www.chabadsudbury.com | Blogs | Jewish Sudbury Blog

Regards from Jerusalem

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 1:47:00 PM

B"H

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you from Jerusalem where it is almost Shabbat and the sun is about to set.

I am here for Shabbat as I came to visit my son Levi and spend some time together.

We took an incredible hike in the Judean desert yesterday in a place called Nahal Prat, definitely out of my comfort zone, but nothing like being alone in nature and hiking together in the beautiful Land of Israel.

This afternoon I paid a visit to a soldier who I first met 2 1/2 years ago, who was injured in battle while trying to save two severely injured friends, who were caught in an ambush.

He described to me the moments he held one of his dear friends in his hands as he was mortally wounded and said the Shema with him, in his final breaths as they desperately tried saving his life while under heavy fire and he being injured.

He still does reserve duty and just finished 3 months in Lebanon just a few days ago, and then he goes back to rehab every week for treatment for his own injuries.

It was a deeply emotional conversation on so many levels, as we discussed the future, the now, the past.

Before we ended with a very emotional hug, I shared with him one idea of the weekly Torah Portion.

In the portion of Noah which we read tomorrow, as the floodwaters threaten to drown even Noah, G-d tells him to come into the Ark.

The Baal Shem Tov would often teach that the Ark, in Hebrew Teiva, can mean "words", and the floodwaters as expressed elsewhere, can also refer to the stresses of life, which often seem like they are about to submerge us with their fury, and drown out our inner core, our faith, our connection to our soul and to G-d.

Yet when G-d tells Noah, come to the Ark, it is also a metaphor, for making the time for the "words" of prayer and the study of Torah, which although so challenging in those moments, yet, they enable us to not be submerged by the floodwaters of life, and instead they allow us to use the floodwaters to lift ourselves up and become even stronger.

Obviously the goal isn't to escape there and run away from reality, but to gain strength and then taken on the challenges.

I wished my dear friend who has given so much and endured too much for his young age, that he should be blessed that ultimately he will yet build a family, be an amazing husband and father, and be able to give to his family, children and the world, so much of the deep and special person that he is.

May the incredible sacrifices he has made, be the catalyst for him being able to be the person he wants to be.

As I go to enjoy a Shabbat with Levi in Jerusalem, I wish you all a Shabbat Shalom in Sudbury and elsewhere.

Thank you to Shayna, Chana, Zalman and Leah who are running Chabad this Shabbat and Sunday while I am away.

Yisroel

P.S Join us for tomorrow's Shabbat Services & Kiddush Luncheon for part or all of the time, at which we will discuss and share more anecdotes and messages on the weekly Torah Portion

Let there be Light!

Fri, 9 Oct 2026 8:53:00 AM

Where do we go from here?

The month of the Jewish holidays was a truly uplifting month of community, conversations, prayer, events, celebrations, classes, and festivities and gatherings for all ages as hundreds came through our doors and were connected, inspired or celebrated and gained strength from each other.

The feedback has been tremendous, with so many beautiful notes, messages and voicenotes.

Now it is silence... the Sukkah is down (thank you Uri).. the dancing has stopped.... the High Holiday tent is down.... Oct 7th was just marked... and the regular rhythm of life is kicking in plus the never ending cycle of news, including continuous blood libels against Israel being celebrated and now even rewarded by the world.

In Chassidic theology we are taught that over the month of Tishrie which we are completing now, we are packing our bags and filling up on inspiration, motivation, faith, joy and resilience.

Now are bags are full, and it is time to start unpacking them into our day to day lives.

This week we read the first Torah reading of the entire Torah, the portion of Bereshit. One of the many items which we read about is the story of creation and the ten utterances that G-d used to create the Universe.

The very first utterance and act of creation is "Let there be Light"!

We do not look at that is being insignificant, rather we understand it be a message and guidance to us, to always remember that our job is to be creators of "light".

"Light" in Jewish thought has many connotations, but among the primary ideas, are the "Light" of G-d, the "Light" of Good Deeds and kindness, the "Light" of Truth, or as Isaiah the prophet stated our job is to be "לְאוֹר גּוֹיִים", a light unto the nations.

