Stealth Chabad Shul Finally Opens In Manhattan

Dovi Scheiner's SoHo synagogue finally opens after years of fundraising. The shul, meant for Manhattan's hip, rich and famous, is as much a cocktail party as it is a functioning Orthodox synagogue. “I thought it was a club at first,” says attendee Yoni Zanger, 28, of the sleek new space. “There’s a bouncer outside!”

Too cool for shul
Super-sceney SoHo temple attracts the new Jew crew
By STEFANIE COHEN • New York Post

A man in a crisp black suit stands outside the plate-glass doors on Crosby Street, checking off the names of the chosen on a clipboard. Young women with tousled hair and fashionable heels slip inside, followed by men in sharp suits or dark jeans. This is SoHo’s latest hot spot, but you don’t have to be a Hollywood actress or star athlete to get in. You just have to be Jewish.

The SoHo Synagogue, which opened last month where a Gucci store once stood, may be the hottest thing to happen to Jews since Bar Refaeli graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.

“I thought it was a club at first,” says attendee Yoni Zanger, 28, of the sleek new space. “There’s a bouncer outside!”

Rabbi Dovi Scheiner and his wife, Esty, both barely in their 30s, wanted the space to echo a hotel lobby or chic boutique, so that young, mostly lapsed New York Jews, who probably haven’t set foot inside a temple since their bar or bat mitzvahs, would feel at home.

“We had to offer a space they were comfortable with,” says the rabbi, who answers to Dovi and wears Converse sneakers and jeans most days, his tzitzis tassels peeking out from beneath his polo shirt. “People don’t go to temple because it’s not relevant or exciting or engaging or social. So we’ve made it all of those things. If we offer them a place that looks like the synagogue they were dragged to by their parents, they’re going to have a nervous breakdown and never come back.”

But they are coming back. His congregation is about 1,000 strong, and Friday night services have been packed week after week with young, cool Jews.

“It’s Judaism, rebranded,” says congregant Joe Wright. “It maintains the tradition but offers something new.”

The venue itself is an extension of the new Jew crew Scheiner is trying to build. Israeli designer Dror Benshetrit, 34, left the brick walls and pipes exposed, combining them with luxe elements such as his signature throne-like peacock chairs, and a steel-and-glass stairwell that descends dramatically into the basement-level sanctuary. Instead of typical rigid prayer benches, Benshetrit installed low beige couches. Instead of stained-glass windows, he hung single retro-style Edison bulbs. His uncle, hipster fashion designer Yigal Azrouel (also a congregant) draped the circular Torah ark with metallic tafetta. “I’ve never seen a synagogue like this. It’s beautiful, it’s modern, it’s with the times,” says first-time attendee Leslie Gerber-Seid.

The synagogue is open to anyone, and free of dues. Walk-ins are welcome. Scheiner will even wave down curious onlookers from across the street and invite them to take a tour.

On a recent Friday night, Scheiner and his associate rabbi, Mendel Jacobson, whom one congregant refers to as a “rapper-slash-poet-slash-performer,” lead a short service. It consists of a few prayers, a lot of songs, some dancing, some jokes, a short sermon and one rather bawdy impromptu poem dedicated to Jacobson. Scheiner mentions that next week he will be offering a “lower your self-consciousness cocktail” before services, to relax everyone.

After the 45-minute service, people gather on the main floor, mingling over drinks and hors d’oeuvres. They stay for an hour or so, as if at a cocktail party, then wander off in twos and threes to grab dinner or head home.

To build their own synagogue, the Scheiners had to first part the East River. They grew up within the Lubavitch community in Brooklyn, but after getting married on Sept. 11, 2001, felt a connection to downtown Manhattan.

They moved to TriBeCa and began hosting Friday night dinners for a few neighbors. A combination of charisma, Esty’s cooking and their particular blend of spirituality-sans-dogma began attracting a crowd. Soon they were taking over friends’ lofts or renting out spaces to host Jewish get-togethers: rooftop Hanukkah parties and gallery Torah talks. Before long, people began asking if Scheiner would lead them in prayer, which, he says, was unexpected, coming from such a youthful, urban, seemingly nonreligious crowd.

In 2005, the Scheiners threw a party to announce the launch of the SoHo Synagogue. Jewish hip-hop star Matisyahu performed; 400 people showed up. They began holding services wherever they could find a space, and throwing fund-raisers at Cipriani’s, 1Oak and on the Intrepid (which some say felt a bit like a kosher meat market). They signed a lease for the Crosby Street site in 2009. While they inked the deal, a Gucci pop-up store rented it. Now congregants come for prayer, to meet new people and to be part of a community. The shul is even pulling people away from established uptown synagogues.

