Chabad Opens in Niagara Falls USA

by Tzemach Feller – Lubavitch.com

Daniel Treger, a college student from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was visiting Niagara Falls in January when he noticed the Chabad Mobile Center near the main viewing area. “Hearing Jewish music and seeing a rabbi assisting other Jews with Tefillin stopped me in my tracks,” Treger said. 

Treger wrapped tefillin for the first time since his bar mitzvah. “ I came for the sights, but Chabad reminded me of my roots, and I’ll never forget it.”

With special permits from the State Park in place, Rabbi Yehuda and Yehudis Lorber, who founded Chabad of Niagara Falls, U.S.A, are bringing Jewish awareness and connection through their Mobile Center — a repurposed RV. The Lorbers had lived in nearby Buffalo, New York, where they worked in Jewish education. They also made frequent visits to the Falls on behalf of  Chabad of Buffalo before formally launching the center in 2024.

Since their website went live, the Lorbers have received a near-constant stream of requests for Jewish resources — everything from kosher food to a place to pray to the location of the nearest mikvah from Jewish visitors to the Falls.

In October , visitors to Niagara Falls, U.S.A., saw signage pointing to a brand-new point of interest within the state park. Located at Terrapin Point, a giant sukkah welcomed more than 3,000 visitors during the intermediate days of Sukkot. The sukkah was a joint project of the New York State Park and Chabad. 

“I was walking through Niagara Falls State Park with my kids when we spotted a sukkah right in the middle of the grounds,” said Sara Bergman from Los Angeles, California. “I couldn’t believe it. We were thrilled! The signs around the park explained the meaning of the holiday, and then we actually got to step into the sukkah, make a bracha, and shake lulav and etrog.”

“It was surreal—we were surrounded by tourists from all over the world, and here we were, celebrating Sukkot like we never left home,” Bergman said. “It made our experience complete. Chabad brought the joy of the holiday right into the heart of the Falls.

The Lorbers are looking forward to creating a visitor center, which will offer a space for prayer and relaxation, a mikvah, and kosher food. For more information, visit ChabadNiagaraFallsUSA.org.