Chabad of Ireland Purchasing First Center

Rabbi Zalman and Rifky Lent and their children have lived in Ireland since 2000, working with the Jewish community here, first as Youth Rabbi and Rebbetzin, and then as the Rabbi and Rebbetzin of the Dublin Hebrew Congregation.

By Rifky Lent

‘…In general, both you and your colleagues who are traveling to Ireland should not view this journey as only for the purpose of your material sustenance. Instead, [it should be seen as] a medium for the spreading of the wellsprings of the teachings of Chassidus in that country, its surroundings, and the places to which the meat that you make kosher will reach. You have the ability to accomplish this. Would it be that your hearts would be fully [committed] that your will should be directed to this purpose. Then it will be aligned with the inner desire of your G-dly souls…’

(A letter from the Rebbe to Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dworkin, 5 Cheshvan, 5711)

One of the first places we visited upon our arrival on shlichus in Ireland some twenty years ago was the Jewish Museum, a small charming building set in a red-brick terrace on Walworth Road in Portobello, South Dublin.

The upstairs level has been preserved exactly as it was, a quaint shul with hard wooden seats, with the grandiose title of Beis HaMedrash HaGadol. It was often here that the Lubavitcher chassidim would daven, learn and farbreng. The late Raphael Siev was then curator of the museum, and he would smile when relating his memories of the chassidim dancing vigorously in the shul, “the floor would shake so much,” he would say, “ from downstairs we could see the floor going up and down, up and down, until we thought the ceiling would fall in!”

So who were these chassidim and what were they doing in Ireland?

In 1948 the Joint Distribution Committee was looking to source kosher meat for the DP camps and also to send to Eretz Yisroel, and so groups of Chassidim supervised by R’ Zalman Shimon Dworkin were brought to Dublin as shochtim. The Frierdiker Rebbe had advised them earlier to learn shechita, and indeed it later gave them the parnossah they badly needed.

One of the key figures involved in all the shechita arrangements with the Joint, with R’ Zalman Shimon and with the Irish government (who sponsored the massive meat production), was a member of the Jewish community named Robert Briscoe, member of the Irish Dáil (Parliament) later to become Lord Mayor of Dublin twice. Fifty years later, when we arrived in Ireland, his son Joe was very involved in helping a second R’ Zalman Shimon (Lent) find his feet too.

Joe recounted a story his father had told him of a shochet who was suffering from a serious eye complaint. Robert Briscoe took him to the leading eye surgeon in Ireland who recommended immediate surgery to save the eye. The chassid agreed to go ahead only after consultation with the Rebbe, who responded that all would be fine, and there was no need for an operation. The consultant was understandably taken aback and warned him that he would probably lose all vision in that eye. Of course, as the Rebbe told him, no operation was ever needed.

An amusing story from those early groups of shochtim is that the Frierdiker Rebbe told them they should not drink mashke for Simchas Torah, presumably not to shock the staid local community! This was later made up for when they received another telegram wishing all anash Moadim LeSimcha (see image below).

For decades bochurim traveled to Ireland for Merkos Shlichus but there were no shluchim here until we arrived to work for the local Jewish community, a wonderful small and welcoming kehilla.

The Irish Jewish community is mostly descended from Lithuanian Jews who came here around the turn of the century, when Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom. Ireland gained its independence in 1921, but for many decades was economically depressed leading to a high level of emigration, including within the Jewish community. Nevertheless, the Jewish community has always been an active and traditional one with – at its height in the 1950s – many shuls, kosher shops and youth organizations; a Jewish school, sports club and more. Over the last decades of the twentieth century the community shrank at an alarming rate, with many families and young people moving away to the UK or making aliyah. The young people who do remain are often very assimilated, although still proud of their Jewish heritage.

When we arrived here, things were just beginning to improve in Ireland, with a financial boom which became known as the Celtic Tiger, and many global companies were setting up their European offices here, creating a smaller Silicon Valley. Over the last two decades this change has accelerated. The local kehilla is now very small, just a few hundred people, while there is a new influx of young people and families working for multinationals like Intel, Facebook, and Google. The number of Jews in total in Ireland is very hard to estimate, but probably around three thousand.

This new community is based nearer the city center where the likes of Google and Facebook offices are, and so due to both the demographic and geographic changes we felt now is the time to open the very first Chabad House ever in Ireland. As well as being a social and event space for Torah classes and communal events, our Chabad House will highlight the importance of kosher food – providing a shop, beautiful restaurant and a kosher deli. This will serve the local Irish Jewish community, the new and largely Israeli community, and of course business visitors, tourists and students.

To bring this vision to fruition and through the generosity of a number of benefactors we have purchased a beautiful old restaurant building and are preparing to repair and refurbish it for use. We need help to make this happen, and would love you to be our partners in this dynamic and exciting adventure. Maybe your grandparents spent some time living in Dublin, or maybe you care for the Rebbe’s vision, that every city in the world will have a place offering yiddishkeit and Ahavas Yisroel for all. Whatever the reason, we really appreciate your support!

For sponsorship opportunities please give us a call at +35314064818.

To donate please go to www.chabad.ie or www.charidy.com/ireland

We are deeply grateful for your support in making this happen – the first ever Chabad House in Ireland.

To donate please go to www.chabad.ie or www.charidy.com/ireland