From Lonely to Belonging
John came to New York from overseas. He was quiet, smiling, and trying to find his place. On the surface he looked fine, but life wasn’t simple. He didn’t have many friends here. He didn’t have a steady job. And though he wanted to reconnect with Judaism, he had no idea where to start.
In August, he heard about Rabbi Yaakov’s birthday party, a Men’s Night Out with a steak BBQ and a relaxed, open vibe. He showed up not knowing anyone, hoping maybe he’d meet one or two people.
What happened was far more than he expected.
That night, he connected with a group of guys his age who welcomed him immediately. Over the next weeks, those friendships became his new community.
One of the men he met at the party later hired him, giving him the steady job he’d been searching for. And with his new friends by his side, John began coming to Chabad every Shabbat, finding the spiritual home he’d been missing.
In one evening, three things he had been struggling with—friendship, work, and connection—started to fall into place. | 
