Desperately Seeking Shluchim!

Posted: Sun, May 01 2011, 12:06 pm Post subject: Desperately Seeking Shluchim!

As many of you know, my family and I have been living in the community of West Lafayette, Indiana for the past three years where we've been privileged to work with the 700 Jewish students here on campus through our outreach program PurJEW. We are going to have to leave as my husband has received a fellowship beginning this summer, and we very much want to ensure that the local community continues in its growth in Yiddishkeit.

There is no Chabad within a hour of our location. Private donors have indicated that they would support a local Chabad house at Purdue for the first two to three years. The community here would benefit from such a presence. We hosted more than 50 students for Pesach, work closely with AEPi, ZBT, and NJOP, and regularly have 10-20 students for Shabbos meals. We have a house available for the family rent free for the first few months and have a number of local families who are advocating for such a family.

Please contact us directly at daniel.aldrich@gmail.com if you have an interest in this tremendously rewarding work.
_________________
Interested in learning more about homeschooling?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jewishorthodoxandhomeschooling/

Gold Member Joined: Jan 07 2009 Posts: 1794

Perhaps you should contact Moshe Kotlarsky about this. No reputable Chabad couple will just go and set up camp there by themselves without authorization and being appointed. IMHO at least.

Gold Member Joined: Apr 23 2007 Posts: 2442

If you are not specifically seeking chabad, then maybe try Aish or Ner L' Elef--both of whom train young couples in Israel to go back and do kiruv in the states. It sounds like a great opportunity for some couple. If your interested pm me and I'll try to get you contact info

Silver Member Joined: May 27 2008 Posts: 733

Contact Rabbi Avrohom Grossbaum, Chabad in Indianapolis.

http://www.chabad.org/centers/default_cdo/aid/117619/jewish/Lubavitch-of-Indiana.htm

1037 Golf Lane
Indianapolis, IN 46260 USA
317-251-5573
Local Time: 12:26 PM (GMT -4)
Fax: 317-251-5510
www.LubavitchIndiana.com

Posted: Sun, May 01 2011, 4:08 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone for your replies.

We had a Chabad couple call out of the blue and visit our town in March, but it seems the wife is no longer interested in being a campus shlucha, so they don't want to come.

We are not picky about which group would come (we aren't Chabad ourselves), but we cannot fund a Ner L'Elef or Aish couple. We asked a couple of years how much that would cost -- lots of $$$. Chabad has the initial funding from some generous Jews, then fund raise on their own.

We are close contact with Rabbi Grossbaum in Indianapolis, but he has no one for us right now. And we are contacting the rabbis in charge of placement...

Wish us hatzlacha -- this is a small community but it deserves a couple devoted to Torah!

Active Poster Joined: Aug 24 2009 Posts: 62

we would maybe be interested in such a thing but only if it was "official" of course...

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

Somebody who would be interested would contact the head shliach in the area. It's happened plenty of times, that a couple finds their own place and then makes sure it's okay with the head shliach before moving in. The head shliach would make them official.
_________________
The Chanukah licht transcends all.

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 23 2008 Posts: 9074

If you don't go "official" then they will be mushrooms, unofficial "shluchim" that "sprout"up. They won't be eligible for support, financial or otherwise. Quite honestly, it's not appropriate to advertise on here - please go through proper channels. I hope your community gets the right couple very soon.

Gold Member Joined: Jan 07 2009 Posts: 1794

Silver Member Joined: May 27 2008 Posts: 733

The next option is to contact office@chabad.edu- Chabad on Campus HQ. In general, they are very helpful in this area

Thanks again everyone!

We know that this is not the "usual" way of getting a couple, but in desperate times, we felt that trying to beat the bushes before we leave is a last ditch effort. This community has potential -- having no one here would be such a haval!

Nevertheless, my DH is on the phone with someone right now.

Yael

Gold Member Joined: Jan 07 2009 Posts: 1794