Closing Impure Venue Wasn’t Enough

A location for an extremely impure venue was recently evicted after a Jewish owner bought the property. The eyesore located on Rockaway Turnpike, which is the main thoroughfare to the Five Towns, was recently shut down and its owners decided to add even more light with a public Menorah lighting.


Motorists passing by on Motzei Shabbos, the first night of Chanukah, got a quick glance of a Menorah lighting ceremony along with live music and dancing on the side of the road which used to be a parking lot for an inappropriate venue — this Menorah stands tall the entire Chanukah there.

Arranged by Sholom and Pessy Jacobs one of the owners of a property that was recently purchased which helped clean up the atmosphere of that area — Sholom brought more light to that area when he arranged and then lit the Menorah ceremony.

Some 100 community members attended, Sholom told CrownHeights.info “the Rebbe always taught us that transforming something from darkness to light is one of the biggest Mitzvos one can do, I am thankful that I was the Shliach in this mission, how befitting that we are now lighting a Public Menorah in a spot that used to be taboo.”

The Menorah lighting ceremony was conducted by Rabbi Zalman Wolowik from Chabad 5 Towns.

The event was sponsored by Sholom and Pessy Jacobs of Jacobs Real estate advisors and Novak, Juhase and Stern.