BY JESSICA PARKS
A young Brooklyn rabbi is
working hard to bring a Jewish
presence to a community
where he says there currently
is none, forming a “spiritual
startup” that aims to help
non-practicing Jews in Sunset
Park and Greenwood Heights
fi nd their faith.
“We are really aiming to
connect the Jewish people that
live in the Greenwood Heights
and Sunset Park neighborhoods
and to build an all-inclusive
and welcoming and
loving Jewish community,”
said Rabbi Yanky Hecht of
Jewish Sunset Park.
Hecht, who fi rst launched
Jewish Sunset Park in early
2020, said that while he’s seen
a slow start due to the pandemic,
he’s slowly but surely
started to grow a network of
Jewish members.
“It’s honestly quite hard because
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we started off literally
weeks before COVID came to
New York City,” he told Brooklyn
Paper, “so no real community
is being built amidst all of
the craziness of the pandemic,
but we are moving slowly and
we are taking baby steps.”
Throughout the pandemic,
Jewish Sunset Park provided
struggling families with groceries
and other necessities.
Hecht also offers private Torah
studies, posts mezuzahs
— a door ornament bringing
good blessings — and delivers
weekly packages for the Jewish
Sabbath every Friday that
include challah bread and
other Shabbat items.
“I meet between 10 and 20
Rabbi Yanky Hecht delivers Shabbat packages every Friday to families in Sunset Park and Greenwood Heights.
Rabbi Yanky Hecht
families or people every Friday
delivering challah and
Shabbat packages,” Hecht
said. “Saying hello to them,
sharing the good word, and
sharing a laugh with them.”
The young rabbi has volunteered
all over the world to
help strengthen Jewish communities
by giving Jews the
opportunity to experience and
understand the benefi ts of Judaism
— and now he’s taking
that mission to Sunset Park
and Greenwood, where he said
he plans to continue the work
as long as Jewish people live
in the neighborhood.
“As long as there are Jews
in Sunset Park and Greenwood
Heights, my mission
will be to get them to experience
the beauty of Judaism, allow
them to come together and
build a beautiful community
where people are loved and accepted,”
Hecht said.
Building
community
Young rabbi launches ‘spiritual
startup’ for Sunset Park, G’ Heights
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