The I-87 Travelers Torah project transforms orthodox Albany – an isolated Jewish community – into a regional center, drawing in weary travelers to utilize resources, and raises funds for the community school.
It is financially challenging to sustain an upstate Jewish school hundreds of miles from the major Jewish centers. An interesting fact about Albany, however, is that it is a stopping point between New York City & Montreal, as well as Boston and Toronto. I-87 Travelers Torah is an innovative idea to broaden our base and transform our small community into a prime connected location. Through offers of hospitality, we have drawn in hundreds of road-weary travelers looking for kosher food and a minyan. We help them on their way, and subsequently build new social networks.
The Trustees of Maimonides Hebrew Day School met in February, to find an out-of-the-box method to increase our Annual revenue beyond local donors. We met again in March to develop a PEJE Challenge submission inspired by Mr. Bruce Lorence, a local philanthropist who is inviting Jewish tourists to sponsor letters and words in the new school Torah scroll he is funding.
After discussion with parents and teachers, we mobilized our Alumni to use their regional network to spread the word among those who may be traveling through the Albany region. Our art class students designed velvet Torah-like tzedakah boxes to encourage donations.
In April, we met with Montreal’s Jewish Council leadership, and started promoting Albany in Montreal synagogues, communal newsletters and Canadian Jewish News. NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and NY Department of Transportation issued a Passover proclamation praising our Thruway hospitality. Montreal’s Israeli Consul, the Honorable Joel Lion, excitedly endorsed the project.
In May, we began hosting traveling Jewish youth groups and touring day camps from the south and west heading to such tourist sites as Cooperstown, Saratoga & Great Escape.
Due to our creative promotions (documented on ThruwayTorahblogspot.com) Jewish East-West and North-South Thruway travelers can now break up an arduous 8-10 hour trip here in Albany. Thanks to new technology, we generally don’t have to guide newcomers with detailed street by street directions. We just state our address, and GPS figures out the best route, and they can see that we’re just 10 minutes off Thruway exits 23 or 24! They can attend minyan at Shomray Torah and visit our school, as well as enjoy area NYS Capital and Revolutionary War sites.
This is a mutually-beneficial relationship, as the travelers appreciate the hospitality, we appreciate the new daily contacts. Hundreds of the travelers have contributed to Maimonides. We found the Thruway travelers to be very generous. Rather than donating the minimum of $5 for a Torah letter, many volunteer $18 and $54 – some even sponsor a whole Sidra at $180!
This outreach initiative has raised over $14,000 in the last six months. Beyond the Torah inscriptions project, it has raised permanent awareness among travelers to feel invested here, as many of these repeat travelers now take an interest in our school and will, hopefully, support us in future as well.
Instead of rushing off right after Minyan to get back on the road, some travelers extend their stopover to stay at a hotel for the night and take in some local sightseeing. We have also received inquiries about hosting Bar mitzvahs and Simchas, and have already hosted several Sheva Brochos, generating some rental income for our school.
We are very proud of the I-87 Travelers Torah project, and feel hopeful for the continued benefits from the new community connections we’ve made.