Jason Hirsch, 36, whose grandparents founded the esteemed Fifth Avenue Synagogue in the 1950s, is dubbed the “Miracle Man” by Scheiner for helping to raise funds for the SoHo venture.

His own family, including his parents, siblings and cousins, donated the menorah and Torah ark among other items. Hirsch also encouraged Jewish donors, such as billionaire businessman Ira Rennert, to back the shul. The Rennert family donated a Torah.

“There’s a deep-rooted tradition in my family to get involved with synagogues and the creation of Jewish life. When I met Dovi, something clicked. I felt like my grandparents were maybe watching me from above,” Hirsch says.

Plus, he says, “I feel comfortable there. Suddenly I have a desire to go to Friday night services, and I’ve never felt that way before.”

This is the longest New York Post article I've ever seen. It ran two full Internet pages, and it clearly was placed by someone with a close connection to senior Post editors.

The financial crisis, starving people in the Bronx, and the imminent threat of world wide economic collapse have never had anywhere near this much space. I don't even think Bernard Madoff's scandal had an article this long.

This says a lot about how the New York media operates (or, at least, how Rupert Murdoch owned New York media operates), and how Chabad – officially or unofficially – works the media.

Past this Scheiner was running Shabbat services by invitation only and was rejecting people he thought didn't look cool enough.

And then we have this from today's article:

On a recent Friday night, Scheiner and his associate rabbi, Mendel Jacobson, whom one congregant refers to as a “rapper-slash-poet-slash-performer,” lead a short service. It consists of a few prayers, a lot of songs, some dancing, some jokes, a short sermon and one rather bawdy impromptu poem dedicated to Jacobson. Scheiner mentions that next week he will be offering a “lower your self-consciousness cocktail” before services, to relax everyone.

It's actually halakhicly forbidden to be drunk during prayer – and that includes being tipsy. To use alcohol as a lubricant for prayer is far outside of Jewish and halakhic norms.

But coming from Crown Heights Chabad, where alcoholism is rampant, Scheiner may not realize that.

Or it may be that he is following the pattern of a friend of mine, who recently told me he could not stay Orthodox (Chabad-style, at least) without alcohol.

Either way, guys like Scheiner should be barred from being rabbis.

But that won't ever happen.

Related Post: Chabad For the Hip, Rich And Influential.

[Hat Tip: Moshe in Israel.]

Comments

[Jack]

>>>Guys like Scheiner should be barred from being rabbis. But that won't ever happen.

Probably the first time I agree with you whole heartedly. What a joke.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

"but you don’t have to be a Hollywood actress or star athlete to get in. You just have to be Jewish."

not really, u have to be jewish as defined by chabad. (the aju is aju type) conservative, reform and other converts to judaism ain't aju enough for them.

[David A]

just asking: is there a mechitza in this shul?

[Sarah]

Cool is living courageously.

Actually, there are many shuls in Melbourne, Australia, currently the epicentre of global Pedophilia, whose congregants look very similar to the one above.

Caulfield Shul in Inkerman Street comes to mind.

What can a person say, really?

Something is so incredibly, incredibly wrong with Jewish standards at the moment.

Any person on the street here in Melbourne holds high standards of equality of the sexes and classes and a love of...what does one call it?

Just realness.

People here hate bullshit, I can't find a more appropriate term.

Nothing wrong with money and I'm one of the last people to knock aesthetics, but what's with the superiority complex?

It's we are the chosen people gone nuts.

To be frank, that kind of delusional ego is just so bloody ugly.

[Shmarya]

just asking: is there a mechitza in this shul?

Posted by: David A | July 12, 2011 at 10:02 AM

Look at the picture.

[משה]

And this guy is Chabad? associated with the prestigious ok kosher supervision?

[David]

Looks like s cool shul with a cool couple running it. Does the Chabad Rabbi wear a black hat and kippota? I can't see this as compatible with his grey pants and white vest and t-shirt... Perhaps he is excused from wearing these as he is bringing in new blood to the cult... Its good to see his nicely groomed tzit tzit - normally the strings are frayed and falling all over the place.

[Shmarya]

And this guy is Chabad? associated with the prestigious ok kosher supervision?

Posted by: משה | July 12, 2011 at 10:10 AM

Yes.

[Schneur]

The look is spitz Chabad - Leyleh uleyleh !

[Apikorus Al Ha'esh]

It's forbidden to be drunk or tipsy during prayer? Since when? You're making shit up, Shmarya. Also, the guy is a shrewd marketer, so he should be barred from being a rabbi? WTF?

[Jack]

>>>it's forbidden to be drunk or tipsy during prayer? Since when? You're making shit up, Shmarya. Also, the guy is a shrewd marketer, so he should be barred from being a rabbi? WTF?

