Dumbo Chabad Gets “Anchored”

They have dedicated Torahs in cities across China and Russia, and now the Kamhin families of Mexico and Hong Kong have continued their tradition by gifting a new Torah to Chabad of Dumbo, in Brooklyn, NY.

Hundreds of participants came to witness the historic event and have an opportunity to march with the new Torah along Dumbo’s iconic cobblestone streets to its new home at Chabad.

Led by Shluchim Rabbi Avrom Tov and Esther Chakoff, Chabad of Dumbo is a young vibrant community comprised of young professionals and young families. Until this point, Chabad had borrowed a Sefer Torah for its growing Shabbos and Yom Tov Minyan, but now thanks to the generosity and vision of brothers Victor Chaim and Isaac Kamhin and families of Mexico and Hong Kong respectively, the community now has their own Torah.

Unfortunately, Victor Chaim Kamhin was unable to attend the festivities, but refused to allow for the postponement of the dedication.

Isaac Kamhin learned of Chabad of Dumbo from his son-in-law and daughter Benjy and Joy Wilson who are supporters and admirers of the Chakoff’s operations. Benjy suggested that the Kamhin brothers consider Dumbo for a Torah, and the rest is history.

In 2010, Chabad established The Dumbo Gan which has has four pre-school classes and increasing enrollment. As the dedication was the first for the community, many of the Gan’s children, their parents, and grandparents, took part in the Mitzvah for the first time in their lives.

Highlighting the ceremony was Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice-chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and a friend of the Kamhin family. Rabbi Kotlarsky described Dumbo as hub of youth, innovation and growth, and pointed out that a Sefer Torah is an anchor of permanence for a community. He went on to praise the legendary generosity of the Kamhin family and offered a Bracha for Jewish life to continue to grow and flourish in Dumbo.

Addressing the crowd, Isaac Kamhin took the opportunity to express his “Hakarat Hatov,” to Rabbi Kotlarsky who he credited as being the foundation and drive for Jewish development in Asia, particularly in Hong Kong. As a witness to that development, Kamhin blessed the Dumbo community to experience the growth from strength to strength that he has seen possible.