“Please Do Not Come to New York For the Kinus”

The committee that arranges the annual Kinus Hashluchim issued a statement on Thursday asking shluchim not to travel to Crown Heights for the weekend, saying that an alternative weekend program will be planned when possible.

The committee that arranges the annual Kinus Hashluchim issued the following statement on Thursday:

Annually, Kinus Hashluchim is a time of inspiration and fellowship for Shluchim around the world. While the format this year will change, the message will not.

The ongoing pandemic means that New York health authorities will not allow any sizable gatherings during the Kinus dates — this year Nov. 12-16. Accordingly, this year’s Kinus will be held entirely online.

The Kinus Committee is working diligently to put together a meaningful, albeit different, virtual Kinus experience including an exciting array of keynote speakers, greetings from world leaders, vignettes of Shlichus across the world, practical and informative breakout sessions.

The virtual Kinus will be highlighted by the “Grand Event” which will have a similar format to our annual banquet and will be timed to enable Shluchim from around the world to participate.

We have been advised by local health authorities that visitors should not be coming from out of town. Therefore, there will not be any in-person programming, meals, or hosting. We are asking Shluchim to please not come to New York during the Kinus dates.

A key feature of the Kinus annually is the inspiration we derive from being together in person. While that cannot happen this year in New York, we suggest that — where safely possible — Shluchim gather locally to join the virtual event.

To accommodate this, an international virtual farbrengen will begin after Shabbat in Australia and continue across the globe as each local group tunes in.

We are hopeful that in the near future the world will heal from the coronavirus pandemic, global lockdowns will be lifted and we will once again be able to gather in large numbers. When that happens, the Kinus will plan a weekend where Shluchim will be able to get together in NY.