Religious Freedom in Sweden Under Threat

Gothenburg, Sweden

On January 26, Rabbi Alexander and Leah Namdar, Chabad representatives to Sweden, were served at their home with a notice by Gothenburg’s school authorities: Four of their children presently studying at an international online school must be delivered to a Swedish school by February 1. Failure to do so may result in a fine of 16000 crown—the equivalent of $2400 per week.

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Students Trade Winter Break for Jewish Experience

The Snorkel and Study program from Bais Chana Women’s International brings students and young professionals to Key Largo, Fla., for a text-intensive winter break Jewish experience.

For the past four years, graduate student Kelly Scovone has vacationed in Key Largo, Fla., during her mid-winter break. She settles in an oceanfront condo with full amenities, a 15-minute drive to a deep water marina that features snorkeling, scuba diving, and water skiing. But although there are boundless opportunities for adventure right at her fingertips, she barely ventures into the great outdoors at all.

Families and Seniors Mix it Up in Canton, Mass.

Canton Wicked Local

Children from the Chai Center in Canton recently buddied up with seniors from the Simon Fireman House in Randolph. The Chai Center created a Senior Buddy program that links volunteers and families with seniors to enjoy each other’s companionship, participate in activities and develop ongoing relationships.

Chabad of Canejo Valley Opens Food Bank

Thousand Oaks Acorn

Rabbi Yisroel Levine, center back, of Chabad of the Conejo joins food bank volunteers as they fill bags with groceries for community members.

Three volunteers methodically advanced from one table to the next, glancing at shopping lists and filling grocery orders in a large room at Chabad of the Conejo in Agoura on a recent Wednesday.

An 11-Year-Old Girl Becomes Colonel

by Chanee Grossbaum

It’s not every day that a child gets to serve as a colonel in the army. Then again, not every child is entrusted with any kind of mission. But for Chaya Mushka Lowenthal, along with hundreds of Yaldei Hashluchim and many thousands of Lubavitch children around the world, all this talk of missions and ranks is more than just child’s play.

First Bris on Island of St. Martin in Hundreds of Years

St. Martin (AKA St. Maarten) is a Caribbean island divided in two: Half of it belongs to the French and the other to the Dutch. Although the island had a significant Jewish population back in the early/mid 1700s, the island has not had a permanent Jewish community since the last synagogue was abandoned in 1781. That all changed about 3 years ago, when Chabad arrived in town.

Ottawa Students Feed the Homeless

Shalom Life

Students deliver food to the homeless in the cold.

The Chabad Student Network of Ottawa (CSN) delivered close to 150 hot dogs and peanut butter sandwiches to the homeless on Wednesday, as part of an initiative co-organized by the Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Over 100 Women Gather to Bake Challah

Delaware Online

Jody Grinberg holds 2-month-old Nosson Yeshaua Gruber while his mom, Yehudis Gruber, works on her dough.

In Jewish homes it’s customary to start the sabbath on Friday with challah, a braided bread that celebrates God’s historic blessings for the Jewish people and ever-present love. But while the making of challah was once routinely passed from mother to daughter, the tradition now is not as common in families because of people’s busy lives.

Rohr JLI Launches Russian Chapter

Russia’s chief rabbi Berel Lazar introduces the new JLI at a regional gathering of Shluchim.

With the launch of the first Russian language Rohr Jewish Learning Institute course February 6, Jews in formerly communist countries will join the ranks of their brethren everywhere else as they participate in a richer Jewish life experience with the benefit of advanced learning opportunities.