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Winter-Break Vacationers in Caribbean Find Everything Jewish at Chabad

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Winter-Break Vacationers in Caribbean Find Everything Jewish at Chabad

Visitors join Jewish communities at services, kosher meals and classes

By: Bruria Efune

It’s midwinter vacation at many Jewish day schools and yeshivahs across North America, and in the warm and sunny Caribbean island of Aruba, Rabbi Ahron Blasberg is hard at work koshering two restaurants in anticipation of the many Jewish families he’s expecting to arrive at the small island over the next few weeks.

From Jan. 18-28, Aruba will be the proud home of Azzuro with a dairy menu and La Braise serving glatt-kosher meat meals. For Shabbat meals, visitors are invited to dine with Rabbi Ahron and Chaya Blasberg at Chabad-Lubavitch of Aruba, and enjoy a relaxed family atmosphere.

In the Virgin Islands, Natan Hayes is making his second visit to St. Thomas with his wife Pauline and their children. Last winter, they had what he calls a “deeply meaningful vacation experience” with Rabbi Asher and Henya Federman, directors of Chabad-Lubavitch of the Virgin Islands. “We came every day for Shacharit, played with their kids and spent time with the rebbetzin, Hayes tells Chabad.org. “They were so warm, and we had a really nice time.”

 

At Chabad of Turks and Caicos, Rabbi Shmulik Berkowitz arranged a kosher kitchen at the Ritz-Carlton Resort for the Yeshivah Week visitors. Similar to the other islands, Chabadin Turks and Caicos caters to a year-round community with regular activities.

The Hayes family was planning their 2023 trip in December when they heard news of the tragic accident that has left Henya Federman fighting for her life. “I vividly remember my wife and I were eating dinner, and my wife just started crying when she read the news about the baby and the rebbetzin,” Hayes told Chabad.org

After some deliberation about whether they should cancel their trip, Natan concluded that Rebbetzin Federman would have wanted them to go. “It definitely took the trip down a note,” says Hayes. “But on the other hand, it has caused us to appreciate what we might have been taking for granted. We definitely feel the loss of not being able to be with them.”

On their arrival in St. Thomas, the Hayes family found Rabbi Menachem Wolf and Rabbi Zelig Katzman organizing events and meals for early Yeshivah Week visitors.

“I was super-impressed. It’s kind of the Chabad way to keep going and not stop no matter what, even in the face of tragedy, but you know, these were extenuating circumstances, so it’s completely unexpected,” says Hayes. “We’re just very appreciative that there’s still a minyan—I learned with Menachem Wolf today, and the Federmans left their home wide open for everyone here. Their continued generosity in the face of adversity is very inspiring. I think that it really is a very positive message to everyone who gets to come to their house.”

Against all odds, Chabad of the Virgin Islands will be providing all the usual amenities to vacationers including daily minyans, study and Shabbat meals, as residents and visitors pray for the recovery of Rebbetzin Henya Federman.

Against All Odds

Against all odds, Chabad of the Virgin Islands will be providing all the usual amenities to vacationers. Rabbi Asher Federman and his children, along with a group of very dedicated local community members, have all been determined to ensure that Rebbetzin Federman’s standard of welcoming guests continues.

Rabbi Asher tapped Rabbi Mendel and Chyena Galperin, who are familiar with the island, to host the Yeshivah Week visitors with the help of Rabbis Wolf and Katzman.

The Galperins are flying in from Florida with their four small children and a huge cargo load of kosher-food supplies.

“Usually, kosher food is ordered in advance and shipped by boat,” said Chyena Galperin. “But due to the circumstances, this was all arranged at the last minute, so we need to bring it along with us as checked baggage.”

Basic kosher supplies, including wine and fish, can be found in island shops. But meat, chicken and strictly kosher dairy products need to be imported on a special order. When it comes to challah, Rebbetzin Federman had always baked that herself.

The Galperins hope that they’ll be able to be of service to the Yeshiva Week visitors and community in the same way the Federmans would. “Island life is about personal connections,” says Chyena Galperin. “The Federmans connect with their community and visitors in a very individual and profound way, like a family. They recently expanded their house to have a section for Chabad activities—because on an island, people aren’t coming for a big building, they’re coming for the warmth of a Jewish home. So the Chabad activities are all in their home. When you come to visit, they’re not opening a center to you, they’re opening their home.”

Wolf says he hopes he can help convey some of the warmth that the Federmans are famous for. “I find it to be a zchus—an honor, that I could continue their work while they can’t be here,” said Wolf. “It’s definitely a daunting task to stand in for them. I hope that the efforts of providing spiritual needs to the visitors will bring healing and blessings for the family.”

 

BBQ on Barbados

An influx of guests is expected at the 14 Chabad centers in the Caribbean. Chabad of Barbados will be hosting a Monday night BBQ under the stars for their many visitors, as well as providing a daily kosher takeout menu, Shabbat services and organizing morning prayers with a minyan.

