Shul attendance has been one covid’s many victims. Worldwide, shuls shut down completely in March 2020, and even when able to reopen at various points it was with strict rules and regulations and minimal attendance.
But last week we made a strong push for people to return. Thank G-d, the numbers here are down, people are being vaccinated and feeling less afraid, plus they miss the social interaction of shul. So we brought back the kiddush, urged people to attend, and our crowd grew by 400% in just one week!
Moshe* is a shul regular who served in the IDF, loves NYC, and is always available when we’re one short of a minyan. While walking through the Upper East Side, Moshe and Yael noticed two Jews sitting at a coffee shop close to our shul. Now, Moshe is not shy at all, and he walked right up to them and started telling them about Chabad Israel Center, describing it in glowing terms: the magnificent shul, the nonjudgmental atmosphere, the delicious kiddush, the beautiful community… “You have to come and try it! Meet our rabbi, taste the kiddush, meet the people, it’s good for you. Try it for one week and you don’t even have to come on time. You can come late or even J.F.K. (just for kiddush), just come!”
“It sounds great,” the guy agreed. “I love shul and yours sounds like one I’d like to try, there’s just one problem: I’m the rabbi of the local orthodox shul!”
In any business, the best sign your clients are happy is when they refer new clients to you. So if you have a great personal trainer and your friend is looking for one, you’ll recommend yours. Same with your local coffee shop, your therapist, and your kids’ schools. But Moshe went a step further—he actively recruited. And that is the greatest satisfaction a rabbi can have. It means that people really love your place. They’re not just referring people who ask, they’re going out on their own and convincing people to join—even the rabbi of the local synagogue who has a few hundred members of his own, daily minyanim, and many Torah classes. In fact, he was learning with one of his congregants at the coffee shop when Moshe tried to recruit him!
The truth is, we should all aspire to be like Moshe, to become ambassadors of Torah and mitzvot. The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught, “If you know alef, go out and teach someone else alef.” Whatever you know, even if it doesn’t feel like much, you can share with someone who doesn’t yet know even that. If you know of an inspiring Torah class, invite your friends to attend. And not just friends—go out and recruit total strangers. Bring them in. And if they turn out to be the local rabbi, don’t be flummoxed. Just keep going and try the next person! Especially since the shul business is probably one of the toughest in the world to market.
So, will you join us this week at shul? And who will you bring with you?