CHABAD WILL MARK 25TH ANNIVERSARY.Byline: Angie Valencia Staff Writer AGOURA HILLS - It was 20 years ago, recalled Rabbi Moshe D. Bryski, that a Holocaust Holocaust (hŏl`əkôst', hō`lə–), name given to the period of persecution and extermination of European Jews by Nazi Germany. survivor approached him as he lighted an eight-foot-tall menorah menorah Multibranched candelabra used by Jews during the festival of Hanukkah. It holds nine candles (or has nine receptacles for oil). Eight of the candles stand for the eight days of Hanukkah—one is lit the first day, two the second, and so on. at a Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. mall. His eyes fixed on the towering menorah, the man rolled up his sleeve and pointed to numbers tattooed on his arm from a concentration camp in Europe. ``We've come a long way ... a very long way,'' the man murmured, breaking into tears. ``From then on,'' said Bryski, executive director of Chabad of the Conejo, ``I decided to take advantage of that freedom to provide Judaism heritage and education to the next generation.'' As Chabad of the Conejo marks its silver anniversary June 15, its founders and members said the once-tiny organization, too, has come a long way. Chabad is an international movement incorporating Jewish education Jewish education (Hebrew: חינוך, Chinuch) is the transmission of the tenets, principles and religious laws of Judaism. Due to its emphasis on Torah study, many have commented that Judaism is characterised by "lifelong learning" that extends to and outreach programs. The word is a Hebrew acronym acronym: see abbreviation. A word typically made up of the first letters of two or more words; for example, BASIC stands for "Beginners All purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. for wisdom, comprehension and knowledge. There are about 2,000 Chabad centers worldwide, with more than 100 in California, said Rabbi Nosson Gurary of Chabad of Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. . ``Our goal is to reach out to every Jew in every shape and try to bring them closer to their heritage,'' he said. ``There's a disconnect disconnect - SCSI reconnect between those who take their religion really seriously and those drifting away. Our mission is to try to bridge that gap without losing our identity.'' Chabad of the Conejo first opened its doors in 1979 in an 800-square-foot office in Westlake Village. Today, it has branched out with centers in Oak Park, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley. Rabbi Gurary said Chabad of the Conejo was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the Simi Valley center, which opened five years ago. ``They've been great help. They're part of our support network.'' The Chabad of the Conejo's main headquarters is at the Agoura Hills site, which is also the site for the Conejo Jewish Academy - an educational institute open to all adults, regardless of religious affiliation. Courses range from Judaism 101 and Jewish Philosophy Jewish philosophy Any of various kinds of reflective thought engaged in by those identified as being Jews. In the Middle Ages, this meant any methodical and disciplined thought pursued by Jews, whether on specifically Judaic themes or not; in modern times, philosophers who to Dynamics of Jewish Law. About 3,000 students participate annually in the adult education program in search of answers and guidance. Many are like Tom Block, 44, who after starting his own family acquired a thirst thirst, sensation indicating the body's need for water. Dry or salty food and dry, dusty air may induce such a sensation by depleting moisture in the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. for spiritual knowledge and a need to learn about his ancestry an·ces·try n. pl. an·ces·tries 1. Ancestral descent or lineage. 2. Ancestors considered as a group. [Middle English auncestrie, alteration (influenced by . ``It's always uplifting and educational,'' said Block, a student of the Academy for more than 10 years. ``It's had a great effect on me and my family.'' Those are the stories Bryski said make up the history of the Chabad. ``It's taken off beyond anyone's expectations,'' said Bryski, who took over the Chabad 20 years ago. ``Little by little, we realized the potential was greater. The 25-year anniversary is nice but the party is going to be about the future.'' Chabad of the Conejo is also credited for the establishments of kosher kosher [Heb.,=proper, i.e., fit for use], in Judaism, term used in rabbinic literature to mean what is ritually correct, but most widely applied to food that is in accordance with dietary laws based on Old Testament passages (primarily Lev. 11 and Deut. 14). restaurants in town - including a pizzeria. But Bryski said that's a reflection of the overall growth and influence of the community. In a decade, he said, the Jewish community will balloon from 40,000 to 100,000 in the region. And they want to be ready. The objective of the Chabad is to promote the level of Jewish identity Jewish identity is the subjective state of perceiving oneself as as a Jew and as relating to being Jewish. Jewish identity, by this definition, does not depend on whether or not a person is regarded as a Jew by others, or by an external set of religious, or legal, or sociological and awareness through activities, lectures, festivals and seminars. ``We have built this organization one person at a time - one child, one teen, one adult, one family, one senior,'' Bryski said. The story of the Holocaust survivor is a reminder to the rabbi whenever a new program is formed or a new center is opened, he said. This year, the Chabad hopes to double its staff for the Friendship Circle, in which teenager volunteers team up with special-needs children and their families. Currently the program runs with two hired staff, two adult volunteers and a director. The grand opening of the Conejo Hebrew High for grades 8 to 12 will be another milestone and is scheduled for September. Plans also call for finding a permanent site for the day school, which next year goes to a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade configuration, and establishing a new site for the preschool program. For Chanie Malamud, 21, Friendship Circle coordinator, the story of 5- year-old Nathan sums up some of the impact Chabad has on the community. ``This is a boy who doesn't speak, doesn't make eye contact,'' she said. ``But when we were there, he was playing and laughing. ``The next day we got a call from his mom, who said that after the teenagers left, he said his first words
First Words is a Canadian hip hop group, consisting of Halifax beatmaker Jorun, DJ STV and emcees Sean One & Above. : 'More. More.''' Angie Valencia, (805) 583-7604 angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Rabbi Moshe D. Bryski will celebrate Chabad of the Conejo's 25th anniversary this month. Chabad opened in 1979 in Westlake Village. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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