Jewish Bed-Stuy?

With all the talk of the changing neighborhood, it’s time to pay attention and do something about it. People of all types are moving in, and there ought to be enough establishments and groups to make it a place everyone can call “home.”

If you move to a place and love the Starbucks feeling–you know, a place where you can go get a coffee in the morning and relax on an overstuffed chair, or sit at a chic table and use the wifi to get your “stuff” done–you would be looking for a coffee shop pretty soon after you arrive. If you like a nice quiet bookstore to get the latest read, you’ll be scaling the blocks (or Yelp) for Barnes & Nobles or Borders. You get the idea.

Well, for a Jew moving in, a Jewish group would make sense. I don’t want to have to jump on the subway for a coffee, so neither should a Jewish person moving in need to go anywhere “else” to engage in Jewish activity.

Enter the Jewish Group of Crown Heights North/Bed-Stuy – a place right here to be Jewish. You figured it out – that’s where I come in; I’m doing just that with my family here in the Stuy (or North Crown Heights – but that’s for a separate discussion; we’ll get to that one day).

One of the most interesting things about it is that the organization we’re working with–Lubavitch Youth Organization–is right down the road in Crown Heights; in fact, it’s headquartered on Kingston Ave. and Eastern Parkway.

Much goes on in that little corner, all under the leadership of the greatest leader known to modern Judasim–the Lubavitcher Rebbe. We have branches all over the world, and now we've arrived here.

So look out for the activities we’ll be doing; Shabbat dinners, holiday programs, lectures, just to name a few. In fact, the Jewish holiday of Purim is coming up, and we’re planning an event right here on St. Marks Ave (near Albany).

It’s going to be a Purim Party “Drink n’ Draw;” a chance to drink some lechaims and express some artistic creativity at the same time – not to mention the food of course! So, if you’re Jewish and live in the neighborhood, come by and show your face, we’d love to see you!

Click here for details, or email me at rabbiahrele@gmail.com

Jewish Bed-Stuy? You bet!