Before we can talk about Chabad we have to give a little background. We were in a bit of a temple rut. We belonged to a fairly large temple along with some friends and family members. While the atmosphere and services were nice, there was something missing. It seemed to us to be more of a “factory” approach to Judaism. You went to services, your children attended Hebrew school, and you fulfilled all of the requirements of a member of the congregation. Being that it was a large congregation it was difficult for the rabbi to know all of the congregants on a personal level. For us, this was part of “the missing link”. In addition, our ten-year-old daughter was attending Hebrew school and was not enjoying the experience.
To be honest, we had heard about Chabad and toyed with the idea of becoming members for about a year before we actually joined. While we knew some members who were very happy with their experience, we were held back by the misconceptions that are out there about the Chabad. We made an appointment with Rabbi Mendy and he addressed all of our concerns in a friendly and straightforward manner. We knew that this was a place where we wanted to be. We were warmly welcomed by teachers and other Chabad members. Rabbi Mendy immediately got to know our family and we quickly found the “missing link” we had been looking for. Plus, our daughter actually enjoys going to Hebrew school (yes, we actually said that!). The teachers use a hands-on approach each week and really make learning fun. Plus the Alpha Champs program to learning Hebrew is very motivating. We really could not have asked for more.
So now for the answer of what Chabad means to us. Chabad is a warm, welcoming, family oriented environment where you feel like a member of a congregation and not a number. It is a place to learn in both a fun and educational manner. We have been very happy with our decision to become members and would gladly recommend Chabad to others.
The Weber Family
Robyn, Adam, Morgan, and Taylor
