New Chabad Center in Fairbanks, Alaska Opens in Honor of Chof Av

The new Chabad house in the northernmost community in the world, will open its doors this coming Shabbos on the occasion of Chof Av, 80th anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, father of the Rebbe.

The new Chabad house will be operated by the Shluchim Rabbi Heshy and Chani Wolf.
They join the other Shluchim in the state of Alaska under the leadership of the head Shliach Rabbi Yosef and Esty Greenberg.

Philanthropist Mr. Jay Ramras, a friend of Rabbi Greenberg for many years and a pillar of the Jewish community in Fairbanks, donated the building for the new Chabad house.
The Ramras family have been in contact with Chabad since the Rebbe sent the first “Merkos Shluchim” to Fairbanks in 1970!
Mr. Ramras celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in Chabad in Seattle with Rabbi Shalom Ber Levitin.

A Chabad friend in Alaska, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit judge Mr. Andrew Kleinfeld, said that 54 years ago he was in Fairbanks when the first Shluchim, Rabbi Shmuel Langsam and Rabbi Shmuel Spritzer, came and put on tefillin with him.

The judge said that it is amazing to see the Rebbe’s far-reaching vision, and how the Rebbe’s vision for Fairbanks is finally being realized with the opening the new Chabad house and the bringing of permanent Shluchim to the city!

Attached is part of the report of the Shluchim Rabbi Langsam and Rabbi Spritzer, from their visit in Fairbanks in 1970 as well as a copy of a letter that Mr. Kleinfeld sent to 770 with a photo of the Shluchim who visited Fairbanks in 1970.

With the opening of the new Chabad house in the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, the Rebbe’s declaration of “Ufaratzta yama vakedma vetzafona…” (You shall spread toward the west and the east and to the north…) is simply being fulfilled in the northernmost Jewish community in the world, and which without a doubt will hasten the coming of Moshiach in these very days!