Shimon Lazaroff

Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff is the Texas Regional Director for Texas Friends of Chabad Lubavitch, Inc. (aka Head Shliach [ [http://he.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%97_%28%D7%97%D7%91%22%D7%93%29&oldid=5048564 Hebrew list of Chabad Head Shluchim] ] for Chabad Lubavitch of Texas) and member of the board and executive committee of Agudas Chasidei Chabad. With the direction of the Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, he established Chabad Lubavitch in Texas upon his arrival with his family in 1972.

Early life

Lazaroff was born in the former Soviet Union where his grandfather, Shimon Lazaroff, was the Hasidic Chief Rabbi of Leningrad. Rabbi Lazaroff received his early education in Paris, France. He later received a scholarship to study at the Chabad Talmudical Academy in Kfar Chabad, Israel. While in Israel, he began to be active in Youth Leadership work. Arriving in this country in 1958, he attended the Central Lubavitcher Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim at 770 Eastern Parkway in New York. During the summer seasons he traveled as a special delegate of the Lubavitch Youth Organizations to all parts of the United States, including Missouri and Washington State. In 1962 he was chosen as emissary to Europe to strengthen Judaism in Jewish communities and college campuses. This work took him to various parts of France, Scandinavia and England. He received his ordination from the Central Lubavitcher Yeshiva, after excelling in Talmudic studies, Rabbinical literature and Chabad Chassidic philosophy. Following two years of post-graduate work, he received the distinction of being ordained as Rabbinical judge. He was active, prior to his arrival in Texas, in Lubavitch youth work on many college campuses as part of the Lubavitch Youth Organization's College and University Council's activity for Jewish college youth, and occupied administrative posts in youth groups and camps.

From 1967-1972, he resided in Detroit, Michigan, where he was Spiritual Leader and Executive Director of Camp Gan Israel of the Midwest. [ [http://www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.do?partner=justgive&npoId=606922 Guidestar Chief Executive Profile for Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff] ]

Texas life

Arriving in Houston, Texas in 1972, Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff and his wife Chiena Lazaroff (nee Schapiro), have been the driving and underlying force for the growth of Chabad branches and activities in Texas [* [http://lubavitch.com/news/article/2014716/A-30th-B-day-for-Chabad-of-the-Lone-Star-State.html Chabad of Texas Celebrates Thirtieth Anniversary Lubavitch.com, March 11, 2003] ] . Thanks to these two remarkable individuals, Houston has undergone considerable changes since the time of Rabbi Lazaroff’s arrival, in particular, with the number of frum (observant) Jewish families now living here, but also in the number of non-Orthodox Jews who have experienced a dramatic “reawakening” of their own Jewishness [ [http://www.jhvonline.com/print_this_story.asp?smenu=96&sdetail=1664 Chabad Center expands, Rabbi Shimon and Rebbetzin Chiena Lazaroff; Jewish Herald Voice, January 25, 2007, Front Page] ] . The entire Texas Jewish landscape has changed.

Under his direction, the Chabad Lubavitch Center now comprises multiple arms of which he is the executive director, including a synagogue, Torah Day School of Houston, Camp Gan Israel, Chabad Hebrew School, Community Collel and Mikveh Taharas Yisroel.

He is the Rav Hamachsir of [http://www.texaskosher.org Mehadrin Kashrus of Texas] created for the local community and out-of-town visitors seeking adherence to a higher standard in local kosher establishments [ [http://www.texaskosher.org Mehadrin Kashrus of Texas Service Statement] ] .

Announced at the Thirtieth Anniversary Founders' Dinner, he has embarked on a bold mission to expand the facility with an expansive building renovation project [ [http://www.chabadtexas.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/75596/jewish/Chabad-Celebrates-30-Years.htm Jewish Herald Voice; April 3, 2003] ] .

To date he has established Chabad Centers in area cities of Houston, College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Plano, S. Antonio and Austin, providing the Jewish communities with Day Schools, Jewish educational resources, holiday awareness, Hebrew schools, day camps, mikvas and prison chaplaincy [* [http://www.jewish-holiday.com/texasstar.html The Loan Stars of David, Chabad in Texas] ] .

External links

* [http://www.chabad.org Chabad International general website]
* [http://www.chabadtexas.org Chabad Lubavitch of Texas website]
* [http://www.tdshouston.org Torah Day School of Houston website]
* [http://www.cgihouston.com Camp Gan Israel of Houston website]
* [http://www.chshouston.org Chabad Hebrew School of Houston website]
* [http://www.texaskosher.org Mehadrin Kashrus of Texas website]

References

* [http://www.jhvonline.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=96&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=3756 Presents Menorah to Gov. Rick Perry]
* [http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=7483083 AP report of meeting with Governor Perry]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE1D7123BF93AA35751C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print New York Times report on Lapine's family early influence]

Notes