Rebbe was asked about a Chabad presence in Scandinavia, and consistently the Rebbe responded ‘not yet’. And then the Rebbe gave his blessing to Rabbi & Mrs Alex Namder to set up shop in Gothenburg, and then Chabad moved to Denmark, and then Norway, and finally Finland!

Here’s a story Shterna shared at the dinner.

Shterna called Mrs Esther Miriam Wilhelm, of Chabad of Norway for some food-for-thought. Her husband shared the following story:

Yaakov, a secular Israeli, arrived in Oslo, from where he and Rabbi Wilhelm were scheduled to travel north to Tromso, where Yaakov would be managing the financial side of a kosher smoked salmon factory, which Rabbi Wilhelm supervised. While still in Oslo, the rabbi offered Yaacov the opportunity to don Tefillin, which he declined despite also being urged to by a non-Jewish Norwegian woman who was involved in the smoked salmon enterprise.

At 10:30pm that evening, 24^th June, in the broad daylight of northern Norway, Rabbi Wilhelm and Yaakov were walking through the centre of Tromso, when a car screeched up beside them and a middle-aged Israeli yelled in Hebrew ‘What are you doing here?’. After exchanging pleasantries, the surprised Israeli insisted that they join him at his bar, overlooking the Tromso Bridge where thousands gather each year during late June to witness the sun’s quick setting and immediate rise. While Yaakov accompanied Uri, the rabbi dashed back to his hotel room for his pair of Tefillin.

When he returned to the crowded bar, Rabbi Wilhelm asked Uri if he wished to don Tefillin. Uri enthusiastically and emotionally rolled up his sleeve, while declaring that this was the first time in 41 years that he was performing this special Mitzvah. Many of the patrons of the crowded bar stared in disbelief as a sobbing Uri emotionally recited the Shema. When Uri concluded, the rabbi turned to Yaakov and said “now would you like to put on Tefillin?”. Yaakov responded that he’ll do it at the bridge, where the two had planned to witness the remarkable sunset, followed six minutes later by sunrise.

At 1:00am, with the sky bright as day, Yaakov put on the Tefillin at the bridge as promised. The two stood in silence as they witnessed the remarkable sunset, with the suns rays reflecting on the water. Barely six minutes later, the sun rose in all its glory, and Rabbi Wilhelm turns to the stunned Yaakov and says, “you promised you’d put on Tefillin at the bridge. Would you like to put them on?”. “But I just did”, declared Yaakov, to which the rabbi responded, “but that was yesterday”.

“My friends back in Israel will be amazed to learn that I put on Tefillin on two separate days, 25 minutes apart”, declared Yaakov as he rolled up his sleeve.

After Shterna concluded the story, we invited all the guests to say something, as we do each week. Tefillin was the chosen Mitzvah by a student who was inspired by the beautiful story.

This past weekend I joined 3500 Chabad Rabbis for the annual Chabad Lubavitch International Shluchim Conference.

But this year, in the shadow of the first anniversary of the Mumbai Massacre, was different.

The chosen date of the annual conference is the Shabbat prior to the Hebrew month of Kislev; the first of Kislev being a festival of sorts within the Chabad movement. On this date in 1977, the Rebbe, then aged 75, returned home for the first time from his office/makeshift Intensive Care Unit, after suffering a series of massive heart attacks in the middle of the Simchat Torah celebrations 5 weeks earlier. The date has since been marked annually as one of thanksgiving to G-d for the Rebbe’s recovery and a celebration of the Rebbe’s remarkable achievements during the next 16 years.

But this year, in the shadow of the first anniversary of the Mumbai Massacre, was different.

To be honest, I boarded the NY-bound flight last Wednesday with some trepidation. How would the conference maintain its positive, upbeat atmosphere this year? How would friends revel in each others friendships and celebrate the achievements of the past 12 months? How could Chabad leaders and conference delegates share hope, optimism and celebration this year?

In the shadow of the first anniversary of the Mumbai Massacre.

Though I knew without a doubt what the prevalent atmosphere would be, I still wondered, and headed off to NY apprehensively.

