Fifty years ago, the Rebbe made a call to establish public lending libraries as yet another powerful method to reach every Jew. And now, many years later, that vision is coming to fruition in an exponential manner. Just over a year ago, at the historic kinus of 5782, an ambitious pledge was made to establish 360 libraries. While at the time, it seemed fanciful, hundreds of libraries have been established and are already making waves. And now, on the heels of a successful campaign launched on Hei Teves just a few months back, Merkos has just announced 90 new recipients of this coveted library grant.
“The library initiative is such a fantastic idea on so many levels,” said Rabbi Mendy Mentz, who together with his wife Dobie, co-directs Chabad of West Bel Air, California. “For starters, coming to shul has become exciting for the children, as they now come running in to get their hands on their favorite Jewish children’s book. Adults, too, peruse the library and oftentimes take a book with them, motivating them to come back to return it and take out yet another.
“The amazing thing about the library is that Merkos has quite literally gifted our Chabad House with a whole new institution. With a library in-house, our Chabad House is positioned as the premier location for anything Jewish, enabling us to reach many we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to reach.”
“The Rebbe taught us that access to Torah books is vital for every Jewish community, just as every city needs a doctor and other professionals to be habitable,” said Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Chairman of the Kinus and Vice Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch. “We hope to empower Shluchim to create public spaces around the world where anyone and everyone can feel comfortable connecting to Yiddishkeit on their own terms.”
For shluchim in more remote locations, a library can be the only source of Judaism for Jewish residents hundreds of miles around. “The closest full-service Jewish community to where we live is about a four-hour drive away,” said Rabbi Yonah Grossman, who, together with his wife Esti, co-directs Chabad of the rural and sparsely populated area of Fargo, North Dakota. “Many people search for Jewish information and inspiration online—but nothing compares to a physical library.
“I love spending Shabbat with the Rabbi and his family,” said Ben Isaacson, a Milwaukee native who has been living in Fargo for the better part of a decade now. “If it ever happens that I’m not able to be at the rabbi’s house for Shabbat, I take a book or two from the library with me, which makes the day more meaningful to me.”
Moving from the Peace Garden State, another remote location now punching above its weight is the volcanic and lush Big Island, Hawaii. “This is the first Jewish library on the largest island in the USA,” said Rabbi Levi Gerlitzky, co-director of the local Chabad together with his wife Fraidy. “Our members and visitors come in all shapes and sizes, from senior citizens and those in hospice care, to newborn toddlers. From those who are visiting a synagogue for the first time in their life to religious tourists who want three daily prayer services. A diverse library with something for everyone is truly an incredible initiative.”
For Rabbi Shlomo Elkan, who together with his wife Devorah, co-directs Chabad at Oberlin College, Ohio, the diversity and sophistication the library brings couldn’t be more welcome. “Oberlin is a small liberal arts college campus whose students are known for their intellectualism. Though small, the percentage of Jewish students is quite high, and it’s critical for them to be able to explore Judaism on a deep level.
“We’ve always had Hebrew books in our Chabad House, but with this influx of English titles, the students are all over it. Our newly built Chabad House has a student’s lounge, so students regularly take books with them there and are able to synthesize the knowledge on their own.”
The possibilities a bona-fide library presents are truly endless. For Rabbi Mentz, the wheels of his idea factory are already furiously spinning. “One thing I plan on doing is to announce a ‘Book of the Week’ in shul each week. Whether it’s related to the parshah, a current event, or simply a relevant life issue, I want to bring attention to one book each week as a way to increase engagement and interest.”
“Seeing pictures of people all over the world perusing through rows and rows of Jewish books was very moving,” said Mr. Eduardo Caadin, who generously donated ten libraries as part of the initiative. “The opportunity to make such a huge and long-lasting impact was really a no-brainer, and I’m overjoyed to see the results already coming in.” Mr. Caadin is among those who underwrote an entire library, the library now proudly bearing his family name.
Opportunities are still available to participate in the next batch of library sponsorships. “The Rebbe called us to action fifty years ago to establish such libraries, and we’re privileged to carry it through,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “We’re humbled by the opportunity and look forward to continue flooding the world with Torah books.”
Donate today at 360libraries.org, to participate in this incredible opportunity of bringing Torah books to another 90 Chabad House communities around the globe.
