Torah Behind Bars

OKEECHOBEE, FL — The Okeechobee Correctional Institution is certainly no place for a nice Jewish boy. But that didn’t stop ten young Chabad Rabbis from spending three days there this week, teaching Torah, singing, dancing, and sharing their love of Judaism with eighteen Jewish inmates incarcerated there.

Omsk Celebrates dedication and opening of New Ohr Avner Chabad School

OMSK, Russia –- Omsk celebrated the grand opening of the Ohr Avner Chabad Day School and ‘Chaya Mushka’ Kindergarten. After a five-year effort, Chief Rabbi Osher Krichevsky and his wife can finally see the fruits of their labor. Located in a newly-constructed building – perhaps the best to ever host a local school – this institution will offer education from kindergarten through to the secondary school level. It is the first school to offer an ethno-cultural component as part of its educational program.

Chabad reaches out to students, faculty at metro campuses

PORTLAND, OR — Chabad of Oregon is growing again.

A new Chabad Center serving Jewish students on all Portland-area campuses joins existing Chabad Centers in Portland, Ashland, Hillsboro and Salem, as well as a Chabad House serving the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.

“What if I Marry Someone Who Isn’t Jewish?”

WESTON, FL — A study revealing that Jewish teens–even those who think it important to raise their chldren Jewish–do not see intermarriage as an impediment, underscores the importance of Chabad’s extra-curricular educational programs.

Rosh Hashana Begins Wednesday

BONIRA SPRINGS, FL — Rabbi Mendy Greenberg has a lot to celebrate this week for Rosh Hashana.

Last year, the Chabad Jewish Center of Bonita Springs that he oversees celebrated the Jewish New Year in rented hotel space. This year, the services are to be in a more permanent location, 2,000 square feet of rented space in the Bernwood business center, 24850 Old 41 Road Unit 20, where services have been held this year.

Chabad opens doors at Univ. of Central Florida

ORLANDO, FL — Rabbi Chaim Lipskier and his wife Rivkie seem to conquer the impossible week after week for Jewish college students around the University of Central Florida’s campus. Rivkie cooks on Fridays to host a fun-filled Shabbat evening at the Lipskier home. The rabbi welcomes visitors of all ages. He invites students using the online networking site facebook.com. He can frequently be seen introducing himself outside the student union, ignoring the brutal Florida heat. And he insists that guests bring their family members staying in Orlando from out of town.

Bright Start to Year for Dnepropetrovsk Jewish School

DNEPROPETROVSK, Ukraine -– Like thousands of schools across the Former Soviet Union, the Jewish community of Dnepropetrovsk also marked the ‘Day of Knowledge’ at the ‘Ohr Avner-Levi yischak’ Day School. Traditionally held on September 1st, the celebration was postponed by two days so that it would not fall on Shabbat. This year’s count of first-graders was twice more than last year, at 45 pupils.