Reform Visits Oldest Chabad Center in Broward

The Rabbi, a high school teacher and a group of teenagers from Hollywood’s original Reform Temple visited Chabad of South Broward Wednesday evening October 20, and were intrigued and inspired by their hour long visit.

The first stop was a tour of the three Mikvahs, Mei Menachem- Mikvah Israel. Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus explained to the group how a Mikvah is built and when a Mikvah is used. The Reform Rabbi said he’d like to encourage the married women of his Temple to use the Elana Leah’s Women’s Mikvah every month, and before they get married. When seeing the Men’s Yoseph Mordechai Mikvah, the Rabbi said he’d like to come and use it Erev Yom Kippur with the boy students. When seeing the Shvitz ( steambath), the Rabbi remarked, “I think I’d like to use the Mikvah every Erev Shabbos.”

The next stop was Mincha, and the girls Daavened in the Women’s section, assisted by students of the Chaya Aydel Seminary. The Seminary, now in its ninth year, has a Yeshiva program each Wednesday night, in which they study the Jewish subject of choice, with women and girls throughout South Florida. The Seminary students invited the girls from the Temple to join them every Wednesday evening.

After Mincha, the group assembled in a classroom, and Rabbi Tennenhaus spoke to them about Chassidus, the Baal Shem Tov, The Alter Rebbe, the Previous Rebbe and the Rebbe. He also explained to them the meaning of Shlichus,
and the Reform Rabbi acknowledged that when he visited Peru, he daavened at the Chabad House. The students then asked many questions, and expressed their gratitude for an hour that was both informative and inspiring.

Rabbi Tennenhaus has spoken many times in Hollywood’s and South Broward’s Reform and Conservative Temples, exclusively in their classrooms and social halls. Many Reform and Conservative Rabbis have also daavened at Chabad’s oldest Synagogue in Broward, and many of their students have come to Chabad’s programs. The novelty of this historic visit to Chabad, was that this was actually part of the curriculum of the Reform Temple, to visit Chabad and to learn about Chassidus and the Chassidic lifestyle.

Rabbi Tennenhaus was assisted in this visit by Rabbi Moshe Schwartz, Chabad’s administrator, Rabbi Mordy Feiner, Chabad’s Kollel director, Rabbi Levi Tennenhaus, Chabad’s Program director, and Rabbi Yossy Lebovics, the Chaya Aydel Seminary Principal.

For more information about the Chaya Aydel Seminary, please call 954-826-7979.

To arrange for a one-on one Wednesday night study session with a Seminary student, please call 954-864-1674.