When we joined Chabad 4 years ago, it was a difficult decision as we were looking at unfamiliar terrain. All that changed when our daughter fell in love with Hebrew School from the moment she joined. The atmosphere is everything we thought it wasn’t – non-judgmental, warm and accepting. The Teldons are warm, inviting, caring, involved, engaging and wonderful!
Looking back 4 years later, we would never dream of changing from Chabad. We gave our daughter the option of learning for her Bat Mitzvah with another Rabbi if she wanted, and she flatly refused, saying: If it won’t be Rabbi Mendy then I don’t want to be Bat Mitzvah-ed! Her feelings are echoed by our younger son, who every Monday and Wednesday ensures that he’s got his Tzedakah and his Kippah ready, and makes sure we are not a moment late! The kids look forward to learning, which is so rare nowadays and when our daughter was asked to speak at her graduation, it was a very special moment for us.
We really enjoy the programs at Chabad especially Shabbat dinner at the Teldons. The ambience is warm and inviting, making us feel like we want to be more Jewish. Dinner in the Sukkah is also a much anticipated event.
A personal message that we want to convey is that anyone who has any pre-conceived notions about Chabad should know how wrong they are! If you think that you need to ‘be just like the Rabbi’ to feel welcome – the opposite is true. At Chabad, you are accepted for who you are, and whatever level of Judaism you bring into your life. Chabad provides the experiences and you are given room to come to your own decision to take the next step.
