With the onset of summer weather in Eastern Europe, the crowds of tourists start arriving in Prague. In recent years the Czech Republic has become a major travel destination, and along with its museums and ancient synagogues, the Chabad Center of Prague is a "must see" spot on the tour maps. For Rabbi Manis Barash, and his wife, Chabad co-director Dina Barash, the summer months mean balancing between hosting Jewish travelers and maintaining the center's programs for the local community of more than 6000 Czech Jews.

"Jews from around the world who plan on traveling to Eastern Europe, flood us with phone calls and emails seeking tourist information, mostly on the availability of kosher food and our prayer schedule," says Rabbi Manis..

The Lubavitch emissaries established the Chabad Center four years ago right in the heart of the Czech capital. Three of the couple's four children have been born in the city since their arrival. This past August, the center initiated its new building located on Prague's main thoroughfare, Parizka Street.

"Everyone who visits Prague, wants to see the Old Town Square, the Alteneu synagogue, the monument to the Maharal and the ancient Jewish cemetery which are all located right nearby," says Rabbi Manis. "Another of the city's big attractions is the ancient Hebrew face clock that rotates backwards, from right to left."

Like a golem slowly awakening from its prolonged slumber, the Jewish community of Prague has been steadily reclaiming its rich Jewish past. The Chabad Center is a major participant, offering kindergarten and Sunday school programs, weekly Torah classes and a large Shabbat service. Recently they've added a Yeshiva program.

Each week, the Barashes also travel outside of Prague to run programs in neighboring Jewish communities.

This past week an upshernish (hair cutting ceremony when a boy reaches age three) for the Barashes' son, Mendel, drew a surprising community-wide response. More than 250 guests from across the Czech Republic arrived for the celebration and turned the event into one of Prague's largest Jewish gatherings this year.

"We saw faces we have never seen before, people who told us they wanted to learn more and become involved," says co-director Dina.