Chabad…it’s like ‘un-school’

Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky smiles and waves to the stream of tykes rushing by at a speed only pre-schoolers can manage, on their way to a playroom at the early learning center at Chabad of Northeast Queens in Bayside.
His journey to this corner of the borough is a long one - he is from Australia originally, and if you ask him, he can still manage to sound like Crocodile Dundee.
What he wants people to hear though, is that the center - and Chabad - is more broadly-based than appearances might dictate.
“Historically, Chabad is an acceptance of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. It’s a spiritual guide through which a human being can come closer to their true essence as a creation of G_d,” he said, omitting the vowel, so as not to take the Almighty’s name in vain.
For most people, the group, also known as Lubavitch, is considered an Orthodox sect of Judaism. Blesofsky points out that Chabad is also the largest Jewish social outreach program, in more than 3,000 groups worldwide.
“We’re helping people in places as diverse as Australia, Alaska, China and Uzbekistan,” he noted. “Our centers offer a spiritual home for those seeking it and a helping hand for those in need without regard to race, color or creed,” he said.
Blesofsky noted that after the tsunami ravaged Thailand in 2004, “a rabbi friend of mine organized an extensive relief operation.”
In New Orleans, he continued, “another friend of mine headed a large Katrina-relief effort that was recognized by President Bush.” Blesofsky noted that hurricane relief efforts by Chabad groups were widespread in Florida, delivering hot food to survivors.
“We have an extensive Interfaith Drug Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles, where we have an annual telethon to support those efforts,” he said.
Here in Bayside, Blesofsky and his Brooklyn-born wife Dina recounted that in addition to their non-sectarian Early Learning Center and day care services, they open their center for blood drives and cancer groups, and allow some civic groups to use our space without charge.
Dina Blesofsky is proud of the center. “We call it the ‘un-school’ - it’s warm and inviting - and we don’t proselytize; any association with Jewish traditions is cultural, not religious.” The rabbi chimes in, “The synagogue is next door.”
“Even non-affiliated Jewish families are uncomfortable with religious emphasis is this setting,” he explained, continuing “so we don’t do that here. We do provide religious experience for children in the synagogue.”
“There’s an open door policy for parents, they can come and visit any time,” he said. “We consider them like family, and if they run into problems with money, we try to help out - there are some who are paying half, because they have lost a job or have some other difficulty,” Blesofsky said, explaining, “It’s not good for a small child to have to leave their best friends because of some money.”
Although their own finances are strained, partly on account of their charity, the Blesofskys are grateful for the support the Chabad gets.
“We’re having our 11th annual fundraising dinner in March,” the rabbi said, “Perhaps you could mention it.”
He also acknowledged the generosity of some elected officials, especially City Council Finance Chair David Weprin, who represents a neighboring district. “He got us $1.5 million,” Blesofsky recalled, “which enabled us to make the payment to buy the center.”
He also credits State Senator Frank Padavan for a great deal of help. “He got funding for a lot of the improvements here, including a new playground,” Blesofsky said, adding, “His good work in funding the Queens Farm Museum has kept that wonderful place open. We take the children there and they love it.”
Looking a little sheepish, Blesofsky asked, “Does this sound too much like an endorsement?”