Houston Center Honors 5 Families

by MICHAEL C. DUKE – JHVonline

The CHAI Learning Center of West Houston celebrated its fifth anniversary at a gala honoring five families whose instrumental contributions have helped the community reach this significant milestone.

Hundreds gathered at Hotel Sorella CityCentre on Sept. 23 to praise Rabbi Dovid and Elisa Goldstein for their dedicated leadership at the West Houston branch of Chabad Lubavitch of Texas.

The Goldsteins, in turn, honored five families – Ron and Mirl Cohen, Ralph and Carmen Grenville, Jacob and Clara Rosenzweig, Dr. Michel and Lily Shapiro and Deborah Warner – for their commitments to help make the CHAI Learning Center a growing and thriving epicenter on the city’s west side for Jewish engagement, education and observance.

“One program at a time, one person at a time, we’ve managed to reach hundreds of people and touch hundreds of lives through the CHAI Learning Center of West Houston,” said the charismatic Rabbi Goldstein, who was described as a “lamplighter” who has “ignited the Jewish spark in West Houston.”

“Tonight we are celebrating the five years of work and the many people reached through this work. But, there are so many people who we have not yet touched and they have not had the opportunity to connect with Judaism in a way that resonates with them,” the rabbi said.

“As we look into our future here at CHAI, we ask what’s more important than celebrating the past. It is our commitment to the future,” he said.

Rabbi Goldstein used the occasion of CHAI’s five-year anniversary to redouble the center’s efforts to reach out to more Jews on the city’s west side and provide them with greater, joyous opportunities for Jewish connection.

CHAI Learning Center of Houston offers a wide variety of educational and spiritual programs for children and adults. The center is located at 14133 Memorial Dr., #1. For information, visit westchabad.org.