Leader-Post
Rabbis Shaul Goldman (left) and Boruch Cohen, both 22 and from New York, were visiting Regina as part of the Jewish Summer Peace Corps. Rabbis Shaul Goldman (left) and Boruch Cohen, both 22 and from New York, were visiting Regina as part of the Jewish Summer Peace Corps. Photo by: Don Healy, Leader-Post

Two young rabbis have been in Regina this week to spread the messages of their faith and of peace to the city's small Jewish community.

Rabbis Shaul Goldman and Boruch Cohen — both 22 years old and residents of New York City — arrived in Regina last Sunday as part of their month-long outreach project for Saskatchewan Jews.

The pair, who were ordained as rabbis earlier this year, plan to spend about 10 days reaching out to the city's Jewish population, helping them to rediscover their heritage and religion.

“Everyone has a soul, and who are we to judge what someone's situation is? Every person has their challenges in life and so on, and the idea is to stress positivity and the like,” Cohen, who is originally from England, said earlier this week.

Spreading message of hope and peace

Leader-Post
Rabbis Shaul Goldman (left) and Boruch Cohen, both 22 and from New York, were visiting Regina as part of the Jewish Summer Peace Corps. Rabbis Shaul Goldman (left) and Boruch Cohen, both 22 and from New York, were visiting Regina as part of the Jewish Summer Peace Corps. Photo by: Don Healy, Leader-Post

Two young rabbis have been in Regina this week to spread the messages of their faith and of peace to the city’s small Jewish community.

Rabbis Shaul Goldman and Boruch Cohen — both 22 years old and residents of New York City — arrived in Regina last Sunday as part of their month-long outreach project for Saskatchewan Jews.

The pair, who were ordained as rabbis earlier this year, plan to spend about 10 days reaching out to the city’s Jewish population, helping them to rediscover their heritage and religion.

“Everyone has a soul, and who are we to judge what someone’s situation is? Every person has their challenges in life and so on, and the idea is to stress positivity and the like,” Cohen, who is originally from England, said earlier this week.

Cohen and Goldman are Chabah-Lubavitch rabbis. With more than 2,700 international branches, it’s the world’s largest Jewish organization. The duo is part of the Jewish Summer Peace Corps, which is in its 62nd year.

Since arriving in Regina after spending two weeks in Saskatoon, the Rabbinic pair have been busy calling people to set up appointments for home meetings.

With only about 300 Jews living in the area, finding Regina’s small Jewish community takes some effort on the part of the pair. However, the work of locating people was made easier since Goldman visited the city about three years ago with another partner.

“The phonebook is also sometimes a good way to find people. The names Goldman, Levy, Cohen — not to racial profile — but it’s usually a bit of a tip,” Cohen laughed.

So far, interest has been encouraging and several appointments have already been scheduled, Goldman added.

The pair have been hauling suitcases filled with videos, brochures, and various religious articles such as Shabbat candles, mezuzahs, and books which people can’t find in stores in Regina. They plan to leave these items behind for those who are interested, Cohen said.

During these uncertain times with tensions exploding in the Middle East and Israel, Cohen and Goldman are also spreading the message that peace can be obtained through charity and obeying the commandments of the Torah.

“We try to tell people to increase doing good deeds and the commandments that God told us to do for ourselves and to also help everybody else in the world to make the world a better place,” Goldman said.

Cohen has close relatives who live in Israel. One of his cousins is currently serving in the Israeli army and is very nervous about the situation.

The loss of civilian lives on both sides of the conflict is especially troubling to the pair.

“Human life is truly important and valuable. God put us on this world for a reason to fill, and every time another human life is taken, it’s the biggest tragedy,” Cohen said.

While on their journey throughout the province, the pair try to stay away from discussing politics with others, but they do stand in solidarity with Israel, according to Cohen.

Although they are asking others to pray for Israel, they also are calling for people to strengthen respect for all human life.

“We have to educate to give the message of hope and peace and that everyone should get along,” Cohen added.

28 Comments

  • Good Job Guys

    To wonderer-
    Why the sour attitude? Why focus only on chitzonius? You care only that they don’t wear a hat- what about focusing on the positive, like changing the world and preparing it for Moshiach’s arrival? You are probably just another loser from Crown Heights sitting on the sidelines angry about your own lack of success, so you have to nitpick and find reasons to criticise people who are actually getting the job done.

  • ol mashgiach from L

    Boruch
    im so proud of ya,
    youll make a great shliach
    G-D bless the queen

  • I Am On Merkos Shlichus

    To: Good Job Guys (?)
    If You Look Only in "chitzonyos" so Let them go with nothing… there are special codes in dressing thats what the rebbe wants, and it is not only the hats, the bochrim look like "misnagdim"

  • to the guy who trasht crownheights

    dont trash crown hieghts on a crown hieghts web site and besides he has a good point for even though thier doing good work and all its still quesionable why their not wearing a hat

  • Irritated

    What is the issue about the hat?
    Do you wear a hat at all times, when indoors?
    These guys are in an indoor interview – i’m sure they went in with their hats on.
    Please grow up

  • No need for irritation

    <<Do you wear a hat at all times, when indoors?
    These guys are in an indoor interview – i’m sure they went in with their hats on.
    Please grow up>>

    If you are getting interviewed, you wear your hat. Ever see a Mufti being interviewed without his turban? Yes, even the Rebbe would take off his hat and jacket when at home, but at a formal interview, your wear your formal dress, and you don’t look identical to the guy who is a lawyer.

