You could be visiting a child in their gap year, helping your daughter adjust to a brand new bundle of joy and late-night feedings, taking your good friend who is a lone soldier out for a birthday lunch, or any number of other situations. You figure that the occasion calls for a gift of a new siddur, Chumash, sefer Tehillin, or a beautiful and reasonably priced item of Judaica. But where do you get it?
If you’re in the Baka neighborhood, or the adjacent communities of Arnona and Talpiot, I strongly recommend you visit the Chabad of Baka Welcome Center and Judaica store, at 82 Derech Beit Lechem, between Levi Street and Yocheved Street
Walking into the Welcome Center, which only a few months ago housed a men’s clothing store, you’ll be instantly charmed by Rabbi Avraham Hendel’s genuine eagerness to help, and the impressive selection of new seforim and Judaic items.
How did he and his wife, Nechama, both native Americans, come to start a Chabad outpost in Baka, an area filled with Modern Orthodox millennials and observant Anglo Jews that might not be considered prime real estate for a Chabad outpost?
The Chabad in Baka website shares how their mission got started: “In 2007, Rabbi Avraham and Nechama Dina Hendel moved from Florida to Jerusalem to start Chabad of Baka—Beit Levi to honor the memory of Rabbi Hendel’s brother, Levi z”l ben Yisrael Yosef HaKohen. The year before, Levi was killed in a car crash on his way to participate in a Chanukah program for IDF soldiers in Eilat. The loss of his dear brother propelled Rabbi Hendel and his family to spread Levi’s message of love and kindness in Jerusalem.”
In the 17 years since Chabad of Baka opened in 2008, Rabbi and Rebbetzin Handel have built a remarkable infrastructure of Jewish life, serving both local residents of all ages and tourists. They have established the Friendship Circle of South Jerusalem (supporting families with developmentally disabled children), a Lag B’Omer parade for children, unity Shabbat meals, Chanukah menorah lightings at First Station, guest lectures, Shabbat kids’ programs, Mega Challah bakes, Friendship Circle Sports Clinics and much more. They have davening, events and Shabbat dinners in a hall that they rent at 6 Ma’ase Choshev Street.
In recent years, it became abundantly clear that Chabad of Baka had grown to the point where they needed their own campus to truly thrive. With much effort and persistence, they were successful in obtaining a large property at 87 Derech Beit Lechem from Jerusalem’s City Hall for the purpose of building a synagogue and center to service Jerusalem residents and visitors from abroad. In 2019, they launched a building campaign, entitled Next Year in Jerusalem.
The building campaign has thus far raised over 50% towards the campaign goal of $3,600,000 to support the construction of an elegant building with a large sanctuary that will seat 300 people for services and events, a spacious library and classrooms, an attractive event space, and more.
For more information on Chabad of Baka and their Next Year in Jerusalem building campaign, please see: https://chabadbakabuilding.website/
To make a contribution, please go to: https://www.charidy.com/cmp/baka18
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected] and he welcomes reader feedback.
