Remsen Village Celebrates the Opening of New Building

The Lubavitch community of Remsen Village, which closed on a new shul and community center less than two weeks ago, celebrated this historic occasion with a gala event last night, 29 Sivan, 5783.

The evening, held in the new center at 305 Remsen Ave., was attended by hundreds of men and women from Remsen Village, Crown Heights, and beyond. They came both to celebrate the purchase and to show appreciation to the individuals instrumental in making it a reality. Above all, it was an evening of thanks to Hashem, without Whose clear intervention the closing would not have materialized.

Awards were gifted to three guests of honor. Rabbi Yosef Yisroel and Mrs. Sarah Sorkin, introduced by board member Tzvi Altein, were honored with the Ner Tamid award, in recognition of their unwavering commitment to keep the flame of Yiddishkeit alive in Remsen Village for over five decades.

Mr. Moshe and Mrs. Rozi Hellman, the previous owners of the building, introduced by board member Dovid Jacobs, were honored for their unrelenting commitment to ensuring the building serve as a shul, despite the countless alternative offers they received. Rabbi Dovid and Mrs. Gittel Fischer, introduced by Rabbi Mordechai Stern, were honored for their outstanding contribution without which the purchase of the shul could not have happened.

Speakers included community board member Rabbi Dovid Jacobs, who described the exponential growth of the community from two families to 150; Mr. Hellman, who spoke about the tremendous hashgachah pratis involved in the purchase, with roots extending as far back as Shanghai during World War II; Rabbi Fischer, who portrayed Remsen Village as an extension of Crown Heights and explained the vital place of the shul in bolstering the Rebbe’s shechunah; and Rabbi Alter Bukiet, East Flatbush native and shliach in Lexington, Massachusetts, who shared recollections of the towering personalities who fought to preserve the East Flatbush Jewish community in the difficult years—Rabbi Michoel Teitelbaum, Rabbi Chaim Meir Bukiet, and Rabbi J.J. Hecht, aleihem hashalom. Rabbi Shea Hecht, also an East Flatbush native, served as emcee like no one else can.

One of the highlights of the evening was the launching of an on-site printing of the Tanya, adding the building to the ever-growing list of places from which the mayan of Chassidus spreads forth. Rabbi Asher Webb was honored with leading the study of a section of Perek Lamed-Beis from the new Tanya.

The event was facilitated by a team of dedicated community members led by Moshe Sputz, Yisroel Zilberstrum, and Shmuel Aber, along with board members Tzvi Altein, Avraham Bazes, Yossi Blachman, Dovid Jacobs, and Shloime Zellermaier.

Gracing the event were representatives of Yeled V’Yalda, the social service agency that has been instrumental in the development of so many of our children, and with this project.
To learn more about the Remsen Village community, visit lubavitchrv.org.