The Rebbe's shul in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and the center of Chabad worldwide. It is open to everyone, every day of the year, and on Sukkos it is at its busiest.
If you were invited on the street
Perhaps a young man offered you a lulav in Midtown, or you saw a sukkah on a truck on your block. Many of those young men study at 770, and the invitation to visit was sincere.
You don't need to know anyone, bring anything or read Hebrew. Walk in, look around, and say hello. Someone will be glad to show you around.
770 Eastern ParkwayBrooklyn, NY 11213 · by Kingston Av, on the 3 train
What 770 is
“770” is the street number, and it has become the building's name: a red-brick house with three pointed gables on Eastern Parkway.
There is davening and learning from early morning until late at night, often through the night.
The main shul
The main shul is a huge hall downstairs. Minyanim start one after another all day, and between them the long tables are full of people learning Torah, alone or in pairs. On Yom Tov, thousands daven here together.
History
The Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, moved into 770 in 1940, months after escaping Nazi-occupied Europe. The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, took on the leadership of Chabad here in 1950. From this building, thousands of shluchim have gone out to Jewish communities in every corner of the world.
The library next door
At 766 Eastern Parkway, the Library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad holds about 250,000 books, many of them rare, along with thousands of manuscripts and letters.
Who comes
You'll hear Hebrew, English, Russian, French, Spanish and Yiddish in the same room. Students, families, businesspeople and first-time visitors all come, and many guests stay for the whole month of Tishrei.
This week at 770
Sukkos begins Friday night, September 25, and ends with Simchas Torah on Sunday, October 4. Times are for Crown Heights.
25Fri
September 25 Today
Erev Sukkos
Last-minute lulav and sukkah shopping in the neighborhood. Candle lighting 6:29 pm, and Sukkos begins together with Shabbos.
26Sat
September 26 Today
Sukkos, first day · Shabbos
770 is packed for davening. No lulav today, because it's Shabbos. In the evening there's dancing, without music, since it's still Yom Tov.
27Sun
September 27 Today
Sukkos, second day
The first day to shake the lulav. Yom Tov ends at 7:25 pm, and that night the Simchas Beis Hashoeivah starts with a live band.
28Mon–Thu
Sept 28 – Oct 1 Today
Chol Hamoed
The best days to visit. Shake a lulav outside 770 by day, and come back at night for dancing on Kingston Avenue.
2Fri
October 2 Today
Hoshana Rabbah
The last day of lulav, with Hoshanos in the morning. Candle lighting 6:18 pm. That night, Hakafos for Shemini Atzeres.
3Sat
October 3 Today
Shemini Atzeres · Shabbos
A full Yom Tov. That night Simchas Torah begins, with Hakafos that go on for hours.
4Sun
October 4 Today
Simchas Torah
More Hakafos by day. Yom Tov ends at 7:14 pm.
Simchas Beis Hashoeivah
Every night of Sukkos there's a Simchas Beis Hashoeivah, a joyful celebration remembering the water-drawing festivities in the Beis Hamikdash. On the Chol Hamoed nights, Kingston Avenue fills with thousands of people and a live band until late.
Shake a lulav
On the weekdays of Sukkos, young men stand outside 770 with a lulav and esrog and will help you say the brachah. It takes two minutes.
Sukkahs everywhere
Crown Heights fills with sukkahs. A big tent stands outside 770 all Tishrei for davening and learning, and large community sukkahs nearby, like the Rubashkin sukkah on President Street, host guests for meals.
Hakafos
On the nights of Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, 770 dances with the Torah scrolls, circling the bimah seven times. The crowd fills the shul and the street outside.
Getting there
Where are you starting from?
Late at night (about midnight to 6 am) the 3 doesn't run in Brooklyn. Take the 4 instead: at night it stops at Kingston Av. On the red line, ride a 2 to Franklin Av and change to the 4 there.
Weekends often have service changes. Check the MTA app or mta.info before you set out. Pay with OMNY: tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstile or on the bus.
Before you go
770 is a working shul, busy and friendly. A few things make a first visit easier.
Visitors
Visitors come every single day, from every background and every part of the world. Nobody will ask why you came. Say hello to anyone and they'll be happy to show you around, help you shake the lulav, or learn with you for a few minutes.
Dress modestly
Men: long pants. Women: a skirt or dress past the knee, with sleeves to the elbow. If you're not dressed for it today, come anyway.
Men, bring a kippah
Men cover their heads in shul. If you don't have a kippah, ask at the door and someone will find you one.
Women's section upstairs
Men and women daven separately. The women's section is upstairs, looking over the main shul. On Yom Tov it gets very full, so come early.
Shabbos and Yom Tov
No phones, photos, videos or smoking. Put your phone away before you arrive and keep it away until Yom Tov ends. The days of Chol Hamoed are regular days for this.
Weekdays and cameras
Photos are fine outside. Inside, please don't film people while they daven, and ask before taking anyone's picture.
Eating kosher
Kingston Avenue, right at the corner, is lined with kosher pizza shops, bakeries, cafés and groceries, like Kingston Pizza at 395 Kingston Ave. On Sukkos, look for a place with a sukkah. Everything closes on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
Around 770