“Yeshivah Week is always exciting, especially for our kids,” explains Shterna Chaikin, co-director of Chabad of Barbados with her husband, Rabbi Eli Chaikin. “We don’t have many Jewish children on the island, so it’s very fun for our kids to suddenly welcome so many other children who are just like them—and, of course, being able to have a daily minyan is very beautiful for us.”

Year-round, Chabad of Barbados caters to the diverse local Jewish community of residents, students and visitors. They offer events surrounding the Jewish holidays, weekly Torah classes, kosher catering and a weekend Hebrew school for the local Jewish children. Rabbi Eli and Shterna Chaikin have been serving the Jewish island community for five years now.

Shterna Chaikin says the Yeshivah Week visitors also have the opportunity to share the joys of Judaism. “In Barbados, it’s rare to see Orthodox Jews walking around, the locals only know the stereotypes perpetuated in the media. Yeshivah Week visitors get to show them what Orthodox people are really all about.”

Jewish visitors to Puerto Rico during yeshiva week break have plenty of recreational activities to take part in

 

Visitors Join Established Jewish Communities

Chabad of St. Bart’s is dedicated to providing a warm and welcoming Jewish environment for everyone who spends time on this beautiful island.

Visitors to St. Bart’s can stop at the Chabad lounge to put on Tefillin,  peruse a variety of books on Jewish topics, or explore their children’s library, in a comfortable and welcoming environment. Coffee, tea, and kosher snacks are available and sandwiches can be ordered in advance.

On Shabbat, visitors to St. Bart’s can join the Chabad minyan which begins at 10:30 am. Prayers are followed by a delicious Kiddush in Gustavia.

If visitors are in another part of the island and would like to arrange a Minyan at their villa, Chabad can assist with that. They bring along the Torah, Siddurim, Talleisim, and Kiddush.

If visitors to St. Bart’s are staying in a villa with a kitchen, Chabad is available to Kosher it prior to arrival.

Throughout the week in St. Bart’s, there are various learning classes at Chabad which focus on the chosen topic of each individual. Whether visitors are in St Bart’s for a brief stay, or if they plan to spend more time on this Caribbean island, they can contact Chabad if they would like to schedule a study session.

At Chabad of Turks and Caicos, Rabbi Shmulik and Chaya Berkowitz arranged a kosher kitchen at the Ritz-Carlton Resort for the Yeshivah Week visitors. Similar to the other islands, in Turks and Caicos Chabad caters to a year-round community with regular activity, and gets extra busy during this particular period.

“A lot of time and effort is put into organizing everything,” says Rabbi Berkowitz. “On an island, it takes much more time and effort to organize kosher food and a daily minyan, and it can get very costly, too. Many visitors who are coming from populated Jewish communities might not realize that.”

Despite the immense effort, Berkowitz looks forward to the week, saying “it’s very nice walking down the street, and seeing a yarmulke and tzitzit.”

Many visitors ask how they can help out and give back to the Chabad emissaries who open their homes to them. In Turks and Caicos, Berkowitz says he’s always appreciative when visitors reach out before their visit.

“It’s very kind and thoughtful when visitors who are coming from New York and similar areas ask when they can bring us from their communities,” says Berkowitz. “Sometimes, there are a few small kosher items we need, or it’s even nice just to get some new Jewish reading material.”

On St. Thomas, more than anything else, locals and Chabad emissaries alike hope and pray that people on the islands and around the world will be inspired to increase in prayer and good deeds in the merit of a complete and speedy recovery for Rebbetzin Henya Rivkah—a name was added in keeping with the Talmudic dictum (Rosh Hashana 16b) that changing the name of a desperately ill person can help save his or her life—daughter of Brachah Devorah Leah. (Chabad.org)

Winter-Break Vacationers in Caribbean Find Everything Jewish at Chabad

There will be lots of Jewish activities for women and girls like this Challah Bake at Chabad of Barbados.

Despite the immense effort, Berkowitz looks forward to the week, saying “it’s very nice walking down the street, and seeing a yarmulke and tzitzit.”

Many visitors ask how they can help out and give back to the Chabad emissaries who open their homes to them. In Turks and Caicos, Berkowitz says he’s always appreciative when visitors reach out before their visit.

“It’s very kind and thoughtful when visitors who are coming from New York and similar areas ask when they can bring us from their communities,” says Berkowitz. “Sometimes, there are a few small kosher items we need, or it’s even nice just to get some new Jewish reading material.”

On St. Thomas, more than anything else, locals and Chabad emissaries alike hope and pray that people on the islands and around the world will be inspired to increase in prayer and good deeds in the merit of a complete and speedy recovery for Rebbetzin Henya Rivkah—a name was added in keeping with the Talmudic dictum (Rosh Hashana 16b) that changing the name of a desperately ill person can help save his or her life—daughter of Brachah Devorah Leah. (Chabad.org)

For more information about Yeshiva Week activities at the 14 Chabad centers around the Caribbean, visit the Caribbean Jewish Centers page here.

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