When Aryeh Sufrin emerged from the smoke-filled mangled subway car and managed to put aside his shock, he wondered what had happened. News soon reached the survivors that four suicide bombers were responsible for the murder of 52 commuters on the London Underground on that dark July day in 2005. Rabbi Sufrin told CS Monitor following the attack, “The carriage the bombers were in was just one in front of me. What if the guy had seen me when he was getting on? Would he have chosen my carriage? Would he have stood next to me?”
Determined to redouble his efforts for good in the face of evil, Rabbi Sufrin, Chabad emissary in Gants Hill, East London, expanded his projects for Drugsline, an organization established to provide counseling and support for those facing difficulties with drug addiction. Drugsline was founded in 1990, and has grown substantially throughout the years. Its programs include drug rehabilitation, crisis intervention, education, counseling and support to family members.
One day, a 20-year old Muslim man knocked on Drugsline’s door and pleaded for help with his devastating heroine addiction. Not long after, Drugsline’s “Joining the Loop” project was created with the help of a 115,000 pound ($190,000) grant from the local government council. The purpose was to unite efforts of Muslim and Jewish leaders provide drug counseling in their respective communities. The “Joining the Loop” program provides resources in Bengali, Urdu, and Gujarati for the large Southeast Asian community in the neighborhood, in addition to its regular services for the large local Jewish community.
What he has achieved is nothing less than remarkable,” says Lee Scott, a member of Parliament for the neighboring constituency of Ilford North told Lubavitch.com, “It’s been humbling to watch Aryeh’s energy, charisma, and dedication to tackling drug addiction, often against great opposition. He is an extraordinary man.”
Rabbi Sufrin’s achievements caught the attention of Queen Elizabeth II who awarded him with the coveted Member of the Order of the British Empire, a prestigious award given to England’s most prominent community leaders. “This honor is something I have always dreamed of,” he admits with boyish enthusiasm. “And I think the Rebbe would have been very excited about it as well.”
“I hope this honor will help us in many ways,” he continued. “Being formally recognized by the Queen gives credence to our work and inspires our supporters. This gives us the impetus to face our challenges and hopefully the community will help financially.”