BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Esther Schlanger and her husband are the directors of Chabad of Bakersfield. For Jewish American Heritage Month, Schlanger is inviting the community to learn more about her faith and how it led her to Bakersfield.
Schlanger grew up in Brooklyn in a Hasidic community and knew one of the most influential rabbis in the Hasidic movement. The Hasidic movement was started in the 18th Century by the Baal Shem Tov, who introduced concepts that focused on the joy of faith.
"Our Judaism shouldn't be this burden we carry, but it should be joyful and beautiful to us, and meaningful," said Schlanger.
The Baal Shem Tov's disciples' disciples created the Chabad movement. The word "Chabad" is an acronym of 3 Hebrew words: wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.
Building upon this philosophy was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Scheerson, known to his followers as the Rebbe. He became the leader of the Chabad movement in 1951 after leaving Europe to escape the Holocaust and settling in New York City.
Scheerson created the concept of Chabad centers, and Schlanger grew up in the Jewish community he led in Brooklyn.
"There were Jewish communities in America, but the practice and the joy was really waning, so he started the idea of opening Chabad centers all over the world, really, to reinvigorate Jewish communities," said Schlanger.
They are still being sent all over the world, but Schlanger says that one common misunderstanding is that those who open Chabad centers are missionaries hoping to convert people.
"On the contrary," said Schlanger, "Judaism does not believe in proselytizing. We believe that every person, you and I both, were born to a specific family for a purpose. I'm not better than you. You are not better than me."
Shortly after marrying, Schlanger and her husband were hoping to open their own Chabad center, and the head of the Chabad on the West Coast told them they should open one in Bakersfield.
Schlanger emphasized that the way people practice Judaism is unique for each believer. For example, some Jewish people choose to eat Kosher.
"There are some basic laws of Kosher that the Torah tells us which includes not eating certain animals, not eating certain fish, not mixing milk and meat," said Schlanger. "That's very basic."
For Schlanger, her identity and faith are intertwined.
"My Jewish faith makes me who I am. I am a therapist, I am a teacher, I am a mother, I'm a wife, I'm a friend, and my faith is embedded in all those roles," said Schlanger. "It's not separate from who I am."
Schlanger says the Chabad acts as a community center, and recently the Chabad of Bakersfield opened the Central Valley Holocaust Memorial, which aims to educate the public about the Holocaust.
