A couple marrying in Crown Heights found their well wishers at the windows of the neighborhood as they cruised by with the top down. Image by twitter

By Helen Chernikoff March 20, 2020

Couples who are marrying amid coronavirus have had to slash their guest lists. Nowhere is this trend more visible than Crown Heights, the Brooklyn neighborhood that’s the headquarters of the global Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

The world headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway — often referred to just as “770” — was shuttered by the virus for the first time in its history. Normally, the building and the surrounding area is a favorite location for weddings among Chabad’s international flock. During the times of year when weddings are popular, and permissible according to Jewish law, commuters arriving home on the subway might ascend to street level to witness sprawling crowds celebrating a wedding right next to 770 several nights a week.

A newly married couple cruised the Crown Heights streets looking for cheers and congratulations, and got them — coronavirus-style. Image by Courtesy of Leah Zagelbaum

One couple held a wedding there Wednesday with the usual accoutrements of music, flower girls and confetti — but far fewer guests than normal. By Thursday night, another couple determined to receive their due in good cheer decided on a different strategy: They took to the streets in a convertible, after disseminating their planned route.

From the video, at least, it seems they got what they needed.

As a public service during this pandemic, the Forward is providing free, unlimited access to all coronavirus articles. If you’d like to support our independent Jewish journalism, click here to make a donation.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount