The sounds of celebration, the scent of good food and ecstatic guests infused the new East Shore Road space as Chabad of Great Neck hosted the grand opening of its new home and commemorated its 25th silver anniversary with a grandiose ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday, June 26.
People from across Long Island flocked to this fiesta for delicious food and good company. The evening began with the ribbon cutting, followed by dinner and performances by international superstar Gad Elbaz.
“It is a monumental event for the grand opening of our Chabad,” said Rabbi Yoseph Y. Geisinsky, one of the community’s most prominent rabbis. “I’m very excited to see so many people here enjoying such a wonderful gathering.”
Cameras flashed everywhere with families and friends coming together with enthusiastic smiles.
“This is an exceptional event to be at. The Chabad of Great Neck is really a wonderful home to everybody. Anyone can come anytime they want and be welcomed by all of our members,” said Rabbi Geisinsky’s wife, Chanie. “The atmosphere shows that—it has been a very successful night, and I’m glad so many people could join us.”
The guests certainly felt welcomed, including David Yerushalmi, the evening’s emcee, who said that he was “blessed to be a guest” and that the night was the “highlight of the community.”
The grand opening of the Chabad brought families and friends together. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, cameras and paparazzi gathered around the front of the new building to capture the smiles of the many faces around the ribbon, eager to get the night started. The frequent camera flashes and constant conversation among the guests illustrated not only the true success of the night, but also the harmoniousness of the Jewish community of Great Neck.
“Marvelous” and “fantastic” were the words Rabbi Tuvia Teldon, chief Chabad-Lubavitch representative on Long Island, used to describe the event. “It’s great to see a continuation of our culture at this event,” he continued. “Our community has been very successful at coming together for these occasions and having a great time.”
