Hallandale Chabad Set to Expand

In what turned out to be a historical Dinner in Hallandale Beach Tuesday, March 5th, the decision was announced to expand and renovate Chabad’s facilities at a cost of $3.3 million dollars.

Chabad of South Broward are South Florida leaders in Jewish education, outreach, and social services. Founded in December 1980, Chabad of South Broward is home to over forty institutions and agencies, and has twelve Chabad Centers in Broward County.

In 1989, Shnas HaBinyan (The Year of Building proclaimed by the Rebbe), on the 25th of Adar, Chabad bought the shopping center where they had rented for many years, and renamed it the Broward CHAI center after the Rebbitzen Chaya Mushka Schneerson, of blessed memory.

At the time, they had ten tenants, which helped cover the mortgage. When the South Broward Shliach, Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus, told the Rebbe at a Machne Yisroel Yechidus of the purchase, the Rebbe responded “Men zol mir kenen zogin in gichen az der nieya building is tzu eng.” (You should soon be able to tell me that the new building is too small.” Every couple of years, a tenant would leave, enabling Chabad to expand their Center and programs.

The final tenant, that occupied one third of the Center, left this past August, allowing the Chabad House to plan a major renovation and expansion.

“This is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Rabbi Tennenhaus added. “The Preschool has over 100 children on the waiting list, the Hebrew School is overflowing, the Teachers’ Seminary shares space with the Shul and Kollel for Businessmen and Professionals.”

Honorees this year were Jeff and Honey Rubenstein, who received the M’Dor L’Dor Award, (the Rubensteins just got up from Shiva and they addressed the Dinner by Video) , Hallandale Beach Vice Mayor Alex Lewy, recipient of the Young Leadership Award, Rabbi Avram Skurowitz, Broward Educator of the Decade Award, and Valerie Banon Bensadon, who was this year’s Eishet Chayil – Woman of Valor.

Honorary Dinner Co-Chairs were Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper, and Nicki Grossman, President Greater Ft Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. Dinner Co-Chairs were Vice President of the Jewish Federation of Broward County, Mr Bernie Friedman, Esq., Mr Steven Jacoby, and Mr Gerard Bensadon.

The Dinner featured Sam Simon, (Samsimonpresents.com), an exceptional humorist and hypnotist who had hundreds of Dinner guests in stitches, with the brave participation of 12 volunteers.

Included in Chabad’s programming is the Friendship Circle, that unites local volunteer teenagers with local children with special needs, the only Mikvahs in the Southeastern United States for the physically challenged, Florida’s only Jewish Teachers’ College for Women, the Chaya Aydel Seminary (Chayaaydelsem.com) and Project PRIDE, Broward’s non-sectarian Drug Prevention and Education Program.

Each year, the Hallandale Dinners merited to receive a letter from the Rebbe (one of 2-3 Chabad Centers in Florida with this distinction) including the last letter the Rebbe signed on 27 Adar 2, 5752, after going to the Mikvah, and right before going to the Ohel.

Dinner guests included the new Sheriff of Broward County, Mr Scott Israel, and Hallandale Beach Commissioners Anthony Sanders and Michele Lazarow.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper sent a special letter to the Dinner Guests, focusing on the M’Dor L’Dor Honorees and fellow Canadians, Jeff and Honey Rubenstein.

Dinner guests left uplifted, entertained, and excited to partner with Chabad in their major expansion and renovation. They also went home with a stunning Dinner Journal and a Countdown to the Seder Personal Pesach Planner.