Chabad Center of Sudbury Inaugurated

SUDBURY, MA [CHI] — This past Tuesday January 22nd which coincided with Tu Bshevat the Inauguration of the new Chabad Center of Sudbury took place. Dozens of friends and supporters joined together for an evening of celebration and entertainment in the new center.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

The event began at 7:30pm with Wine & Hors D’oeuvres and other delicious refreshments being served. At 8pm participants were welcomed by associate director of the Chabad Center Mrs. Shayna Freeman and then together everyone made the blessing of Shechiyanu on a new fruit to celebrate Tu Bshvat.

Mr. Sol Cohen of Sudbury, MA was introduced who proceeded to talk about the tremendous impact Chabad of Sudbury has had on his and his family’s lives, and how Judaism taken a new role and dimension through these experiences. He also spoke about the unique outlook of Chabad where there are no labels and people are truly valued for who they are. There are no religious, secular, orthodox, reform or other labels. just plain Jewish people. Mr. Cohen especially liked the no pressure attitude of Chabad where people are encouraged to grow from where they are without and pressure. He also described how one can experience anything from a holiday with Chabad or delve deep into our beautiful heritage through learning and other experiences.

At this point Rabbi Freeman spoke about what a special moment this is for the Chabad Center of Sudbury and for the entire community, he also spoke about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the tremendous inspiration that continues to inspire people around the world. The full text of the speech is posted below.

Rabbi Levi Fogelman of the Chabad Center of Natick was honored with affixing the Mezuzah for the new center. Rabbi Freeman thanked Rabbi Levi & Chani Fogelman for their support in helping this idea become a reality.

A ten minute video entitled Challenge was then shown to the audience which gave over the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s message for growth and overcoming challenges. There were many laughs and special moments during this presentation as the Rebbe’s unique approach to every Jew was shown.

To conclude the evening several participants made toasts and shared their sentiments and good wishes with the participants in the evening.

The guests continued to enjoy themselves at the conclusion of the official program.

The text of Rabbi Freeman’s speech at the evening is posted below.

Good evening Ladies & Gentlemen & Thank you for joining us

Just over two years ago on a cold wintry day, on January 15th 2006 we moved to Sudbury to establish a Chabad Center in Sudbury to work with the local Jewish community. As we made the long 200 mile trip followed closely behind by our moving truck we spent a lot of time thinking about what lay ahead, and of the tremendous opportunities which lay before us.

Our first night in Sudbury proved to be really cold and frigid and I remember thinking how cold Sudbury seems to be and how much more colder it is than we expected, don’t forget we were coming from the warm south. When I awoke in the morning I realized that our front door had been left wide open the whole night, so in reality maybe Sudbury wasn’t so cold. Nothing happens by chance, perhaps our door being open the whole first night signified a reminder to ourselves as to the approach Chabad takes to providing Judaism and assistance, it is 24/7 and our doors are always open, no questions asked. By the way for those who were wondering I do close my front door at nights these days….

We moved here not knowing anyone in town but armed with confidence and purpose that we will G-d willing be successful at providing the joys of Judaism to the community that we came to serve. Our first weeks and months weren’t so easy and I think I met more deer than Jews during those early stages. But slowly and surely we began to meet many wonderful families and individuals at our programs and events or even randomly at the Post Office, Supermarket or park and we began to see a great response to Chabad’s work.

Tonight two years later we are here together to celebrate the inauguration of the new Chabad Center of Sudbury. Our joy and appreciation know no bounds and we are eternally grateful firstly and foremost to G-d that Shechiyonu Vekiyimonu Vehigionu Lizman Hazeh who has enlivened us, sustained us and helped us reach this special moment.

In the two years since we moved to Sudbury we have encountered and beheld G-d’s divine providence numerous times. So many details about our center and our work have come together in amazing ways and means , and so often we have been in the right place at the exact moment to meet someone new or be there to help someone in need.

I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Lubavitcher Rebbe someone who I merited to meet in person on several occasions and whose teachings and legacy continue to inspire us at the Chabad Center of Sudbury. The Rebbe took over the helm of leadership of the Chabad movement in 1950 immediately following the Holocaust, at a time when the tears of the holocaust were still wet and the wounds still gaping open. The Rebbe realized the enormous challenges that faced the Jewish people and took it upon himself to ensure that Hitler will not succeed and Judaism will rise from the ashes and yet again flourish across the world. The Rebbe then worked non-stop for 44 years lecturing, inspiring, meeting, organizing and caring for every single Jew and individual he would come in contact with and even those that he did not come in contact with.

The Rebbe was a teacher by example, his unfaltering love for his fellow human being, and his persistence and determination at reaching every Jew were characteristics that embodied his message to the world and shaped the way that the Rebbe served as a leader.

