Rabbi Chaim S. & Sarale Rivkin, shluchim to Kirkland, Washington, recently signed a 5-year lease on a new home for their Chabad center, only 250 feet away from the first reported Covid-19 death in the United States.
By Anash.org reporter
A Yid shared with his shliach a lesson he learned from Covid for their community.
Rabbi Chaim S. and Sarale Rivkin, shluchim to Kirkland, Washington, recently signed a 5-year lease on a new home for their Chabad center and are working on renovating the space to get it ready in time for the High Holidays.
The city of Kirkland the 12th largest in Washington, is nationally known as the headquarters of Costco, and also serves as a hub for Google. Ever since the Rivkins moved down four years ago, they have been putting in immense efforts to reach every Yid in the area.
With the amazing success of the past four years, Chabad of Kirkland outgrew their space, and began looking for a new location that would allow them to hold all their activities. After a search, they finally found a place with enough space.
Rabbi Rivkin told Anash.org that one of his community members found inspiration and a lesson for their community in an occurrence in the neighborhood’s recent history. Kirkland was the first city in the United States to report a death due to Covid-19, making headlines and heightening anxiety across the country last February.
“The first person to pass away from covid in America was about 250 feet away from this new Chabad house,” Rabbi Rivkin said. “One of my baalei batim told me that this new center is our response. The virus spread from Kirkland and brought devastation to the entire United States, and now, from this very same place, we will spread a message of light, goodness and positivity that will also reach across the entire United States.”
Click here and participate in building the new Chabad Center.
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