Chabad of Rikers exists for a simple, stubborn belief: that every person — no matter where they are or what brought them there — deserves to be seen, remembered, and treated with dignity.
Twelve years ago, a rabbi got a phone call: a Jewish man at Rikers had no one. Would someone come? He went the next morning, expecting a single conversation. He's been going back every week since.
"When God calls, the answer in our tradition is one word — Hineni, Here I am. That word is the entire mission."
What began as one visit became a chaplaincy: weekly visitation, kosher provisions, holiday programs that bring the Jewish calendar through the walls, support for families on the outside, and a hand to hold for those walking back into the world.
We don't ask what someone did. We ask what they need today. Everyone is met with the same dignity.
In the snow, on the holidays, every week of the year. Showing up only matters when it never stops.
Faith, food, family, and a future. We walk with people inside and long after the gate.
One-on-one chaplain visits and a listening ear — every week, holidays included.
Chanukah, Passover Seder, Rosh Hashanah, and more — the calendar carried inside.
Kosher meals, Shabbat supplies, and ritual items delivered to residents who request them.
A bridge to loved ones on the outside, and a community that understands.
Help with housing, work, and community for those walking back into the world.
Torah study, spiritual guidance, and honest conversation for anyone who wants it.
A single phone call leads to a single visit — and a promise to come back.
The first Chanukah candle-lighting and Passover Seder held behind the walls.
Support extends beyond residents to the families waiting on the outside.
Walking with people past the gate — housing, work, and community.
Three chaplains and 40+ volunteers, over 1,400 visits a year — all donor-funded.
This work runs entirely on the generosity of people who believe in it.