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By COLlive reporter

A new communal workspace in Crown Heights for Jewish working people was launched Monday with a wine and sushi buffet and a lecture by a social entrepreneur and educator.

Located at 510 Empire Blvd., the service was opened by the Crown Heights Young Entrepreneurs (CHYE) group, offering high-speed internet access and onsite proofreading and critiquing for business writing.

It is the crystallization of more than 5 years of work by Rabbi Yehoshua Werde, who heads CHYE, with the youth and young professionals of the Crown Heights Jewish community.

“We often forget that all of the Rebbeim, dating back to the Baal Shem Tov, put great importance on attending to the livelihood of the Jewish community,” said Werde, who uses the space on Shabbos for the Besht Center, a local shul.

“We’re blessed with many programs that inspire greatness in those that wish to serve as shluchim and rabbonim,” he said. “Our vision with CHYE is to impart the skills for success in those looking to enter the world of business.”

40 of the male participants were told that since it was opened a year ago, the CHYE has attracted some 300 people to its networking and educational events, in addition to a mentorship program.

The group say that attendees are encouraged to “share skills and knowledge with the future generation of Crown Heights businessmen and women.”

“A center like this is vital for the community,” said Steve Mariotti, author and founder of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) who praised the role of group and its important role in the community.

Through such work, “we can identify those gifted with the entrepreneurial spirit… unlocking the key to a new generation of prosperity,” he said.

Following brief remarks by Levi Teitlebaum, a founding member of the group, an award was given to Lavie Popack, founder and CEO of MPower Energy which sells electricity and natural gas in the New York City area.

Popack’s company was announced as the Donor of the Month.

“It’s important to know, that no matter how much you grow, you must never lose track of where you have come from,” he said, crediting advice he has been receiving from his father, property owner Yossi Popack.

Popack also credited the importance of having a “mastermind” or brain-trust to tap into for advice. “CHYE’s programming provides this powerful tool for young entrepreneurs,” he said.