As part of a nearly 70-year-old program titled Roving Rabbis, two rabbinical students will be here in Moose Jaw on Aug. 15 to make connections with the local Jewish community and talk about their Judaism.
Rabbi Mendel Super from Melbourne, Australia, and Rabbi Eli Citron from Manhattan, New York, have spent three weeks travelling to towns and cities throughout Saskatchewan to meet with Jews and hear their stories.
Their visits are more than an informational presentation. Super and Citron want to meet with Moose Jaw’s Jewish community in one-on-one visits to hear the stories of how they came to Moose Jaw, and how they practise Judaism.
Of course, beyond making connections and learning about Jewish life in the city, the rabbis are also looking to be of assistance for the community. They travel with books, educational material, and religious articles for those who don’t have a permanent Judaic presence in their area, and they are more than happy to connect people with the closest local Chabad branches.
The program is run by the Chabad organization, which is based in New York but has branches throughout the world — including Chabad Lubavitch of Regina and Chabad Lubavitch of Saskatoon, who are hosting the Roving Rabbis during their travels here.
“We've visited quite a number of cities already and we've had a really good reception. People are quite happy to see us,” said Super. “We find people in Saskatchewan — in general, and especially in the smaller cities — are actually really friendly.”
The goal of the outreach program is to see the vibrancy of the Jewish community and make Judaism accessible for those who practice in smaller communities.
The rabbis welcome anyone interested in meeting with them to reach out through email at rabbi@jewishregina.org, or by calling 1 (718) 308-5516. Super and Citron are willing to meet wherever people feel most comfortable — at home, at work, or in a public space — to talk about the beauty of Judaism.
‘“We're really looking forward to meeting as many Jews as possible during our stay in Moose Jaw,” said Super.
