Hi! I am MENDY HERSON, Executive Director of Chabad of Greater Somerset County. My family and I have lived in Basking Ridge for close to 30 years (I grew up in West Orange), and I've really enjoyed these years in the area. I find tremendous meaning in Chabad thought, which I regularly study. I also find inspiration in my memories of the years I spent in the 'orbit' of the Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory. He was a very empowering person. I wish I had more time to spend with the friends I've made here. I've learned so much from the people who walk through our doors, I'd like to slow down and soak it in. My wife Malkie and I have eight wonderful children. They too have much to teach me; G‑d give me the presence of mind to be a receptive student. I feel very blessed to spend my days doing something I love, with people who are truly awesome.
My name is MALKIE HERSON, Educational Director at the Chabad Center, and Co-Director along with my husband, Rabbi Mendy. He and I also are the proud parents of eight children - five boys and three girls. Perhaps it is that high dosage of 'yin' and 'yang' in our home that caused me to have such great appreciation for dichotomy! I enjoy the chaotic energy that life often brings, yet I also love the occasional moments of solitude to reflect and retreat within. Energy and Reflection. Doing and Being. Exhaling and Inhaling. Weekdays and Shabbat. Like the city and suburb: I love the high energy of urban living, the lights, the commotion, even the smells! Surrounded by those sensory stimuli makes me feel alive. Standing behind a city bus, inhaling the pollution, against the noisy visual and auditory backdrop...ahh! However, I also like suburban life. Lying down on the grass at midnight, looking at the uninterrupted expanse of the inky black sky, looking at the stars so far way twinkling against the seemingly infinite... The cosmic largesse helps me put my own life into perspective. I'm not afraid to ask questions and have a passion for exploration. That exploration also includes the search for the beautiful potential that lies within you, me and wonderful world around us. Therein lies the motivation for my desire to create a truly child-focused preschool and Hebrew School where adults and children alike can access their inner potential.
Hi, my name is MENDEL SHEMTOV.
Hi, my name is CHAYA SHEMTOV.