Downtown Jewish Center Chabad
900 E Broward Blvd
Fort Lauderdale FL 33301
phone: 954-667-8000
e-mail: Downtownjewish@aol.com

Rabbi Schneur & Devorah Kaplan founded the Downtown Jewish Center Chabad in 2003.

    Our philosophy, way of life, mission,  inclusive approach in serving g-d and reaching out to our fellow Jew, and all of mankind, is based on the teaching of the worldwide spiritual leader Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson.  Rabbi Scneershon inspired us to reach out to all Jews with unconditional love and to provide an opportunity for meaningful, life enhancing spiritual experiences; through innovative programing, learning and prayer,  all in a non judgmental accepting environment.  The Rebbe also taught us that in our role as a light unto the nations, we must work together with people of good will of all faiths, to make the world a better place by promoting acts of goodness and kindness. 

    We are looking forward to opening the doors to our new facility located at 900 E Broward Blvd. Which will serve as a meeting place for social, religious, educational, cultural, and family events. Where young and old regardless of their background, level of observance or affiliation, can enhance their awareness of the Jewish faith and its traditions.     

    The DJC Chabad is based on the ideology of Chabad Lubavitch, which emphasizes the enriching of our daily life experience with a comprehensive religious life system, based on intellect leading to action . This way of life is embodied in the Hebrew acronym ChaBaD, standing for wisdom, understanding and knowledge.  Chabad encompasses the precept of combining the love of G-d and the love of mankind, and to actualize that love with Actions and expressions of loving kindness. The DJC Chabad helps to develop the spiritual inner-self of the person. Manifesting the concept that Jewishness or Judaism is not merely a weekend religion, but a way of life.  We take pride in creating an ambiance of love and acceptance by teaching  tolerance and awareness of G-dliness to all.    
      
    Our communal services in which all of the congregates participate, takes on  a joyous spirituality, expressing  connectedness through song, personal expression  and meditation in prayer.

     In addition, our multivaried educational classes and study sessions have become a hallmark of our community and have brought us to a newfound appreciation of the quote of the great sage Rabbi Hanina: "Much Torah have I learnt from my teachers, more from my colleagues, but from my students most of all" (Babylonian Talmud, Ta'anit 7a)
    
         We are genuinely overwhelmed by the tremendous response of the community in embracing our vision and for acting as our partners in seeing it to its fruition.  We could not have come this far without the concrete commitment of the members of this community and  their willingness to be a part of this great endeavor.
     
     The success of the Jewish center is merely a sum total of this communities collective efforts.
 

Our Spiritual Leader

The Lubavitcher Rebbe addressing a Lag ba'omer gathering, standing behind the Rebbe in full uniform is Rabbi Chaim Gutncik OB"M Chief Rabbi of Australia and Chief Chaplain of the Royal Victorian Army (Rabbi Gutnick is Devorah Kaplan's maternal grandfather)
Rabbi Schneur Kaplan received Rabbinical Ordination from Rabbi Chaim Gutnick.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rabbi J.J. Hecht OB"M at a Lag Ba'omer parade.
Rabbi Hecht Chairman of the NCFJE also served as the Rebbe's translator.
(Rabbi J.J. Hecht is Devorah Kaplan's paternal Grandfather)

The Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rabbi J.J. Hecht OB"M at a Lag Ba'omer parade.

 

Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kaplan Dean of the Rabbinical College of Quebec with Rabbi Moshe Feinstein OB"M regarded by many as the de facto supreme rabbinic authority for Orthodox Jewry of North America.
(Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kaplan is Rabbi Schneur Kaplan's father)

Rabbi Peretz Mochkin OB"M a prominent "elder chosid" of the Chabad Chassidic community (front left)
and Rabbi Shlomo Shimanovitz OB"M a prominent Chabad Chosid and erudite scholar (front right).
(Rabbi Mochkin and Rabbi Shimanovitz are Rabbi Schneur Kaplan's great grandparents)