By Paige Jones – Frederick News-Post
Nearly 100 people from the Jewish deaf community gathered Friday evening in downtown Frederick to celebrate a Jewish tradition, the Shabbat dinner.
“This is the first of its kind for the Frederick community,” said Rabbi Boruch Labkowski, who helped coordinate the event.
While many of the Jewish faith celebrate the Shabbat dinner with family and friends, those in the deaf community do not always have the opportunity to participate in the tradition, said Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff, who is a deaf rabbi in New York.
“Many (who are) Jewish (and) deaf don’t have access to (this kind of) experience,” said Soudakoff through an interpreter, noting that he coordinated with Labkowski to host the event in Frederick.
Families young and old slowly trickled into the Junior Fire Co. No. 2 building at about 6 p.m. Friday, greeting one another with excited waves and introducing themselves to newcomers.
“This is an exciting moment for all of us,” said Stephen A. Brenner, who traveled from his home in Potomac to attend Friday’s event.
Although the event, which was hosted by Chabad of Frederick, was catered toward the Jewish deaf community, Dr. John Madison volunteered as an interpreter.
“We figured we’d give them the opportunity to have a Shabbat experience,” Labkowski said, moving around the room to greet others and ensure everything ran smoothly.
Brenner said the event was important to him because of his involvement in the Jewish deaf community in the Washington area. He helped found the Washington Society of Jewish Deaf years ago to foster community and raise awareness.
“It is my dream that in the near future we have a deaf rabbi living in our community,” he said.
While there are no concrete plans for similar events in the future, Labkowski said he hopes to hold another event soon for the Jewish deaf community.
“No better way to start off the new year than by serving the entire community,” he said.
truly amazing hard working shluchim under the radar spent one Shabbos with them the best one in my life there are not many people like them out there we need more like you hsatzlacha Raba!
Most amazing shluchim!!!
Rabbi Baruch Sholom and Frumie and their kids a true inspiration, they really put their shlichus first and have created such a warm community in the few years that they are there! Wishing them continued success and only good!
I know people who are part of the deaf community and they are excited and appriciative of all that you do. You are an example of a chossid and the Rebbe bleibt nisht kein Bal Choiv
Yehoshua continue to keep up the great work. You are truly amazing….
Well done Yehoshua – keep up the gr8 work in the New Year
Baruch Sholom and Frumie Labkowski are such dedicated shluchim. In the few years that they have been in Frederick they have managed to accomplish so much and become so beloved by the people of their community!
Yehoshua is a real inspiration and the epitome of a true Shliach.