Arye, an alumni of Brighton & Sussex Medical School, joined me at the conference gala banquet on Sunday evening.  Arye noted to a reporter that it was only on Sunday evening that it occurred to him how close to home the Mumbai Massacre had struck. For Arye, Rabbi Gabi & Rivki Holtzberg and their Mumbai centre had been distant names until the roll call, when 4000+ Rabbis and Lay Leaders offered a thunderous applause to the Shluchim of Mumbai, while the cameras closed in on Gabi & Rivki’s fathers, shown on giant screens throughout the hall.

After last year’s conference, Chabad rabbis returned to posts across the world invigorated and motivated. All positive feelings quickly evaporated when we learned of the siege at Chabad of Mumbai, and we spent the next few days monitoring the news updates with dread, and then despair, as the horrendous news was confirmed; our dear colleagues Gabi & Rivki and their four guests had been brutally murdered by barbaric terrorists.

Miraculously, the babysitter and a cook managed to rescue young Moishele, who celebrated his third birthday today with his grandparents in Israel.

The spirit that is Chabad shone forth at this year’s conference in full force, in the shadow of the first anniversary of the Mumbai Massacre.

On Thursday evening, the final letters of a new Torah Scroll were penned in memory of the victims. The scroll, which will be housed at the newly renovated Mumbai Chabad Centre, was escorted through the street amid live music, joyous singing and dancing. Outside Chabad World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway, an estimated 6000 people gathered to greet the Torah and celebrate this truly festive occasion.

There was hope and joy in the shadow of the first anniversary of the Mumbai Massacre.

The atmosphere created by the joyous Torah celebration transformed the conference to one of optimism and hopefulness.

Shabbat in Crown Heights was inspirational. And then the gala banquet.

How do you transform a US Military Troop C Armoury, built for the purpose of military drills, into a banqueting suite for the Rebbe’s army? Click here http://vimeo.com/7639930 for a one-week time lapse 2 minute video of the banquet, from set up to clean up. If you know anything about catering, you’ll be floored!

A video depicting the lives of Rabbi & Mrs Holtzberg was shown during the banquet. It struck me as the video ended that this was yet another production that exemplifies what Chabad stands for. The video was full of motivation and hope, charging us to perpetuate the memories of these two young giants, who gave their lives on duty, carrying the Rebbe’s message of concern for every Jew, far from the comforts of family and friends, Afulah or Brooklyn, at Mumbai’s Chabad House.

We have returned to our posts encouraged and motivated; ready to share the warmth and inspiration with each and every Jew we encounter, in the shadow of the first anniversary of the Mumbai Massacre.

Shterna has done it again. Close to 30 enjoyed savoury Moroccan style dishes on Friday night, including a Moroccan style ‘Gefilta Fish’ (whatever that means), a range of salad recipes that I can’t and won’t spell, homemade tehini, chicken cooked in a sweet sauce which included dried prunes, apricots and raisins and more. So, she’s never cooked Moroccan before, but that didn’t faze her and she set to the task with gusto. Shterna; thanks for a job well done.

Special thanks are also extended to Rochel and Daphna, who joined Shterna in the kitchen for the pre-Shabbat rush, and Rochel even used the extra hour provided by the clock-change last night to wash up. Thank you to you both.

The stars of the evening were Mr Simon Hatchwell and his wife Kirsten. Simon is a Moroccan native, having grown up in Essaouira, on Morocco’s West Coast. As he still owns the family home there, he returns to Morocco a number of times a year, and kept us all spellbound with stories, historical facts and his own artistic home drawn maps.

Mrs Hatchwell, who clearly prefers Brighton to the plains of Morocco, met Simon in her hometown Copenhagen over 50 years ago, while he was travelling across Scandinavia during his summer break. Mrs Hatchwell contributed a fair deal to the evening and with great pride displayed images of her late mother-in-law in traditional Moroccan dress.

