(Courtesy of Chabad Young Professionals) On Sunday morning, young Jewish professionals from across the Hoboken and Jersey City area gathered to celebrate the grand opening of New Jersey’s first Jewish Center specifically catering to the young professional community.
The new CYP center, a first of its kind for New Jersey, was the vision of Rabbi Shmully and Esta Levitin who have served the young Jewish professional community of Hoboken and Jersey City for the past nine years. The center will be available 24/7 for networking, connecting with like-minded peers and learning about Judaism.
The atmosphere was electric as community members celebrated this remarkable milestone. The emotion-filled ceremony acknowledged the contributions of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Levitin, as well as donors and lay leaders including Elior Shiloh, Gregory D. Edgell, and Andy Antiles, whose support made the dream a reality.
Reflecting on the community’s growth, lawyer and active member of the CYP community, Elior Shiloh, stated, “Very quickly it was obvious that we needed a center, we needed a permanent home base. We now have a location that hosts hundreds of people every week and allows them to celebrate their Judaism.”
“As the local young Jewish community has grown by leaps and bounds, it’s become clear that we needed a permanent and dedicated home to enhance the local Jewish experience,” says Rabbi Levitin. “Especially in the wake of October 7, young Jews need a safe space to connect with their peers now more than ever.”
