CHJCC Chanukah Campaign – Night Seven

CHJCC Chanukah Campaign – Night Seven
Eight Nights. Eight Leaders. One Community.

Each night of Chanukah, CHJCC honors a leader whose light helped shape our community.

Tonight, as we kindle the seventh candle, we pay tribute to a man whose steady voice and bridge-building spirit strengthened Crown Heights during pivotal decades.

Honoring Rabbi BenTzion Schaffran obm

Rabbi BenTzion Schaffran (1937–1996) was a gifted Chabad educator, speaker, and community leader whose influence touched Crown Heights and the broader Jewish world.

Born in Chicago and later educated in the Chabad Yeshivos of Brooklyn, he became known for his eloquence and clarity, inspiring students across college campuses and Chabad Houses in the 1960s.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Rabbi Schaffran played a key role in improving relationships between Jewish and African American residents of Crown Heights, working with community leaders to open dialogue, reduce tension, and strengthen cooperation. His calm, thoughtful leadership helped bring stability during challenging periods. He also promoted initiatives supporting job creation, schools, and camps, reinforcing the community’s social fabric.

His contributions were recognized nationally: in 1974, he served as Guest Chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives, delivering that day’s opening prayer.

Honor Rabbi Schaffran’s legacy by dedicating tonight’s light.

Donate: https://buy.stripe.com/eVq9AT8Bk1At81y9H09Zm00
Zelle: crownheightsjcc
Eight Nights. Eight Leaders. One Community.