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UK News

The latest news stories about Chabad Lubavitch from around the UK.

North London Day Camp Celebrates 50 years with Record Attendance

DSC_0414.JPGGan Israel Lubavitch Day Camp of North London celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. With over 375 campers and 60 counsellors, this year’s camp was “the biggest and most successful camp we have ever had,” says Chana Karasik who co-directs the camp with her husband Rabbi Shmuly Karasik

The camp - which ran this year for 3 weeks between August 4 and 21 - caters for boys and girls between the ages of 3-11. With only 10% of campers coming from the Lubavitch community, the camp attracts Jewish children from all over London and from all religious backgrounds.

“Camp is more than just a fun place to spend the summer holiday; it is also a place to grow,” says Rabbi Karasik. The theme chosen for this year’s camp was the 39 Melachos (categories of work forbidden on Shabbat). “Studied from a book,” explains Mrs. Karasik, “this subject can often seem technical, dry and a little boring for many children.”

D20_1905.jpgHowever, this year’s camp brought the 39 Melachos to life in a unique and unforgettable way with an array of fun hands-on activities. The Melachos can be quite difficult to understand, and most people, especially younger children, are baffled by their complexity and sheer volume. The campers learned about and experienced first hand all of the 39 Melachos in practical ways so that even the very young children were able to relate to them.

What began as a dream was soon turned into a massive success. During the first week of camp, the children focused on the first 11 Melachos which deal with the process of making bread. In camp and on an educational excursion to the Kent countryside, campers actually experienced the entire process involved in making the bread, all the way from sowing seeds for wheat, harvesting, making sheaves, grinding flour and then making the bread.

During the second week, campers experienced first hand the wide range of activities involved in making cloth. During this week, camp was actually transformed into a farm with live sheep, goats and calves. Campers learned about caring for animals, were able to shear the sheep, and then comb, dye and weave the wool. Campers were treated to a visit by Dayan Yisroel Gukovitzki – a rabbinic authority specializing in the 39 Melachos - who presented a weaving workshop to. Bringing spinners and looms, children were able to see and use the tools used in days gone by.

summer 2009 093.jpgIn the third and final week, children on camp learned how Tefillin and parchment are made. The campers experienced this process first hand by looking at the leather making process from beginning to end. “It was incredibly eye-opening for the children,” says Rabbi Karasik. “Some of the children didn’t know that Tefillin were made from leather or that leather was once a cow eating grass in a field.”

In addition to learning about the 39 Melachos through hands-on activities, children also took part in a road safety course presented by Hackney Council, as well as lively games, exciting trips like Chessington and swimming.

“The 39 Melachos really came alive for the children on camp,” says Mrs. Karasik. “Through learning about them with exciting and engaging activities, the 39 Melachos are now something they know from hands-on experience rather than something abstract from a book.”

And parents agreed. “It has been a wonderful camp with a great atmosphere. Our children have made friends with other children from different places,” says Ari and Nikki who had four children attending this year’s camp. “We were so happy that our children are learning about the 39 Melachos in a hands-on way. They loved the activities and are excited to discuss what they have learned with us.”

Avigail, the mother of one camper, says: “My kids loved coming every day and are so disappointed it's over. They can't wait for next year! Over Shabbat, they wanted to go through the 39 Melachos. I was so impressed with how much they knew and they were so eager to tell me what they had learned about each one.”

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Study Highlights Chabad.org as “Emerging Brand Leader”

ULav2852701.jpgA comprehensive study of the Jewish community’s Internet presence has revealed that overall traffic to major Jewish news sites and educational sites is on the rise.

Within that framework, Chabad.org, the flagship Web site of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, “consistently serves as an example of what a successful educational/informational Web presence can look like,” states the report, which was just released by the media company 4Wall LLC. “There are a number of strong sites, with Chabad emerging as a brand leader.”

