Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the borough of Brooklyn, New York, United States, and is famous as the neighborhood where the Rebbe lived. The neighborhood, located east of Prospect Park, is home to the famous 770 building. The main street in the neighborhood is Eastern Parkway, while Kingston Avenue is the central street in the Chabad community's life. Most Jewish stores and businesses in the neighborhood are located on Kingston Avenue.

Historical Background

Crown Heights was previously one of the largest Jewish concentrations in New York. It had hundreds of shuls, dozens of mikvahs, yeshivas, and other Jewish institutions. Many Rebbes' courts were also in the neighborhood. However, in the early 5720s (1960s), many African-Americans began moving into the neighborhood, followed by many Jews fleeing to other neighborhoods like Boro Park and Williamsburg. The neighborhood emptied of most Jews who lived there, while simultaneously the Rebbe called on his chassidim not to leave the neighborhood. The great exodus caused property prices to drop at a loss, which caused the Rebbe to cry out about Jewish money being wasted without accounting. At the Rebbe's directive, Chabad chassidim remained living in the neighborhood and worked to expand it again.

Present Day Demographics

Today, the Jewish residents' homes in the neighborhood extend to Park Place Street in the north, Rockaway Avenue in the east, Linden Avenue in the south, and Rogers Avenue in the west. Currently, about twenty thousand Chabad chassidim live in Crown Heights, alongside a population of about one hundred and thirty thousand African-Americans. The neighborhood has 75 shuls and 15 mikvahs.

Central Organizations

Crown Heights has central Chabad organizations and large educational institutions, tzedakah and chesed organizations, including: Agudas Chassidei Chabad International, Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, Machne Israel, CHK - Kashrus, Chabad World Center to Greet Moshiach, N'shei Chabad, Di Yiddishe Heim, Beis Moshiach Weekly, Otzar Sifrei Lubavitch, FREE, Kehot Publication Society, Central Tzeirei Agudas Chabad, Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad, Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshivah - 770, Eshel Hachnosas Orchim, JEM, OK Kosher Certification, Crown Heights Beis Din, Va'ad Hakohol Crown Heights, Hatzalah Crown Heights, Tzivos Hashem (New York), Tzivos Hashem Museum, Oholei Torah Crown Heights, Lubavitcher Yeshiva, Ohr Menachem Crown Heights, Beis Rivkah (Crown Heights), Beis Chaya Mushka (Crown Heights).

The Chabad World Center

In 5700 (1940), when the Frierdiker Rebbe lived in a hotel in Manhattan, they searched for a suitable residence for Beis Rebbenu outside of New York. They offered the Previous Rebbe a villa as a gift in Baltimore, but the Rebbe refused, saying "B'soch ami anochi yoshev" (I dwell among my people). They also offered to buy the Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim building located in the East Side of Manhattan, but the Rebbe refused this offer.

After searching for a building that would meet the requirements for the Rebbe's house, they found the building at 770 Eastern Parkway, which was a private clinic of a Jewish doctor. The building met all requirements since it had an elevator - a rare feature in a private home in those days. The building was purchased in 5690 (1930) for $30,000, and since then until today, 770 serves as the Chabad World Center and as the Rebbe's beis medrash, around which the neighborhood's life and the Chabad movement worldwide revolve.

The Struggle for the Neighborhood's Character

The character of the neighborhood during the years when the Frierdiker Rebbe established his residence there was distinctly Jewish, similar to the neighboring areas of Brownsville and East Flatbush. Dozens of kehillos, including rabbonim and Rebbes, established their homes in the neighborhood, built shuls and mikvahs, and maintained a complete Jewish life system.

In 5720 (1960), a gradual process began where many Jews left the neighborhood and moved to nearby neighborhoods, while simultaneously there was a reverse process of African-American residents moving into the neighborhood. This population belonged to a lower socio-economic status. As the process intensified, it turned the neighborhood into a crime-stricken area considered dangerous for living. At the height of the exodus, entire buildings were sold at a loss, and Jews sold everything they could, including shuls and Torah and chesed institutions.

The Rebbe cried out painfully against this phenomenon and demanded that the chassidim maintain the Jewish character in the neighborhood and avoid selling houses to non-Jews. For this purpose, he established a system of propaganda and an active committee, and delivered many sichos to the chassidim in which he quoted from Torah sources about the prohibition of these actions and the obligation incumbent upon each resident to maintain the Jewish character.

The Crown Heights Riots

In 5751 (1991), anti-Semitic riots developed in which the neighborhood's Black residents violently attacked chassidim and their property. The riots were called the "Crown Heights Riots" or "Crown Heights Pogrom."