According to Simon and Kirsten, the food on Friday night was delicious and considered to be superb Moroccan cuisine, though Simon maintains that the Arabs of Morocco weren’t the world’s best cooks, and Moroccan cooking is actually traditional Sephardic cooking, having been developed by the Jewish women of the land!

Either way, the relaxed informal atmosphere and mix bunch of people, offered students and young adults yet another opportunity to enjoy the flavour that is Chabad.

Join us soon. You won’t regret it.

You’ve heard the old play on words:

“How do you get two whales in a Mini Cooper?

Down the M4!”

How do you get more guests into the dining room than you thought could fit?

Rent narrow chairs!

And so we did.

Rosh Hashana eve, we welcomed in 5770 in the company of 40 young Jews. To be honest, at times I thought I had been transported to the Holy Land. As three quarters of the crowd were Israeli, my Rosh Hashana thoughts were shared in English and Hebrew and the songs sung were traditional Israeli melodies.

Despite the cramped conditions, the atmosphere was electric and a motivational way to begin 5770. You see, the Hebrew word פרצת – Poratsta, to breach or burst, has the numerical value of 770. (The number synonymous with Chabad Lubavitch; the Rebbe’s office being at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, NY).

5770; a year of breaching and bursting all obstacles. Removing those barriers that may hinder our efforts to become better people. Reaching far beyond the limitations we may have set for ourselves. How appropriate that the year begin with the largest turnout we’ve hosted in our home for a sit-down dinner yet! And a delicious four course dinner no less… Thank you Shterna!

I doubt my annual Rosh Hashana highlight went unnoticed. After blowing the Shofar at Holland Road Shul in Hove, I was off to Kemp Town to blow Shofar at Hyman Fine House, then back to Churchill Square for the highlight. Surrounded by Israelis, all 30 blasts were heard loud and clear right in the middle of the shopping centre, then 3 more Shofar stops before lunch…

Strange we are. Two days of binge eating followed by a fast day. I’m sure there are healthier eating habits out there!

Today was Freshers Fayre at University of Kent, Canterbury. After scouting out Jewish students for four hours, Shterna called to advise me that her key is missing and the neighbours can’t find the spare copy.

Do I cancel the last meeting of the day and return to Brighton immediately, while she waits outside the house with four tired kvetchy children, or do I hope something works out and remain in Canterbury for another couple of hours?

Back to the car to load, while I call Rabbi Efune who rushes to Torah Nursery to see if the key was mistakenly left there. The neighbour finds the spare key and I relax. I’m delayed and arrive at a campus café to get a black coffee two minutes later than I thought. But it was meant to be…

A young student takes his place behind me in the queue, we make eye contact but not much else, and I turn my attention to the coffee machine. His phone rings and he answers the call “Mah Shlomcha?”. I promptly respond “B’Seder”. You can well imagine how the rest of our conversation went.

If there’d not have been a missing key and I’d have got to that queue two minutes earlier, I would have never met Roni*.

May we be blessed that throughout 5770 we are given the opportunity to overcome all barriers, thus allowing us to acknowledge the continuous Divine Providence that surrounds us.

*Fictitious name, though the story happened as related…

By the end of last week, I was left with the bloated feeling one gets after consuming a couple too many chicken wings and burgers.

Lag B'Omer Barbecues, on the beach in Brighton and at a student's back garden in Southampton. The meat was delicious. The company was wonderful. Though the wind did discourage most revelers from staying at the beach BBQ for long after eating their fill.

(There are a few marshmallows left... If you missed out because you forgot an extra jacket on the night and were too cold to stick around, come on over and enjoy!).

Either way, it was decided unanimously, that Friday night we'd do the alternative 'Brighton' thing. We would go Vegan for one Shabbat dinner!

I can hear Shterna's grandmother's voice from Israel asking how on earth that can be done. Eggless Challah? Chrein without Fish? No chicken soup? No Matzah Balls? (We had no intention of keeping Matzah Meal together with Tofu or Mashed Banana!). No kugel???

We survived.

And as Shterna says, "I didn't realise how easy it'll be, though it won't happen regularly".