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Jewish Festival-Goers Encounter Chabad in Edinburgh

215.jpgThis year's Edinburgh Festival sees Chabad-Lubavitch of Edinburgh reaching out to Jews, providing religious services and hospitality.

"The festival is huge and has been keeping us very busy over the summer," says Rabbi Pinny Weinman.

Rabbi Weinman and his wife Gitty moved to Edinburgh just under a year ago to establish Chabad-Lubavitch of Edinburgh serving students, tourists and local residents in the Scottish capital and beyond.

The famed festival has run annually since 1947 and is the largest arts festival in the world.  The festival features 34,265 performances of 2,098 shows in 265 venues.

This year an estimated 18,901 performers will take to the stage as well as tens of thousands of spectators from 60 different countries generating £75 million for the Edinburgh and Scottish economy every year.

"There are literally thousands and thousands of people on streets of the city," says Rabbi Weinman who has been manning a stand on Edinburgh's main thoroughfare since the festival began earlier this month.

"We have met a lot of Jews from all over the world and even some from the Edinburgh who we hadn’t met since arriving here," explains Rabbi Weinman.

"We have been giving out kosher snacks, literature about Judaism, mezuzot and Shabbat candles to Jewish women. Each day we have had between 15 and 20 Jewish men putting on tefillin with us – some of whom have never had the opportunity to perform the mitzvah before."

214 (1).jpgDespite the festival's eclectic and colourful atmosphere, many have been pleasantly surprised to find a Hasidic rabbi in the middle of all the action.

"It was a shock seeing a rabbi in the middle of everything," said one passer-by. "I'm really happy to meet other Jews at the festival."

As well as spending time meeting Jews in the streets of Edinburgh, Rabbi Weinman and his wife have welcomed guests into their home to celebrate a traditional Shabbat experience.

"We have been hosting in excess of 30 people for Shabbat meals," says Gitty Weinman. "Welcoming artists and performers into our home from all parts of the world has added an interesting atmosphere to our Friday night meals."

The new Chabad centre will soon celebrate its first anniversary in the city.

"Many people, especially those from the United States and Israel, assume that Chabad is everywhere," explains Rabbi Weinman. "When I tell them that we have been here for less than a year they are really surprised and tell us that they are pleased that there is now a Chabad House here."

 

Oxford Chabad Inaugrates First Yom Limmud

YcBo3271443.jpgSecular and religious scholars came together at the end of last month for Oxford University Chabad Society’s first Yom Limmud.

A diverse group of speakers lectured to an audience of community members, students and academic staff on a wide range of subjects including Jewish law, mysticism, women in Judaism, the philosophy of religion, literature and philosophy.

Rabbi Chaim Rapoport - who holds the Jewish medical ethics portfolio in the UK Chief Rabbi's cabinet - spoke on the dynamics of decision making in Jewish law discussing the issue of cosmetic surgery.

The subjects of Jewish mysticism and philosophy were discussed by Dr. Naftali Loewenthal, Dr. Israel Sandman – both academics at University College London - and Dani Rabinowitz – a PhD student at Oxford.

Prof Ritchie Robertson – a specialist in German literature – spoke about German Jewish literature between the world wars.

Participants attended from the local area and as far afield as London.

In addition to the lectures and a full children's programme, attendees were offered the opportunity to take a tour of medieval Jewish sites in Oxford as well as view a special Hebraica collection at St. John’s College library which included the works of the Zohar, Maimonides and Abrabranel.

"The conference was a real success and I heard several people asking whether there will be another one and when," said Philippe Petrov, a DPhil candidate in neurosciences at Oxford.

Local resident, David Hearn, also complimented the lectures.

"They were energizing, passionate and the structure and illustration were excellent. Overall, a great day! We would like more of such programmes in the future."
 
Rabbi Eli Brackman, director of Oxford University Chabad Society, predicts that with the success of this conference and the planning more in the future.

"We look forward to the beginning of a new era of Jewish study for Oxford Jewry and students and for the UK Jewish community as a whole."

 

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