At his home in Bergenfield, Rabbi Ely Allen uses his kiruv organization, the Jewish Outreach Network, to host Shabbatons and events for his former and current students from various programs, including alumni from the Bergen County High School for Jewish Students, students from all four campus Hillels, students from his YU classes, and also for “people who are lost, who either were observant, or never were, whatever, they just make their way here. We have new people every time we have a Shabbaton,” he said.

When the Allens first moved to Bergenfield, they converted their large basement into a shul that seats 40 to 60 people comfortably, with an apartment outfitted for Shabbaton guest sleeping rooms at one side. The shul also has the benefit of two alcoves equipped with sliding glass doors, which Allen explained were used by the previous owner as recording studios. “I use them for meetings with students, and the glass doors help avoid any potential problems with yichud (seclusion).”

Generally, the Shabbatons are capped out at 50 people, with members of the local community joining for the Carlebach-style davening. However, this past Simchas Torah, the Allens hosted over 100 people. “Nobody who has ever come here has had a similar Simchas Torah anywhere else. We categorically ruin Simchas Torah for anyone who comes here, because anywhere else is just not as happening. We sing and dance until two in the morning,” he said.

In addition to regular Shabbaton activities, like festive meals and socializing, “I do ‘ask the rabbi’ sessions and informal discussions with students, as well as in-depth text and scheduled learning in a methodological fashion.

“When I have talmidim who start to learn, I put together a kind of personal training regimen for them, and I have them go through the whole Torah, which is the Sephardi derech,” he said.

“But I’m not trying to convert people to being Sephardim or Lubavitch, or whatever. Most kiruv people are specifically targeting for their organizations, but everyone is equal here; I don’t have an agenda of where to send people to study, whether they end up going to Aish Hatorah, Ohr Samayach or elsewhere. I have people in every single one of these places. I believe Torah is the truth, and any way you want to observe halacha and be a spiritual Jew, that’s good for me.”

Rabbi Allen uses his discretionary funding to bring in a wide variety of speakers known for helping to bring Jews back to Judaism. “We’ve had Sara Rigler here, Rabbi Lazer Brody and most recently, Gateways speaker Rabbi Y.Y. Rubinstein.”

Rubinstein, a Scottish convert to Judaism, spoke on all four Bergen County Hillel campuses. In addition, he visited Rabbi Allen’s home and, in a speech punctuated with humor and inspirational messages, he spoke to a standing-room-only crowd of students and parents explaining, with Biblical and modern-day examples, how success can only be fully realized after failure.

Rubinstein’s talk was given in a welcoming environment, with many levels of religiosity present in the audience. The comfort level of the group can be attributed to Rabbi Allen, whose welcoming nature brings cohesion to what could be a disparate set of people from many walks of life.

“If there’s ever someone who comes in who doesn’t know anyone, Rabbi Allen says, make sure you go up to them, talk to them, say hello, make them feel at home. Build a relationship, bridge gaps and focus more on what brings us together than what separates us,” said Dov Carpe, a former student who now works with Allen.

“Rabbi Allen is accepting of people, and people recognize his sincerity. They know that he really cares,” Carpe said.

By Elizabeth Kratz