Even when the Rebbe was well into his eighties he would stand for 6 to 9 hours every Sunday and greet thousands of people who would walk by and spend a private moment or several minutes with the Rebbe soliciting his advice, inspiration or blessings. Once an elderly lady passed by the Rebbe one Sunday and asked the Rebbe a question “how do you have the physical stamina to stand for so long every Sunday at your age”? So the Rebbe responded with a smile “when you are counting diamonds you don’t get tired”.

When the Rebbe looked at people he didn’t just see the external characteristics and features of people, but rather the Rebbe saw the soul of the person, the Neshoma, the spark of G-d that is within us and unites us altogether. There were no labels of Orthodox, Reform, or conservative, there was just a powerful diamond, the Neshoma, ready to shine and succeed each individual in his own way.

The Rebbe’s vision has shaped the approach of the Chabad Lubavitch movement in its approach in working with people worldwide, whether it be at providing Passover Seder’s to thousands of backpackers in the Far East and South America, or regenerating Judaism in the former Soviet Union where tens of thousands of children are enrolled in Chabad’s Jewish Day Schools, or through visiting Senior Center’s and Jails, or through establishing Chabad Centers in places like Sudbury which provide the joys of Judaism to the affiliated and unaffiliated alike.

Chabad of Sudbury began as a small seed, the ideas took root and it all started to grow into a thriving organization that has touched hundreds of lives, exposing them to the beauty and joy of our heritage.

In the two years since the inception of the Chabad Center of Sudbury, it has provided hands on exciting educational programs to hundreds of children and adults through programs such as the Model Matzah Bakery and the Jewish New Year Fair, provided meaningful and joyful Shabbat & Holiday experiences to dozens of individuals and families, provided adult education programming for adults and special programs for ladies, provided synagogue services for High Holidays and Shabbat services, senior visitations and senior programs, and many other lifecycle and social support programs to many families and individuals.

Since we moved to Sudbury we had been holding meetings and programs in various locations in Sudbury including our own home, a local hotel, and other rented locations. But our programs reached a point which required our own permanent location where we could operate and provide programs from. We discovered this location several months ago and eventually we leased and renovated it and established a Synagogue / Meeting Room, a classroom, a children’s room, and an office.

Today is Tu B’Shevat the New Year for the trees, an auspicious day to inaugurate the tree that formed from the seed which began two years ago. But our Sages tell us that the ultimate strength of a tree lies in its fruits, for its fruits are what allow people to derive pleasure from the tree and from its fruits many more trees can grow for many generations.

Ladies and Gentlemen the fruits of the tree which we are dedicating tonight are the many positive actions and Mitzvahs, the many uplifting Jewish experiences, and the strengthening of pride in our heritage that the center has generated. The new facility is only the beginning of a new stage in the work of the Chabad Center of Sudbury, but the goals are to provide even more cutting edge programs that will ensure that the joys of Judaism continue to be experienced by young and old alike and will thus ensure that the beauties of Judaism remain an integral part of our future for years to come.

G-d willing these beautiful fruits will continue to reach across the community reaching more and more people, providing positive Jewish experiences, a helping hand, and generating lots of Mitzvah’s and good deeds

The new center has enabled us to begin providing increased Shabbat & Holiday services, expanded programs for youths and teenagers, expanded Adult Education, expanded Hebrew School and children’s programming, and much more.

So to you, the assembled and to the many that couldn’t make it tonight we express our thanks and appreciation, for we would not be here without your help, your friendship, and your moral and financial support. It is thanks to you our special friends in Sudbury and some of the neighboring communities that the Chabad Center of Sudbury is able to provide the many programs and services that it does.

On a personal note I would like to thank my wife Shayna who is the backbone and strength of the Chabad Center of Sudbury, Shayna serves as co director of Chabad of Sudbury, as program director, as chief chef, as teacher, entertainer, amazing mother and an amazing wife. My wife pulls the loose ends together and helps each program and event come together, and helps me with every word that I teach or speak. Her dedication which has no defined hours is the crucial ingredient to every program and event that we have.

There are many individuals present and not present who have played crucial roles in our success and have provided their help, time, advice, and physical and financial support to the Chabad Center of Sudbury. Each one of you are the pillars of support of our center and part of the driving force of making our work successful.

I would like to conclude with the following, when we were first going to move to Sudbury someone remarked to me that it is going to be an uphill struggle to succeed in this community. Two years later we say that it may be an uphill struggle, but with a combination of G-d’s help, Chabad’s approach, and supporters and friends like yourselves our uphill journey has become much easier and smoother since we are in a four wheel drive plowing ahead uphill.