Hometown Visit Led to Shlichus

By COLlive reporter

Shortly after the Jewish world marks the Rebbe’s yartzeit on Gimmel Tammuz in New York, another enthusiastic young Chabad couple will be heading to the airport to fulfill the Rebbe’s call.

Rabbi Sholom and Simi Stiefel (nee Hanoka), currently living in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights, will be going on Shlichus next month to a coveted city northeast of downtown Los Angeles in California.

The Stiefels will be establishing Chabad of Arcadia and Temple City to serve the Jews needs in the two cities of Los Angeles County located in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Arcadia was in recent years named as one of the “Best Places to Raise Your Kids”. Temple City is predominantly residential with two major commercial arterials and a downtown district.

“There are about 4,000 Jews of a total population of about 95,000 between both cities,” estimated the Montreal-born Rabbi Stiefel who was ordained at Machon Chaim Institute for Rabbinical Ordination in Melbourne, Australia, and has done outreach work around the U.S. and Europe.

Simi Stiefel grew up helping her parents Rabbi Chaim and Chana Hanoka run the vibrant Chabad of Pasadena, CA.

After their marriage in 2014, when the Stiefels visited Pasadena, they met Jewish community members from Arcadia and learned that Temple Shaarei Torah in Arcadia closed its doors in 2009.

“There were several people living in Arcadia who would come occasionally to Chabad of Pasadena,” Rabbi Stiefel told COLlive.com. “Seeing all that could be done in Arcadia and Temple City, we decided to have a look for ourselves. We went back there for Chanukah 5775 and visited families in their homes.”

On their next visit, before the holiday of Purim, the Stiefels already arrived with baskets of Shalach Manos goodies and brought a joyous vibe of friendship and celebration. Most of the population are middle-aged families with children, he noted.

“The feedback we received was enormous,” Rabbi Stiefel said. When he shared his plans to provide for the spiritual and material needs of all Jews in the community, “people were thrilled to hear that once again there will be a Jewish presence in their city,” he said.

They were appointed as Shluchim by Rabbi and Mrs. Hanoka and California’s Head Shluchim Rabbi Shlomo and Miriam Cunin.

Once they are settled during the summer months, the couple will be focusing on organizing prayer services and meals for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur 5776. They will also start offering Adult Education, Holiday Programs, Shabbos services and youth programs.

To support their Shlichus, visit squareup.com/market/ChabadArcadia (tax deductable donation) or visit jewisharcadia.com