Midtown Manhattan Shuls Unite with Central Sukkah

In the spirit of achdus, Rabbi Chaim Dray of Chabad Francophone of Manhattan and Rabbi Sholom Schapiro of Chabad Torah Center teamed up to host yom tov meals, farbrengens, and Simchas Beis Hashoeva events in an expansive sukkah in the heart of Manhattan. 

Over Sukkos, the Yom Tov that has many reminders about Achdus and unity, two Chabad centers in the heart of Manhattan came together to host lavish holiday meals, Farbrenguens, Davening, Mivtzoim and Simchas Beis Hashoeva.

The two shuls located just 10 blocks away from each other joined in the new and expanded Sukkah.

“We were able to host a thousand plus meals over Yom Tov,” says Rabbi Sholom Schapiro from the Chabad Torah Center on 5th Ave. “All thanks to the wonderful Achdus.”

“It all started with a phone call,” says Rabbi Chaim Dray from Chabad Francophone of Manhattan, “We didn’t know where to build the Sukkah because the location where we usually have it was covered by scaffolding and we were stuck. I called Rabbi Schapiro, and right away, he invited us to join his community.”

However, the Sukkah faced another challenge as the lot on 37th Street, where the Sukkah was going to be located, was full of stones and mud and wouldn’t be easily accessible to children and the elderly.

“We were quoted solutions in the tens of thousands of dollars, but just an hour after we decided to do the sukkah together, a generous Chabad donor offered to pour the concrete free of charge”

“It’s the nicest sukkah I have been to this year,” says Tom, a French young entrepreneur living in the city.

“It was beautiful to see these two communities join,” says Shmuel, who has lived in Midtown for over 30 years.

The sukkah was located at 6 East 37th St. right around the corner from the Chabad Torah Center 393 5th Ave and 9 blocks away from Chabad Francophone of Manhattan & the Diamond District 31 W. 46th St.