I wanted to say Shmarya may be shit but he sure doesn't make shit up, but that would be not nice on his blog. You got to give Shmarya credit for at least one thing, he doesn't make this shit up. ( nice conversation huh?)

Apikores -- it is forbidden to be drunk while praying AND it's not a matter of being a shrewd marketer for Judaism, this fellow -dk hd scheiner is USING Judaism and his training to sucker in a living and some hootchie for himself. BIG difference.

the horse and the chariot is there, with the horse in tuches arain.

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

...u have to be jewish as defined by chabad. (the aju is aju type) conservative, reform and other converts to judaism ain't aju enough for them.

I am not sure about about it, I just returned from visiting relatives in the Bay Area and been to a Chabbad run camp. Many of the kids were mixed, Blond Waspy/Irish types and Asians. None of the parents dresses like Orthodox and it seems that at least half of the mothers are shiksas.

[Apikorus Al Ha'esh]

Jack - where is this written? Cite something, dammit! You can't say, "It's the truth, because it's the truth."

Kohanim can't be drunk during duchanen. Since when is drinking assur for regular daveners? Have you never had kiddush during simchas torah hakafos?

[Jack]

I just stuck in google praying while drunk and it came to this.

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/920166/jewish/Chapter-Four.htm

Halacha 17

A person who is drunk should not pray, because he cannot have proper intention. If he does pray, his prayer is an abomination. Therefore, he must pray again when he is clear of his drunkenness. One who is slightly inebriated should not pray, [but] if he prays, his prayer is prayer.

When is a person considered as drunk? When he is unable to speak before a king. [In contrast,] a person who is slightly inebriated is able to speak before a king without becoming confused. Nevertheless, since he drank a revi'it of wine, he should not pray until his wine has passed from him.

So when Shmarya says u cant daven while drunk he dont talk shit.

[Mike Hall]

The Rebitzin is so fuckable

[Gevezener Chusid]

Mike Hall, you have so much class! You belong in that shul.

[Shmarya]

Jack - where is this written? Cite something, dammit! You can't say, "It's the truth, because it's the truth."

Kohanim can't be drunk during duchanen. Since when is drinking assur for regular daveners? Have you never had kiddush during simchas torah hakafos?

Posted by: Apikorus Al Ha'esh | July 12, 2011 at 12:36 PM

It's a clear din in the Shulkan Arukh.

As for drinking during hakafot, rabbis have been trying to stop that practice for years, and it was not what people commonly did – until the hasidic movement and its anarchy developed.

[gh]

It seems that Shmarya is becoming a Bal tshuva. He is concerned that people violate the rules of shulchan aruch.

Hopefully, he will not close down the blog.

[gh]

I knew that Shmarya is going to come back to the orthodox one day. They always come back. It is probably the guilt that is bringing him back.

[Shmarya]

It seems that Shmarya is becoming a Bal tshuva. He is concerned that people violate the rules of shulchan aruch.

Hopefully, he will not close down the blog.

Posted by: gh | July 12, 2011 at 04:00 PM

Lol!

No, what I'm concerned with here is that rabbi who is supposedly Orthodox is promoting something prohibited by Jewish law, and is doing so openly.

And that rabbi also works for the OK, which supervises a lot of the supposedly kosher food you eat.

[Casssidy]

How will this affect the work of another great shlaich in Lower Manhattan Rabbi Shmaya Katz ? Will they merge ?

[yeah]

Nice hot wife to run a scam with.

[D. Sheiner]

This is not Chabad. We happen to come from Chabad families, but this is not a Chabad institution (and you will not find it on any official Chabad listing).

[ergo proxy]

Why you guys have to put a negative spin on a positive article? You folks are the classic case of no matter how hard someone tires to innovate and bring something new in the mix, to attract more young Jews to their roots, you will never find anything good about. Of course if it would have been an article about a scandal,then you would be happy and having a field day. Look at yourselves in the mirror, look deep into your ugliness and interest in only gossip and bringing out the negative on every individual. Bunch of self-hating Jews!!! I can imagine the torment you guys have, having to admit you are Jews and wishing you were not. Too late, mother nature already rolled the dice on all of us, and we are what we are, I personally like it and give thanks to G-d every day for it.

You guys must be fun to hang out with...at bingo halls drinking kool aid and smelling ben gay.

[Simple Jew]

B"H

Shmarya

I think it would be a decent thing to remove the posts saying things about the Rebbitzen. Its really not appropriate.
Especially the one at 1:48pm by Mike Hall.

[Adam Neira]

As Confucious say,

Very interesting !

I think it is possible to marry tradition with modernity. Not a messy hodge podge, but the best of both worlds. Intelligent design idea.

