Community Surprises Shliach With 65th Birthday Gift

65 years young!

On Sunday erev Rosh Chodesh Av, (August 4th 2024) a surprise Minyan was organised at Chabad Gants Hill, Ilford U.K. to celebrate the forthcoming 65th birthday of Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin MBE.

Organised by His wife Co-Director of Chabad Essex, Mrs Devorah Sufrin and the Chabad House team, including Brian Mitchell and administrators Jacquie Grant and Nic Jacobs. Some ninety men aged from 13-80 years old came together to put on tefillin and daven. This was followed by a sumptuous breakfast enjoyed by all.

Rabbi Sufrin said, “This was such a beautiful surprise which had obviously been in the making for some weeks. Many of those attending together with those who were unable to be here today in person have been friends & supporters over many decades some of whom are now closely associated with our other Shluchim & Chabad Houses across Essex.

Laying Tefillin in the merit of my special birthday surrounded by so many friends is really uplifting and encouraging and testifies to the importance of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Schneerson zy’o message in his Mitzvah Campaigns which stresses the positive impact and real difference even one mitzvah can make.”

Rabbi Sufrin told the enthusiastic crowd how privileged he with his Rebbetzin Devorah, feel to have served as Shluchim for four decades so far and touched so many lives.

“Today we feel the love and appreciation from all those here and beyond and thank all those involved for their dedication and support.”

Guests included fellow Shluchim to Essex, Rabbi Odom Brandman of Chabad Buckhurst Hill, Rabbi Yossi Posen of Chabad Epping & Rabbi Tzvi Birnhack of Chabad Southend together with Shluchim serving in local shuls, Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg, Rabbi Yanky Abrams & Rabbi Rafi Goodwin. Representing the Hanholla was Rabbi Yitzchock Sufrin, Senior Shliach & uncle to Rabbi Aryeh.

As a token of the communities’ appreciation, a collective gift of a trip to Israel is being organised for the Rabbi and Mrs Sufrin to visit their serving son – in the IDF whilst showing support and solidarity with the people of Israel.