1,500 Frum People Vacationed in Lincoln, New Hampshire

Each summer, the White Mountain and Lakes Region of New Hampshire fill with vacationers looking for a beautiful oasis to recharge their batteries. Every year, hundreds of frum Jews join the numbers of tourists hiking, kayaking and basking in the clean air and quiet.

In the spirit of Shnas Hahkel, an estimated record-breaking 1,500 frum tourists visited Lincoln, New Hampshire from Canada, New York, Maryland, and farther.

The choice of destination made by frum Jews has been made easier by Rabbi Levi Krinsky, head Shliach to New Hampshire. Although Lincoln is located 70 miles north of Manchester, NH, where Rabbi Krinsky resides with his family, he oversees a full-blown operation from afar. For the past six years, Rabbi Krinsky arranges daily weekday and Shabbos minyanim throughout the summer months.

The weekday minyanim take place in a spacious setting, filled with mispallilim from the whole spectrum of frum Judaism. There is a daily Halacha shiur in the morning, and a nightly 25-minute Chassidus shiur between Mincha and Maariv. The space is open all day, offering air conditioning, a fresh coffee or a cold drink to all visitors. One visitor commented that Sunday morning minyan “felt like the last day of camp, as everyone exchanged phone numbers, like a summerlong retreat was coming to an end.”

These accommodations allow New Hampshire to not only be a physically rejuvenating place to visit with family, but also a spiritual oasis among the trees and majestic mountains. A vacation that does not require compromising on one’s Yiddishkeit.

On Shabbos, during the 4 busiest weeks after Tisha B’Av, there were 10 different minyanim being held in 10 different locations throughout Lincoln, to ensure that everyone had a minyan close enough to walk. With 3 fully operational Chabad Houses in the state of New Hampshire, located in Hanover, Durham and Manchester, Lincoln becomes a fully fledged 4^th community from June-September.

“Truthfully, this has become larger than life as we watch the numbers grow from year to year,” says Rabbi Krinsky. The success of this particular summer wouldn’t have been possible without Rabbi Mendel Yusewitz and Rabbi Shmuly Fridman, who with their families, each devoted part of their summer to this Shlichus.

“A tremendous shout out to these two masterful teachers and orators. The feedback we received this year was just above and beyond, which was extremely heartwarming. I’m very grateful to these extraordinary individuals, and of course to their wives and children,” shared Rabbi Krinsky. “A huge thank you as well to Rabbis Gurkov, Krinsky, Chein and Bronstein from Massachusetts who have generously loaned their Sifrei Torah for the summer.”

In a time that airline travel has become an enormous headache, New Hampshire offers an escape to those in driving distance. For the last six years, the crowds have been growing, thanks to the opportunity to spend time in nature without foregoing an afternoon minyan.

Although Rabbi Krinsky and his wife never expected this to be a facet of their Shlichus when they set out 30+ years ago to serve the state of New Hampshire, Rabbi Krinsky feels that the Rebbe expected his Shluchim to always answer the call. In his words: “When an opportunity comes your way to touch another neshama, that is what our Shlichus is all about – standing ready on guard, to do the Rebbe’s shlichus with enthusiasm and joy.”