The International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries brought more than 6,500 rabbis and Jewish leaders from more than 100 countries and all 50 states to Brooklyn from Nov. 5-8, highlighting the movement's expanding international presence and the growing engagement of American Jews.
Organized by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, the annual gathering included events in Brooklyn and Queens, with its closing banquet held at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, New Jersey. The conference took place amid rising antisemitism and renewed interest in Jewish identity and religious life following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
Brooklyn played a central role in the gathering, particularly Crown Heights, home to Chabad-Lubavitch's worldwide headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway.
The neighborhood has served as an important center of the movement's religious, educational and community outreach, connecting Jewish residents and visitors with institutions that serve communities across the world.
Recent research from the Jewish Federations of North America found that 38 percent of American Jews were part of the post-Oct. 7 increase in Jewish engagement, up seven percentage points from 2025. Among communally engaged Jews participating in this renewed interest, Chabad was the most common destination.
The conference featured prayers at the Ohel in Queens, the resting place of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the movement's spiritual leader, on Nov. 6. On Nov. 8, thousands of rabbis gathered outside the Crown Heights headquarters for the movement's annual group photograph, a longstanding tradition that documents its international network.
Workshops addressed community development, youth programming, outreach to Jews in isolated areas and the use of artificial intelligence to support administrative work and strengthen personal connections.
The gathering concluded with an international roll call and traditional Hasidic dancing at the Nov. 8 banquet. The proceedings were also made available through a livestream on Chabad.org/Kinus.
