Chabad Lubavitch of Arkansas cut the ribbon to a three beautiful brand new mikvaos. One for women and a separate mikvah for men as well as a mikva for keilim. These gorgeously appointed bastions of purity complement a full service, 7 acre campus that serves as headquarters of Lubavitch of Arkansas, a state that counts 10,000 Jews.
The womens mikva and its two preparation rooms, as well the separate mikva for the men with its own dressing room and shower facilities, as well as the keilim mikva were built under the expert guidance of Rabbi Gershon Grossbaum and Rabbi Baruch Hertz.
Mrs. Goldie Plotkin, co-founder of Chabad in Markham Ontario, inspired all of the many men and women in attendance. She shared personal stories related to the campaign championed by the Rebbe, integral to his worldwide outreach initiatives that have touched many millions throughout the world.
One can only imagine the great milestone the mikva openings represent for this relatively small Jewish community. But history was not made just today. Since 1992, Chabad of Arkansas has been making miraculous strides in transforming the Jewish landscape of the state.
Currently Chabad operates the state's only Jewish Day School. Recent years has seen the bold new opening of an 8th grade Mechina class for bar mitzvah age boys. This division's focus is on children from small Jewish communities throughout America who are in a transition phase, leaving their homes to the big city Yeshivas.
On the other side of the campus, Chabads spacious synagogue holds daily and Shabbat services. Its day school, high school, adult education classes, outreach and Jewish holiday programming, have been now crowned with these additional institutions of ritual sanctity. With these openings all of Jewish life now exists in pristine form in Little Rock. This phenomenon can only be described as a kiddush sheim shomayim and an outstanding testament to the living and ever growing ideals of the Rebbe. It is his teachings that continue to inspire and ensure the blessings from on high. The Rebbe's shluchim continue unchallenged in bringing authentic, Torah true Judaism to every Jew in the world.
Today, Arkansas is home to five Shluchim couples. Rabbi Pinchus and Estie Ciment direct Chabad of Arkansas. Joining them are Rabbi and Mrs. Benzion and Rochie Pape who direct the educational department, Rabbi Mendel and Sarah Mochkin who teach in the Mechina and day school, Rabbi Yosef and Mushka Kramer who direct the Chabad programming and Rabbi Mendeland Dobi Greisman who direct Chabad of Northwest Arkansas, which services the local university as well as the headquarters of WalMart. In 2013 Chabad of Northwest Arkansas opened its own beautiful Mikva.
22 years after Gimmel Tamuz, the Rebbe's vision continues to take hold in cities large and small, in the United States and throughout the world. Little Rock, Arkansas powerfully represents a living lesson in the awesome strength of the Rebbe's inspiration and continued blessings.
Truth be told, Chabad-Lubavitch of Arkansas today brings the delight of Yiddishkeit and its celebration to its Jewish community on a level equal to any major Jewish community in the world.
The womens mikva and its two preparation rooms, as well the separate mikva for the men with its own dressing room and shower facilities, as well as the keilim mikva were built under the expert guidance of Rabbi Gershon Grossbaum and Rabbi Baruch Hertz.
Mrs. Goldie Plotkin, co-founder of Chabad in Markham Ontario, inspired all of the many men and women in attendance. She shared personal stories related to the campaign championed by the Rebbe, integral to his worldwide outreach initiatives that have touched many millions throughout the world.
One can only imagine the great milestone the mikva openings represent for this relatively small Jewish community. But history was not made just today. Since 1992, Chabad of Arkansas has been making miraculous strides in transforming the Jewish landscape of the state.
Currently Chabad operates the state's only Jewish Day School. Recent years has seen the bold new opening of an 8th grade Mechina class for bar mitzvah age boys. This division's focus is on children from small Jewish communities throughout America who are in a transition phase, leaving their homes to the big city Yeshivas.
On the other side of the campus, Chabads spacious synagogue holds daily and Shabbat services. Its day school, high school, adult education classes, outreach and Jewish holiday programming, have been now crowned with these additional institutions of ritual sanctity. With these openings all of Jewish life now exists in pristine form in Little Rock. This phenomenon can only be described as a kiddush sheim shomayim and an outstanding testament to the living and ever growing ideals of the Rebbe. It is his teachings that continue to inspire and ensure the blessings from on high. The Rebbe's shluchim continue unchallenged in bringing authentic, Torah true Judaism to every Jew in the world.
Today, Arkansas is home to five Shluchim couples. Rabbi Pinchus and Estie Ciment direct Chabad of Arkansas. Joining them are Rabbi and Mrs. Benzion and Rochie Pape who direct the educational department, Rabbi Mendel and Sarah Mochkin who teach in the Mechina and day school, Rabbi Yosef and Mushka Kramer who direct the Chabad programming and Rabbi Mendeland Dobi Greisman who direct Chabad of Northwest Arkansas, which services the local university as well as the headquarters of WalMart. In 2013 Chabad of Northwest Arkansas opened its own beautiful Mikva.
22 years after Gimmel Tamuz, the Rebbe's vision continues to take hold in cities large and small, in the United States and throughout the world. Little Rock, Arkansas powerfully represents a living lesson in the awesome strength of the Rebbe's inspiration and continued blessings.
Truth be told, Chabad-Lubavitch of Arkansas today brings the delight of Yiddishkeit and its celebration to its Jewish community on a level equal to any major Jewish community in the world.