DAYTONA, FL — How a city known for NASCAR, Harley Davidson rallies, and spring brea shenanigans came to need a 25,000 square foot Chabad-Lubavitch center i quite a story.
A Chabad Tradition Takes Off in Daytona
DAYTONA, FL — How a city known for NASCAR, Harley Davidson rallies, and spring brea shenanigans came to need a 25,000 square foot Chabad-Lubavitch center i quite a story.
This winter, Chabad of Greater Daytona will celebrate the completion of its sprawling Esformes Jewish Community Center, an airy Mediterranean style complex that will house a ten classrooms, two commercial kitchens – separate for dairy and meat, a women’s mikvah, a men’s mikvah, a sanctuary and daily chapel.
However, it is the ballroom on premises that will be the heart of the center. In this city that knows how to party, a Jewish community has been built via a distinctly Chasidic form of partying: the farbrengen.
“We are into farbrengens. They are the glue that makes our community a cohesive unit,” said Chabad of Daytona’s co-director Rabbi Pinchas Ezagui.
For fifteen years, Rabbi Ezagui and his wife Chani, co-director of Chabad, have not gone home for lunch after Shabbat morning services. They and their congregants stay in the synagogue for a community meal. Then, with morning-prayer obligations and appetites sated, as many as 150 stay on, voices joining to sing Chasidic songs, tell stories, and share Shabbat together.
It would take something dramatic for Stacy Beyer, an occupational therapist, and her family to miss a farbrengen.
“Everyone is so invested in everyone else’s success, it is a very genuine experience,” she said. The community supported her when her children left public school to attend a Jewish school, run by Chani Ezagui, full time.
Like many others, the Beyers moved into a new home in order to observe Shabbat within walking distance of the synagogue. “It is important for the kids to come and see that this is what we do. This is how we enjoy” the day of rest.
Teacher in the best town in the world
This is the best place on earth…
I go to Daytona Beach strictly for the Shabbos Farbrengens (and the amazing ppl that also attend!)
Stacey & Eva… my 2 best friends. I love you so much. Just reading about you inspires me all the way in CH!!!
fat joe
you go rabbiP and chanie. BTW if you’re the co-director, who’s the director in DAB?
PS there is nothing like a farbrengen in daytona. I was zoche to be there and get inspired by the best chabad house community.
farkash
Keep up the Great work Chanie. Your classmates
Chaya Aydel...
Last year Chaya Aydel Seminary had the privlage to stay for shabbas by the Ezaguis . They treated us amzing are the most amazing Shluchim ever
we miss you!!!!!
tourist in daytona
i had the priviledge of spending a shabbos there this summer it was so special. it is a very warm community.and the farbrengens there are one of a kind!!amazing!
dee
Go chani u be making ur mom proud.Ur stepsister from worcester
chaim
one shabbos in daytona can change your life. I was there THANK YOU
A once upon a time Teacher of Daytona B.
GO DAYTONA!! I Miss you all!! And most of all the Farbrengens ! :)
Me
Go DAYTONA!!!!
devorah
it’s a blesing and a pleasur3e that we have channi and rabbi in the daytona-ormond beach area…what a glorious way to celebrate shabbas and all the rest…to study kabbala on tuesday nights indeed feeds the brain some grand lessons… i am very glad…