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Chabad celebrates 50 years in Arizona.Rabbi Zalman Levertov and his wife, Tzipi, arrived in Arizona in January 1977, working as a two-person team to spread the teachings of Chabad-Lubavitch to Arizonan Jews of all denominations.A half-century later, Chabad has expanded to more than 25 locations across the state, with over 55 Chabad rabbis carrying on the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s legacy.“For five decades, it has been our privilege to serve as a spiritual anchor, an educational hub and a warm home for the Jewish community across our state,” Zalman said.The Lubavitcher movement was named after its birthplace in the village of Lubavitch in rural Smolensk Oblast in Russia, which no longer exists.The name in Russian translates to “city of brotherly love.” Generations of Chabad rebbes led the movement from Lubavitch throughout most of the 19th century before relocating to Brooklyn in the early 20th century under Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Lubavitcher leader.In the mid-1970s, Zalman went to the Chabad headquarters and said he’d like to represent them, following in his grandfather’s footsteps, who did the same kind of work in Russia until he was imprisoned.Zalman was appointed by Schneerson to represent a new organization in Arizona, and as the first leader of Chabad in Arizona, he had the authority to oversee its expansion throughout the state and appoint his desired staff.“One of the teachings of Chabad is to not be satisfied with yourself, but to reach out to others and bring Judaism to them,” Zalman said.He remembered that there were only about 35,000 Jews in Arizona when he founded his Chabad center, and he confronted a severe lack of public outreach in spreading Jewish messages and values.Shortly after arriving in January 1977, Zalman and Tzipi mailed over 5,000 shalach manos, sending of portions or, in this case, bags of candy, to children across the state, letting them know that Chabad had arrived.They began reaching out to Jews and non-Jews of all ages, expanding programming and engaging communities across the state.Chabad also organized a megillah reading in February 1977, at the Phoenix Jewish Community Center for its first Purim in Arizona.Zalman singled out the purchase of Chabad-Lubavitch of Arizona’s current building on Lincoln Drive in Phoenix in 1989 as a standout moment from the last 50 years.Zalman and Tzipi have seven children, six of whom live in Arizona, and every one of those either runs their own Chabad center or leads social welfare programs out of Chabad, such as Smile on Seniors, Friendship Circle, Roving Rabbis, Jewish Care Network and more.“People know Chabad,” said Rabbi Shlomy Levertov, director of Chabad of Paradise Valley.“There aren’t too many Jews in town that haven’t been affected by Chabad in one way or another, whether they know it or not.Creating that base and infrastructure over 50 years, it made Arizona a place where Judaism continues to thrive.” Shlomy also manages JPhoenix Young Jewish Professionals (YJP), hosting programs for Jewish young adults who are entering the workforce, may not have a family yet and are seeking Jewish connection outside a synagogue setting.“We do weekly programming to keep the community together and make sure young Jews can enjoy their Judaism, study and meet other young Jews,” he explained.“There is a lot of work, and we try to cover every group within the Jewish community, to give them a place to go where they feel at home away from home,” Zalman said.Programming is catered to groups of all ages, from children to seniors, programs specifically for men or women or both.“It’s amazing to look back and see all the growth and how many rabbis there are now in the state,” said Rivky Friedman, Zalman’s daughter, who runs Camp Gan Israel.“Most of the children are not religious, children that really don’t have money to be able to go to overnight camp,” Zalman said.“Raising money for scholarships for them to come is one of the best things that happens to these kids.” Rabbi Moshe Levertov runs the Jewish Care Network, helping people who are going through medical challenges, illnesses or crises, and providing support in the form of visits, care packages and connecting patients to the right doctors.“I remember, as a kid, driving to certain parts of the city on dirt roads, and now there’s a Chabad beyond those areas in the city, not to mention across the state,” Moshe said.“When my parents moved out here, there was barely a Jewish presence.Now you see many organizations, Chabad or otherwise, carrying out the rebbe’s vision to make Judaism at the forefront of every Jew’s mind, no matter where they are.My parents contributed a lot to that.” Rabbi Dov Levertov runs the preschool and kindergarten, among other programs, out of Chabad in Phoenix.He is also planning many of the celebratory events for this year’s 50th anniversary.“It’s a great honor to continue the work,” Dov said.“The idea of being a Chabad rabbi is supposed to be selfless.In other words, it’s not about ourselves, it’s what we can do to bring Moshiach closer.” The multi-month celebration will include expanded programming, lectures and cultural events, designed to foster Jewish pride throughout the state.A calendar of events is expected to be released in the coming months, highlighted by “An Evening of Inspiration” on Sunday, June 14, marking the Rebbe’s yahrtzeit with a lecture from Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, chairman of the Rabbinical Council and one of the 10 most influential rabbis in the United Kingdom, according to The Jewish Telegraph.In addition to various celebrations, Chabad of Arizona commissioned a Golden Jubilee Unity Torah.“The Torah has always represented Jewish unity; it’s what makes us special and unites us,” Dov said.“Every Jew is represented in those letters.” An expert sofer (scribe) has begun the meticulous process of hand-writing the sacred scroll in Israel, and Chabad is hoping to welcome the Torah to its new home before Purim in 2027.Details on how to participate and dedicate letters, verses or chapters in honor or in memory of loved ones will be made available soon.“We felt it would be a very good unity thing that everybody writes together, and we’ll be having a dedication of the Torah at the end of the 50 years,” Zalman said.On how he feels about celebrating 50 years of Chabad in Arizona, Zalman said: “At times, good; at times, it’s not enough.There’s so much more work to do.” The organization is marking its 50th birthday with the opening of two more centers, in Carefree and Maricopa.“The programs that we have are always open to everyone.You don’t have to be Orthodox to come here for anything we offer,” Zalman said.“We are the largest Jewish organization in the world, and our vision is strictly to reach out and bring the pride of Judaism everywhere.We don’t force anything upon anyone, and we’re there for everyone.” JN For more information, visit chabadaz.com.