How ‘ConnectYid’ Is Helping Shluchim Reach Thousands More

When Anash.org first introduced ConnectYid earlier this year, the idea was straightforward: give Shluchim a practical way to organize the Yidden they wanted to reach and bring more people into the work of reaching them.

Several months later, that idea is playing out on the ground.

From more than 1,000 matzah deliveries in Maryland, to close to 500 personal visits across Taos County, to a frum Yid navigating remote mountain roads to reach Jewish neighbors near his own home, ConnectYid is beginning to show what can happen when the right person is given the opportunity to reach another Yid.

Sometimes the Right Person Is Already Nearby

The roads around Two Peaks, a remote off-grid community, are rough, and the homes are far apart. For years, that made it difficult for Chabad to personally reach the Jewish residents living there.

This Rosh Hashanah, someone who already lived there did it instead.

A frum resident opened his ConnectYid account, saw nearby Jewish households on his outreach list, and set out with honey cake and Shanah Tovah wishes. A few days later, he invited the neighbors he had met to a birthday gathering.

A holiday delivery had become the beginning of a relationship.

That is one of the ideas behind ConnectYid: Shluchim can organize contacts, assign visits and routes, and bring Anash and other community members into mivtzoim in an organized way, while keeping track of what happened and what follow-up may be needed.

Sometimes, the person best positioned to make the connection is not the Shliach himself.

Marian had reservations about Chabad and had declined a Purim visit from the local Shluchim. But the Shluchim knew that Liz, a family friend who was not religious herself, already had some acquaintance with Marian. They asked Liz to bring her mishloach manos.

The visit lasted two hours.

The two women spoke about the things they had in common and enjoyed each other’s company. There was no dramatic announcement and no sudden commitment — just a genuine connection between two people, made possible because someone who already had a relationship was willing to knock on the door.

More Hands, More Homes

In Maryland, Chabad of Olney used ConnectYid during its Pesach campaign to bring more than 20 community members, alongside bachurim, into delivering matzah to more than 1,000 homes.

The system allowed organizers to divide routes and visits among a larger group of participants, including volunteers who were not especially comfortable with technology.

In Taos County, Chabad reported close to 500 personal visits during summer 2026 with the help of ConnectYid, bringing tefillin, Shabbos candles and a warm Jewish connection across a large and geographically spread-out area.

During those visits, bachurim reached an 85-year-old man whom Chabad had repeatedly tried to find at home and helped him put on tefillin for the first time. Another visit led a woman living more than an hour away to begin lighting Shabbos candles every week.

The growing involvement of Anash and community members is one of the developments ConnectYid was designed to encourage.

Instead of mivtzoim depending only on the time and reach of the local Shliach, more people can participate while remaining coordinated with the Shliach and the broader outreach effort.

Keeping the Door Open

A visit often produces more than the visit itself.

Someone asks for a Chumash. Another person needs a mezuzah. Someone else would welcome another conversation or wants to learn more.

Because visitors can record notes after a visit, Shluchim can see what came out of each encounter and make sure the relationship continues.

The goal is not simply to deliver more packages. It is to make it easier for more Yidden to reach other Yidden — and for those encounters to become lasting connections.

With Chanukah approaching, Shluchim planning large-scale home visits can begin setting up their outreach projects at ConnectYid.org.

About ConnectYid

ConnectYid was created by a dedicated group of Shluchim and Anash united by a commitment to reaching every Yid. Together, they bring firsthand outreach experience, technological expertise and strategic leadership, along with a shared determination to turn that mission into a practical reality.

ConnectYid.org · [email protected] · 575-741-0444