Chabad Shluchim Gather in Brooklyn for Kinus
Thousands of Chabad emissaries convened in Brooklyn for the 43rd International Kinus Hashluchim, focusing on security and outreach.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Judaism
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Thousands of Chabad shluchim gathered Thursday evening at the Major R. Owens Community Center in Brooklyn for a closed-door session of the International Kinus Hashluchim. The session addressed security threats facing Jewish communities, maintaining Jewish pride, and sustaining Jewish outreach.
Why it matters
The Kinus brings approximately 6,500 Chabad rabbonim from more than 100 countries to New York, and this year's session came after organizers met with NYPD officials on security arrangements for the conference's gatherings in Crown Heights.
The Kinus is in its 43rd year and has drawn approximately 6,500 Chabad rabbonim from more than 100 countries. The Sunday banquet is expected to draw nearly 7,000 participants, though the source does not detail the security arrangements finalized with police.
The players
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky
Executive director of the Kinus, the Chabad conference that brings emissaries together from around the world.
New York Police Department
The city's principal police agency, which met with Kinus organizers on security for the conference's major gatherings.
The details
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of the Kinus, oversaw the session. Speakers described campus challenges, including difficulties for Jewish students at the University of California, Berkeley, after October 7, where a mezuzah campaign and a Shabbos gathering of approximately 500 students followed.
Timeline
October 7: Attacks in Eretz Yisroel shaped subsequent challenges for shluchim.
Earlier this week: Kinus organizers met with senior NYPD officials on security.
Thursday evening: Closed-door session held at the Major R. Owens Community Center.
Sunday afternoon: Grand banquet scheduled as the conference centerpiece.
Season Trajectory
The Kinus, now in its 43rd year, has long served as the annual gathering point for Chabad emissaries worldwide. This year's emphasis on security reflects a shift in the conference's agenda since October 7.
Residents of Crown Heights may see police deployments and crowd management measures around the conference's major gatherings this weekend. Visitors and locals attending Sunday's banquet should expect protective arrangements coordinated with the NYPD.
The takeaway
The Kinus shows how Chabad outreach is now being planned alongside explicit security coordination with local police. Readers following Jewish community life in New York can track how these arrangements shape future gatherings.
What happens next
The Kinus concludes with a grand banquet on Sunday afternoon, expected to draw nearly 7,000 participants.
Further reading
For more on the community's faith practice, explore our Judaism coverage.
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