Groundbreaking in Leeds, UK

A groundbreaking ceremony was held recently for the Jewish Heritage Centre For Children at the Leeds Chabad Centre in the UK.

The Jewish Heritage Centre will be the second extension to the Chabad centre funded by the National heritage Lottery Fund, the first being the Roots Room that was wildly successful.

Mr. Yair Tamam, regular shul attendee and commander of the building firm working on the grounds, gave a tour of what at first sight seems to be a muddy mess, but in actual fact is a very successful beginning.

“The inspector came just an hour ago and approved of our engineering, so we’re moving even faster, he told us.

Rabbi Yirmiyah Angyalfi, head shliach of Lubavitch of Leeds, together with Mrs. Fiona Spiers, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund, laid the first stone for the new building with tremendous satisfaction.

“It is a great pleasure to be working with the Chabad centre again and we hope that the Jewish Heritage Centre For Children will be successful,” said Fiona Spiers in her speech.

“Shehecheyanu, we have to thank Hashem! We have to thank many people who worked hard to make this day happen. It came through with our tremendous teamwork and dedication,” said Rabbi Angyalfi.

Present at the ceremony were Allison Riach and David Burton from the Heritage Lottery Fund, who have been working with the project committee.

Also in attendance were supporters Sydney and Angela Cohen, Mr. John Woolmer of the Leeds city council, and Rabbi Gafni of Kfar Chabad, Israel.

Students from the Leeds Jewish High School turned up as youth representatives of the Lubavitch community.

“This is a very exciting new project. We’re recreating a 19th century shtetl, where children from all walks of life can learn Jewish tradition and heritage in a hands on way, ,” said Mrs. Ruth Bell, project coordinator.

“We hope to make it a national project someday,” said Rabbi Reuven Cohen, director of Lubavitch youth organisation in Leeds.