The Talmud quotes a sage named Rabbi Nachman Bar Yitzchak who stated that "ענן פועלי דיממא אנן", "we are day laborers", meaning our job is to be people who increase light in the world as build up the world.

So as we enter the regular rhythm and cycle of a new year and unpack our bags, let us remember to unpack some of the "light" wherever we go, so that the inspiration, reflections, joy, prayers, hope and more of the High Holidays are tools that we use to do our job as laborers of light, in a world that is still dealing with so much darkness.

Let us unpack some of the light, and bring some joy, a smile, and light, to every interaction we have, as we go about our lives.

Let us shine the light of truth and morality, even if at times the darkness of libels and lies seems increasingly dark.

Lastly, Jewish teachings state that a portion of the original light that G-d created in the first moment, is embedded in the teachings of the Torah.

Each time we study, reflect, and grapple with an idea or message, we enable some of this "light" to impact our thinking in regards to staying focused on our mission in the world, as individuals, spouses, parents, as part of a community, as Jewish people, and as part of a global society.

Let there be light!

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos

Yisroel

3 years since Oct 7th

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 1:00:00 PM

Today marks three years since those awful terrible moments of Oct 7th when as Jewish people around the world celebrated Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah, thousands of terrorists attacked dozens of communities, army outposts, highways and the Nova Festival, killed almost 1,200, maimed and wounded so many more, kidnapped so many others, and started a war which has caused untold suffering.

That same day, we were shaken by the shockwaves of antisemitism flaring up around the world, as the ground shook beneath our feet from the crowds roaring antisemitic chants who marched in big cities around the world, in academic institutions and elsewhere. As we struggled in pain with the terrible grief and evil that had just occurred, to see others gleefully celebrating or remaining silent, was another stab in the heart.

We rallied, we prayed, we gathered, we raised funds, we advocated and over time we gathered back our strength and lifted our heads high, as we realized that although we are watching a terrible moment in history unfolding, we cannot simply be sad and demoralized bystanders. Instead, we began to gather together, strengthen our faith and communities, strengthen Israel and their needs, do more Mitzvos and Prayer, and we resolved to do even more kindness and goodness in the world around us, so that positivity, unity and understanding, will always be what carry us forward, even if at the same time we must forcefully confront the hatred that is out there.

Yes, the world has changed, the pain is still so real, especially for so many who lost loved ones and friends. Sadly, the hatred has not diminished, if anything it has only increased with renewed blood libels and falsehoods which have sadly influenced so many young minds.

Yet as Jewish people, we are guided by the teachings of Judaism and we know that our job is to remember we are here for a mission even if at times it is hard. We must remind ourselves that we are players on a winning team with the goals being making a better world with eventually a world envisioned by the prophets, one of peace, unity and understanding, and a world dedicated to fulfilling G-d's vision for the universe.

Until we get there, we can't yell back or get distracted by every catcall or slur from the stands, because we are here to play and play it as best as we can. Passing the ball to each other, working in unity, to strengthen each other, strengthen the Jewish people everywhere and Israel the eternal Jewish homeland and score another goal of kindness and positive action to better the entire world around us.

So on this day as we reflect in pain and sadness, and honor all those who were killed, we remember that we must continue to be the proud torchbearers of our Jewish values, and even if the going gets tough, this too shall pass.

As we remember all those who were killed, I recall my dear friend Adi Baharav Rabinowitz who visited us many times, who was killed on this fateful day, saving lives in his village of Netiv Hasarah. On the eve of his Yahrziet, I had the honor of sitting with his family who are a part of the community, and sitting with his little three-month-old grandson who bears his name.

Together we sat in the Sukkah, shook the Lulav and Etrog, spoke of unity, hope, sadness and happiness, and listened to the beautiful sounds of a baby laughing, healing everyone with the innocent sounds of joy and happiness.

May his family along with all the other families of all the victims of 10/7 and beyond be comforted among the mourners of Zion & Jerusalem.

Consider taking the time today as you remember and reflect, to do an extra Mitzvah, an extra act of kindness, an extra good deed, wrap Tefillin (stop by Chabad today), study Torah, say a prayer, or whatever Mitzvah or good deed speaks to you.

