Virtual Walking Tour

Virtual picture tour

A fascinating and captivating introduction with a friendly Chassidic Host.

This will be the key to your experience as you are personally escorted on you tour of the community with an open and approachable Chassidic scholar who is experienced at answering any and all questions about Jewish tradition and philosophy. Please be open and frank, this is your opportunity to find out answers to questions that are not addressed in the Hollywood portrayals of Chassidic Life such as the movies; Yentel, The Chosen, or A Stranger Among Us.

Congregation Lubavitch, 770 Eastern Parkway

This is a wonderful opportunity to see a world famous Jewish landmark, the headquarters of the worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch movement, with over 2000 centers throughout the world. Known the world over as "770," its address on Eastern Parkway, the Lubavitch World Headquarters has come to represent Jewish outreach, Jewish concern, and Jewish survival. The Rebbe's office is located here.
The name "Lubavitch" comes from the Lithuanian town where the movement flourished. In Russian, Lubavitch means "City of Love". It was so named because the inhabitants were exceptionally kind and compassionate. The Lubavitch movement, founded on the concept of love of the Torah, the Creator, and the Jewish people, began over 180 years ago in Russia by Rabbi Schneur Zalman. The movement has attracted millions, and today spans the globe in influence and moral education.

The Rebbe's Library

You will be among the privileged few allowed entrance into the hallowed exhibition of the Rebbes Library. Ancient manuscripts, priceless documents, holy books, and religious articles adorn this exhibit of memorabilia and collections of the Lubavitch Movement. You will see a Grandfather clock from the 1890's that calculates the month according to the moon and not the sun - the Jewish calendar is calculated by the moon and not the sun. There is a model of the second temple as it stood in Jerusalem and you can see in great detail the Temple and its structure. You will be fascinated by the proactive role the Rebbe has played in education throughout the world signified by many of the posters and pictures in foreign languages.

Jewish Scribal Arts

The Holy Torah is one of the most familiar symbols and objects in Jewish life. How are they made, written, and constructed? Let's find out!
The only material that a Mezuzah can be written on is parchment. Nowadays, any kind of parchment is an unusual and unfamiliar sight. The parchment used for a Mezuzah is not ordinary parchment, but is the hide of a Kosher animal.
From the very first stages, the hide must be processed with the intention that it is for the sake of the mitzvah, or commandment. This means that the Sofer (scribe) must have in mind (and verbally express) that he is preparing the animal hide in order for a Torah scroll, Tefillin, or Mezuzah to be written on it.
The main ingredients of the special ink used by the Sofer are gall nuts, or the gallic acid derived from these nuts, gum Arabic, a resin substance, and copper vitriol, a bluish stone which gives the ink the blackness required. The gall nuts and resin are cooked in water for about an hour. Then the vitrol is added and the mixture is boiled until half remains. Many scribes have their own special recipe to make their custom ink.
The writing instrument used for the mezuzah must be a quill from a kosher bird - goose or turkey. The tip is carefully cut so that by turning the pen and varying the pressure, the Sofer can write thick as well as very thin lines with one stroke.

Chassidic Art Institute

Over 200 artists collaborate to exhibit and promote their art so that a wider population can appreciate and understand the beauty and warmth of Chassidic Jewish art. This is an exceptional opportunity to view art from a new dimension as the art displayed to truly an expression of the soul as well as the brush! Come and enjoy.

Seasonal Attractions

A special visit to our own Passover Matzah Bakery is an example of seasonal highlights which enhance this tour of our community.
Matzah which is made in the exacting and specific hand made process as our ancestors have done for thousands of years is called "Shmura", guarded Matzah. The main goal of this strictness is to prevent moisture from coming in contact with the wheat until its prescribed moment, which would therefore make it leavened - forbidden on Passover.

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