On the last night of Chol Hamoed Sukkot, Gov. Jon Corzine attended a lively musical event with hundreds of New Jersey residents at the Chabad sukkah at Rutgers University. This Sunday evening event was uniquely called "Sushi in the Sukkah," and more than 300 students and adults came from Rutgers University and throughout central and southern New Jersey.
The governor was met with loud cheers and applause as he stepped into the sukkah. Sandy Shmueli and Orchestra had the entire crowd off their chairs and joining with a lively dance with the governor for more than 30 minutes.
During the program, Rabbi Yosef Carlebach, director of Chabad activities, noted that this year was the second Sukkah Party honored by the governor's presence, and in fact, New Jersey was the only state that had a sukkah built in the governor's residence and a governor officially attending a public sukkah event. The rabbi presented the governor with a silver "pushka" (charity box), and a special dollar bill that the rabbi had received from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson in 1992. The governor emotionally received the "pushka" and stated that he would place it in a prominent place in his office, and he would cherish the Rebbe's dollar and blessing.