A Brick House of Worship

Stand for Israel  |  November 6, 2019

If you’ve ever been to Brooklyn, perhaps you’ve passed the above brick building, one built in the Gothic revival style. Or maybe you did not notice it, unaware that not only is it an iconic and beloved synagogue, but one that has been replicated all around the world.

The building can be found at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood, and is to this day lovingly referred to as “770.” Built in 1920, since 1940 770 has been the headquarters of the Chabad movement. Serving not only as Chabad headquarters, it was also a synagogue and yeshiva. Since that time, it has continued to fill those three roles — a place for daily prayer, a place for students to study, and a place for Chabad gatherings.

And, even if you’ve never been to Brooklyn (or didn’t notice 770 while you were there), perhaps you’ve noticed a building just like it elsewhere. That’s because the Chabad headquarters has gained great meaning to many Jewish people around the world, and replicas of it have been built in Israel (in Jerusalem’s Ramat Shlomo, as well as in Kfar Chabad), Los Angeles, Maryland, and New Jersey, as well as in Australia, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.