Water Challah (as good as any other) with plenty of Humous, followed by chickpea salad, potato salad and fresh salad for the 'fish course' (a Shabbos dinner with less than 4 courses just wouldn't fly!). Zucchini (courgette) soup with croutons, followed by rice, mushroom knish, roasted vegetables and tomato salad... Apple crisp for dessert. Even Tesco took part, by slashing prices on the kosher sorbet!

We all left the table quite satisfied, and barely an offensive joke about vegans uttered!

Here's one to make up for it!

“Isaac Bashevis Singer was at a dinner and was asked by the waiter if he wanted fish or chicken. He said, ‘I would just like vegetables.’ The waiter inquired, ‘Is it for your health?’ To which Singer responded, ‘No, it is for the health of the chicken.’”

I don't supposed you've heard the story of the vegan who decided to go kosher. He kept separate pots for starch and veggies!

We're now planning our next meaty barbecue, while we are safely assuming that one of the participants in the Vegan Shabbat was right when he commented that this was probably the first Chabad Vegan Shabbat Dinner ever held on earth!

I got birthday gifts...

Close to 40 students and young adults joined Shterna and myself for a special Sushi Shabbat Dinner this past Friday night in honour of my birthday.

We are serious when we say that we will invest in more chairs!

A heartfelt thank you to all those who joined us on this special occasion. Thank you to all those who sent kind wishes, but were unable to make it. You were with us in spirit.

Shterna sent out a message asking that all participants resolve to add a Mitzvah in honour of my birthday.

The gifts were special. And generous.

We learned that in Temple/Biblical times, one was required to give a portion of ones meat to a Kohen. But as that is not currently an available option, D resolved to be a better listener.

Someone took the time to speak to a Big Issue salesperson, while another will keep her cats non-kosher dishes out of her kitchen sink!

The list goes on and on... as there were 40 of us. The youngest attendee resolved to sit nicely at the Shabbat dinner table, while marking the Shabbat, Shabbat candles and visiting Grandma were all undertaken last Friday night.

I got birthday gifts last Friday night. Close to 40 of them. All equally special and valuable.

And to all those givers I say, thank you. 

T'was a full house last Friday as we settled down for the first ever Chabad Sussex Girls Only Shabbat Dinner.

I never realised that making Kiddush on Friday night would be such an experienced.  Raizel was confused about why Mummy was being Tatty!

6 delicious Challahs were consumed and all agreed its time for a Challah baking class.

No men present, but the alcohol was not to be missed. (Mind you, even the chocolate mousse had some in it!)

Singing?! Sort of.

The atmosphere lingered until well after the plates had been cleared.

Special thanks to my sister-in-law AB, for making it happen. (Thanks to Zalman for going off to NY and making this event possible - see his separate post on his trip). Thanks to R H for recruiting.

Thank You G-d for splitting the Reed Sea!

Mendel, all of seven months, was the only gentleman to join the Shabbat Dinner at Chabad this past Friday night. Twenty young women joined Shterna for dinner, at an event that they claim included great food, fantastic atmosphere and more.

But what would I know? I was in New York, at a guys only Shabbat dinner, with 1500 in attendance!

An amazing weekend, despite the jetlag and overall exhaustion.

I heard Rabbi Gurevich of Lyon, France relate his story, of leaving his pregnant wife in NY as he laid the groundwork for Lubavitch of Lyon. He celebrated his daughter's birth 3500 miles away from mother and baby, returning to NY during the week, to accompany them back to Europe and their future as Shluchim to France.

Upon entering the Rebbe's office prior to departure, the Rebbe reprimanded him for having spent two of the weekends during the past months in locations other than Lyon. "I sent you to Lyon", the Rebbe charged. "If I were the emissary to Lyon, I'd do everything in my power to see to it that another Jewish child and another Jewish child and another Jewish child receives a Jewish education".

"Are you prepared to travel to Lyon, and to do so with joy?" challenged the Rebbe. After Rabbi Gurevich responded in the affirmative, the Rebbe advised him that the French do not appreciate a sour face. "It took three decades for me to understand what the Rebbe meant", but that is another story.

