Aleph Institute

2026-03-31T01:56:38Z

98.254.185.8:

'''Aleph Institute''' is an organization working with Jewish inmates in prisons across the United States, and with Jewish military personnel serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is also works with IDF soldiers that are stationed in The US for joint training with the US Military. The founder of the organization is the rabbi of the Federal Prison System in the state, Rabbi Shalom Dovber Lipsker from Florida. The organization is currently run by his son Rabbi Aaron Lipsker.

== History ==
The organization was founded in 5745 (1985) by Rabbi Shalom Dober Lipsker, in order to provide humanitarian assistance and religious services to Jewish inmates staying in prisons in the United States, and Jewish military personnel serving in the United States Armed Forces.

On behalf of the organization, social services are provided for the inmates and their families, and it works to rehabilitate the inmates and provides them with assistance for their religious needs. The organization works with the inmates even after their release, ensuring their reintegration into the community and accompanying them on their new path.

Over the years, the organization's management received permission to take Jewish inmates on short leaves outside the prison walls, in order to guide interested inmates in matters of Yiddishkeit, and during these leaves the inmates visited the Rebbe's farbrengens that were held on Shabbos. Regarding these visits, the Rebbe instructed that the inmates should not sit together in the farbrengen hall, so as not to draw unnecessary attention.

In addition, the organization works to rehabilitate the inmates, and establishes regular activities with them throughout the year cycle.

One of the flagship programs of the Aleph Institute is '''“Operation Enduring Traditions,”''' which is designed to address the unique needs of Jewish soldiers serving far from an established Jewish community. In this Operation's framework, the Institute provides religious and educational materials, prayer books, tefillin and mezuzot, kosher food, holiday kits, and additional services. It also organizes religious activities such as prayer services, Passover seders, and Torah study programs.

In addition, the Aleph Institute works to safeguard the religious rights of Jewish service members and assists in facilitating religious accommodations within the military framework.

A central component of the Institute’s activities is its military chaplaincy program. The Aleph Institute is recognized by the United States Department of Defense as an authorized endorsing agency for military chaplains, and it is involved in the training, guidance, and ongoing support of rabbis and religious leaders serving in the armed forces. In this framework, the Institute conducts training programs, conferences, and Shabbat retreats for rabbis and for soldiers that serve as religious layleaders, equipping them with the tools to provide spiritual support to fellow service members.

This activity effectively creates a network of shlichus within the military system, as the rabbis and shluchim operating under the Aleph Institute provide continuous spiritual support, a connection to Judaism, and a sense of community—even in remote and isolated locations. In this way, the Aleph Institute represents a unique Chabad mission within the military, working to strengthen the Jewish identity of service members and to ensure their religious needs are met throughout their service.

== Rabbis of the Organization ==
Founder: Rabbi Shalom D. Lipsker

'''Key people in the management of Aleph:'''

* Rabbi Aharon Lipsker (Director)

'''Military Division:'''

* Rabbi Sanford L. Dresin, Chaplain (COL), Ret. (VP of Aleph Military, Endorser)
* Chaplain, Major Elie Estrin (Director)
* Avi Winter (Director of Development)
* Judge art Zeiderman, LTC Ret. (Legal Advisor)

'''Prison Division:'''
* Rabbi Yossi Briski
* Rabbi Yehoshua Zelig Brock - Crown Heights
* Rabbi Yossi Cohen
* Rabbi Berel Paltiel
* Rabbi Menachem Mendel Katz
* Rabbi Yossi Stern

[[he:מכון אל"ף - (Aleph-Institute)]]

Florida

2026-02-01T00:59:22Z

98.254.185.8: /* Fort Lauderdale */

'''Florida''' is a state in the southern United States, third in population in the United States, and as of 2019 has approximately 21,477,737 residents, with about 3% being Jewish.

== History ==
The first shliach to Florida is Rabbi Avraham Korf, who arrived in the state in 1961 and began settling in Florida under the Rebbe's shlichus.

In the first year of his shlichus, as instructed by Rabbi Chodakov, he began traveling throughout Florida to meet with Reform community leaders and speak with them. He gave shiurim to students, and thus began establishing educational institutions and an active Jewish center.

There is extensive Chabad activity in the state. Every year, a week of shiurim for students from various universities around the world called "Miami Torah" is held in one of the state's cities. During this week, they learn about Yiddishkeit and Chassidus and enjoy trips. On the 5th of Iyar, when thousands of Israelis in the state visit a huge park, the shluchim take advantage of the opportunity to reach out to them and set up stands for hanachas tefillin, the opportunity to write to the Rebbe through Igros Kodesh, and more.

Over the years, more shluchim joined the activities in the state, and as of 2021, there are approximately 250 Chabad houses in the area.

== Beis Moshiach Fort Lauderdale ==
The one who established the place and served as the Rav of the Chabad community in the city is the Rebbe's shliach, Rabbi Mordechai Anati. Over time, Chabad activities grew and a Chabad community was established. Baalei teshuva from the activities moved to live in Chabad communities worldwide.

The Chabad House there established a tashmishei kedusha center, a yeshiva for semicha studies, evening kollel, Bar Mitzvah institute, soup kitchen, Tzivos Hashem center, Torah library, dormitories, kindergartens, and is in the process of establishing a school.

They have a mitzvah tank that operates daily throughout the city. Over the years, they've had 3 tanks - the old one (from 1993) serves as storage, the second was sold, and the third is a modern and sophisticated tank used weekly to travel to centers and malls for mivtzoim.

In 2000, a semicha institute for rabbinical studies was opened, with a group of temimim coming each year who are in yeshiva while helping with Chabad House activities with the mitzvah tank operating there. During holidays, the Chabad House activities are at their peak, especially during Rosh Hashanah, Simchas Torah, Chanukah, Purim, and Pesach.

== Educational Institutions ==
As part of the Rebbe's instruction to Rabbi Korf that the center for spreading Yiddishkeit should be in Miami Beach, he established some of the educational institutions he opened there.

The educational institutions are located in one complex in a huge and magnificent building located in North Miami, where about 1,200 students study. This 7-story building contains kindergartens and boys' Talmud Torahs. In another complex in Miami Beach are the educational institutions for girls. In another complex in Miami Beach are the mesivta and Tomchei Temimim Miami.

In other parts of Florida and Miami itself, there are several additional institutions serving the thousands of shluchim throughout the state.

== Chabad Synagogues ==

* Beis Menachem - Rabbi Leib Shapiro
* Oceanfront Synagogue - Rabbi Dovid Kadan, Rabbi Leibel Kadan
* Boca Raton Synagogue - Rabbi Sholom Ber Lipskar, Rabbi Shaya Rubinstein, Rabbi Moshe Bruck, Rabbi Shlomo Katan, Rabbi Shneur Zalman Lipskar, Rabbi Shmuel Tvardovitch, Rabbi Dov Schochet, Rabbi Shaya Parkash
* Rashbi Synagogue - Rabbi Duch and Rabbi Bitton
* Baba Sali Synagogue
* Ahavas Yisroel Synagogue - Rabbi Aharon Yitzchak Lieberman
* HaNefesh HaElokis Synagogue - Rabbi Yisroel Nasrati
* "Di Shtetl" Synagogue - managed by Itamar Taktuk, under Beis Moshiach Florida

== Chabad Houses in Florida ==

===== Miami Beach =====
* Chabad House - Rabbi Benzion Korf, Rabbi Chaim Stern, and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Katz
* Anshei Lubavitch - Rabbi Dovid Shapiro and Rabbi Yitzchak Teitelbaum
* Russian Immigrant Community - Rabbi Shlomo Blank
* Venice Immigrant Community - Rabbi Shmuel Mann
* Or Menachem Mendel Library - Rabbi Aharon Rabin
* Chabad on Wheels - Rabbi Zeev Katz
* South Beach - Rabbi Shraga Mann