In Elul 5751, a car from the Rebbe's entourage, led by an unmarked police car, went through a red or amber light at a speed between 40 and 100 km/h, according to various accounts. The car entered an intersection and hit another vehicle, and the driver of the struck vehicle, who lost control of his car, ran over and injured two Black children, Gavin and Angela Cato, both seven years old. Local spectators gathered at the scene and began shouting slurs at the police and chassidim. A private Jewish ambulance (Hatzalah) arrived at the scene, and police ordered it to evacuate the injured chassidic driver. A few minutes later, city ambulances arrived to evacuate the young children, and a few hours later, Gavin died from his injuries.

For four days following the accident, the neighborhood's Jews were exposed to sadistic anti-Semitic attacks by youths and an angry mob. In one case, Yankel Rosenbaum (29), an Australian student who was then doing research on Bnei Yisroel for a doctorate in history, was stabbed and murdered by a mob. Before his death, Rosenbaum managed to identify his attacker, Lemrick Nelson. A jury acquitted Nelson of murder charges, but after advocacy by the Jewish community and other factors, Nelson was tried in federal court and charged with violating Rosenbaum's civil rights, receiving a sentence of 19.5 years in prison. Another person was charged with inciting Nelson.

Later, a 67-year-old non-Jewish motorcyclist named Anthony Grazioli got caught up in an angry mob after losing his way in the neighborhood. Grazioli was beaten and stabbed all over his body and died on the spot. Apparently, his beard and black clothing misled the attackers, who thought he was a chassidic Jew.

During the events, 188 attacks on Jews were reported, including several serious injuries. Fires were also set and Jewish stores were looted as events spiraled out of control due to incitement by Black figures who used the riots for anti-Semitic racial incitement.

Chassidic Perspective

'Crown Heights' - in Hebrew 'Heights/Inner aspects of the Crown' - is located in the 'Gates of Rome' - in New York City, the modern-day Rome in the nations' parlance. In New York State, whose official nickname is the Empire State. New York City is the economic and political nerve center of America (and international) in the Northeast corridor of the USA, an area stretching from Washington D.C. to Boston. In the borough of Brooklyn, whose less famous name is 'Kings' - the borough of kings - like the adjacent borough of Queens.

The Rebbe's house is located at 1304 President Street. 770 - which as the Rebbe said is the gematria of 'Beis Moshiach' - is located at the corner of 'Eastern' and 'Kingston'-King's Stone. 770 - which as the Rebbe said is also the gematria of 'paratzta' and 'Tzorfas' (France) is located on Eastern Parkway, built according to the model of the Champs-Élysées in Paris, at its end there is a copy of the French Arc de Triomphe and botanical gardens.

The surrounding neighborhoods were in certain years statistically among the most backward in the city. One of the signs of Melech HaMoshiach is "yosev beini aniyei" (dwells among the poor).

When the Frierdiker Rebbe came to the neighborhood, Crown Heights was a mixed neighborhood, mostly Jewish, with Jews of all types and even different chassidic courts, but in the late 1950s with the expansion of Social Welfare laws (Section 8, Food Stamps, etc.) to help the poor, New York became the most worthwhile city for public assistance recipients, and this population, mostly Black, migrated and flocked en masse from the Southern states and across the USA to New York City, and concentrated in several neighborhoods including Crown Heights, and Jews began leaving the neighborhood, except for Chabad chassidim, who as the Rebbe said - would not leave the place chosen by the Frierdiker Rebbe, and 'here Hashem commanded the blessing.'

The Rebbe clarified who bears responsibility for Crown Heights neighborhood security: "It's impossible to answer again and again!! Once and for the future - all matters of neighborhood security (and therefore the entire city of Bnei Yisroel there) are the responsibility (responsibility of pikuach nefesh) of the organizations and therefore their rabbonim (and therefore the Vaad Harabbonim) that belong to them."

Over the years, the Rebbe's directives were fulfilled and the number of Chabad chassidic residents continues to grow, and consequently, apartment prices have jumped.

Organizations and Institutions

Beis Din

The neighborhood has a beis din composed of its chief rabbonim who were chosen by the residents. The beis din manages the spiritual affairs of the neighborhood.

The beis din offices are located in the center of the neighborhood on Kingston Avenue, between Crown and Montgomery Streets.

Crown Heights Rabbonim Kashrus

The beis din has a kashrus system known as "CHK" (Crown Heights Kosher), operated by two members of the Badatz: Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya Braun. The kashrus system manager is Rabbi DovBer Leverton.

The kashrus system certifies hundreds of products and dozens of stores and factories in the neighborhood and surroundings.