To our community and everyone who supports our work, through your kindness, we have sent a few hundred thousand dollars to Israel in the last few years, through donations specifically earmarked to help support our efforts, at helping wounded, families of the hostages, safety equipment and gear, children, widows and single mothers, and to people and villages, whose lives were so heavily impacted.

Yizkor, Let us Remember!

Am Yisrael Chai!

Yisroel

P.S Join us on Monday evening Oct 12th as we mark this 3 year anniversary with Barak Morag of Nir Oz, who will share his family's gripping story of Choosing Life.

What a truly amazing Sukkot so far!

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 1:01:00 PM

What a truly amazing Sukkot so far!

Thank you to the hundreds of you who came through our doors for the many wonderful programs and celebrations over this holiday.

From all those who celebrated the first night in the Sukkah, to the many young families who joined us at the Kids in the Sukkah Celebration (lots of photos over here), to the many who came and made sure we had wonderful prayer services each day, to the teens who joined us at the CTEEN in the Sukkah Celebration (lots of photos over here), and to the 100+ adults who joined us at the amazing Sushi in the Sukkah Celebration last night (lots of photos over here).

Every day people stopped by to shake the Lulav or make a blessing in the Sukkah, Shaloh House Day School from Boston paid us their annual visit while we entertained them in the Sukkah, and each and every day the joy continued in so many ways.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped build the Sukkahs, especially to Uri Mizrahi and my sons Zalman and Mendel, and to so many others like Chana who arranged and ran the CTEEN program and cooked for so many of the celebrations, to Leah who helped organize and do so much, to Olga Lepsky for the beautiful branches for the Sukkah, to all of the security team for helping make each event run smoothly and well, and to so many others who helped with setup, cleanup and more.

Now let's go celebrate Simchat Torah.

Photos of the 1st day of Hebrew School

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:52:00 PM

This past Sunday dozens of returning students and lots of new faces and families joined us for the first session for the new Hebrew School Year.

The students had a blast as they saw their friends once again, made new ones, and learned in a hands on way all about the holidays of Yom Kippur & Sukkot.

We welcome all the new staff who have joined us this year and look forward to a great year of learning and fun in a beautiful Jewish atmosphere.

You can still sign up for Hebrew School and join for this academic year. You can read more at www.chabadsudbury.com/chs

What an amazing Yom Kippur!

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:51:00 PM

Thank you to the hundreds of you who came through the tent over Yom Kippur (and Rosh Hashanah) and helped make one of the most beautiful and meaningful Yom Kippur's on record at ChabadSudbury!

From the packed tent and moving melodies of Kol Nidrei, to the meaningful morning services and Yizkor Memorial Service, and with standing room only at Neilah and the break fast, the sentiments in the tent were powerful, uplifting and inspiring all at the same time.

Each person who came helped make this a more impactful Yom Kippur, as we prayed, hoped, reflected, sung melodies, and yes more than a few tears, and of course joyously sang the uplifting song and said the Shema, before the sounding of the Shofar!

There were so many extraordinary moments, and one or two of them, I hope to share over the next few days!

Watching the community grow year to year and the many hundreds of returning faces along with so many new faces, is something we are so grateful for. Hearing kids running around the lawn and playing happily and as prayers ring out from the tent, children's services take place inside as well as a teen program, are all things that we don't take for granted.

We know that the generosity and volunteerism of so many is helping build this warm place of connection, community, faith, good deeds and care for facilitating room for personal growth, communal growth and our collective actions for making a better world.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped in so many ways, to all of the ushers and security team members who helped ensure safe and smooth services, to those who setup the break fast, chairs, tables and more, to Chana for running the Teen Program, to Sheva and Rina for running the kids programs, and to Mendel and DL for helping in so many ways to Chai Security, to Sudbury PD, to Junie, and of course to my brother Shmuel who helped lead so many of the services in such a beautiful way and while we are at it, we wish him a Happy 50th Birthday!!

Thank you to the many dozens of you who made kind donations in honor of the High Holidays and helped enable all of this and more. If you would like to donate or make a Yizkor pledge, you may use this link.

