A community town hall was held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Lubavitcher Yeshiva, convened by the Vaad HaKohol of Crown Heights – CHJCC Board to report on the current state of communal affairs in Crown Heights and to share updates on leadership, coordination, and future priorities. The town hall was attended by all Vaad HaKohol board members, along with hundreds of community members in person, and was viewed by thousands more online.

The meeting was chaired by Shmuly Rosenstein, Acting Chairman, who opened the evening by reflecting on the community’s standing and recent progress. He spoke about a period of increased stability, improved cooperation among institutions, and a generally peaceful atmosphere in Crown Heights. He emphasized that the board’s focus has been on restoring calm, strengthening structure, and ensuring responsible governance, and noted that the town hall was part of the Vaad HaKohol’s commitment to reporting directly to the community.

Rabbi Mendel Marasow, CEO of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC), provided an update focused specifically on CHJCC operations and direction. He noted that CHJCC has recently moved into a new, centralized office location, designed to improve accessibility, professionalism, and service delivery for individuals and families seeking assistance.

Rabbi Marasow emphasized the importance of shifting from reacting to crises toward preventing them. He highlighted proactive initiatives such as financial literacy, life insurance awareness, and employment support, and shared that a new CHJCC website is nearing completion, which will include tools such as a job board to make accessing services and opportunities easier. He summarized his message by stating that the best crisis is the one that never happens.

The evening also included remarks from Rabbi Meir Bukshin, Executive Director of Crown Heights Kehillah (CHK), who provided a kehilla-wide update. He described the extensive behind-the-scenes work involved in communal coordination, noting that CHK, together with affiliated offices, handles hundreds of calls daily from community members seeking guidance. He emphasized that rabbonim are being paid consistently and reliably, underscoring stability, accountability, and respect for rabbinic leadership.

A question-and-answer session followed, during which community members raised topics including grant timelines, representation on local city and school boards, future elections, and the status of appointing a third rov. Leadership stressed thoughtful process, transparency, and ongoing community engagement.

The town hall concluded with a shared message of unity, steady leadership, and long-term planning, reinforcing a commitment to maintaining stability, accountability, and open communication across the Crown Heights community.

VIDEO: Full replay

Jooish News

Jooish News