URJ President to Spend Night at Homeless Shelter He Founded 30 Years Ago
In 1983, when Rabbi Rick Jacobs was the rabbi at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue (BHS), he had a vision to start a shelter to address the growing problem of homelessness in New York City. Thirty years later, the first synagogue-based homeless shelter in New York City is still responding to the need, run by volunteers from BHS with the support from several local synagogues, schools, and community groups.
To mark this anniversary, Rabbi Jacobs, now president of the URJ, will spend the night in the BHS Shelter on the evening of Thursday, January 16. He will join the congregation for services on Friday evening, January 17, followed by a congregational community dinner.