===== Altamonte Springs =====
* Chabad House - Rabbi Menachem Mendel Bronstein
* Greater Orlando - Rabbi Sholom Boruch Dubov
* At Rollins College - Rabbi Shmuli Sasonkin
* North Orlando - Rabbi Yaakov Majesky
* Central Orlando - Rabbi Levi Dubov
* University - Rabbi Chaim Boruch Lipskar, Rabbi Yosef Konikov, Rabbi Nissan Zibel, Rabbi Meir Lasoff

===== Aventura =====
* Chabad House - Rabbi Levi Friedman, Rabbi Kasriel Brusowankin
* South Aventura - Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rosenfeld, Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Spalter, Rabbi Yosef Lottkin
* The Waterways - Yisroel Brusowankin
* Sunny Isles Beach - Rabbi Yisroel Baron
* Golden Beach - Rabbi Chai Amar, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Algrishi
* Russian Chabad Center of South Florida - Rabbi Alexander Kaller, Rabbi Shaul Snovsky, Rabbi Chezky Altein
* East Coast - Rabbi Eliyahu Rosenfeld
* Island Lakes - Rabbi Moshe Kaveman
* Chabad House for Israelis - Rabbi Menachem Cheruti
* Skylake - Rabbi Refael Rosenberg, Rabbi Yehoshua Korf
* Aventura Isles - Rabbi Yitzchak Kaplan
* Beis Menachem North Miami Beach - Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Marlow, Rabbi Chaim Brod, Rabbi Eliyahu Laufer
* United Jewish Generations - Rabbi Menachem Mendel Smith
* Yeshivas Torah Ohr - Rabbi Emanuel Storfer, Rabbi Yisroel Geisinsky, Rabbi Mattisyahu Devlin
* South Broward - Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus, Rabbi Dovid Kadan, Rabbi Aharon Kaufman, Rabbi Moshe Schwartz, Rabbi Levi Tennenhaus, Rabbi Mordechai Feiner, Rabbi Eliezer Phillips, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gurevitch
* Chaya Aidel Seminary - Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Leibovich
* South Beach - Rabbi Sholom Dovber Kleinman
* Alef Institute - Rabbi Aharon Lipskar, Rabbi Menachem Katz, Rabbi Moshe Bruck, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Stern, Rabbi Yehoshua Bruck, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Briski, Rabbi Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, Rabbi Peretz Muchkin, Rabbi Elya Estrin
* Jewish Educational Leadership Institute - Rabbi Yisroel Frankfurter
* Hollywood/Dania - Rabbi Menachem Mendel Tennenhaus

===== Boca Raton =====
* Chabad House - Rabbi Zalman Bukiet, Rabbi Moshe Denburg
* Boca Raton Center - Rabbi Moshe Denburg, Rabbi Aharon Gopin, Rabbi Moshe Wolowbovsky, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Denburg, Rabbi Sholom Ber Kessler
* West Boca Raton - Rabbi Zalman Bukiet, Rabbi Moshe Kramer
* East Boca Raton - Rabbi Reuven Now, Rabbi Sholom Dovber Gurary
* Chabad Center for Israelis - Rabbi Naftali Hertzel
* Chabad Center for Students - Rabbi Boruch Shmuel Liberow
* Humanitarian Center - Rabbi Meir Kessler
* Youth Network - Rabbi Shmuel Gutnik
* Northeast Broward - Rabbi Yehoshua Biston

===== Fort Lauderdale =====
* Chabad Inveraray - Rabbi Aron Lieberman
* Beis Moshiach Florida - Founder: Rabbi Mordechai Anati A"H, Rabbi now: Rabbi Daniel Shahino

===== Other Locations =====
* North Miami Beach - Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Marlow
* Palm Beach - Rabbi Moshe Scheiner
* Hollywood - Rabbi Yisroel Nasrati, Rabbi Shmuel Elishevitz
* Venice - Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schmerling
* Southwest Florida - Rabbi Yitzchak Minkowicz
* Coral Springs - Rabbi Avraham Friedman
* Gainesville - Rabbi Berel Goldman
* St. Augustine, Florida - Rabbi Levi Vogel

[[Category:Florida|*]]
[[Category:United States‏]]
[[he:פלורידה]]

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Aleph Institute

Florida