Traveling Torah
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Travelers Torah
“Middle of Nowhere” Becomes a Crossroads
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.Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Traveling Torah recognizes Montreal-New York link
Traveling Torah recognizes Montreal-New York link MONTREAL — Albany, N.Y., situated midway between Montreal and New York City, is a frequent stopover for people driving between the two cities.Israeli Consul General Joel Lion, right, receives Rabbi Israel Rubin at the Montreal consulate. Jewish motorists frequently go to the Maimonides Hebrew Day School in Albany when they want to daven, celebrate a holiday, have a minyan to say Kaddish, or just make contact with the community. They have always found a warm reception there. In recognition of this long-standing connection, Rabbi Israel Rubin, dean of the Maimonides, has initiated the 15/87 Thruway Traveller’s Torah project. When it crosses the border, Quebec’s Autoroute 15 becomes U.S. Interstate 87, the main route to New York City. Rabbi Rubin was in Montreal last week to accept Israeli Consul General Joel Lion’s endorsement of the writing of this Torah. Rabbi Rubin met Lion, who arrived in Montreal in August, when he was a consul in New York and visited Albany. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has already issued a proclamation hailing the project and congratulating Maimonides for its year-round hospitality to travellers. The school has about 100 students. The citation notes that “the warmth and hospitality by the Maimonides School on Partridge Avenue has been compared to the legendary European roadside inns, where weary travellers could find refreshment and rest from their long journeys.” The Torah will be used not only in Albany, but also in Lake George, Saratoga and other Adirondack resorts that do not have a synagogue or Torah of their own, Rabbi Rubin said. It is being sponsored by private donations, mostly from grateful travellers through the area, and is to be dedicated Dec. 21 at Maimonides, during Chanukah. For more information on the project, contact Rabbi Rubin at maimonidesschool@gmail.com |
http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22093&Itemid=86
Friday, September 2, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
LAKE GEORGE MINYAN
Inscribe Yourself in the "87 Traveler's Torah" dedicated to the merit and safety of Thruway Travelers serving Capital Region, Lake George & Northway communities.
LAKE GEORGE MINYAN
Shachris - 8 am
Mincha/Maariv -7:30 pm
Mincha/Maariv -7:30 pm
"It's so beautiful how the Lake George Minyan brings together Jews of
different Minhagim and Nusachs, all under one tent." R. Pesach Krohn, the Maggid Speaks
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Enjoy Torah!
Governor Cuomo Welcomes Montreal-NY Travelers
Albany, N.Y.- Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued a proclamation citing Albany's Maimonides School for serving Northway travelers year round with minyan, the "Passover Stopover" and the upcoming "87 Northway Traveler's Torah" for the Albany, Saratoga, Lake George and Adirondack regions.
http://thruwaytorah.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
FROM MAIMONIDES (BOSTON) TO MAIMONIDES (ALBANY)
FROM MAIMONIDES (BOSTON) TO MAIMONIDES (ALBANY)
"The "M-CATS" baseball team at the well-known Maimonides School in Boston is playing this Sunday morning in Cooperstown and arranged for a Shabbos stay-over at Maimonides in Albany. They’re here with their coach Sean Kennedy and assistant coaches. They’ll be joining the davening at Shomray Torah. In appreciation, they are sponsoring a Parsha in the new "Travelers Torah" being dedicated by Bruce Lorence and Maimonides." - Maimonides Community Newsletter April 14, 2011
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