  • Crown Heights rightfully Trasht

    How can he not trash Crown Heights when he frequently sees vitriolic comments (go look it up b/c you probably don’t know what it means) and people always bagging on one another. Oh, and not to mention the incoherent English and misspelled words and broken sentences. Please learn some English before posting your comments

  • To the Guy on Merkos Shlichus

    Why do they look like Misnagdim? Because they have beards? Or maybe it’s the ties, right? You are just another victim of the narrow-mindedness which frequents this site. Maybe they are dressed formally out of respect for the people they are meeting with? With your kind of attitude, I wonder how much peulos you have accomplished on your Merkos Shlichus. The Rebbe definitely needs more Shluchim like you.

  • Yeshivish lingo

    I know for a fact they did great work, I have a distant cousin in that area, and he tells me each time the boys come to viist, puts on tfillen and appreciate the fact that we reember them in the boondoks

    Vos Hat Ven Hat, Lig in hechere inyonim

  • whats the problem!

    Of course a hat is important, but by the looks of it these guys are in an informal and relaxed setting, so where exactly is the need for a hat, from the article and picture, the way I see it only good things can come from them and too nit pick and analyze such petty details is very much the antithesis of what this article is meant too do.

    Kol hakavod guys!

  • WITH a hat!

    hey guys chill! at least one of these guys goes on mivtzoim wearing a hat.

    On this picture posted recently on Crownheights.info you can see him without a tie but with a hat doing the Rebbe’s work

    http://68.178.191.219/media

  • I Am On Merkos Shlichus

    First I want to say, Thay can go with ties with no what so ever problem, ,
    2nd Ia am from the 21st century, and yes i know and live this world just like you, and yes i myself WHEN I HAVE TO I go with a tie. But when 1) The beard is totaly brushed, 2) No Hats, 3) The "Beutiful cut hair", 4) The way the motion of hands, I must Say it looks very postiving but, looks like a Sales person, trying to sell clients, A prudoct, Torah Judiasem is not a prudoct, it is a way of life, And this my friend is not the way of explanition on judiasem, It Is no more then a friendly partner, NOT IN JUDIASEM. 5) With all the above, Look just 1 more time on the picture and ask yourself from the side, whoare these people?

  • L-kav Zchus

    Why not judge them favourably?! You think it makes a big differenceto them? Maybe they came into the interview bc they thought that it was just an article being done, they wouldn NOT be photographed?? Im sure when they saw the pic, they had regret, and who knows, maybe now that we are entering chodesh elul, they will have what to teshuva for…

    The main thing is that Chabad Nemt Ain Velt!

  • Mom of Classy Shluchim

    Isn’t the point of these Bochurim to spread Yiddishkeit in a positive way, not to look like they rolled out of a swamp in Lubavitch??

    When the Bochurim on Merkaz Shlichus (or Shluchim/Shluchos generally) dress decently & LOOK CLEAN (very hard for some!), it gives a very positive image. Also, if you’re a CEO you need to dress the part (unless you’re Bill Gates.)

    So the PICTURES don’t show hats. Maybe they felt it was "inappropriate" under their particular circumstances to wear a hat. Maybe their hats were placed neatly on the side. I think you all need to focus on what’s important. Try changing your own sad little lives!

    BTW…Webby, PLEASE get an editor! So many comments are incoherent. They diminish the value of an excellent forum for our opinions. There are a number of professional & semi-professional editors & writers in CH, including me. Utilize our skills. My guess is that it won’t cost you; the laughs will be payment enough!! You know where to find us!

  • s g

    a wise man once said only bored ppl write comments!!!
    great to see you guys !!!!!!
    it’s just to bad i didn’t read these comment’s b/f the summer, i would have worn my hat and (closed) jacket all the time i.e. when playing sports and going on trips
    b/c after all isn’t that what i’m trying to do get all the jews around the world to wear black hat and jackets lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Well said

    To the mom of the classy shluchim-
    Well said. You totally captured what most of the Olam is feeling. Keep shepping nachas from your sons and pay no attention to the losers and whiners on the sidelines. And you got it right about the comments. I wish "The guy on Merkos Shlichus" would just stop for a second and read the comments he posted. Any chance of taking him seriously are totally eliminated when he says that "Judiasem" is not a "prudoct". Maybe he should study a little verbal advantage while he is not so swamped with his "Shlichus" activities.

  • zalmen

    Shaul, we’re ALL very proud of you

    Keep up the good work… It’s what’s under the hat that counts!!!

    From your family in Montreal.

  • Shliach In Rio-Brazil

    Boruch Cohen was by us last year in Merkaz Shlichus in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil and he did a very nice Shlichus together with another Bochur(Rivkin).Classes,Farbrenguen,visiting stores and families and people was very happy with them.Until now our Mekurovim asks if they will come back.
    Hatzalacha Raba at all

  • MOTTLE

    I can’t believe the BS on here. they look presentable and are doing the Rebbe’s work. If you don’t look preentable – with or without hat – you won’t get in the door. Kol Hakavod to them and stop being so petty. By the way brushing your beard once in a while isn#’t such a bad idea either. There is too much tzoros and all this rechilos doesn’t help.