As we said at the end of Neila, we transition from beating and pounding hearts at the end of Neila to the banging of the Sukkah walls, as we take the inspiration of the holidays and translate it into another tangible Mitzvah, good deed, Mezuzah, Tefillin, Candle Lighting, Sukkah, Kindness, Tzedaka or any other Mitzvah!

May 5787 be an amazing year of growth, happiness, health, blessings, peace and more for all and looking forward to welcoming more and more people to the tent and community at Chabad of Sudbury.

A Noe'easter on Sukkot?

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:50:00 PM

Sukkot the holiday of joy and unity is starting in just a couple of hours and it is bringing a very windy and wet friend along, in the form of a big northeaster storm which threaten to take down many Sukkahs and branches.

Entering in to the Sukkah on this holiday and being surrounded by the metaphoric embrace from G-d, while contemplating how G-d protected us from the elements for 40 years in the desert, and ever since then in so many ways, is one of the most powerful messages of the holiday.

As we remind ourselves of the fragility of the walls and roofs that surround us and remember that G-d is the ultimate protector, we celebrate and rejoice in knowing we can connect and be a part of such a great and joyous message and way of life.

We express that by celebrating and inviting as many as possible to join us in the Sukkah, a shelter of Unity, from all the chaos and discord that is out there in the world around us, and collectively give thanks and add joy to each others lives.

Yes, in recent years, the metaphoric storms, winds of hate seem to be blowing from so many directions, and the walls of our institutions and sense of security are at times shaken, as the conceptual storm coming from hate, bigotry and bias shakes our walls and loosens the covers that provide shelter in our lives.

Yet then comes Sukkot with its joyous and hope filled message of faith in the resilience we have been endowed with, to weather the storms, and keep moving forward onward and upwards with our mission in life of bettering ourselves and bettering the world around us.

So Northeaster or not, Sukkot is coming, and we will be celebrating, as we know despite all the stormwinds in the world, we are here to stay, and to march on bringing joy and blessings to the world around us.

Join us this evening at 6:30pm for a pre storm Kabbalat Shabbat and light refreshments in the modified Sukkah (the big one will go up on Tuesday G-d willing), and of course for all the other celebrations and services over the next few days.

Stop by anytime from Sunday and on, to shake and make a Blessing on the Lulav and have a bite in the Sukkah.

Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach

Yisroel

Condolences to the Henken Family

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:39:00 PM

On behalf of the Chabad Center of Sudbury, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Rick & Gabrielle Henken, on the passing of Rick's father, Herbert Henken of Blessed Memory.

Herb was a dedicated husband who was pre deceased by his wife Charlene, a loving father, grandfather and great grandfather, and a true Mentch, and as one person, said a good friend of everyone.

Funeral and Shiva took place this week.

May his sons, Rick & Rob and all of his family and grandchildren be comforted among the mourners of Zion & Jerusalem and may his memory be a blessing.

Condolences to the Gruman & Reznik Families

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 7:53:00 AM

On behalf of the Chabad Center of Sudbury, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Zina Gruman and Sofya Reznik and all of their family on the passing of Leonid Gruman of Blessed Memory, a beloved and dedicated husband, father and grandfather.

Funeral and Shiva and more details will be posted shortly.

May his wife, children and grandchildren be comforted among the mourners of Zion & Jerusalem and may his memory be a blessing.

Photos & Report of Ladies Challah Bake & New Year Fair

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:59:00 PM

Two beautiful events took place this week at Chabad of Sudbury. On Sunday dozens of families joined together at the Jewish New Year Fair for a morning of fun as we made Shofars from scratch, made Challah, enjoyed the moon bounce, and had fun with arts and crafts.

You can see a lot more pictures in this link.

On Tuesday evening, the beautiful Ladies Challah Bake was held for dozens of local ladies, who enjoyed a fun, classy and meaningful evening in preparation for Rosh Hashanah and Challah Making.

You can see a lot more pictures of this event over here.

Rosh Hashanah Recap

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:57:00 PM

Thank you to the hundreds of you who joined us over the course of Rosh Hashanah, to the 70+ who joined us for the dinner on the first night of the holiday, the packed tent on the first day of the holiday, and yes it even filled up on the second day, despite the very heavy rain, and to the hundreds who joined together at Tashlich at the Grist Mill despite the rain ending right around 4pm!

