Rabbi Avi and Mushky Feldman, Chabad of IcelandThe Northernmost Chabad House in the WorldBy: Chaya ChazanAfter an amazing one and a half year shlichus opportunity in Berlin, we were back in New York, looking for the next step in our journey. We were hearing more and more about Iceland, and its need for more Yiddishkeit. Although Jews had lived there for more than 100 years, there’s never been a rabbi or any kind of Jewish organization in the country. Beginning more than 50 years ago, groups of Merkos Shluchim visited Iceland from time to time. A Tanya
Israel At War: The Rebbe's Superheros Chabad of Ashkelon: Rabbi Moishy PelesSimchas Torah started beautifully. Delicious food filled our bellies, drinks flowed freely, and our community’s voices sang proudly throughout the night. Hakafos were lively, happy, and inspirational, and we went home dreaming of another day rejoicing with the Torah and our community.We woke up Shabbos morning to thunder and fire. Explosions - close ones, too. The sirens hadn’t gone off yet, but the ground was literally shaking beneath our feet. Our very foun
Rabbi Shlomi and Racheli Tabib, Chabad of TaiwanShalom and Ni Hao: Jewish Life in TaiwanBy: Chaya Chazan“You know, there’s this place in Hong Kong that could really use a Shliach. It’s called Kowloon,” a yeshiva friend of mine told me, after he visited the city.My wife and I, then just recently married, were intrigued, and we decided to check it out. We contacted Rabbi Avtzon, a long-time shliach in Hong Kong who happened to travel to Israel a short while later. After interviewing, he invited us to serve as the shluchim to the newly-opened Chabad
Rabbi Asher and Henya A”H Federman, Chabad of the U.S. Virgin IslandsHenya’s Everlasting Legacy Part IIBy: Chaya ChazanIn 2017, two Category 5 hurricanes devastated the island. We went without power for months, and it took a long time for the island to recover. Our first priority was to ensure our community’s safety, especially our elderly members. We helped them board up their windows, and tie down anything loose. We did the same to our house, and hunkered down for what promised to be the storm of the century.We learned our house’s roof had blow
Rabbi Asher and Henya A”H Federman, Chabad of the U.S. Virgin IslandsHenya’s Everlasting Legacy Part IBy: Chaya ChazanShlichus was a dream we’d shared from the very first moment we met. The day after our final sheva brachos, we opened our computer and Googled, “countries with a Jewish population and no Chabad house.” A few striking options came up, but Cuba caught our eye. We were excited to spread the Rebbe’s message to a “new” country, especially one we knew would challenge us in so many ways. We received special permission from the Bus
Rabbi Osher and Sarah Kravitsky, Chabad of Great Neck, New YorkTooting Our Shofars – You'll Have a Blast!By: Chaya ChazanAlthough my paternal grandfather was a shliach of the Frierdiker Rebbe, my father, the youngest in his family, was mostly raised by his mother, who imbued him with her bitterness about Hashem and Yiddishkeit. My parents divorced on my bar mitzvah, and the day would’ve proceeded completely unmarked if not for my uncle, who brought me to 770, where I received an aliyah in front of the Rebbe.As a young man, my days and nigh
Rabbi Eliyahu and Batsheva Kaminetzky, Chabad of Taos, New MexicoTaos Trails & Jewish TalesBy: Chaya ChazanIn typical Chabad fashion, my wife, from New York, and myself, from Melbourne, had a relative on shlichus in New Mexico, who assured us there was a sizable Jewish population in Taos, a desert town in northern New Mexico. He invited us to participate in the yearly Shabbaton he ran there to help introduce us to the community.We were lucky to meet Ted Gold, who later became a founding member of Chabad of Taos. When his mother passed, shluchim in Al
Rabbi Motti and Zlata Lewin, Chabad of Normandy, France D-Day: Davening on the Beaches of NormandyThe decision to move on shlichus wasn’t a difficult one. Since we’re both children of shluchim, the decision felt very natural. I knew Normandy had a Jewish presence because my brother is a shliach nearby, and would often be called regarding kosher food, funerals, and minyanim. We expected a vibrant Jewish presence, especially when we visited and saw the beautifully upkept shul in the center of town. When we walked inside, however, we were disappoi
Rabbi Daniel and Chaya Ira Stoller, Chabad Russian Center of Ashkelon, IsraelThe Rebbe’s ChallengeBy: Chaya ChazanWhen we first received an offer to be shluchim, I was deep into earning my masters in mechanical engineering. We regretfully turned it down, but Rabbi Itche Wagner wouldn’t take no for an answer. Israel was inundated with Russian-speaking immigrants, and little had been done for them until then. Rabbi Wagner was determined to change that. He kept pressuring us, but I couldn’t fathom handling two such high pressure roles.Around that time
Rabbi Moshe and Yocheved Raskin, Chabad of Kampala, UgandaResurrection after the Raid: Yiddishkeit in UgandaI grew up in a shluchim family. My siblings are scattered around the world, serving a variety of communities. The Rebbe’s mission to light up all four corners of the globe was instilled in us from a young age. My wife experienced a similar upbringing. When we met, we bonded over this shared dream. We’d talk for hours about building our own Chabad house. We envisioned starting a community from scratch and serving a part of the world that ha
