La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

Shopping at Trader Joe's in Bellingham recently, I ran into two young men who I could tell from their wardrobe were ultra-Orthodox Jews. We chatted briefly and they told me that a rabbi from Brooklyn was headed this way to start a Chabad in Skagit County.

A Chabad is a congregation organized by members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty that was founded in 1775 by Rabbi Shneur Zalman in Lithuania. Chabad is a worldwide Hasidic movement known for its outreach activities. It is a system of religious philosophy that teaches understanding and recognition of the creator through the application of three intellectual qualities – Chochma (wisdom), Binah (understanding) and Daat (knowledge). The initials from these Hebrew words form the word "Chabad."

Rabbi Shmuli Silver recently arrived from Brooklyn with his wife, Shevy, and 10-month-old son Yitzchak (Isaac) with the intention of creating a Chabad, a center for Jewish residents in Skagit and Island Counties. His intention is to spread the word in a new place but he made it clear, he wants to create unity with people of other religions and not rock the ship.

Growing up in New York, I often drove through Brooklyn, especially when the Dodgers were still there, and I saw many Orthodox Jews walking around with their families and I would always honk my horn and wave. Women did not wear trousers and skirts and dresses had to fall below the knee, arms were covered to the elbow and necklines were highly cut.

Ultra-Orthodox males have long side curls in their hair and there are ropes attached to their pants waists called tzitzit. Orthodox women do not show their hair in public after they have married. Wearing headscarves or wigs, referred to as sheitels, they signal to their community that they are married and that they comply with traditional notions of propriety.

Rosh Hashana, Jewish New Year under the Hebrew calendar, is coming up and Shmuli is inviting Skagit Jews to join him on the second day of Rosh Hashana, Sunday Sept. 17, for a celebratory Shofar blowing event at his home in Mount Vernon.

Whether you are Orthodox or not, you are welcome to join this event and others in the future. If you interested in attending, you can sign on at jewishskagitcounty.com. Their website states: "Here at Chabad, we practice Judaism with love, care, and passion, providing people of all ages with a warm, genuine, and personalized Jewish experience. Our vision is to foster a personal and meaningful connection with every individual in Skagit area, allowing us to cater to your needs, At Chabad, every community member feels a sense of belonging."