By COLlive reporter
Photos: Sholem Srugo/COLlive
Diplomats from over 25 countries joined about 100 members of AJC NY, a global Jewish advocacy group, in a diplomatic tour of Crown Heights.
The morning began with a moving presentation from Mrs. Devorah Halberstam, co-founder of the Jewish Children’s Museum, about her personal fight against terrorism and anti-Semitism, from the murder of her son Ari Halberstam on the Brooklyn Bridge, to the construction of the Jewish Children’s Museum as a legacy in his name.
Then, after an introduction to the history of Jewish Crown Heights by historian David Kaufman, the group participated in three workshops where they were able to learn about the neighborhood today.
At 770, participants toured the Rebbe‘s room and Library, and heard from Rabbis Zalman Duchman and Motti Seligson about the growth of Lubavitch from when the Frierdiker Rebbe first arrived in Brooklyn, until today, when over 4,000 shluchim cover the globe.
At the Museum, activist Richard Green, Geoffrey Davis, and Rabbi Eli Cohen spoke about the work that has been done to bring harmony in the community over the past 25 years and about the way that the community has attempted to address anti-semitism.
At Chevra Ahavas Yisrael, Chani Frankel of Mimulo, Chaya Chanin of The Frock NYC, and Eric Tapper of Repair the World presented a view of new trends and new residents in Crown Heights.
The tour was a reflection of the mission of AJC to work with diplomats, government officials and religious leaders to strengthen Israel’s security, and the life of Jews everywhere, and safeguard democratic rights.
