Editor’s note: Many tragic passings in the Chabad community were among the most viewed articles, but at the request of many, we are not including them on this list to allow the families to grieve.
1. Heavy Hand
FDNY Disbands Crowd-Filled Jewish Wedding in Williamsburg
The Covid-19 pandemic led to the complete lockdown of New York. In Brooklyn, the feeling was that the frum Jewish community was under constant scrutiny. From Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeting against a Jewish funeral to the fire department being dispatched to disband a Chassidic wedding.
2. Royal Mitzvah
Cambodian Princess Celebrates Her Bat Mitzvah
The second most-read article of the year was the Bas Mitzvah ceremony of Elior Koroghli, a resident of Las Vegas who is the Jewish great-grandaughter of the late Cambodian King Monivong. Chabad helped make it happen.
3. Monsey Maverick
Doctor Claims To Have New Solution For Treating Coronavirus
Dr. Zev Zelenko was known for treating patients in Kiryas Joel, Monsey. His claim that he found a successful treatment for coronavirus has awarded his national acclaim – including from President Donald Trump himself. Months later, Zelenko was in the hospital to remove recurring cancer.
4. Chanukah Nightmare
Jews Stabbed in Monsey Shul in Bloody Attack
As Chanukah came to a close, a black male wielding a machete stabbed 5 people at Rabbi Chaim Rottenburg’s Shul in Monsey. Three months after the stabbing, victim Yosef Neumann, aged 72, died of his wounds. The attacker Grafton Thomas was deemed not mentally fit to stand trial.
5. Hashem Yikom Damam
Names of Victims of Jersey City Shooting Released
Not long before Chanukah, a man and woman linked to the Black Hebrew Israelite movement opened fire in a kosher supermarket in Jersey City, killing 4 people. Mayor Steven Fulop later said the real target may have been the yeshiva next door and its 50 students.
6. Hatzalah Hatzlacha
The Hatzalah-Thon Concert
The unity of communities joining for the Hatzalah-Thon, a live online concert with the top Jewish music superstars, was called “staggering,” while the outpouring of support and the millions raised was called the first major recognition of the dedication of Hatzalah volunteers during the Covid-19 pandemic and year-round. COLlive’s team directly raised $49,000 for Hatzalah Crown Heights.
7. DC History
First Ever Sukkah at the White House
You have heard about a Pesach Seder at the White House, the annual Chanukah party and the Megillah reading. This past year, a Sukkah was built within the White House complex by American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad).
8. Closed Doors
770 Main Shul to Close Temporarily
For the first time in its history, the front doors of the main shul of 770 Eastern Parkway were shut closed for months. It was a decision that wasn’t taken lightly as rabbonim and medical experts realized the danger to keep it open to the bustling crowd that frequent it 24 hours a day.
9. Patient #1?
The Shul of Bal Harbour Suspends Activity After Rabbi Infected
Chances are, Rabbi Sholom Bar Lipskar wasn’t the first Lubavitcher to be infected with coronavirus. But he was the first prominent patient that led to the suspension of all minyanim, classes and events at The Shul of Bal Harbour in Florida. He has since recovered.
10. Final disrespect
Youths Disrupt Jewish Funeral Procession in Crown Heights
Black youths hit a young Jewish woman attending the funeral of late businessman R’ Mendel Drizin OBM after the procession held them up in traffic in Crown Heights on Tuesday. “It was shocking,” a bystander said.
11. Black Hatters for Black Lives
Crown Heights Jews “Stand With Our Black Neighbors”
Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minnesota, a few hundred Crown Heights Jews held a march in solidarity with the Black community on Eastern Parkway. Organizer Ephraim Sherman called it “Tahalucha for Social Justice.”
12. Not so fast
Argentinian Rov: No Obligation to Fast During Pandemic
The bold halachic ruling by Chabad Rabbi Yosef Feigelstock of Buenos Aires permitting to “eat as usual” during Shiva Asar B’tammuz and Tisha B’Av because of Covid caught the attention of many. Chabad Rabbis in Israel responded with instructions of their own.
13. Street Simcha
Entire Community Cheers Isolated Chosson and Kallah
Not being able to participate in weddings due to the pandemic, Crown Heights residents stood outside the homes to cheer chosson and kallahs as they drove through the neighborhood. JJ Deitsch and Fraida Jacobson were the first couple.
14. Altz Lekovod Shabbos
White House Changes Event Timing to Help Respect Shabbos
Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Head Shliach of Washington, DC, turned down an invitation to an event with President Donald Trump on Friday because it was likely to run into Shabbos. Until he received a phone call from the White House.
15. Hate Gang
Jewish Man Assaulted, Hit in Head With a Chair in Crown Heights
The pandemic led to a drastic decline in anti-Semitic attacks in Brooklyn. Before it broke out, 7 black teens assaulted a Chassidic Jewish man with a chair. A second group punched another chossid from behind and even filmed it.
16. Flying High
After ‘Meaningful Flight’, United Pilots and Rabbi Break Into Dance
As Rabbi Kalman Weinfeld of OK Kosher was deplaning on a United Airlines flight, the pilot told him 2 Yiddish words. The exchange quickly warmed up until they broke out into a joyous dance.
17. Torah is life
90,000 Jews Celebrate in Unity at Siyum Hashas in NJ
Over 90,000 people joined the Siyum Hashas celebration at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, marking the completion of the daily reading and study of one page of Talmud from the 2,711 set. The cycle takes about seven and a half years to finish.
18. “The Shluchim of…”
Kinus Hashluchim Banquet 5780
The annual Gala Banquet of the International Kinus Hashluchim is always one of our most-read articles of the year. With 5,800 people in attendance with inspiring speeches, video productions and music, even those watching at home feel inspired by the impact of the Shluchim around the world. Social media personality Meir Kay was there.
19. “I’m a Jew and I’m proud”
My Daughter is Jewish and Black. Black and Jewish
The honest op-ed written by Esther Berman of Baltimore, Maryland, about her daughter has moved many. “My child is Jewish. And Black. Black and Jewish. She is an island. A three-year-old, she’s constantly reminding people that she is a person.”
20. Covid Tales
The Corona Funeral for the Wrong Man
“We took out the wrong casket. Please wait while I return this casket and bring out Mr. Grunwald.” The chilling story that happened amid the coronavirus pandemic that highlighted the life of a special person.
May the top story of this coming year be that everyone stayed healthy and safe