OUR COMMUNITY
Chabad JCC Grand Opening
More than 100 people attend program with Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein. DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER JAMIE FELDMAN
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ver 100 Jews came together March 7 for the grand opening of the Chabad Jewish Community Center located in Auburn Hills. The event featured a ribbon cutting, building dedication, live music and a talk by Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein. More than two years after opening the Chabad Jewish Center of Troy, Rabbi Menachem and Chana Caytak took the next step in Fall 2021: signing a lease for the JCC after operating out of multiple locations for the two years prior. The center is focusing on reaching out to Jews who live throughout northern Oakland County, including Troy, Rochester, Rochester Hills and even out to Lake Orion, as well as east, going into Macomb County. Located in the heart of downtown Auburn Hills, the Chabad JCC will be a base for everything Jewish and for every type of Jew, regardless of affiliation or observance, with children, teen, Oakland University and community programming.
The new Chabad JCC was packed for the grand opening.
“The goal of the center is to provide a home for every Jew in the area”, said Rabbi Menachem Caytak. “The Jewish Community Center is following the vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneersohn, accepting every Jew, regardless of their background or upbringing.” Many members of the community, who had never engaged in Jewish com-
Rabbi Menachem and Chana Caytak cut the ribbon.
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munal events before Caytak knocked on their doors, spoke at the event. Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, vice president of Chabad Lubavitch of Michigan, says it’s an exciting opportunity to start a JCC in this location with the warmth and spirit of creating and being there for the community. “Many people walking in here were not involved in any formal Jewish organization, but now they’re here, and this is a
