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Outside the gates of New York City Hall, on Broadway between Murray and Warren Streets, the communal sukkah organized by Rabbi Yossi Butman, Director of Chabad Lubavitch Youth Organization, welcomed guests. Rabbi Butman stood with lulav and esrog in hand, offering attendees and elected officials the opportunity to partake in this sacred annual tradition. The sukkah tradition, originally founded by Rabbi Shea Butman z”l, continues through his son’s leadership, ensuring that this gathering remains a vibrant symbol of Jewish life in New York.

Assemblyman Sam Berger, in partnership with Senator Leroy Comrie, recently hosted a successful paper-shredding and shaimos event at Mauro Playground, where more than 200 local residents safely disposed of personal documents and sacred texts.

A Chol HaMoed Visit Highlights the Timeless Legacy of Jewish Art, Faith, and Survival Across the Ages

 On Sunday of Chol HaMoed Sukkos, my husband and I joined a fascinating Judaica tour in one of the most unexpected places: the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum is not known for its Jewish collections, but we signed up for a special Chol HaMoed tour with curator Lauren Perlman.

On Sunday night, September 28, the community gathered at the home of Danny and Elisheva Gazal for a moving event hosted by Bikur Cholim of Queens, titled From Struggle to Splendor.

Local IDF Soldiers Inspire Crowd

Emet students and community members gathered at the Young Israel of Queens Valley for an emotional and inspirational evening to commemorate October 7. Organized by Emet’s JBoard, the program was a collaboration with the Bukharian Culture Club and the Israel on Campus Coalition. The evening felt especially poignant as it took place on Motza’ei Shabbos, October 11 – a time filled with anticipation and hope for the release of the hostages on October 13.

As I sit here on the plane, coming back from a joyous Yom Tov in Eretz Yisrael, I’m still processing the emotions I experienced. There’s no other way to describe it—it was exhilarating, heart-lifting, and profoundly spiritual. We danced. We celebrated. And we thanked Hashem.