Our Oxford Jewish Experience

This summer, my friend Saadia and I were privileged to use our three week holiday to travel to Oxford as part of Chabad’s Roving Rabbis programme.

Known as “Merkos Shlichus,” this programme involves Lubavitch Rabbinical Students travelling in pairs to hundreds of locations worldwide to make the knowledge of Torah and Mitzvot accessible to thousands of Jews. The students bring Tefillin, Shabbat Candles, Jewish books and more, and arrange meetings and prayer services with the local Jews, affording them the opportunity to do a Mitzvah, ask questions, or just to discuss our faith.

As soon as the term at our Yeshiva in North London finished, we headed out for Oxford and the surrounding communities, prepared to get in contact with as many Jews as possible in the area, while being generously accommodated at the Oxford Chabad House. Upon arrival, we began to walk around the city centre. It was not long before we encountered a group of Israeli tourists, with whom we had a very warm discussion, and invited to the Chabad House for the Friday night meal. Eventually, we decided to set up a stand on Cornmarket Street, where hundreds of people stopped by to chat, both Jews and gentiles.

Rain or shine, we were kept busy by a constant stream of people. Jewish women were delighted to receive Shabbat candles, while the men were invited to put on Tefillin. We answered many questions on a wide array of topics, and invited many people to the Chabad House to become more familiar with Judaism. We received much positive feedback from locals and tourists, who were amazed that Chabad sends its emissaries to so many locations.

At the Shabbat table on Friday night, amongst the many guests included some of those we had met throughout the week. One girl from Germany we met on Cornmarket Street hadn’t known she was Jewish when she casually mentioned that her mother is Jewish. Having been brought up as a Protestant, she attended a non-Jewish school all her life, and was very moved when we told her that since her mother is Jewish, she is considered fully Jewish by Jewish law. That emotional Friday night was her very first time lighting the Shabbat candles and attending a Shabbat meal.

The evenings we used for meeting people privately. We held meetings with many people in their homes in Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire. Most of these people are the only Jews for miles around, having very little contact throughout the year with the Jewish community, and were thus very happy to see two Rabbi’s come and visit for a lively Jewish discussion. One man expressed with great feeling how moved he was just by the sight of two Chassidim walking down the path to his home, which is situated between two remote farms. Needless to say, this sight is quite uncommon in that area, and had a great impression upon him.

After these unforgettable, meaningful weeks, we return to London to begin a new year at the Yeshiva, having learned and gained so much by interacting with so many interesting people from diverse backgrounds, and enriched by the opportunity to share with our fellow Jews.

We look forward to finding new meaning in our studies in light of our experiences, and we pray that our efforts bear fruit in the form of even greater Jewish vigour in the Oxford area. As we know, this will ultimately join with the good deeds throughout all generations, to usher in the era of Moshiach, who will gather together each and every Jew, one by one, and bring us all to the Holy Land speedily in our days.