Jewish Visitors to NC Furniture Trade Show Find Warm Welcome

(Lubavitch.com) The High Point Furniture Market is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world. But until recently, there were no programs or services addressing the needs of Jewish visitors among the convention’s 80,000 participants.

When the show opened this month (October 13-17), Rabbi Yosef Plotkin and his wife, Hindy, directors of Chabad of Greensboro, NC, had prayer services, kosher meals and hospitality in place, making Jewish business people feel right at home.

“There was an obvious need for prayer services at the convention, so we organized a daily minyan conveniently located at the market,” Rabbi Plotkin said. The minyan drew an eclectic crowd from diverse Jewish communities.

Rabbi Plotkin reached out to visitors at the show, helping many wrap tefillin, and filled several hundred requests for complimentary kosher meals and hospitality at the Chabad center.

The Plotkins hosted guests at traditional Shabbat meals. Business tycoon and philanthropist Mr. Jay Schottenstein was one of the many participants.

Avi Schoenbrun, a regular participant at the trade show said, “I continue to be amazed at the wonderful work that Rabbi Plotkin is doing in Greensboro. If you would have told me twenty years ago that there would be a Chabad center here with daily minyanim I would have never believed it.”