Compared to Teaneck, West Hempstead and the Five Towns, Stamford has a relatively small Orthodox population (although it is growing nicely). And when Stamford folks play Jewish Geography with others, more often than not they strike out, unable to find a common person they both know.
However, what most people do mention when you tell them you are from Stamford is the following: “Isn’t that where that frum-friendly hotel is located?”
That frum-friendly hotel is called The Armon … and indeed there is a convention or a large group gathering of Orthodox Jews virtually every weekend.
In 2009, the hotel was purchased by the Rosdev Group, whose principals are from a Hasidic family in Montreal. Aaron Friedman, who had managed operations at the Raleigh Hotel for several years, was hired to build up the hotel business.
Friedman said that the original intent was not to make the hotel a Shabbat enclave for groups and organizations, but to focus on corporate events. However, when the hotel began renovations, Friedman was able to bring in friends who wanted a place to host a family simcha for Shabbat, as an extra revenue source. Soon word spread that there was this nice hotel in Stamford that was able to host kosher events and cater to the specific needs of the frum community. And Friedman began getting additional requests for weekend events at the hotel.
The Armon has approximately 430 rooms, and some of the hotel’s larger events have housed more than 1,000 guests for Shabbat. Why has The Armon become so popular among the Orthodox crowd? Friedman points to several reasons: “First of all, the location is ideal—it’s not that far from Brooklyn, Monsey and Waterbury, and even Lakewood is a relatively short drive. Another reason why the hotel is popular is that it has a large lobby area for schmoozing. And even though the hotel itself is quite large, all the rooms are located on five floors, so that those not using a Shabbat elevator don’t have a long climb up the stairs. We invested in new door locks with metal keys that were Shabbat-friendly, making the electronic keys unnecessary. The hotel has a men’s mikvah … a sefer Torah … a library filled with seforim … and a kosher kitchen. In short, our guests enjoy staying at The Armon because it’s frum-friendly, and the entire staff understands the unique needs of the Orthodox clientele that stays here. We know what obstacles to avoid.”
Gateways has hosted its Rosh Hashanah and Shavuot programs at The Armon for many years now. There is a Pesach program at the hotel every year. Agudas Israel hosts their annual convention at The Armon each year in the fall. Other large conventions that have been held at The Armon include Torah u’Mesorah, Dirshu, Project Inspire, Keiravtanu, A-Time and the RCA. In addition, many other organizations outside the Jewish community have chosen to hold their events at The Armon, including the Stamford Citizen of the Year dinner, the Home Expo show, the Connecticut Republicans Awards dinner, and a large New England baseball card convention.
Friedman said that he never specifically trained to work in hotel management.“It came my way besiyata deshmaya, when I was offered a job at the Raleigh Hotel. The rest is history.”
One of the newest features at the hotel is an upscale kosher dairy restaurant, Napoletana, which rents space at the hotel’s location and is open to the general public. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and guests who might be staying at the hotel during the week really like the fact that they can get kosher food right at the hotel. This year, many folks from Brooklyn and Monsey took their families to the hotel during the summer, taking advantage of the plethora of activities in the Connecticut area for children, while also knowing that they had kosher food available at their doorstep.
Managing a large hotel can often be frustrating, but Friedman enjoys his work. “I like being a small part of what these important organizations are trying to accomplish,” he said. “Many of them are dedicated to Torah, avodah and gemilut chasadim. Helping them accomplish their goals is very satisfying to me.”
Looking for a nice weekday retreat during Chanukah or yeshiva week for your family? Or a Shabbat getaway package? Give the hotel a call … and they will be happy to accommodate you, space permitting. Call 203-359-1300 and ask for sales.
Michael Feldstein, who lives in Stamford, Connecticut, is the author of “Meet Me in the Middle” (meet-me-in-the-middle-book.com), a collection of essays on contemporary Jewish life. He can be reached at [email protected].
