By COLlive reporter
And we’re back…
Chabad will once again have a presence in an Ulster County village in New York which once boasted a solid Jewish community and has solidified its place in Chabad history.
The historic Congregation Ezrath Israel of Ellenville, founded in 1907, has nominated Rabbi Shua Hecht as the new spiritual leader of the shul and the 200 Jews that live at the eastern base of the Catskill Mountains.
Hecht and his wife Liba (nee Schloss from Jerusalem) will be presiding over the local Hebrew School, the shul’s daily minyan, the mikvah, adult education classes and holiday programming in conjunction with their new organization, Chabad of Ellenville.
Their Shlichus was coordinated by Rabbi Yisroel Rubin, Chabad of the Capital District in Albany and the neighboring Shliach (and first cousin) Rabbi Yitzchok Hecht, Director of Chabad of Ulster County in Kingston, NY.
“We’re here to ensure that Ellenville has as illustrious a future as its past,” Rabbi Shua Hecht told COLlive.com about his move 2 weeks ago, smack in middle of the summer season.
Camp Emunah, the veteran Chabad overnight camp for girls run by the Hecht family, is located in the area and so is the Bayit Vegan bungalow colony with 100 cottages for frum families.
The young Hecht was helped by his father, R’ Levi Hecht of Crown Heights, to make the Ezrath Israel Women’s Mikvah available again. “That was our first priority and we are proud to say it is already in use,” he reported. To schedule an appointment call 516-509-2976.
Ellenville is legendary in Chabad for being the founding location of the very first Camp Gan Israel in 1956, the overnight boys camp which is now the largest network of Jewish camps in the world.
The village is the subject of the book “Binos Deshe” for being one of only three stops the Rebbe traveled to outside of New York City after ascending to the leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch, all 3 were to the original Camp Gan Israel (in Ellenville and later Swan Lake) and Camp Emunah.
In the past year, Shua and Liba Hecht have been organizing Shabbatons for the Ellenville community, in addition to programs on Purim and Shavuos. “We are catering to the unique needs of every individual, as is the Chabad way,” they said.
The Litvish yeshiva Hamesivta leaving the premises of Ezrath Israel has paved the way for their arrival, to fill the role left vacant since the passing of its leader, Rabbi Herman Eisner OBM.
In regards to the small Jewish population they are tasked to work with, Rabbi Hecht said, “The Rebbe was in Ellenville so we surely have the Rebbe’s brachos.”
A native of Brooklyn, Rabbi Frank, who earned a master’s degree from Yeshiva University in classical Jewish history, began … in 1985 as the assistant to Rabbi Herman Eisner, the then-rabbi of Ezrath Israel in Ellenville, New York. When Rabbi Eisner, a concentration camp survivor who had led the congregation since 1949, retired in 1988, Rabbi Frank took over as rav of the shul. He left the position in 2011, he continues his chaplaincy work at both Eastern and Ulster Correctional Facility, a medium-security facility in the area. Although Collive says (in this article) that between ’88 and ’12 the… Read more »
I remember traveling from the nearby Satmar Camps to the beautiful Elenville Shul, i met with Rabbi Frank he was a great man!.
I’m looking fwd for your Hatzlucha.
Lehagdil Torah Ilhadiru.
This is truly wonderful news! I am so glad that Chabad and the Hechts have committed to this needed work.
Named after whom? Not such a common name. Our family had a Bobba Tzina who was a big Tzedakes and there are many Tzini’s in our family, we have one too – all of them happen to be exceptional children…Maybe we are related? By the way we spend the summer down the road in Bayit V’Gan (A8). It will be our 25th yr there. We will be coming out this wk for the 2nd half. Indeed, Rabbi Frank was the Rov for many years and a very Chashova Rov,too. It is a little surprising his name was not mentioned. PS… Read more »
from yor fathers and uncles classmate in ohalai torah and from your grandfather jj shul in east flatbush
Several years ago I almost bought a home in Ellenville, but there was no full time Chabad. Now it’s the time my friends, Ellenville is a very nice place and property still reasonable.
Much luck to the Hechts.
By the way-I don’t think the Litvish Yeshiva paved the road…The road for a Shliach was paved already!
shlichus its the way to go.best regards to dady
Seeing pictures of the shul in Ellenville brought back the memory of being brought there during the summer of 1994 for the Rebbe’s Shloshim.
go shua liba and tzina
Missing you Liba although I know you are all doing Holy work.
Cant wait to meet the baby !!
lots of love and blessings
Aura
the village of Ellenville most be an place to have the merit of having shua as a shliach there he truly is an amazing mentch
There are a few of us Lubav’s from Ellenville, but I think I am the only one who was born and grew up here, and I like to think it was the Rebbe’s visit that shlepped me out when I was a boy. (No, I don’t think I actually saw him, but his presence certainly must have left a reshima!) JJ Hecht was the first Lubavitcher I ever met, so It’s really nice to hear another Hecht will be the town’s rabbi. Hatzlocha rabba! PS I echo number 7. Rabbi Frank was indeed very friendly, and I was surprised he… Read more »
A friend of Chabad doesn’t make you Chabad. He may be a swell guy just not someone the community felt could help save their Shul. And I know Rabbi Shua Hecht well and he is overqualified!!!
so nice!!! my father is from ellenville,i cant wait to tell him!!! he will be ecstatic!!!!
What happened to rabbi frank? The Previous rabbi there? He is a real Mentch and friend of Chabad?
Good Luck in your Shlichus!!
They will bring life to the beautiful existing Shul & community!!!
Wishing you only brochas begur!!
ah groiseh mentsch far ah kleineh kehila.
hatzlacha rabba!
We are so so proud of you!!! Hatzlocha rabah!!!
The kollel minyan of ch
Good luck in your new place!
Awesome. Grew going to Ellenville for summers and staying near the Tamarak. Hope to see a revival of Jewish life there.