WELCOME TO THE CHABAD LUBAVITCH EPPING
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We are delighted to announce the appointment of Rabbi Yossi & Rifka Posen, with their children as our new dedicated Shluchim to Chabad Epping.
Rabbi & Mrs Posen will take up their post in Epping in September in time for Rosh Hashana.
Exciting times ahead, please watch this space
During the last year we have established connections with many families in the wider Epping area, many of whom have been known to us at Chabad for years, as well as meeting new families and faces.
During this time, we have met and discussed the future role of Chabad Lubavitch within the Epping areas. In due course we would like to open a new Chabad Centre, building on the success story of Chabad Gants Hill servicing the community for over thirty years and Chabad Buckhurst Hill over the past ten years.
Activities have included periodic Shabbat services, Shabbat meals, a Yom Kippur service with a “break-fast”, monthly discussion groups.
Chabad has the ability through its dedicated teams of Shluchim (Chabad emissaries) Rabbis & staff, to provide exciting, lively and relevant services within a Family Synagogue setting, coupled with a broad range of social and fundraising events.
We are continuing to build up our database of Jewish families living in the area and interested in getting involved. Please feel free to participate in what’s currently available and becoming part of the team that will build Chabad Epping into the future.
We look forward with great excitement of sharing more with you very soon.
In the meantime please feel free to contact us for more information any queries or just a chat.
Rabbi Aryeh MBE & Devorah Sufrin
Thought for the week from Rabbi A. M. Sufrin MBE
BALAK – Curses into Blessings
CHUKAH – the “LAW……..”
BALAK – Curses in Blessings
The Seventh Section pf the Book of Numbers describes the plot of Balak, King of Moab and his hired sorcerer Balaam to curse the Jewish people, in order to prevent them from attacking Moab. G-d frustrates their plan and forces Balaam to bless the Jewish people instead.
Balaam said, “who can count the dust of Jacob?” (23:10)
The Jewish people are here compared (positively) to dust. Just as there are hidden treasures buried in the earth, so are there treasures of pure faith in G-d and deep love and fear of Him hidden in every Jew. These treasures may at times be hard to uncover, just as treasures buried in the earth are often buried deep below the surface. But they are there nonetheless, and with sufficient effort they can be revealed.
This Shabbat is the 17th Tammuz a fast day, marks the beginning of the three-week period, the saddest period of the Jewish Calendar. The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, in 69 CE, after a lengthy siege. (Three weeks later, after the Jews put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.)
However, as this fast falls on Shabbat, the fast and all of its laws are postponed until the following day Sunday 21st July. The only fast that we fulfil on a Shabbat day is the Fast of Yom Kippur (the day of atonement) the Holiest day of the year.
Wishing you and yours an enjoyable Shabbos with a successful and fulfilling
