New Shluchim to Arizona’s Halfway City of Casa Grande

By COLlive reporter

Rabbi Moshe and Chaya Sasonkin are the first Chabad Shluchim to be serving Jews living in Casa Grande, one of the historic cities of Arizona which was founded in 1879.

Located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, the area has been visited for years by Yeshiva bochurim as part of the Merkos Shlichus visitation to small communities.

Casa Grande is Spanish for “big house” and among resident English speakers, there is no consensus on how to pronounce the city’s name, the New York Times noted. Some pronounce Casa Grant, while others insist on calling Casa Gran’dei.

Regardless of the pronunciation, the Sasonkis say they are looking forward to moving down there and to personally meet and connect with Jews “to create a sense of Jewish community and pride.”

Rabbi Sasonkin was born in Youngstown, Ohio where his parents Rabbi Berel and Chaya Sasonkin served as Shluchim, eventually founding Chabad of Patchogue in New York. He studied at Chabad Yeshivos in Israel, Canada and Argentina and received Rabbinical ordination in Brooklyn, NY. His work for Jewish outreach has taken him worldwide from India to New Mexico.

Mrs. Sasonkin grew up on Shlichus in Tucson where her parents Rabbi Rami and Chani Bigelman direct Chabad on River. She has studied in Chicago, Illinois and in Jerusalem, Israel. She has dedicated herself to Jewish community outreach throughout the US including Maryland, Alabama, Texas and in Victoria, British Columbia.

In 2020, after their marriage, the Sasonkins visited Casa Grande and decided to relocate and establish a Chabad Center and a home for Jewish life in one of Arizona’s Main Street communities.

They were appointed to the position by Head Shliach of Arizona, Rabbi Zalman Levertov. They are the 38th family of Shluchim in the state.

“There are about 500 Jews in the area itself and we will be focusing on connecting with the locals on a one-on-one basis, primarily starting with hosting Shabbos meals,” Rabbi Sasonkin told COLlive.com.

To support their Shlichus, donate at https://donate.chabadcasagrande.org, http://cash.app/RabbiCasaGrande
https://www.paypal.me/Msasonkin