A Chabad house is a centre for disseminating traditional Judaism by the

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic group ...

movement. Chabad houses are run by a Chabad Shaliach (emissary), and Shalucha (fem. for emissary) and their family. They are located in cities and on or near college campuses.

History

Rabbi

Menachem Mendel Schneerson Menachem Mendel Schneerson (Modern Hebrew: מנחם מענדל שניאורסון; old-fashioned spelling: מנחם מענדל שניאורסאהן; April 5, 1902 OS – June 12, 1994; AM 11 Nissan 5662 – 3 Tammuz 5754), known to man ...

(the Rebbe) sent Rabbi Shlomo Cunin to Los Angeles in 1965 by to lay the groundwork for Chabad's West Coast activities. The first Chabad house for university students was opened in March 1969 at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the Californ ...

by Rabbi Cunin. A key to the Chabad house was given to the Rebbe and he asked if that meant that the new house was his home. He was told yes and he then replied, "My hand will be on the door of this house to keep it open twenty-four hours a day for young and old, men and women alike." In 1972, Rabbi Cunin opened additional Chabad houses at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...

and

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or colloquially, UCSD) is a public land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego is ...

and by 2003, Cunin had overseen the establishment of nearly 100 Chabad houses in California. Chabad houses are independently funded by the local community, apart from those in tourist destinations or Asian business hubs. Those on campus are funded initially by the parents, and then by the alumni when they become financially secure.

Description

In a Chabad house, the Shaliach and Shlucha (rabbi and his wife) host programs, activities, and services for the local Jewish community and for tourists. These centers exist today around the world, and serve as Jewish community centers that provide educational and outreach activities serving the needs of the entire Jewish community, regardless of degree of observance. Each center aims to provide a cozy and informal place to learn about and observe Judaism, and provides an atmosphere such that all Jews feel comfortable at Chabad events. Some are in or very near college campuses, others are not. Chabad houses are typically run by a Chabad

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

and rebbetzin, often with the assistance of unmarried Chabad young men or women, or, in the case of more developed Chabad houses, with the assistance of a second or even third married couple.

Services

Some typical Chabad house programs include: Hospital and prison visits; holiday activities such as "Sukkah Mobiles," Chanukah and Purim gift baskets and kits, holiday rallies and festivals; counseling and social Services;

Jewish studies Jewish studies (or Judaic studies; he, מדעי היהדות, madey ha-yahadut, sciences of Judaism) is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history (e ...

classes, lectures and seminars; Judaica services; regular newspapers and kosher meals. Classes may also be provided for non-Jews in the

Noahide laws In Judaism, the Seven Laws of Noah ( he, שבע מצוות בני נח, ''Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach''), otherwise referred to as the Noahide Laws or the Noachian Laws (from the Hebrew pronunciation of "Noah"), are a set of universal moral law ...

, as per rabbi Schneerson's Noahide campaign.

In universities

Chabad houses in universities, known as

Chabad on Campus Chabad on Campus International is a division of Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad Lubavitch movement. It is one of the largest Jewish organizations serving college campuses, with over 185 permanent branches on North A ...

, often provide housing for students, peer counseling and drug prevention centers, student activity offices, a synagogue, a publications center, library, kosher dining hall, student lounges, and a computer area. These facilities provide a social environment for young Jewish men and women on campus.

Gallery

File:Chabad Bais Sonia Gutte Campus, Pico Blvd., Beverlywood, Los Angeles.JPG, Chabad Bais Sonia Gutte Campus, Los Angeles. File:ChabadofBocaRatonFL.JPG, Chabad of Boca Raton,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. File:20170807 144556 August 2017 in Athens.jpg, Chabad House, in Athens, Greece

Notes

References

Sources

External links

Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters

Chabad Lubavitch on the Web

Chabad on Campus International
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chabad House Chabad outreach