Girls & Families Shake Up NYC

“This Sukkos, I wasn’t able to obtain my own lulav set,” says Rivkah, “and like many guests that come to Crown Heights for Sukkos, I was excited about doing the mivtzoim of the holiday, giving other Jews the opportunity to do the special mitzvah of shaking the lulav.”

Mivtzoim can be difficult to arrange for women and for guests who come to celebrate Sukkos in Crown Heights, due to the lack of supplies. “Who can tell me where is a good place to go to find a lulav & esrog?”

Lubavitch Youth Organization launched the Mivtzoim Depot 3 years ago to meet this need. The Mivtzoim Depot at 305 Kingston Avenue has made mivtzoim quick, easy, and accessible, with a one-stop-shop providing supplies, places to go, and people to reach on mivtzoim, whether to give out Shabbos candles, or for any other holiday.

This year, over 150 girls took over 50 lulavim sets to shake in the streets of NYC.

Hundreds of people had the chance to do this mitzvah, along with receiving candle lighting kits and Tishrei brochures.

During Chol Hamoed, over 40 families visited nursing homes, bringing the joy of Sukkos to the elderly. “Many shared their feelings of how special it was that we cared to come by,” says Avraham Chaim Moses. “One lady insisted that she didn’t feel comfortable making the bracha since she didn’t bentsch on a lulav since she was a little girl. When I told her it was Dov Ber’s birthday and it would mean a lot, she said that she couldn’t resist. She even welcomed us back to visit her and share in other mitzvos.”

The Nshei Chabad Mivtzoim Committee, who work tirelessly to arrange visits to nursing homes weekly, were extremely helpful in expanding the nursing home visits for Yom Tov. Rabbi Gerlitzky of Kollel Tiferes Zkeinim Levi Yitzchok also worked together with the staff of The Mivtzoim Depot to coordinate the visits.

Lubavitch Youth Organization, led by Rabbi S. Friedman, would like to thank Rivky K, Brachi R, Shoshana G, Fraida W, LYO girls (a group of elementary girls that dedicate time to prepare mivtzoim materials for the Crown Heights community), and many other girls whose involvement made “Shake Up NYC” successful.

The Arba Minim sets were sponsored by Esrogino, Rabbi Lieberman, Rabbi Levinson, and other individuals who sponsored many additional mivtzoim sets.

Rivky Korf, Yom Tov Mivtzoim coordinator, along with a team of volunteers at The Mivtzoim Depot, is excited to watch the growing activities, and we hope to continue making mivtzoim fun, simple, and accessible for girls, women, and families throughout the year. Stay tuned for Chanukah mivtzoim opportunities!