Recipients of Merkos Library Grants:
Rabbi and Mrs. Menahem M. Abecassis, Institutions Loubavitch Charenton Maison Des Jeunes, France
Rabbi and Mrs. Yossi Abenson, Chabad of the Central West End, MO, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Menahem Mendel Assouline, Beth Habad Marseille 9eme, France
Rabbi and Mrs. Yigal Begun, Chabad on the Westside @ Beverly Glen, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shaya Benjaminson, Rohr Chabad Center of Glenview, IL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yitzchok Bergstein, Chabad of Oak Park, IL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shneor Zalmen Brod, Chabad Poleg – Ir Yamim, Israel
Rabbi and Mrs. Pesach Burston, Chabad Lubavitch of Orange County, NY, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yochanan Butman, Tiferet Haya, Israel
Rabbi and Mrs. Moishe Chanowitz, Chabad of S. Maarten, CT, Saint Martin
Rabbi and Mrs. Chanan Chernitsky, Chabad of Newfoundland, NL, Canada
Rabbi and Mrs. Yossi Cheruff, Chabad on Campus Birmingham U.K., West Midlands, United Kingdom
Rabbi and Mrs. Eliyahu Citron, Chabad on Campus SW Portland, OR, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Levi Danow, Chabad of Fort Wayne, IN, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yechezkel Deren, Chabad of Maple, ON, Canada
Rabbi and Mrs. Dov Drizin, Valley Chabad, NJ, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Levi Druts, Beys Chabad Khimki/Kurkino, Moscow, Russian Federation
Rabbi and Mrs. Berel Dubinsky, Chabad Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid Dubov, Chabad of Greater Mercer County, NJ, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yossie Dubrowski, Chabad of Tampa Bay / Hebrew Academy, FL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shimon Eizenbach, בית חבד נווה גנים קרית מוצקין, Israel
Rabbi and Mrs. Baruch Shalom Ezagui, Chabad of La Jolla, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shaya Farkash, The Shul of Bal Harbor, FL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Chaim Farro, Chabad of Dolev – Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel
Rabbi and Mrs. Osher Feldman, Gardens Shul, Cape Town, South Africa
Rabbi and Mrs. Raffy Filler, Chabad at Ithaca College, NY, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yisroel Freeman, Chabad Center of Sudbury, MA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yosef Yitzchak Gal, Center of Chabad Ramat Gan, Israel
Rabbi and Mrs. Sender Geisinsky, Chabad of Bethesda, MD, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shaul Goldman, Chabad of Daly City, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid Goldshmidt, CTeen of Atlanta, GA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Tzvi Gourarie, Chabad of the Undergrads, PA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shaya Gourarie, Chabad of Worthing, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Rabbi and Mrs. Baruch Greenberg, Chabad of Oceanside, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Greenwald, Chabad of Downtown Los Angeles, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuly Grossbaum, Chabad on the East Side, ON, Canada
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Grossman, Chabad of Northwest Vermont, VT, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Gurary, Chabad of Maple Valley, WA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Nechemia Gurevitz, Chabad of Hall County, GA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Menachem Hartman, Chabad of Vietnam, Vietnam
Rabbi and Mrs. Menachem Heber, Chabad of Williamsburg VA, VA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Chaim Eliezer Hershkovich, Chabad Cares, IL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Mendel Hertz, Chabad of South Austin, TX, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shneur Kagan, Chabad of Downtown Columbia, ME, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Mendel Kaplan, Chabad of Potomac Village, MD, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Mendy Karczag, Chabad of Woodstock, NY, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Katzman, Chabad Lubavitch of Staten Island, NY, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Berel Kesselman, Chabad of Concord, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid Kotlarsky, Chabad East Lakeview, IL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yisroel Kotlarsky, Chabad of Lafayette Hill, PA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Chaim Landa, Chabad Jewish Center of St. Charles County, MO, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Levitin, Chabad Downtown Seattle, WA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yosef Lew, Chabad of Peachtree City, GA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Levi Lezell, Chabad of the South Shore, MA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Mendel Lifshitz, Chabad Lubavitch of Idaho, ID, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Chaim Boruch Lipskier, Chabad at UCF, FL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmully Litvin, Chabad of Kentucky, KY, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yaakov Majesky, Chabad Lubavitch of North Orlando, FL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Levi Marinovsky, Chabad of Cypress and Northwest Houston, TX, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Mordechai Mendelson, Chabad Karlsrueh, Germany
Rabbi and Mrs. Sholom Munitz, Bader Hillel Academy, WI, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Naparstek, Chabad of Jackson, NJ, NJ, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Perlstein, Chabad of Greater Gainesville and Manassas, VA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Yehuda Pink, Chabad Lubavitch of Solihull, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuli Raitman, Chabad of Danville & S. Ramon, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Avrohom Raskin, Chabad Law Students, NY, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Zalman Refson, Chabad of Savannah, GA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Levi Reizes, Chabad of Fair Oaks, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Raleigh Resnick, Chabad of the Tri Valley, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid Reyder, Chabad of Catonsville And UMBC, MD, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Mordechai Richler, Chabad at Lake Tahoe, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Meir Rivkin, Chabad of Granada Hills, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Sanowicz, Chabad House at University of Arizona , AZ, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Sholom Ber Schmerling, Chabad of Venice and North Port, FL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Schwartz, The Chabad Chai Center, MA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Aryeh Schwartz, Chabad at NSU, FL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Chaim Shemtov, Lubavitch of Southampton, PA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Avi Shlomo, Cape Town Torah High, Western Cape, South Africa
Rabbi and Mrs. Shmaya Shusterman, Chabad of S. Leandro, CA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Mordechai Silberberg, Chabad at Western, ON, Canada
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Spalter, Chabad of Lake Forest IL, IL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Hirshi Sputz, Chabad of Fairmount, PA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Avrohom Sternberg, Chabad of Eastern Connecticut, CT, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Zev Stiefel, Chabad of Central Slovakia, Slovakia
Rabbi and Mrs. Sholom Ber Wolberg, Chabad of Glencoe, IL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Wolff, Chabad of Burien and Federal Way, WA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid Zaltzman, Chabad Watertown, MA, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Daniel Zelione, Juventud Jabad Olleros, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Rabbi and Mrs. Nissan Zibell, Chabad South Orlando, FL, United States
Rabbi and Mrs. Avrohom Zwiebel, Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Oregon, OR, United States
