When Rabbi and Rebbetzin Yisroel and Chana Sirota immigrated to Canada from the former Soviet Union in 1972, they were grateful to finally have the freedom to practice religion openly without fear of dangerous consequences. Their families had been persecuted with their lives often threatened by the KGB, simply for wanting to keep their traditions alive.
Their shul, the “David and Eda Schottenstein Chabad Russian Community Center” in Montreal houses a full time Lubavitch boys Mesivta (which hosts boys from around the world), daily minyanim, Torah classes, programs for people of all ages, and is a home base for multiple food and clothing distributions.
In the last few years, the fear they once tried to put behind them has returned, with a vehemently anti-Semitic neighbor making his mission to “get the Jews out of here”.
“He has since vandalized our property, broken our surveillance system, threatening us despite numerous attempts on our end to resolve conflict peacefully (including allowing him to have the property and share it specifically for the purposes of building a sukkah on the sukkot holiday and allowing access to the building for maintenance and repairs). All requests were denied.
“This past Sukkos he destroyed our newly built Sukkah on the eve of the Holiday, depriving over 200 people from celebrating Sukkos for the first time in many years,” says Rabbi Yisroel Sirota.
Some background:
The shul has been using the land to build a sukkah since 1963. The land is crucial in effectively handling repairs needed within the shul building (i.e. roof access, building maintenance repairs etc.) Mohammed Farag, their neighbor, bought his house adjacent to the land in 2016. The disputed land is currently not owned by anyone. It belonged to the estate of people who passed away in 1928 but can’t be traced to their descendants; therefore, it has become a “no man’s land”.
“We have a community of incredible volunteers who have been instrumental in helping with expenses, legal efforts, and the implementation of safety measures, but we still need your help,” says Rabbi Sirota.
The Sirotas need to raise $100,000 to cover their legal fees and hire security to help keep their community safe.
For the next 24 hours, all donations are being matched by David & Eda Schottenstein, so your donation will be doubled.
Click here to donate now!
For additional background and articles about their work, visit links below:
Bracha Fulfilled After20 years
Bs”d everything will turn out immediately now in revealed good ways
For those who know Yisreol and Chana know how amazing they are!! Earnest, kindest, dedicated power couple!!!
Yisreol and Chana Sirota are the sweetest people you’ll ever meet!! They’re so genuine and kind!! We need to all learn from them!
And this Arab neighbor needs to move out!!
Emesdike good hearted people! Hazlacha Rabba!!
The Sirotas are humble and dedicated shluchim of the Rebbe . I have seen first hand the incredible tireless work they do on a daily basis helping anyone in need . Donate generously. I am sure every dollar donated will be needed tremendously .
ML
B’H
We know the Synagogue very well & Mohamed the Neighboor as we live beside him for 7 years. I believe His Goal is to extend his house & make a Mosque 🕌 * at the place of our dear Synagogue* .. He has been welcoming multiple people/ families coming with meals & pots motsei shabbos for years & making prayers & putting up flags on his balconies. We have seen him destroying the Synagogue property with his children & building fences and parking different cars on the land .. Let’s Unite for this cause 🙌 !
Rabbi and Mrs Sirota are humble and amazing people who helped me and many others.
I wish them tremendous mazal and this nightmare with the Muslim neighbors should end!
Most of their chessed and incredible work is under the radar . What the community sees is the tip of the iceberg . The rabbi maintains the shul and Rebbetzin does all the administrative work and accounting . They are all in fully devoted to their community .
there is also a misivta downstairs ! its calld misivta ateres minachem