English
Hebrew
French
SpanishChabad of Troy and Chabad of Bloomfield Hills Take Part in ‘Shabbat in the Heights’
Rabbi Menachem Caytak led the group that spent Shabbat together with more than 500 Jews from around the world.
Five members from Chabad of Troy flew to New York to participate in the Shabbat in the Heights Shabbaton earlier this spring.
The Shabbaton was hosted by JLI (Jewish Learning Institute), a premier Jewish educational organization that provides different learning opportunities to Jews throughout the world. Most notably, they provide the curriculum for the classes that Chabad of Troy and hundreds of other Chabad houses teach throughout the year.
The Shabbaton’s theme was spending the weekend immersed in the famous Jewish community of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and learning about Judaism through seeing it live.
Rabbi Menachem Caytak led the group that spent Shabbat together with more than 500 Jews from around the world, including groups from Hungary, England and Alabama. They were also joined by a local group from Chabad of Bloomfield Hills, led by Rabbi Levi Dubov.
Spending Shabbat in Crown Heights is like stepping into a mini-Jerusalem, Rabbi Caytak said. The shops are closed; the streets are crowded with people going to synagogue; and friendly “Shabbat Shalom” wishes are said to every passerby.
Friday night, the group started off at Chabad World Headquarters, otherwise known as 770, and then continued for learning and services at a local hall. Afterward, they ate Shabbat dinner with a local family to further immerse in the culture of the community.
Shabbat day was chock full of different lectures and learning experiences. One highlight was hearing the story of how an NBC anchor, Mollie Resnick, found her way to Judaism.
Another fascinating part was a crossfire between different prominent rabbis discussing various controversial questions and answers in Judaism.
Different tours of the community were offered throughout the day, including visiting the home of the Rebbe, of blessed memory.
Saturday night there was a beautiful Havdalah ceremony and program. The group heard from two brave medical students from Columbia University. One of them, Mendy, took a leave of absence from Columbia after Oct. 7, and flew to Israel to join his reserve unit in the IDF.
The other, Erin, had to take a leave of absence from Columbia as well due to tremendous antisemitism that she was experiencing. She is now suing the school for failing to protect her. Their message was one of Jewish empowerment and commitment. It was amazing seeing such young and dedicated adults, Rabbi Caytak said.
Sunday, the group took a walking tour of Crown Heights and learned more about 770. They witnessed how a Sefer Torah is made by a scribe and then visited a wig store and a Chassidic men’s hat and long-coat store.
Finally, they ended the trip with a visit to the Rebbe’s resting place in Queens. The resting place of a righteous person, according to Judaism, is a spiritually elevated place where one can connect to G-d on a higher level.
Chabad of Troy plans to join this Shabbaton next year as well. If you are interested, reach out to [email protected].