Shul Tributes Founder, Rabbis

Last Sunday, 180 Crown Heights residents hiked through Prospect Park to its magnificent Picnic House, to celebrate 3 years of the Oihel Nosson congregation located in the Crown Condos in Crown Heights.

The dinner theme was “The Power of 3”, underlining the three pillars that the world, and this community, stands on.

Sushi and beef-carving stations, a wine bar and roaming starters welcomed guests, followed by a sit-down dinner and program that had every participant wowed by the joyous vibe and energy in the room.

Two founding members of the shul, Aaron Popack and Yoni Raskin, MC’d the evening and opened with Tehillim and a video collage of the Rebbe speaking about the power of community.

Excitement filled the room after an announcement that a special-edition Oihel Nosson Tanya would be printed right there.

Reb Mordechai Nagel, whose early support of the shul included the name sponsorship and two sifrei Torah, was invited to start the printing of “the Torah Shebichsav of Chassidus.”

The Tanya printing prompted a truly spontaneous dance as the Freliach Band and Yoili Greenfeld played “Aimasai ka’asi mar…”

During dinner, winner of the Jewish Star 2012 Choni Goldman, a close friend and “member-at-large” of the shul, performed a number of songs to powerful effect.

A keynote address was given by shul member Avi Webb, who noted how, “as Chassidim of the Rebbe we’ve all grown up knowing that every person counts. With a focus on drawing the furthest Jews closer, it bears remembering the ability we have to draw ourselves closer, to our families, to one another and to Hashem.”

Comparing a community to a bus-ride, the address underlined how every man and woman can choose to get on board and ride for as long as they want. “A viable vehicle has been built and is moving forward,” Webb said.

Two couples who have committed tremendous personal passion to Torah learning in Oihel Nosson were thanked at the dinner and presented with token gifts as they move off to further Shlichus.

Rabbi Sruli and Mushka Deitsch, new Shluchim to Broxville/Mount Vernon, New York were thanked in particular for starting and hosting a weekly Lunch ‘n Learn for Shul members who work in Crown Heights. Sruli also gives a weekly Sicha shiur on Friday nights in Shul.

Rabbi Levi and Sonya Wolvovsky who are moving to Florence, Italy were thanked for their commitment to the Shabbos morning Chassidus Shiur.

Before the evening closed, Aaron Popack announced one more tribute to Yoni and Moussie Raskin, “the engines of the shul.”

As a bochur, Yoni gave every waking moment and most of his sleep to the people, programs and progress of Oihel Nosson. After marriage, Moussie joined his work with enthusiasm, Popack said.

The music and dancing continued late into a night that will be remembered forever.