In a modest yet impactful ceremony, the first Chabad House and shul in the Bergen Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, was opened by the Rebbe’s shluchim, Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Sterny Weissberg.
Rabbi Weissberg is the son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Holtzberg, Rabbi and Shliach in the nearby neighborhood of Georgetown, who has been a guiding presence for the young emissaries, especially given their outreach to local Russian-speaking residents, including those who have immigrated from the former Soviet states.
Rabbi Weissberg spent most of his life in Moscow under the guidance of his father, Rabbi Mordechai Weissberg, the leader of the Jewish community in Moscow. He is now utilizing his language skills and understanding of the Russian mentality to connect with the many Russian speakers in his neighborhood.
Rabbi Shlomo Aharon Holtzberg, a well-known Maggid shiur in Crown Heights, had the honor of affixing the mezuzah. The opening was attended by many local residents, including Rabbi Yirmiyahu Levi, the Sephardic Rabbi of the nearby Mill Basin neighborhood, Rabbi Shalom Tenenbaum from Tzach, and Rabbi Avraham Holtzberg. Also present was the neighborhood committee chairwoman, Mrs. Sue Ann, who warmly welcomed the young shluchim to the area.
Throughout Yom Tov, all tefilos and seudos were held at the new location, with dozens of local residents, some of whom celebrated Rosh Hashanah in shul for the first time.
A special thank you to the NYPD who provided security for the shul throughout the tefilos at the request of the neighborhood committee.
Photo by: Itzik Belinsky