It has been a truly powerful week at Chabad of Sudbury this week, as event after event filled the center with so many different people and uplifting programs.
The Nova Survivor who told his story and the story of his best friend who is a hostage, shared with us a painful yet powerful story of faith and hope, and inspired all of us to do even more (you can read more below).
The Talmud course is going strong with 50+ taking the course and enjoying the learning.
Teen programs, senior programs, prayer services and so much more have all been happening over the last seven days, and have been bringing lots of meaning, joy and more to so many.
Tonight, dozens will be joining us for the Tu B'Shevat Community Shabbat Dinner. Thank you to the annonymous family who are helping sponsor this evening's dinner!!
Of course our hearts and minds are with our brothers and sisters in Israel, who have had so many ups and downs over the last few days, as we continue to pray for peace and the return of the hostages.
A MESSAGE FROM YELENA TRUFANOV
Many months ago, we reached from ChabadSudbury to the family of Sasha Trufanov, through our friends in Cholon, who introduced us to several of the hostage families.
Sasha's grandmother, mother, and girlfriend were all kidnapped with him, and his father was killed on Oct 7th.
While the others were released a few months after they were kidnapped, Sasha has been held all this time.
His mother Yelena and girlfriend Sapir have become beacons of hope, faith, and positivity.
I still have the message of Yelena telling us that she just wants the funds to be used to do something special in his Merit so that he should come home. The funds had been donated by community members to either directly help some of the hostage families or do projects or advocacy that the families wanted to do for their children.
Yelena wanted these funds to be used for a Lag Baomer Celebration in Cholon that was dedicated in honor of Sasha, so that inspiring, uplifting and bringing people together, would be a positive act that would help bring home her son.
G-d willing he is coming home tomorrow!!
Please see this message from Yelena today before this important Shabbat for her and her family!
Candle Lighting in Sudbury today is at 4:59pm.
To find your location times visit http://chabadsudbury.com/
May they all come home very soon and may the lights of the Shabbat Candles that are honoring this holy day that is spoken of in this week's Torah portion, help usher in the blessings and light that we all need and that this world needs so much of.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Yisroel