Chabad of Baka celebrates its Bar Mitzvah year

Chabad of Baka feted 13 years of service and outreach with a dinner program on June 13 (Gimmel Tamuz, the date marking the 27th anniversary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s passing). Directors Rabbi Avraham and Nechama Dina Hendel emphasized the importance of community: “The Rebbe taught us that we are all lamplighters, and we see this especially with the wonderful people in our community who have made aliyah from around the world to fulfill their spiritual aspirations.”

Shul president Alex Traiman noted, “In addition to daily services and classes, Chabad of Baka reaches out to the wider community through holiday programs at the First Station and volunteer initiatives assisting the elderly and those in financial need. They also direct the Friendship Circle of South Jerusalem, which supports children with special needs and their families. During the challenging months of the pandemic, the Friendship Circle sent toys and gifts, as well as weekly volunteers, to bring joy and companionship to special-needs children.”

Chabad of Baka’s building fund prospered over the past year, bringing them close to the halfway mark of their $2.2 million goal. They await final permits to break ground for their new synagogue and community center to be built at 87 Derech Beit Lehem. Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, who was instrumental in securing the plot, praised the growth and leadership at Chabad of Baka and around the world, saying, “I recently returned from Dubai, and you can see how the Chabad rabbi there is doing what Chabad does across the globe – building something beautiful out of nothing.”