Young Rabbis Connect with Markham Jewry
As part of the worldwide Chabad summer student internship program and under the auspices of Chabad of Markham, a group of four young rabbinical students recently visited the Jewish community of Markham, Ontario to bolster Jewish identity and promote Jewish observances.
The four nineteen year old rabbinical students, Levi Plotkin (son of Chabad of Markham’s rabbi); Ephraim Kaufman from Coral Springs, Florida; Mendel Weinberg from Johannesburg, South Africa; and Mendel Itkin from Scranton, Pennsylvania, spent over a week spreading the practices and values of Judaism among the residents and businesses of the great Markham area.
What really impressed many of the residents and business owners was the amazing dedication of these boys to the cause, and how they were willing to give up their precious break from school to go out and help others.
As part of their mission, the young Rabbis visited the municipal offices of the mayor and council of the city of Markham. There they met with Jewish councilman Howard Shore, who put on tefillin with them, and with deputy mayor Jack Heath, who discussed with them the unique relationship that exists between the city government and Chabad.
Councilman Shore told the boys how impressed he was with Chabad’s activities. The deputy Mayor, who donned the traditional Chabad black fedora in honor of the boys, told them how he thoroughly enjoys the Latkes he looks forward to every year at the Chabad Chanukah programs.
During the day, the young enthusiastic group of Rabbis visited the Markham business area and treated many of the business executives with a unique opportunity to do a mitzvah or to sign up for a local ‘Lunch and Learn’ program in the boardroom of a local business.
In the evening, they visited the residences of several local Jews and focused on reaching out to the many unaffiliated Jewish families in the region. The Rabbis befriended many of the locals, and facilitated an ongoing connection between them and the local Chabad center.
After returning from a long day of outreach, the young Rabbis would then roll up their sleeves to run the Summer Yeshiva Study Program at Chabad of Markham’s headquarters on green lane. This program was custom tailored for students young and old who were interested in studying one-on-one with a young rabbi on any subject of Jewish interest.