[miracalism]

awsome article, i love shuls like this

[Yissy-CA]

It$ all ko$her l'$hem $homayim.

[Adam Neira]

To Sarah,

Melbourne is not the epicenter of global paedophilia. There are some very righteous people here. Your post is full of little snippets you have slipped in to cast aspersions on Jews and Australia. Your cute little use of the word "realness" doesn't mean much either. It is fine to be superior in ethics and morals but not empathy or respect. It is possible to be classy and down to earth at the same time.

To All,

On second reading of this article the shul may be a little too loose for my liking. Cocktails should not be de rigeur at a shul. There's enough hedonism in the Western World. Someone has to do the heavy spiritual lifting. If I want to go clubbing I'll go to a club. If I want some quiet sanctuary, a nice prayer service, ancient traditions and some good company that shares similar values I'll go to an Orthodox shul. Never the twain shall meet.

[Yankel]

Actually, whilst not recomemded, there is nothing halachakly wrong with being drunk during davening. Source: the reason we do not recite birchas kohanim by mincha is because it is in the afternoon and there is a "chshash shikrus" which disqualifies you from doing birches kohanim and shikrus does NOT disqualify you from davening mincha (that is the reason why on a taanis we do recite birchas kohanim by mincha)

[Yosef ben Matitya]

actually, this is more of a temple. although all reform temples have decorum. this one doesn't seem to have any.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Jason Hirsch, 36, whose grandparents founded the esteemed Fifth Avenue Synagogue in the 1950s, is dubbed the “Miracle Man” by Scheiner for helping to raise funds for the SoHo venture.

what more proof is required that: הדור הולך ופוחת
he could at least have chosen a jewish place to support, not a house of minus!

[Visting the sick]

Shmarya, ask whether Rabbi Dovi's SoHo loft is an official Chabad outpost, or simply an outpost run by a Chabadnik. There's a big difference.

It's similar to how messianic Chabad runs its own Chabad Houses, but they're not affiliated with mainstream Chabad.

[Shmarya]

Actually, whilst not recomemded, there is nothing halachakly wrong with being drunk during davening. Source: the reason we do not recite birchas kohanim by mincha is because it is in the afternoon and there is a "chshash shikrus" which disqualifies you from doing birches kohanim and shikrus does NOT disqualify you from davening mincha (that is the reason why on a taanis we do recite birchas kohanim by mincha)

Posted by: Yankel | July 13, 2011 at 05:56 AM

You're wrong.

The Shulkhan Arukh specifically bans praying while drunk.

That you don't know how to learn is obvious.

[Yankel]

In shulchan oruch it talks about being very drunk. However for drinking as in the soho Shule it clearly wouldn't fall into this category and it would be permited (see Orach Chaim צט)

[Shmarya]

Sigh.

You can N-O-T lehathilla drink alcohol before praying.

You confuse b'diavad situations with l'hathilla situations.

[Yankel]

I ask you respectfully... Please study the subject properly (סימן צט) inside the שולחן ערוך. It is quite indicative from your comments and from your lack of providing a source that you googled the matter and have not studied it properly.

[Yankel]

Mishnah berura יא it clearly states that lechatchila you should be Machmir ONLY when you are drunk to the extent that you cannot speak before the king. See also the rema

[Shmarya]

But both also hold you shouldn't do it.

You're confusing the issue of whether the prayer has to be repeated later or not with whether you can drink or not.

You really have no idea how to learn.

[Yankel]

I agree it is a strange practice however Unfortunately it is obvious that you have not studied the issue from it's pure halachik basis. Nowhere in the shulchan aruch does it say that it is osur lechatchila to drink alcohol before davening. (without getting plastered). In all your derogatory statements regarding my "not knowing how to learn" you have failed to provide a halachik source (which would have shut me up..)

I agree that it is a strange thing to drink before davening however nowhere in shulchan oruch does it say that it is osur lechatchila to drink alcohol (without getting drunk) before davening it is very obvious that your critique of my "not knowing how to learn" is a screen for you not knowing this subject well

This method of fact stating it is intellectually unjustifiable.

In your eagerness to criticize schiener you resorted to google research. Please in the future do your research properly.

I will no longer comment. Please feel free if needed to have the last word.

Regards
Yankel

[Shmarya]

Please.

Drunk would be more than one shot, enough to impair driving.

And the average cocktail has more than one shot.

[Sarah K]

The NY Post sure did quite a puff piece on this place. They've either got great p.r. people (I can think of one sleazebag) or Chabad has an in with Murdoch. They already have a tight relationship with the NY Times. I wonder if you have to show your bank balance, value of your condo or financial portfolio to get past the bouncer even though you can't carry that on Shabbat or yontif. Maybe you send it in ahead of time to get on the list to be admitted.
Sarah K