Massachusetts

Massachusetts (in Hebrew: מסצ'וסטס), is the fourteenth largest state by population in the United States, with approximately 7 million people living there as of 5780 (2020), including over one hundred thousand Jews.

Settlement in the area began as early as 5380 (1620), and the region began to be populated at a rapid pace. In 5390 (1630), the state capital, Boston, was founded.

The state has dozens of Chabad houses working to bring Jews closer to Torah observance and mitzvot, under the Rebbe's head shliach, Rabbi Yehuda Fogelman.

The Frierdiker Rebbe's Visit to the State

Towards the year 5690 (1930), the Frierdiker Rebbe made a historic journey to the United States, and on Sunday, 19 Sivan 5690, he began his visit to Massachusetts when he arrived in the capital city Boston, staying at the home of Lipschitz, who was one of the leaders of the local Jewish community.

After a brief rest, the Rebbe began receiving the masses who gathered at the doors of the house for yechidus, and this continued during the other days, at times when the Frierdiker Rebbe did not go to additional places to strengthen the state of Yiddishkeit there.

On Monday, the day after his arrival, the community held a reception at the home of Yaakov Thurman. About ten days after his arrival, on 28 Sivan, an official reception was held with the participation of governors and senior public officials in the state.

That same day, the Frierdiker Rebbe traveled to Chelsea, where he blessed the children of the local Talmud Torah, and then returned to Mr. Lipschitz's home, where he stayed until 3 Tammuz.

In total, the Frierdiker Rebbe's visit to the state lasted about two weeks, and he was accompanied on his travels by his son-in-law, the Rashag, who helped him in his activities and stood by him in everything he needed.

Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Zuber served as the rabbi of the Chabad Nusach Ari synagogue.

Achei Tmimim Yeshivas

In 12 Tammuz 5702 (1942), the Frierdiker Rebbe established the Achei Tmimim Yeshiva in Worcester, with the support and active assistance of Rabbi Zerach Horowitz, rabbi of the 'Bnei Yaakov' community in the city who was close to the Frierdiker Rebbe, with Rabbi Avraham Dov Hecht appointed as director.

Within just one year, the yeshiva was already established and a building was purchased for it, and after two years the place was too small to contain everyone, and the yeshiva administration purchased another building and opened a new branch in another neighborhood in the city.

Parallel to the development of the yeshiva in Worcester, in late winter of 5703 (1943), the Frierdiker Rebbe established another branch of Achei Tmimim Yeshiva in Boston.

Rabbi Yehuda Tzvi Fogelman served as the director of the yeshiva in the first period, and later Rabbi Avraham Dov Hecht moved to oversee the establishment of the yeshiva in Boston, with his younger brother taking his place in managing the yeshiva in Worcester.

In the first period of its operation, the students studied in the central Nusach Ari synagogue of Chabad chassidim in the city, and later the yeshiva purchased a building, which also served for a Chabad kindergarten that was founded in the city, and also allowed the division of students into additional classes that would provide a more tailored response for the students, and the yeshiva continued to develop when in the month of Kislev, less than a year after its establishment, it had about 80 students.

The yeshiva students received special attention from the Rebbe, and several times they merited that the Rebbe would say a special sicha in front of them.

The Rebbe's Shluchim in the State

• Worcester - Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Fogelman
• Framingham - Rabbi Yaakov Noach Lazarus
• Boston - Rabbi Shlomo Noginski

Further Reading

• Kfar Chabad Weekly, Issue 259 page 42.

External Links

• Local press reports on Chabad house activities in the state - col website
• Chabad houses in Massachusetts on the 'Chabad House' website.