There’s a Chabad center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where it is said that George Washington himself has stayed in and stopped in for tea.
Chabad-Lubavitch of Flatbush has been housed in the Wyckoff-Bennett Homestead, a Dutch Colonial farmhouse on Brooklyn’s Kings Highway, since 2024, but the landmark farmhouse has been standing since around 1766.
The Wyckoff-Bennett Homestead is marked by its Revolutionary past. Built on what was then roughly 120 acres, the farmhouse was built in what is now Flatbush. During the war, German soldiers, colloquially referred to as Hessian, were quartered there. Two of them left their names and ranks scratched into the window glass. It was during this time, local legend suggests, that Washington passed through the property to drink tea.
For nearly two centuries, the property remained in the hands of two families before it passed in 1983 to a couple who loved history and antiques. They cared for the house until their passing, after which their children, who could not care for it, sold it.
The building later fell into serious neglect. A developer eventually took ownership, but the property deteriorated further. Historical items were removed, and squatters moved in. When Rabbi Zalman and Chana Liberow acquired the landmark in December 2024 for Congregation Chabad Lubavitch of Flatbush, the main house was empty and in disrepair. The adjacent barn, which carries an 1899 date on its beams, was in even worse condition. The Liberows invested significant resources to restore the barn as a usable space. It now serves as their current sanctuary while approvals are secured for work on the main house, where the family plans to live.
The transformation has brought the homestead more than new walls and a fresh coat of paint. Neighbors, both Jewish and not, have expressed strong relief that someone was finally caring for the long-neglected property.
“They were so happy—everyone is thrilled that someone finally is doing something good with the property,” said the rabbi. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to get such a welcome.”
Liberow says the restored historic homestead has opened a door to those who might otherwise stay at a distance.
“The center has such a unique history that people can’t help but be interested in learning more,” he said. “We knew that when we were looking into acquiring the property, and we thought it would help us reach more people, spread more Judaism and actualize the Rebbe’s vision. That’s the main thing.”
As the country prepares to mark 250 years of independence, the Flatbush homestead is one of at least four Chabad-Lubavitch centers operating out of buildings tied to the Revolutionary War. Each followed a similar path: a structure raised for travelers, soldiers or settlers, left to decline, and then bought and restored by Chabad emissaries who have turned it into thriving centers of Jewish life.
A Tavern on the Road to Lancaster
On a lively stretch of Montgomery Avenue in Merion Station, Pa., the General Wayne Inn still stands much as it did when it was built.
It carries with it a long and storied history. Built in 1704, the stone-and-timber establishment stood along the main road that ran from Philadelphia toward Lancaster. It was a popular stop for wearied travelers seeking rest and refreshment. A Friends Meeting House, where Quakers who opposed war gathered, was located nearby, while the inn itself served as a local gathering place for revolutionaries long before the colonies broke from Britain.
Before the Revolution, it was used as a post office for King George, and several Revolutionary War battles later took place in the surrounding area of the inn. The building’s location made it a natural stop for those moving through the region during those decisive years, which is why historians believe that General George Washington and other Revolutionary leaders almost certainly used the inn for their purposes.
Today, the same building stands but serves a very different purpose. In 1999, Rabbi Shraga and Michal Sherman, directors of Chabad of the Main Line, opened a small storefront on Montgomery Avenue to serve the growing Jewish community. It wouldn’t take long for them to need bigger accommodations. By 2005, the former tavern had stood empty for several years after a difficult period. The Shermans and the community saw an opportunity, and they purchased the landmark. After careful renovations, the historic inn was turned into a synagogue and community center while preserving its historic character.
The once-dilapidated structure in a very Jewish neighborhood is now bustling. Its location on a busy stretch of Montgomery Avenue, where thousands of cars pass each day, gives the center strong public visibility. People who might never have entered a synagogue notice the activity and sometimes stop in. What was once a roadside pub now hosts Shabbat services, classes and holiday programs that welcome Jews of every level of observance.
A Stagecoach Stop
The former Three Bears property in Westport, Conn., evokes the memory of earlier American travels. Parts of the building date back to its days as a stagecoach stop. For more than a century, it operated as a well-known restaurant and inn, hosting weddings and community gatherings.
Rabbi Yehudah Leib Kantor, of Chabad of Westport, recalled the building’s closeness to the road. “You can almost imagine people pulling off and coming into the tavern,” he said.
When Chabad acquired the landmark around 2012, the Kantors had already been serving the community since 1997 from various temporary spaces.
The rabbi described the timing of the move as a miracle.
“G‑d leads the footsteps of man,” he said. “It was available, and its historic nature, plus the very open parking arrangement, really lent itself well to our needs.”
Chabad of Westport carried out a careful renovation that preserved the exterior and some original interior elements. As a result of their careful work, they received a historical preservation award.
The building’s historic sign now hangs inside the property. Kantor explained the intention behind keeping these traces of the past: “We have taken the old sign, the Three Bears restaurant sign, and we’ve put it inside the building to preserve some of the history,” he said. “The point of taking a historic site and making it relevant today with traditional values of the past really blend together in a beautiful manner. Because you’re really bringing the past into the present to create the future.”
The Birthplace of American Liberty
The Chabad Center of Lexington, Mass., developed in a property directly tied to the opening of the American Revolution. Ensign Joseph Simonds lived on the site, 9 Burlington St., at the time of the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.
The Simonds family had settled in the area generations earlier and were among the major landowners in the northern part of town. Lexington itself is known as the Birthplace of American Liberty, the place where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired on the Battle Green.
The house remained a private residence for many years. It passed through different owners until the Chabad Center of Lexington acquired the property in 1985. The center, founded by Rabbi Alter Bukiet and Mrs. Sarah Bukiet, with their children Rabbi Yisroel and Mali New serving as associate directors, hosts a preschool, Hebrew school, adult education, synagogue services and community outreach. The center has since expanded to include a purpose-built facility on the same property.
Keeping the Lights on in America’s Oldest Rooms
In these historic structures, what was once a tavern, farmhouse, stagecoach stop or colonial home now serves as a place of Jewish prayer, learning and community building.
This pattern is consistent throughout; they are not preserved as museums, but serve as active centers where families gather for Shabbat, children attend classes, and neighbors find community.
The lights that once guided travelers and soldiers now guide a different kind of journey—one that keeps the past alive by making it relevant in the present.
For Kantor, the connection between the historic buildings and their current usage runs deeper
than architecture.
“This is a country that was built on religious freedom,” he said. “The founding fathers had the Biblical values in mind. To be living here with pride and with all the liberties, not freedom from religion but freedom of religion, is a very powerful thing in a very special place in the world. It’s an opportunity to create light and spread it outwards.”
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