Duo take resources to central Oregon
The second of three pairs of Chabad rabbis/rabbinic students to come to Oregon this year are now in central Oregon to enhance Jewish life there.
“We are here from goodwill to help them in whatever way they want to enhance their Judaism,” said Rabbi Zalman Abraham, who is in the Bend area with rabbinic student Sadya Engel through Aug. 24. “We are not here as salesmen to enroll them in any specific program or branch of Judaism. We are sincerely interested in their good. … It is our privilege to answer any questions they have on any aspect of Judaism.”
Abraham, who was born in New York, moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, when his parents were sent there as Chabad emissaries when he was 9 months old. For the past year he learned with Engel at the Central Chabad yeshiva in Brooklyn. Engel is from Montreal, Canada. Engel has also finished his rabbinic studies, and expects to be ordained soon.
Both men said they that during their rabbinic studies they were very involved in outreach work. Engle spent three Passovers leading seders in Russia. Abraham said he has done outreach in Geneva, Prague, the Ukraine and Pretoria, South Africa.
Abraham said that previous visitors to central Oregon told them that many people there are very interested in spirituality, though not necessarily in organized religion. So the pair took a variety of popular spirituality books they thought would be of interest.
Through an international program, they also have a supply of mezuzahs that are available free to those wanting to put a mezuzah on a doorframe of their home. Abraham said another international program also has available free tefillin; however, those must be ordered for later delivery, he said.
“We are prepared to address whatever they want in terms of Judaism and we have supplies or information on how to obtain supplies,” he said. “We are here to encourage and support the growth of the community and to provide help to people interested in being more informed and more aware of their Jewish roots.”
To schedule an appointment in central Oregon, call Abraham on his cell phone at 917-701-7435 or e-mail him at RabbiZalman@gmail.com.
The third pair of outreach workers coming to Oregon will be in the outlying areas of the Portland area from Aug. 28 through Sept. 14. Rabbinic students Eliyahu Kaminetzky from Melbourne, Australia, and Mendy Klein from Manchester, England, will be available for appointments anywhere in the metro area. To schedule an appointment, call Chabad of Oregon at 503-977-9947.