Va'ad Hakohol

The neighborhood residents are represented by the Va'ad Hakohol of the neighborhood, which includes between four to seven members. The Va'ad works for the public good in many areas, such as: maintaining relationships with city officials and helping public institutions and individuals when needed. Handling immigration issues for new residents and dealing with general neighborhood problems. The Va'ad also intervened and helped with the spread of contagious diseases in the neighborhood under the guidance of Dr. Eli Rosen.

Chesed Organizations

Hatzalah

Operates an independent branch of the organization whose center is in Boro Park. The Crown Heights volunteers have four modern ambulances, three of which are permanently parked on the service road adjacent to 770. The organization was founded and is managed by Rabbi Avrohom Bistritsky.

Crown Heights Shomrim

A volunteer organization working for neighborhood security, established in 5725 (1965) by Rabbi Shmuel Serebryanski under the name 'Maccabees.' The organization's purpose upon establishment: protecting the Rebbe, and backing New York Police Department forces operating in the neighborhood. Later, in 5733 (1973), the organization changed its name. The organization also assists with traffic accidents, elderly and lost children, and coordination with NYPD at the field level. The organization operates patrol cars mainly during night hours, as reinforcement for police patrols.

Shmira Crown Heights

A volunteer organization working for neighborhood security, parallel to the 'Shomrim' organization and in a reduced format.

Shifra and Puah

Helps new mothers and their families.

Chasdei Bracha

Works with families and children in distress.

Chevra Bikur Cholim

Visits Jewish patients in New York hospitals.

Ahavas Chesed

Helps with medical needs. The organization treats poor Jews and visitors from outside the USA who need medical treatment, and also deals with counseling and guidance, appointment scheduling, interpreter services, and kosher food for patients. The organization also holds mass blood donation days every few months.

Ten Yad

Hachnosas Kallah for Crown Heights residents and others.

Chevras Simchas Shabbos V'Yom Tov

Aid organization for needy families in Crown Heights for Shabbos and Yom Tov needs.

Eshel Hachnosas Orchim

Provides the Rebbe's guests with their physical and spiritual needs. In Tishrei manages lodging, meals and events, shiurim and farbrengens for thousands of guests - Anash, Tmimim, women, girls, and children. And throughout the year manages a hospitality system in the Eshel building.

Agudas Gedalia

Medical assistance and guidance. The organization's activity was particularly notable during the Corona pandemic. The organization was established in memory of R' Gedalia Schaefer, a neighborhood resident.

Educational Institutions

Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva

The central yeshiva of Chabad. The Tmimim in the yeshiva learn and daven in 770. The yeshiva was established on the day the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived in the United States; hours after arriving, he convened a meeting in the hotel and announced the establishment of the yeshiva. The Rosh Yeshiva is Rabbi Shneur Zalman Labkowski who also grants semicha to yeshiva students who have been tested by him.

Oholei Torah

The Oholei Torah institutions network is the largest educational institution in the neighborhood with three branches. The network operates a cheder where only kodesh studies are learned. Yeshiva Ketana and Yeshiva Gedolah. Most shluchim in the world are graduates of Oholei Torah institutions. The institution was established in 5715 (1955) following a farbrengen of the Rebbe where the Rebbe expressed that there needs to be education al taharas hakodesh without secular studies. The institution's founder is Rabbi Michael Teitelbaum who also managed it for many years with mesiras nefesh.

Boys' Institutions

Oholei Torah 647 Eastern Parkway
Hadar HaTorah 824 Eastern Parkway
Ohr Menachem 1729 President
Cheder 'Oholei Yosef Yitzchok' 333 Albany Ave.
Darchei Menachem 438 Rutland
Lubavitcher Yeshiva 510 Crown St.
Tomchei Tmimim - Chovevei Torah 885 Eastern Parkway

Girls' Institutions

Beis Chaya Mushka Carroll and Troy
Bnos Menachem East New York
Beis Rivkah Lefferts and Crown
Ateres Chaya
Oholei Yosef Yitzchok - Girls
Machon L'Yahadus - Bnos Anash (formerly Machon Chana) Crown and President

Media and Publications

Newspapers

Crown Heights News

In 5747 (1987), a newspaper called "Crown Heights" began publication with the goal of serving as an information outlet for the Va'ad Hakohol. In practice, only two issues were published.

Beis Moshiach Weekly

Beis Moshiach Weekly is a worldwide Chabad weekly for spreading the message of Geulah, distributed in thousands of copies worldwide through direct mailing to subscribers and distribution in stores throughout the globe.

Beis Moshiach in English

The English edition is published as a separate magazine - 64 pages, and is sent to Hebrew edition subscribers upon request, and in parallel, the English edition has an independent subscription and sales system marketing thousands of issues weekly in the United States, in Eretz Ha