Chabad is a place where everyone is welcome!

Chabad of Shrewsbury and UMass is a warm and welcoming Jewish community where everyone can connect with their Jewish heritage, regardless of background or level of observance.

Through Shabbat services, holiday celebrations, educational programs, and community events, we strive to make Jewish life meaningful, accessible, and joyful for individuals and families throughout Shrewsbury and the UMass Medical area.

Whether you are deeply connected to your Judaism or simply looking to explore, there is a place for you at Chabad.

Meet the Rabbi & Rebbetzin

Rabbi Shmulik and Sarah Fogelman are dedicated to creating a welcoming Jewish home for the Shrewsbury and UMass community.

Rabbi Shmulik was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, and is a third-generation Rabbi Fogelman. He received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva Machon Menachem in Boca Raton, Florida.

Sarah grew up in Toronto, Canada, and became involved in Chabad programs from a young age, teaching Hebrew School, working in summer camps, and helping organize children's Shabbat services. She later studied in Melbourne, Australia, and worked with The Friendship Circle in Parkland, Florida.
In 2017, the Fogelman’s opened their Chabad House with a vision of building a vibrant Jewish community.
Rabbi Shmulik and Sarah, together with their children, are passionate about creating meaningful Jewish experiences and ensuring that everyone who walks through Chabad's doors feels welcomed, valued, and at home.

Chabad on Campus Club at UMass Chan Medical School

Club Presidents:

Maia Shalev, Rachel Goldstein, Zoe Wolfson

Chabad-Lubavitch

Chabad-Lubavitch is a philosophy, a movement, and an organization. It is considered to be the most dynamic force in Jewish life today

Philosophy:
The word "Chabad" is a Hebrew acronym for three intellectual faculties: Chochmah (wisdom), Binah (comprehension), and Da'at (knowledge). Chabad philosophy teaches an understanding and recognition of the Creator, the role and purpose of Creation, and the importance and unique mission of each individual. This philosophy guides a person to refine and govern their actions and feelings through wisdom, comprehension, and knowledge.

The word "Lubavitch" is the name of the town in White Russia where the movement was based for more than a century. The name conveys the spirit of responsibility and love that Chabad philosophy inspires toward every Jew.

Movement:
Following its inception more than 250 years ago, the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, a branch of Hasidism, spread throughout Russia and surrounding countries. Over time, Chabad philosophy and its adherents reached communities around the world and today have an impact on many facets of Jewish life.

Leadership:
The movement is guided by the teachings of its seven leaders, or Rebbes, beginning with Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812). These leaders developed profound teachings on Jewish philosophy and mysticism while emphasizing the spiritual and physical well-being of the Jewish people.

In our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, known simply as "the Rebbe," inspired the growth of Jewish communities and institutions around the world.

Organization:
The origins of today's Chabad-Lubavitch organization can be traced to the early 1940s, when the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880–1950), appointed his son-in-law and later successor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, to lead the movement's educational and social service efforts.

Motivated by his profound love for every Jew, the Rebbe established and inspired a vast network of programs, services, and institutions dedicated to serving the Jewish people.

Today, thousands of Chabad emissary families serve Jewish communities around the world, applying Chabad's centuries-old principles and philosophy through educational, social, and community institutions dedicated to the welfare of the Jewish people.