It was a truly uplifting and moving Rosh Hashanah and it included so many moving conversations, visits to nursing homes, tears and beautiful messages, and a sense of community and connection, along with prayers full of hope and aspirations for a Good New Year and a much better year!

A huge thank you to my brother Shmuel Freeman for leading so many of the services, to the ushers and security team for making everything work so well, to the volunteers who helped with setup, to our wonderful neighbors who helped out with welcoming people and other needs, and to the girls who ran the children's programs, to Sudbury, MA Police Department for their help throughout the holiday and at the Grist Mill, to all those who helped with the Luncheons and the Dinner, to everyone who helped with the Landscaping and to so many others!!

This is the first Shabbat of the year and services will be held in the tent and then Hebrew School starts with its first session and multiple new students on Sunday.

On Sunday evening and Monday we are looking forward to welcoming hundreds of you over the course of Yom Kippur, and we are expecting record turnout at all the services and the amazing Neila and Break Fast that follows!

The full schedule is posted below and all are welcome!

Gmar Chatima Tova & Shabbat Shalom

Yisroel

Thank you to the Gardeners!

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:58:00 PM

As we prepare for the High Holidays and the hundreds of people who will be coming through Chabad of Sudbury over the next few days, we would like to take a moment to say thank you to all the people who do so much throughout the year and put in so many hours, in making sure the grounds always look so beautiful and welcoming.

Thank you to Dynnie Booth who comes multiple times a week to garden, weed, plant, prune and more so that things are well maintained. Thank you to Debbie Wolfe, Masha Hareli, Inna Lisak, Kelli Kirstein and Toby Wolner who have been helping and doing so much to make things look so beautiful.

Thank you to David Angelov of PlantParenthood who did lots of trimming of bushes and planted so many beautiful flowers in the flower pots.

Thank you to Andrew & Annie Blank for arranging and sponsoring the lawn care throughout the year.

Thank you to Fran Levy, who several years ago, got so many things going at Chabad of Sudbury, in terms of shrubs, bushes and the beautiful Cherry Blossom Trees.

It takes a village and truthfully there are so many who volunteer in so many capacities for so many things for Chabad and the community at large, we appreciate it tremendously!!!

Thank you!!

Can we Pass on the Flame?

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:19:00 AM

Yesterday as we held another moving Bar Mitzvah Ceremony at Chabad of Sudbury, the parents of the Bar Mitzvah boy shared a few remarks, which were spoken from the heart, simply, yet so profound.

The father shared his own journey and of how when he grew up in the former Soviet Union, he wasn't able to have a Bar Mitzvah. He shared how neither was his own father, the grandfather of the Bar Mitzvah boy able to have a Bar Mitzvah, and how in school he recalled being told by his parents to always push himself tremendously to be on top, otherwise as a Jew, he would never have a chance if he was equal in accomplishments to everyone else.

He recalled his grandparents having to hide their Jewish identity, hiding the fact that his mother's father was a Rabbi, and yet finding a surreptitious way to go to the synagogue once a year, to pick up Matzos for Passover.

In a few short words choked with emotion, the father of the Bar Mitzvah boy shared with his son and the friends of his son, the privilege and honor of being able to celebrate the milestone of a Bar Mitzvah and being the first boy in generations in their family to do so. He shared how he sees it, it these young boys who have the responsibility carry the flame of Judaism forward, to always stand proud and strong for what they represent, and to live joyfully and meaningfully with the traditions and values of Judaism.

Personally, I am always deeply moved by these kinds of moments at Bar & Bat Mitzvahs and know that the messages conveyed through words and the unspoken sentiments, touch everyone in a very deep way, as we reflect on the past and what brought us to this moment, and deepen our resolve to strengthen the Jewish future.

This week, we were fortunate to have so many meetings with parents who are looking to enroll their children in Hebrew School and give them a meaningful Bar or Bat Mitzvah experience. No matter what perspective the parents are coming from, they all share in the same deep rooted desire of finding a meaningful and joyful way to convey to the next generation our deepest values and traditions, along with our history and a deep resolve and pride for who we are and who we need to be in today's world.

