Ronald & Ethel Gruen among honorees at Chabad Lubavitch of Texas Dinner
Texas Jewish Post; March 6, 2003; Front Page
Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, the Chief Rabbi of Israel will be visiting Houston for the first time, on March 9th of 2003. Rabbi Lau, a Holocaust survivor and noted speaker will serve as guest of honor at the Chabad Lubavitch of Texas thirtieth anniversary founders’ dinner.
Chabad Lubavitch of Texas was founded in 1972 by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory. It has since opened eleven branches serving the Jewish communities of cities and towns throughout Texas with outreach, education and social services.
“In these periods of turmoil in the Holy Land,” says Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff, the regional director for Chabad Lubavitch of Texas, “Rabbi Lau’s voice represents the interests of the Jewish people above politics and world interests.”
The event, to be held at Houston’s Doubletree Post Oak Hotel,will pay tribute to the unrelenting dedication and exemplary support of Sam and Aranka Kane, Stuart and Carol Nelkin, Benjamin Danziger,Melech and Chana Weiss, and Ronald and Ethel Gruen.
The Gruens, long-time, prominent members of the Dallas community, are identified closely with their dedication to Torah, traditional Judaism and Jewish education. They are known for their continued support and love for Israel and participate fully and wholeheartedly locally in the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, State of Israel Bonds, many local and national organizations as well as holding membership in several Dallas synagogues.
Fred Zeidman, chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Texas chairman of Israel Bonds, will chair the event together with Jerry Kane, son of honorees, Sam and Aranka Kane, of Ronald and Ethel Gruen among honorees at Chabad Lubavitch of Texas 30th anniversary dinner of Corpus Christi.
The dinner, which celebrates “quantum leaps of growth” for Chabad of Texas, aims to “reflect on the success of the past and develop commitments for the future,” says Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff, the event’s coordinator.He expects the dinner’s guests to represent a cross-section of the Jewish community, reflecting the tremendous scope of Chabad’s outreach efforts over the last three decades.
“People who were involved in the early years of Chabad here in Houston, and in many other cities in Texas – many of whom have since moved on – will come to the dinner to pay tribute to Chabad’s success,” Rabbi Lazaroff says.
The guiding principle of Chabad is indicated by its name, which is an acronym for the Hebrew words Chochma, Bina, and Da’as – wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. That intellectual aspect of Chabad is what drew dinner honorees Stuart and Carol Nelkin to the movement three decades ago.
“Lubavitch was the first institution where there was an ability to approach Judaism intellectually,” says Stuart Nelkin, a noted attorney, born and raised in Houston. “That was a totally different approach to Judaism than anybody in this area knew about.
“There are many Jewish organizations, and there are many organizations that are doing good work,”Nelkin says.“I just happen to believe that Lubavitch serves such a high calling and such an important mission, that no matter who supports which organization, they all ought to support Chabad Lubavitch, because when they support Lubavitch, they are supporting themselves.”
In Plano, Chabad emissaries Rabbi Menachem and Rivka Block have created a strong infrastructure and ardent support.
“Rabbi Block’s enthusiasm is not just at his classes,” said Howard Shapiro, a Chabad supporter in Plano. “The rabbi is enthusiastic about life. I think that is why Chabad in Plano is such a huge success. He and Rivka have brought a whole new dimension to Plano. It is just amazing. He has his camps, Sunday schools, every program known.With Rabbi Block, once you meet him, he’s got you hooked, and you are there forever.”
A similar story can be told in each of the cities in which Chabad has a presence.
For more information about this monumental event, please call Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff at the Chabad Lubavitch of Texas regional headquarters at 713-777-2000 or email [email protected].