‘Important new chapter’: NYC’s Park East Synagogue partners with local Chabad

Luke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.

NEW YORK — A local Chabad chapter and New York City’s Park East Synagogue have announced a partnership, highlighting the Chabad Hasidic movement’s growing influence and marking a step forward for the prominent Modern Orthodox synagogue.

Sponsored Sony WH-1000XM5 Review: Still the ANC King in 2026? See the review →

Park East, founded in 1890 and located on the Upper East Side, and Chabad of the Upper East Side announced the collaboration in Friday statements to members.

Park East will host most of Chabad of the Upper East Side’s activities, Chabad’s Rabbi Ben Tzion Krasnianski will serve as an associate rabbi at the synagogue and Rabbi Yosef Wilhelm, who directs Chabad Young Professionals Upper East Side, will be an assistant rabbi.

The synagogue’s Rabbi Arthur Schneier and president, Les Lieberman, said in a message to members that “this collaboration brings together two vibrant Jewish communities with a shared commitment to Torah, prayer, education, and acts of kindness.”

The message hailed the collaboration as an “important new chapter” for the synagogue.

The partnership will offer “enhanced” Shabbat programming, classes, lectures, holiday celebrations and opportunities for young professionals, the message said.

Chabad of the Upper East Side told members the collaboration was a “giant leap forward.”

The collaboration will begin next month on Rosh Hashanah.

Some of the Chabad chapter’s programs, such as its mikveh and preschool, will remain at its current location.

Both institutions could gain benefits from the partnership.

Chabad of the Upper East Side has developed a large network of engaged young people at a time when many young families are being priced out of neighborhoods like the Upper East Side.

And while Chabad often works with other Jewish institutions, Park East is an especially prominent and prestigious synagogue. The Hasidic movement has outposts around the US and other countries, but fewer venerable legacy institutions like Park East.

Chabad, known for its outreach to non-Hasidic Jews, has seen a larger growth in engagement than any other Jewish movement in the US in recent years, according to a survey last year.

The partnership also comes as mainstream Jewish communities in New York have come under increasing pressure due to increasing hate crimes against Jews and anti-Zionist politics.

Park East has been targeted in at least two protests over the past year.

During a protest targeting an Israel immigration event at the synagogue last year, demonstrators chanted, “We need to make them scared,” “Death to the IDF,” and harassed congregants with threats and antisemitic slurs.

That protest gained widespread attention, drew an outpouring of support for Jewish New Yorkers, and led to New York leaders pushing for buffer zone legislation meant to protect houses of worship.

As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.

This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. 

If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.

— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist

We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.

That’s why we started the Times of Israel – to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel