Moved from Israel to NYC with my family, and my wife said we should get involved with Judaism but there was no way I was going to join some boring synagogue. I don't know how my wife managed to drag me into the Chabad Loft, but after going one time I was hooked - not only was it not boring, I was fascinated by the rabbi's words of Torah and happy to be there.
It was a relief to find nice, interesting people who wanted to be Jewish together - without any pressure. It was just friendly, chill, non-judgmental, with good challah and a lot of wine.
It feels good to be able to relax around a Shabbat table and just enjoy the moment. And the rabbi had some insightful ideas. I don't usually listen to people who talk about "deep" ideas, but had me eager to learn more.
The food was great, and my table had a really interesting group of people - yeah, a couple of lawyers and doctors, but also a dancer, a jazz musician, a nursery school teacher, a high tech guy and a nurse (with her cartoonist husband). Not that their jobs matter - that's just to give you a sense of the diversity of the crowd.
I love this place, love the people, love the rabbi! If you're looking for a Jewish home in the city, this is it. read more