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Students having fun at The Chai West Centre

Sunday, March 30, 2008

New Teen Centre in Dollard (The Chai West Centre)

posted by Rabbi David Lazar at 3h49

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Students having fun at The Chai West Centre

I'm a Rabbi that just moved into the neighbourhood last June with my wife & three girls. I came out here from Montreal with my family to maximize my outreach with the Jewish teens in the West Island.

We have just opened a new teen centre for the Jewish students in the West Island. We don't have our sign up just yet, but we will very soon . The name of the center is "The Chai West Centre". The word CHAI from the Hebrew language is defined as LIFE in English.

The Chai West Centre officially opened in late December on the Fifth night of Chanukah. The Chai West Center threw a Chanukah Party and over 60 students from Riverdale, Lindsay Place & WIC showed up to celebrate the festive occasion. It was a great success. The Chai West Centre just had a Purim Party which over 40 students attended. The Chai West Centre also offers outings & trips. We just had a Chai West Ski Retreat Weekend which 28 students attended and they had a Blast!!

We have another Chai Centre that is well known in the Montreal Jewish Community. The Chai Center in Montreal was founded over 18 years ago. They have done wonderful work doing outreach with Jewish students from all levels secondary 2,3,4,& 5.(Grades 8-11) CEGEP & University level. They have an annual food bank for the High Holiday season for the needy. The Living Legacy who work with elementary schools, also work out of the Montreal Chai Centre.

Over the years while doing Outreach with teenagers, I've learned from my weekly Schmooze Clubs at the Public High schools, that most of todays Jewish teenagers ages 15-18 aren't interested in going to Shul(Synagogue) or to Jewish events. Even the Christian teens today aren't attending Church. I found out that a lot of teenagers were hanging out at parks, on the streets, or at Tim Hortons & Star Bucks. I decided that I wanted to offer a place where Jewish teens can meet other Jewish teens in a safe & Kosher environment where they can feel at home, have a Jewish connection & a Jewish Future. This has been my goal & mandate.

The Chai West Centre is here for the community to use and enjoy, so pass the word on. The Chai West Centre is opened to students from all backgrounds. Our Center has a handful of Christian kids passing by who want to hang out with their Jewish friends at our weekly Jam music night or movie night. We also offer free sodas, chips & popcorn for the kids to munch on. A lot of CEGEP students have also been popping by the center.

Our Location is in D.D.O 4660A Sources Blvd. The store front across the street directly in front of ADONIS Supermarket. Hope to see you there!

Take care & G-D Bless,
Rabbi David Lazar

Rabbi David Lazar is the Director of Outreach at The Chai West Center/Director of The Schmooze Clubs.
For more information contact: rocking.rabbi@gmail.com
or check out CHAI WEST on facebook. or www.thechai.com

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