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There is a new Noahide cruise ship attraction in San Francisco.
https://jweekly.com/2025/04/07/at-rabbis-79th-birthday-chabad-of-sf-floats-idea-of-cruises-to-educate-the-masses/
At rabbi’s 79th birthday, Chabad of SF floats idea of cruises to educate the masses
by Sue Fishkoff April 7, 2025
Rabbi Yosef Langer, the founder and longtime head of Chabad of SF, celebrated his 79th birthday on Sunday, taking the occasion to promote a new vehicle for public outreach that he hopes will become part of his legacy: the Noah’s Ark Project.
The party was held aboard a boat — not the one he plans on renting for the project, but the Historic Klamath, which is moored permanently at Pier 9 in downtown San Francisco. About 75 people celebrated with Langer and heard how his plans for Noah’s Ark have evolved since they first surfaced in 2020 during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Five years back, Langer told J. he hoped to buy a 75-foot commercial yacht and use it for all sorts of Jewish events, including teen excursions, b’nai mitzvahs, Havdalah cruises and kosher dinners on the water. He had the boat picked out and wanted to raise $500,000 to purchase it.
Five years later, plans have been downsized. Now his goal is to rent that same yacht four times a year, at an annual cost of about $55,000, and use it to “spread the universal laws of morality,” or the so-called Noahide laws. Those are the seven mitzvot, or commandments, that the Talmud says were given by God after the Flood to all people, not just Jews. They cover basic concepts of ethical behavior: do establish laws and don’t curse God, worship idols, commit adultery, murder, rob or eat flesh torn from a living animal.
Those four annual boat trips will involve text study, specifically the Noahide laws, as well as the usual trappings of a party — music, refreshments and socializing.
A major difference between the original concept and the present plan is that now the events will target non-Jews as well as Jews.
“Chabad doesn’t focus on outreach to non-Jews, but we do have the seven mitzvos to tell them about,” said Evan Weissman, who works as an assistant to both Yosef Langer and his son, Rabbi Moshe Langer, who manages operations for Chabad of SF, serves as CEO of its SoMa shul and runs its Pacific Heights branch.
Sunday’s party served as a launch for the new fundraising campaign. The first of this year’s four official events will be scheduled when sufficient funds have been raised.
One of those who took to the podium to praise the project was Richard Sinkoff, former director of environmental programs and planning at the Port of Oakland and a longtime Chabad supporter who has been on the project’s advisory team since the beginning.
“This will bring a spiritual message in a tangible way,” he said, referring to the boat trips, which he believes will help reconnect Bay Area folks to the San Francisco Bay. “Even when you’ve lost your connection, you can always establish it again.”
Added Sinkoff, “This is testament to a man who has done so much to reconnect all of us to our Judaism.”
The party was also used to promote the work of Unite the World, a nonprofit that according to its website has distributed more than a million small, yellow, plastic tzedakah boxes shaped like arks across the world to encourage people to give charity and learn about the Noahide laws.
The “arks” stand for “acts of random kindness,” Unite the World’s CEO, Rabbi Yossi Schulman, said at the party over Zoom from Pennsylvania.
“Every single day, put a coin or a bill in it, then say a kind word to someone, or just smile at them,” he told the crowd. “When you start your day with these acts of kindness, you begin to change the world around you.”
SEE ALSO:
https://collive.com/s-francisco-shliach-marks-birthday-with-noahide-themed-bay-cruise/
Were any Muslims invited?
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