JCCGCI’s Crown Heights Mesivta Vocational Track Transforms Lives — and Needs Your Support

There are rare moments when a program’s impact is unmistakable—when success is not measured merely in numbers, but in lives changed.

The Vocational Track for Mesivta boys of Crown Heights, an initiative of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI) in collaboration with the Yeshivos of Crown Heights, is one such moment.

What is unfolding within these workshops is nothing short of transformative:

– Boys who once felt discouraged are now walking with confidence. 

– Boys who struggled to find their place are discovering their strengths. 

– Boys who believed they “weren’t succeeding” are now proud of what they can build with their own hands. 

After several years of careful consultation, planning, and fundraising, this long-awaited program is now (since after this past Tishrei) operating within Crown Heights Mesivtas, offering structured training in carpentry—with plans to expand into plumbing, low-voltage electrical work, welding and additional practical trades.

But beyond technical skills, the program delivers something far more profound:

Dignity. Purpose. Hope.

– One student shared that even on days when academic success felt out of reach, time spent in the workshop gave him a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. 

– Another student, newly empowered, began helping his peers—his confidence growing with each passing day. 

– Teachers report improved attendance, stronger focus, and meaningful personal growth.

These are not abstract outcomes.

These are neshamos whose trajectories are being rewritten.

Currently serving approximately 130 boys from Mesivta Oholei Torah and Mesivta Chovevei Torah and Mesivta Bnei Aliya (each participating at separate times), the program is already exceeding expectations. Demand is growing rapidly:

– Students are requesting additional sessions 

– Schools are asking for expanded programming 

– Communities are recognizing its life-changing potential 

JCCGCI is actively working to expand the program—because the need, and the impact, are undeniable.

A generous anonymous funder has awarded JCCGCI a two-year, $225,000 grant to pilot and administer this initiative across three Mesivtas in Crown Heights.

However, there is one critical condition: matching funds must be raised.

This moment represents far more than sustaining a program:

– It is about expanding access to boys who need this pathway 

– It is about keeping students engaged in Yeshiva life 

– It is about building productive futures—both spiritually and materially 

Your partnership will directly determine how many lives we can reach.

Each has expressed profound appreciation for the transformation they are witnessing among their students.

We respectfully ask you to partner with us—and to encourage others to do the same—so that together we can fulfill the matching requirement and bring this opportunity to every boy who needs it.

Make a tax-deductible contribution today:
https://www.jccgci.org/support-the-crown-heights-vocational-training-program

This is not only an investment in skills.

It is an investment in souls, confidence, and lifelong success.

The Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island, Inc. (JCCGCI) is a leading provider of comprehensive social services across New York City, with deep and longstanding engagement in the Crown Heights community. Its workforce and youth initiatives functioning in Crown Heights include:

• Crown Heights Career Assessment Program (835 scholarships for vocational training awarded to Crown Heights residents;   1,355 job placements achieved for Crown Heights residents)

• Crown Heights Career Hub (458 Crown Heights residents trained; resulting in 332 job placements)

• Parnossah Employment Services Program (over 500 Crown Heights residents placed in jobs)

• Workforce Development Program (586 Crown Heights residents placed in jobs)

• Beth Rivkah Teen Club After -School Program

• United Lubavitcher Yeshiva (Crown Street) After -School Program

• “Pioneers” Drama Camp at Beth Rivkah

• “Machane Heights” Biking Camp at United Lubavitcher Yeshiva (Crown Street)

The Crown Heights Mesivta Vocational Track is a natural extension of JCCGCI’s mission: helping every individual discover their path, their dignity, and their success.

For more information, please visit: https://www.jccgci.org/programs