The Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement’s Bris Avrohom organization has opened a new Jewish Information Center in Newark Airport’s Terminal A.
A similar stand has already existed for the past 10 years in the airport’s Terminal B, where people can don tefillin, receive tefillat haderech (traveler’s prayer) cards, Shabbat candles for women and Jewish literature in multiple languages.
“To date, thousands of people have put on tefillin throughout the terminals, many of them for their first time,” Chabad’s airport emissary Rabbi Avremy Kanelsky noted.
In addition, EL AL Airlines staff celebrate the Jewish holidays throughout the year with Rabbi Kanelsy, who runs the activities at the airport.
“Fabuwood donated the beautiful stand, and two representatives of the company attended the inaugural event,” the rabbi said. “Also present at the event was General Manager of NJ Airports Sarah McKeon; Manager of Physical Plant and Redevelopment – NJ Airports Frank Radics; and COO at Munich Airport and Terminal A Stefan Fornasier. Food was graciously sponsored by Fresco, the leading kosher distributor of food at the airports.”
The rabbi and his co-emissary, Rebbetzin Chaya Kanelsky, arranged the opening event, where the rabbi described the accomplishments of the Jewish Information stand in Terminal B, and thanked the airport management for their cooperation.
Rabbi Mordechai Kanelsky, founder and director of the Bris Avrohom organization, thanked the Port Authority for partnering with the new project, not just with the information stand but also with the menorah lightings on Chanukah around New Jersey.
Newark Airport General Manager Sarah McKeon also spoke and thanked Bris Avrohom for the opportunity to assist travelers with all their needs at all terminals.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, David Bandovich of Terminal A donned tefillin.
For more information about daily activities at Newark Airport, or to join the Minyan Chat for minyanim at the airport, please contact Rabbi Avremy Kanelsky at 908-463-3264 or [email protected].
