A Rabbi for Your Story
Journalists, producers and editors: when your story needs a rabbi’s voice in Buffalo, Rabbi Mendy Labkowski is available for interviews, on-camera comment and expert background — on your deadline.
Authoritative, accessible and local
Buffalo through and through
A lifelong Buffalonian raised in Amherst and based downtown, he knows the city, the region and its Jewish community firsthand.
Rabbinic authority
Ordained both as a rabbi and as a rabbinic judge, with advanced training in Jewish law and ethics.
The front-line view
As a chaplain with the Buffalo Police Department, Kaleida Health and ECMC, he speaks from real experience of crisis, grief and care.
Camera- and mic-ready
Clear, concise and quotable, with appearances on WGRZ, WKBW, WIVB and WBEN and coverage in The Forward and JNS.
Topics he speaks to
- Jewish holidays & traditions — what they mean and how they are observed
- Jewish life in Buffalo & Western New York — community, growth and local events
- Antisemitism & community safety — hate incidents and how the community responds
- Israel & world events — their impact on Jewish families here at home
- Grief, tragedy & crisis response — a chaplain’s perspective after hard news
- Faith & first responders — spiritual care for police and healthcare workers
- Jewish law & ethics — religious questions raised by the news
- Civic life & public ceremonies — Jewish participation in Buffalo’s public square
For your story
How to identify him
Rabbi Mendy Labkowski, founder and executive director of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life of Buffalo and a chaplain with the Buffalo Police Department
Short bio
Rabbi Mendy Labkowski is the founder and executive director of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life of Buffalo and director of Chabad Young Professionals Buffalo. A lifelong Buffalonian raised in Amherst, he received rabbinical ordination from the Central Chabad Yeshiva, Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch, and judicial ordination as a rabbinic judge. He serves as a chaplain with the Buffalo Police Department and at Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center (ECMC). Full biography.
Photos
Web-resolution photos are below; high-resolution images are available on request.
Recent coverage
See Buffalo Rabbi in the News for television, radio and press coverage, and Community for his public events and leadership in Buffalo.
Questions from newsrooms
Is Rabbi Labkowski available for comment on breaking news?
Yes. Call or text 716-545-6806 — that is the fastest way to reach him on deadline. He can comment by phone, on camera or in writing, and will do his best to meet your timeline.
Can he explain a Jewish holiday or custom for a feature story?
Absolutely. He regularly explains the meaning and practice of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Chanukah, Purim, Passover and other observances in plain language, and can help you get names, terms and details right.
Can he come to our studio or meet a crew on location?
Yes. Rabbi Labkowski is based in downtown Buffalo and can come to studios across the region or meet you on location. Phone and video interviews are also available.
Is he available on Shabbat or Jewish holidays?
Rabbi Labkowski is not available from Friday sundown to Saturday nightfall, or on major Jewish holidays. For holiday coverage, reach out a few days ahead and he will gladly record or schedule an interview before the holiday begins.
Working on a story?
For a rabbi’s comment, interview or background on a story in Buffalo and Western New York, reach Rabbi Labkowski directly.