By COLlive reporter
A year in various stages of lockdown can feel like a lifetime. But it didn’t stop Chabad Shluchim Rabbi Yitzchok and Chanie Schochet from recreating their community in Mill Hill, London UK and reaching out to the 1800 families that are members of their shul.
Daily online Shacharis resulted in many more putting on Tefilin regularly. Hundreds of online shiurim, dozens of high profile interviews, a weekly online pre and post-Shabbos service, several other entertaining events and special street events, including a 14-mile walk-a-thon on Rosh Hashanah to blow shofar for 1500 people; a Chanukah truck driving a menorah around to 20 neighborhoods, and a special Purim carnival truck delivering 1000 mishloach monos parcels.
Plus the Challah deliveries, Tu B’Shvat parcels, pre-Shavuos packages, lekach parcels before Rosh Hashanah – one year on and Rabbi Schochet says, “It was exhausting but exhilarating. If people couldn’t come to shul we brought the shul out to them.”
He added, “Challenging times evokes new levels of creativity. Even as lockdown is finally winding down there’s a lot to be learned that can be applied going forward.”
VIDEO: Highlights of the past year
Great job mill hill!!
Fantastic community spirit. Amazing amount of programs in Mill Hill. And Chanie plays the accordion? Here in Montreal we are finally getting vaccinated and with Hashem’s help, Pesach this year will not be like last year’s – my husband and I alone in our basement Pesach Palace.
Kol Hakavod for putting the video together. G-d willing very, very soon we will be looking back at these days – with looking back the operative words.
Yitzchok – your father is getting so much nachas from you. Kol Hakavod.
Shkoyach rav and rebbetzin!