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Spotlight: Luba Greenberg

By JONNA RUBIN (Contact)

Friday, March 16, 2007

Life as the rabbi's wife: Luba Greenberg is not only married to Rabbi Mendy Greenberg of Chabad of Bonita Springs and Estero, she is, as her husband put it, "the heart and soul of the organization."

Photo by JONNA RUBIN / Banner

Greenberg joins her husband to lead Chabad of Bonita Springs and Estero.

And indeed it appears to be true for Greenberg. The 29 year-old mom of three small children has a host of duties that extend well beyond keeping the home fires burning, particularly while Chabad is still seeking a permanent location.

In addition to running a newly-formed Jewish Juniors Club, where kids and parents get together to learn more about their faith, Greenberg hosts weekly Friday night dinners at her home to honor the Shabbat, as well as community gatherings such as Purim, sometimes cooking meals for up to 100 people. She also heads up a variety of events for local Jewish women, including a book club focused on learning more about Judaism.

"I'm kind of the kosher caterer of the area, too," said Greenberg. "But I enjoy it — it's really a lot of fun. We came into this job as a team, and I'm happy to do whatever needs to be done."

Best part of the job: "Fulfilling a lifelong dream to build a stronger Jewish community," said Greenberg. "Whatever the struggles, whatever the challenges, this is part of the experience, and it's very, very good. Life just isn't about being only for ourselves."

Biggest challenge: Greenberg, who originally hails from Brooklyn, cites the lack of built-in Jewish community as a stumbling block when getting started.

"In Brooklyn, there's a Jewish network. One Jew knows the next Jew up the block who can help, and so on," said Greenberg. "Here, you have to look for them, and it's harder to get there. There's no ringleader like there would be in Brooklyn. But it's getting better."

Community cares: Despite the lack of built-in community, Greenberg is quick to point out that she and her husband couldn't survive without the help from their friends and fellow Jews. "People help me every day — so many people," said Greenberg. "Even if it's just to hold my baby for five minutes so I can finish cooking, everyone is so supportive. Chabad wouldn't be what it is today without the help of the community."