Chabad North Haven Spreads A Modern Message

Ask what exactly it is that Rabbi Berel Lerman does as a Kabbalah instructor, and as the spiritual leader of the newly formed Chabad North Haven, and the question will be met with an answer that will only beg more questions.

“The Kabbalah deals with the mystical, the soul of the being, the soul of the world, the forces in place,” Rabbi Lerman said. “Kabbalah traditionally has been off-limits, even to great scholars, because within the Kabbalah there is borderline white magic prophecy, and to the uneducated ear it can be dangerous.

“It gets into the different forces of creation,” he continued, “and teaches you how to manipulate those forces.”

Many more questions and an iced coffee later, what Rabbi Lerman does becomes clearer: He preaches a unifying message of spirituality for all, a worldview presented in terms of family units and a belief that worship—Jewish worship or otherwise—should be entertaining.

As the new Chabad branch’s literature states: “Finally, something humanity can all agree on.”

Chabad North Haven, which has no central meeting location, now has about 50 families who participate in its events, often offering up their own residences as places to hold worship. The types of services the Chabad holds range from large Sabbath services on Saturdays at members’ homes, individual Kabbalah classes and weekly challah (traditional Jewish bread) baking groups hosted by his wife, Brocha. They also include traditional dwelling blessings with Mezuzah Scroll hangings—any dwelling space, such as a yacht, an office, a car or a house, will suffice—and Kabbalah Cafe, a weekly informal get-together held every Sunday at 11 a.m.

The litany of services outside of the traditional Jewish rituals are meant to bring a modern twist to rituals that otherwise would have little meaning in today’s culture.

“I host challah baking for [the] moms and kids in our community, and it really makes Jewish tradition and culture fun, exciting and hands-on,” Ms. Lerman said.

Mark Selden, a New York City resident who summers in North Haven, has participated in the Chabad’s events this summer and agrees that the modern-day twist helps him get in touch with his Jewish roots.

“I think Chabad North Haven is wonderful,” he said. “It makes Judaism and spirituality relevant and meaningful, and here in the Hamptons out of all places.”

Rabbi Lerman, who lives in Manhattan during the winter and runs a separate spiritual endeavor called Spirituality For All during that time, views the deep rifts between faith bases as counter-productive, and the rigid structures of organized religion to be prohibitive. “Many people get turned off at the thought of organized religion,” he said. “It’s outdated, arcane, full of ritual that has no meaning and no relevance to our lives today.

“A lot of people were turned off to religion by missing baseball or soccer practice in their formative years,” he continued. “In essence, religion isn’t some idea in the sky, but a tangible positive influence in our day-to-day lives. We need to show how these rituals have relevance, not just some dogma in a book that you recite daily.”

While he practices Judaism, and Chabad North Haven does, in fact, tend to skew more toward Judaism than the broad spiritual practices, he acknowledges, Rabbi Lerman sees common values in all religions and believes them to be the key to harmony. “While we practice Judaism, we believe in spirituality for all—an idea that is revolutionary,” he said. “All religions have traditionally been so insular, but we won’t try to convert anyone. You can live up to your potential by being your own best, you don’t need to be Jewish to ‘make it’ in God’s eyes. There are universal virtues to being a good person, and that is what I preach.

“We all have so much in common,” he continued. “We all revolve around a family unit. The world is billions of such family units, trying to wake up and support their units. We’re all in it together.”

Rabbi Lerman has lived in Russia, New Zealand and Australia, yet he credits North Haven—“with its pristine waters and natural beauty”—with reinvigorating his faith. He went on to describe the hamlet as the “best-kept secret” in the Hamptons.

“People are a lot more open-minded when their location encourages relaxation and stress reduction,” said the rabbi, who shares his newfound paradise with his wife of three years and their two young children.

Looking forward, the spiritual leader hopes to keep growing in popularity, keep growing his base of support and, hopefully, one day secure a permanent location for services.

“This is not just a hit-and-run. We’re here looking to gain a foothold and build a strong base here,” he said. “People are looking for a spiritual message in this day and age. Let’s innovate in the human sector.”

For more information about Chabad North Haven and its services, visit www.spiritualityforall.org.