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Dutch Christians Rescue Chabad Cheder

With a budget of 2.5 million Euro and an economic crisis, the Jewish School of Amsterdam ”Cheder” reached a deficit of 120,000 Euros by the end of 2011.

To be able to continue Jewish education in Amsterdam, the school was forced to withold paying the ”13th month salary” to the teachers.

Although the school has been in deficit before, it neaver reached a point that they weren’t able to cover the payroll.

Seeing Jewish education in the Netherlands endangered, Member of European Parlement Bas Belders started a campaign amongst his non-Jewish friends for each to contribute 18 dollars towards the Jewish School.

Helped by the pro-Israel organisation and Lobby “Christian Friends of Israel,” Belders managed to fundraise 70,000 Euros, covering over half of the urgently needed amount for the school to continue.

Last week, in honor of Tu-b’Shvat, a delegation of “Christians for Israel” came to the “Cheder” to hand the 70,000 Euro check to Chabad’s head representative and Chief Rabbi of the Netherlands, Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs, who also serves as vice president of the school.

In the above picture: a delegation of Christians for Israel with Andre Pels, Financial director of the “Cheder,” and in front holding the check: Rabbi Jacobs with Member of European Parlement and head of the European Middle-East delegation Bas Belder.

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7 Comments

  • Just wondering?

    are you alowed, Halachachly, to take money from christians towards torah study?

  • Yankel

    Number one: could you repeat in capital letters in red? And addrees it to the right people, please.

  • knobbe

    Hey Jan Jaap, wil je vriendjes worden?

    Anyways, its not a chabad cheder, its started by chabad aka reb mendel futerfas and per instructions of the rebbe (a printed letter in one of ols english igros, don’t remember wich volume) to prof meyers and rabbi vorst that the cheder shouldn’t call itself chabad, rather be for everyone.