By dave goldberg
Staff Writer
DAVE GOLDBERG Rabbi Levi Azimov says the doors of his Finnegans Lane home in South Brunswick are open to any member of the community who is in need.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — An open door awaits all Jews at the home of Rabbi Levi Azimov and his wife Goldie.
"Our job is to help other Jews, whether it means simply answering questions or koshering a kitchen," Azimov said. "We are here for the needs of the community. We are trying to provide a service for anyone in need."
Azimov hopes to eventually bring a synagogue to South Brunswick. He now uses the Chabad Jewish Center, located on Finnegans Lane, as his home and office.
"We do not currently have a synagogue, but we are eventually going to purchase a building," Azimov said.
Azimov strives to open up his and Goldie’s home to anyone in the area who may be in need of their help. Azimov said that he loves to make people feel like welcomed guests in his home.
"We often have guests that come on Friday night to sing some songs," Azimov said. "It tends to vary from week to week. There is often a family or two. We like to make them feel comfortable. Once we get fully established, we will look into getting a synagogue. We plan to stay in South Brunswick. We are here for the community, so it would be appropriate to stay here."
The couple also does community work outside the center.
"We have visited people in places such as old age homes," Goldie said. "We have tried to help a person uplift his mood. We have been able to help a dying person feel better before he passed away. We also have helped with memorial services and burials. We are the home for Jewish needs and everything Jewish."
Education is also a major part of the work Azimov does.
"We do not just offer services of praying, we also offer a weekly Torah class," Azimov said. "The classes give people a chance to study sections of the Torah. We hold it at various locations around town. There are also one on one Hebrew classes for the high holidays. There are some private Torah studies on various topics. There are some people who have special interests and want to get a higher learning."
The number of people Azimov works with can vary on a daily basis.
"Some days I can see about 20 to 30 people," Azimov said. "We have a daily service at a construction site. I have done may bar mitzvahs. If there is ever a need for a rabbi in any circumstance, I will be there. I am available for anything that I can assist with. We are here for the community. We will assist people with anything."
Some of the classes seem to be growing, according to Azimov.
"We have received good feedback, mostly from word of mouth," Azimov said. "Word of mouth is very strong. Families and their friends have shown interest. They seem to bring more people along and it is showing growth."
Many of the people who Azimov has met with are not religious.
"A larger amount of the people that I see are not affiliated," Azimov said. "They don’t belong to any synagogue and practice. Most people, once they are brought into contact with it, like it. Most of the people were not brought in contact with the religion previously. Most of them were from a non-observant home."
Azimov plans to expand upon the offerings in the fall.
"By fall of this year, the Chabad Center of South Brunswick plans to feature a complete menu of Jewish offerings, including adult education, special programs for women, children’s learning experiences and daily, Sabbath and holiday services," Azimov said. "We’re here to provide for the spiritual and material needs of any Jew regardless of his or her degree of observance or affiliation."
Azimov, a native of Jerusalem, Israel, graduated from Oholei Torah in Brooklyn and the Rabbinical College of American in Morristown.
The Chabad Jewish Center welcomes anyone interested, according to Azimov.
"According to tradition, at the New Year the doors of heaven are open and God accepts all prayers from anyone," Azimov said. "The least we can do is open our doors as well, to the entire community."
Azimov will be holding services for Rosh Hashana on Sept. 7 and 8 at 10 a.m. and services for Yom Kipper on Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. and Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m. All services will be held at the New Comfort Suites at the intersection of Route 1 and Finnegans Lane.
For any questions or further information contact Azimov at (732)398-9492.