Rabbi Berel and Chana Grossbaum, together with their lovely children Mendel and Levi, moved to Waterford, MI, in the summer of 2024 to open the Chabad Jewish Center of Waterford, a branch of Chabad Lubavitch of Michigan. Together, they are dedicated to serving the individual needs of each and every one there and building a warm Jewish community.

BEREL

Berel was born in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, to a family of Chabad emissaries. He attended elementary school in Minnesota and went on to study at Yeshiva in Chicago and Buenos Aires, Argentina, later moving to Brooklyn to study at the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva near the Lubavitch Headquarters at ‘770’, where he received his rabbinical ordination in 2022.

From a young age, Berel displayed a passion for volunteering for various Chabad institutions, whether with Jewish children in summer camp, visiting seniors, or just helping out with some Jewish function in the area.  As a student, he would spend his Friday afternoons visiting Jewish businesses and homes, sharing with them the warmth and love of Judaism, as well as the chance to put on Tefillin, light Shabbat candles, or guiding them in the traditions and customs of an upcoming holiday. As his studies grew, so did his commitment to enriching the lives of all the Jewish people he met.

CHANA

Born in Milwaukee, Chana had the great privilege of being brought up in a family of Chabad emissaries. For high school, she attended Chaya Mushka High School in Oak Park, Michigan. After graduating, Chana was hired as the program coordinator for Chabad of Royal Oak, MI. Following that, she worked as a full time preschool teacher at Lamplighters Preschool in Royal Oak and was involved in much of the curriculum planning and design.

Already from a young age, Chana assisted her parents with their work at their Chabad center. She would help prepare for all Chabad events and greet everyone who came, making them feel welcome and at home. As she got older, she began to assist with program planning and youth services. She also taught in their Hebrew school. Her love for nurturing Jewish children’s souls led her to spend all her summers as a camp counselor, giving the children a deeply Jewish and nurturing experience.