IN FOCUS

Rabbi Levi Vogel was born and raised in Rochester N.Y. where his parents established the Chabad Center for Jewish Enrichment in 1981. He went through the Chabad educational system, studying in Yeshivot in Detroit, London, Israel, Morristown N.J. and the Central Yeshivah in Brooklyn N.Y. where he received his Rabbinic Ordination.
While completing his rabbinical and postgraduate studies, Levi was an active participant in Chabad’s outreach programs, serving in summer camps throughout the United States as well as Russia, Belgium, France and the Ukraine.
Rabbi Levi and his wife, Fraidy, moved to St. Augustine in October of 2007 to establish the Chabad Center for Jewish Life. They are joined by their children, Nosson, Mushka and Mendel.


The following is taken from an interview with Rabbi Levi Vogel on Feb. 16, 2011:

Q. What are some of the bigger challenges you face as a Chabad Emmissary in St. Augustine?
A. I’d say, getting past the false impressions that some people may have about us for one reason or another. I think it’s mostly because people don’t know what Chabad is, and therefore draw all sorts of conclusions. Such as, “Oh, look at this guy with the beard and tzitzis! He probably wants to make me Orthodox, or worse yet – Chassidic!” Or, “They probably don’t consider me Jewish because I’m not as observant”, etc. However, once people get to know us, they see that’s not what we’re about at all. There are quite a bunch of people we’ve gotten to know, who initially, were very suspicious of us.

Q. So “what are you about”?

A. Chabad is about love, love of G-d, love of Torah and love of our fellow Jew. To bring the warmth and joy of Judaism to every Jew in St. Augustine - whatever their affiliation or level of observance may be. By creating warm and positive Jewish experiences that everyone can participate in and feel a part of, we believe that each person will find joy and meaning in being Jewish.

[In fact, Lubavitch, the town in Russia where Chabad Chassidism originated (hence “Chabad Lubavitch”), means “City of Love”. Chabad doesn’t judge people. The Torah teaches that every Jew has a neshamah, a Jewish spark, which remains holy and pure and is precious in the eyes of G-d.]

Q. What’s it like keeping kosher in St. Augustine?

A. Very easy! Many dry goods in the local supermarkets are already kosher, and we ship in meat from Miami with the kosher co-op with Chabad of Jacksonville. Actually, this service is available to everyone who wants kosher meat. But we recently decided to make it even easier for people in St. Augustine. Since the meat comes in bulk, for someone who doesn’t have the room or the resources to purchase an entire case of meat at a time it’s not really a great option. So we hit upon this idea: we will order in bulk, and you can purchase in any amount that you like! This way, even if you don’t have the space or the money for an entire case of meat, you can still get kosher meat right here in St. Augustine, in any amount, at a very reasonable price.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Connecting with many different people from various walks of life and backgrounds. In this position, you get to meet all kinds of people. It’s really fascinating! I love schmoozing, learning about and getting to know people.

Q. What do you like most about St. Augustine?

A. There is so much to like! But most of all, I like the Old City with its art galleries and the history…. the weather! Being from Rochester, NY, I’ve had enough of the snow! I love the warm weather. And, of course, I love being near the seashore!

Q. Tell us about some things that are on the horizon.

A. We are currently getting ready to launch the new Jewish Lending Library which will include a wide range of Jewish topics in the form of books and DVDs. In the near future, we plan to start a Hebrew reading course, a Shabbat day service followed by a delicious kiddush luncheon and hot chulent, and a series of special guest speakers to lecture on a variety of Jewish subjects. We are also planning some exciting new cultural events with a focus on Jewish art, music and history.

The long term goal is to create a warm and vibrant center for Jewish life in St. Augustine, which will serve as a place for Jewish learning and celebration, and provide for the many different needs of the community. We envision it to be a place where every Jew, regardless of background, will feel welcome and a sense of belonging. Thank G-d, we are well on our way to achieving this goal!