Our children are the future, and in a week when we read a Torah portion that talks about our first fruits and bringing them to G-d and acknowledging the blessings we have been bestowed with, it is also a calling and reminder, to give our very best to our own first fruits, or children, our future, our most prized possession, so that they too can be the torchbearers of the illuminating light and values of Judaism, onwards and upwards in the years ahead.

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos

Yisroel

P.S Lots of great programs for all ages in the weeks ahead... See below, RSVP and don't forget to share and invite your friends.

Mazal Tov Kaplun's

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:19:00 AM

On behalf of the Chabad Center of Sudbury we extend a big Mazal Tov to Daniel Kaplun on his Bar Mitzvah ceremony which took place yesterday at Chabad of Sudbury!

Daniel did a great job and made everyone proud at this beautiful celebration.

Mazal Tov to his dear parents Alex and Lucy, grandparents and family!

Wishing you all continued Nachat and joy!

My Journey as a Seed

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:00:00 AM

Life started out for me so well..

I was all bundled up and surrounded by lush colors, vibrance and nutrients.

I would enjoy the sun and the rays that gave me warmth and light to grow and be inspired and to continue to develop.

Even when the rain was heavy, I would appreciate the blessings that would often soak me. I knew that these rain droplets, were giving me the hydration that I needed, even if indirectly.

The winds and storms were a little harder to manage, but even those we managed to get by.

As I grew, I felt the space around me becoming more pressurizing, and I also realized that I have lots of company, individuals just like me. We worked hard together to gain nutrients, hydration and more, and slowly we all kept growing bigger.

One day, when I was just relaxing, I felt a big chomp, and in an instant, it seemed as if I had been cut off from something, I felt my energy start to sap.

I feel chopping, and all the green mushy stuff around me was cut away, and I was left at the side to shrivel up. The good stuff was taken away, and I am put in a pile on the side, as I slowly wilt and lose my moisture and energy.

Yet even as things go dark for me, I know that embedded inside of me I have some divine energy, waiting for someone to tap into and do something with it.

Will I end up in a garbage bag and thrown into the trash… or does G-d have something else in mind for me?

One day I feel myself being picked up, I am pretty dried out now… things don’t look good.

Suddenly I feel myself thrown into a hole in the earth, it is dark and cold and I can’t even see the sunlight anymore. It gets worse, I am now being covered with earth, one clod after another is going over my head. I feel myself getting squished down by all the dark organic matter around me, and it seems like it is finally over.

As the cold earth seeps to seep into me and the darkness overtakes me, I feel something happening inside of me… I feel like part of me is beginning to break down… I am losing my beauty and good looks, but as this happens, I am also starting to feel life beginning to develop inside of me.

Wait, it actually feels like something beautiful is starting to grow from inside of me… indeed it is a bright young green shoot that is trying so hard to get to the surface.

I work as hard as I can, to continue sucking up the nutrients that G-d has put in the earth around me, as I pump as much energy as I can into this tiny sapling… The heat of the sun rays can already be felt by the tip of the green fresh young shoot. It finally breaks out the ground and is shocked by the bright light and intense noise happening all around it. The bees are everywhere, there are shoots just like it coming out the ground on the right and the left, and over there in the corner is a pile of old looking seeds, that look just like I once did.

I am still down here below ground and it is still dark, but I am developing strong roots to support the green shoot above.. I soak up the water around me, the nutrients, and continue to pump it out into the now little bush that is growing on top of me.

Yes, soon in a few weeks, I will produce my own fruit, and yes mountains of little seeds who will grow just like me.

Man is the Tree of the Field, says the Torah.

The journey of our growth we don’t always get to know in advance, but we also know that at every moment of time, we are meant to grow and move forward, from the sunlight and rain, to the moments of being surrounded by darkness.

Ultimately, it is a combination of all of the elements, which help us produce the beautiful offspring and fruit, namely children and Mitzvot, that we continue to give off into the world.

So even, if you are surrounded by earth and darkness and the pressure feels tremendous, and even if you feel you are starting to breakdown and not be yourself anymore, it is from moments like these, that the most powerful spurts of growth will come.

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos

Yisroel