At a banquet with an attendance of 4500, held at Pier 94 on Manhattan’s west side, the atmosphere was electric. Billionaire Lev Leviav related how 100 years ago, the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom Dovber, assigned a small group of emissaries to Samarkand, Uzbekistan. "The group were not very well received, and only managed to recruit ten young students for their fledgling Yeshiva", Leviav said. "It was the foresight of the Rebbe 100 years ago, that enabled me to be present here today talking to this tremendous gathering, and allowing me to impart our rich heritage to my children" he exclaimed, "because one of those ten boys in that Cheder in Samarkand 100 years ago, was my own grandfather".

Rabbi Nechemia Vogel, director of Chabad of Rochester, NY articulated what I consider to be our mission statement. “While other Jewish outreach groups love Jews who they are able to inspire to greater commitment to Torah and Mitzvos, Chabad’s philosophy, as taught to us by the Rebbe, is that we bring every Jew closer to Torah and Mitzvos, simply because we love them!”.

The alcohol flowed painfully slowly.

Ben was on top form. Showing his delightful appreciation for the distinctive flavour of the quality whisky that Rob managed to procure.

The inspiration also flowed, mind you.

I arrived, albeit slightly later than anticipated.

It’s been a busy week. What with newspapers to print, Menorah lightings to ignite the world and Chassidic gatherings to arrange.

The pickles in this delightful basement, south of Brighton station, have proven to greatly assist with the flow of energy that emanates from the chaps down here.

L’chaim to Ben. Wishes for a year of continued success as you ascend the elevator of life. Keep going MAN!

No suspense. No unexpected turbulence. No abrupt ending. But still a definite Cliff Hanger. Leaving us all anticipating the next episode!

We missed the first bus. Purposely. We’re proud to be Jewish.

Conversation on the bus was uninteresting. Prompting one uninspired traveller to let us know she thought so.

And then we were there. A nice group of Yiddishe boys and girls. We promptly sat down for lunch. T’was lovely to have Shterna and the kids join us for this – the most important part of the hike.

The ascent up the first of the Seven Sisters was easy enough, numbers two and three passed equally so. With the more ambitious of our group attempting to race each other. I personally much preferred to roll.

Somewhere up there, we’ve left our mark. Check the image on the website homepage or our photo album for illustrations.

Birling Gap. And then the last cliff that reaches out to Beachy Head. Offering some of the most spectacular views off the South Downs and out to the English Channel. (That’s what it was, wasn’t it?).

You could have thought we’d forgotten our identity, the way we settled comfortably for our beers at the end, without any food in sight. But then, right in the middle of this properly English Pub, Ben, Rob and myself Davened Mincha.

So there you have it. Something different from Sussex Chabad Society.

I could have just seen the headlines: "Rabbi spotted marching through Moulsecoomb just before midnight..."

But the Albion won two games in a run and England defeated France in the Rugby, so the Argus chose to ignore what some may have considered news worthy, instead choosing some other headline for the weekend paper.

Reporting or no reporting, those who spotted myself and Shterna flanked by five students, making the four and-a-half mile trek from Falmer to Brighton, must have thought it a strange sight indeed. Thankfully the weather was pleasant, drunks in abundance, and the walk home passed peacefully, though not without incident, providing humour for us walkers.

Twenty five students met at 7:00pm for what is said to be the first communal Shabbat Dinner at Sussex University in more than a decade. Although the event was staged at the Debating Chamber in the Sussex University Falmer Building, the most intense debate of the evening simply determined whether participants should enjoy a second helping of Lokshen Kugal or Potato Kugel.

The four course dinner, including homemade Challah, Gefilta Fish, Chicken Soup and Shnitzel was prepared at the Central Brighton Chabad Student Centre, also home to my family. My wife and I are grateful to Rochel who assisted with late night Challah braiding, while Rob helped shuttle all that food to Sussex in time for candle lighting.

An avid description of a flood cause by a blocked shower drain inspired us to get out of our own box when the flood is done. Plans are in motion for another one (dinner that is – not flood!!) before the term is up.