Chabad rabbi builds Talmud Torah as legacy for nephew
Written by Marshall Shapiro   
Wednesday, 28 October 2009

NIAGARA FALLS, ON – “Are you going to the shiva house,” Arnie Gotfryd asked in May. “What shiva?” And then he told me the sad news that seven-month-old Meir Shlomo Zaltzman had died May 25. The Zaltzmans are renowned and revered members of the Toronto Jewish community and there was no known cause for his death.

Meir Shlomo was the son of Chanie and Mendy Zaltzman of Thornhill and nephew of Perla and Rabbi Zalman Zaltzman, Chabad shaliach in the Niagara region spanning the US and Canadian border.

Chanie and Perla are sisters while Mendy and Zalman are brothers. His grandfather, Rabbi Yoseph Zaltzman, is revered as ‘the Russian Rabbi,’ serving a huge community of immigrants from the former Soviet Union as well as Canadians who attend his synagogue, schools and community centres. The family has a long history of rabbis.

But that was then and this is now. With the opening of Aleph Champ Niagara – the Meir Shlomo Talmud Torah, the Zaltzmans have fulfilled their promise to not only keep Meir Shlomo’s memory alive but bring blessings in his name to the entire community.
“Unfortunately, today,” said Perla, “some parents confuse Jewish education with extracurricular activity.”

At the opening, speaking to more than 100 supporters in downtown Niagara Falls, she declared: “We look forward to a year full of learning and inspiration. We will strive to incorporate the teaching of the Torah’s principles, traditions and culture and our unconditional love for G-d, Israel and the Torah using the most innovative resources and technology at our disposal. We hope that our hands-on activities, crafts and workshops will make it fun and real.”

She emphasized that this was a community project supported by all sectors of the Jewish community. Zalman Zaltzman has been a driving force in bringing Jews “out of the woodwork” and uniting secular and religious in the service of G-d. His annual events at Succoth and Purim attract crowds of celebrants including the Niagara Falls Mayor Ted Salci, who is a regular attendee at all Chabad functions. The mayor recounted how he had met Rabbi Zaltzman for the first time, four years ago, and was impressed by the young rabbi’s enthusiasm and “chutzpah” and could see that this was just the beginning.

The opening of the Talmud Torah also featured a speech by local MP Rob Nicholson, who is also Canada’s minister of justice and attorney general.

Despite fears of missing his flight back to Ottawa, Nicholson said he didn’t want to miss this event and wanted to show the support of the federal government.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 04 November 2009 )