As part of his 10-city, Presidential Tour of Jewish communities across North America, Orthodox Union President Stephen J. Savitsky will visit Great Neck the Shabbat weekend of March 13-14. Mr. Savitsky inaugurated this year’s Presidential Community Tour with a visit in September to Omaha. He recently returned from trips to Portland, OR, Miami Beach, and Dallas. For Mr. Savitsky, who lives in Hewlett on the South Shore of Long Island, a trip to Great Neck on the North Shore will help keep him off of airplane, but may have him stuck in Long Island traffic.
In Great Neck, Mr. Savitsky will meet with the Jewish community and deliver a series of talks throughout Shabbat.
On Friday evening, Mr. Savitsky will address the NCSY Friday Night Lights program. NCSY is the international youth organization of the Orthodox Union. Friday Night Lights is an NCSY outreach project in which staff members spend a Shabbat with public school teens and lead them to experience NCSY’s trademark spiritual, enthusiastic, and infectious weekend. For many teens, it is their first experience with Shabbat.
Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone, Long Island’s NCSY Regional Director, declared, “We welcome the opportunity to have President Savitsky join us for a Shabbat here in Great Neck.
On Shabbat morning, Mr. Savitsky will deliver the Shabbat drasha (main speech) at the Great Neck Synagogue. Rabbi Dale Polakoff stated, “The Great Neck Synagogue is pleased to welcome President Savitsky to the shul, which has a long-standing relationship with the OU. We are always glad to welcome him into our congregation and greater Jewish community.”
Later that day, Mr. Savitsky will speak at Seuda Shlishit (the third meal of the Sabbath) at the Young Israel of Great Neck. Rabbi Yaakov Lerner declared, “We’re very excited about hosting Mr. Savitsky for Shabbat, and to continue to strengthen the bond between the OU and the Young Israel of Great Neck. To have the President of the OU come for a Shabbat to help spread the word of Torah is really a wonderful opportunity.”