Chabad of Downtown is located in the center of the main business and shopping area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Under the leadership of Rabbi Yoseph Samuels, it serves as a center of spiritual education and inspirations for Milwaukee's professional Jewish community of lawyers, real estate agents, doctors, and business executives. It houses Milwaukee's largest Jewish video library and sponsors a full schedule of classes, 'lunch n' learn's, and other Jewish activities throughout the day. Rabbi Samuels also gives dozens of private classes with busy professionals at their place of business.
History
Chabad of Downtown was initiated in 1990 with the blessing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and is independently financed by the Jewish businessmen with whom Rabbi Samuels has been learning since his arrival in Milwaukee in 1980. After ten years of watching Rabbi Samuels' growth and success, these downtown professionals desired ot have a physical center conveniently located to their work, and from where Rabbi Samuels could reach out and touch the lives of other Jewish professionals just like them.
Today
Chabad of Downtown serves also as a base for Rabbi Samuels' chaplaincy work with "out of towners" - many from Israel - who come for medical treatment at Milwaukee's well known specialty hospitals. His chaplaincy work is renowned for the hospitality he offers these guests, many of whom count on him not only for spiritual and emotional fortitude, but also for the basics of a home cooked meal, a ride to the local shopping center, or a warm embrace and supporting hand during difficult times.
The work of Chabad of Downtown continues well past business hours. In the evenings and on Sundays, Rabbi Samuels is busy visiting the homes of business people he serves during the week. He is a close family friend, guiding the children through Bar and Bat mitzvah preparations, offering counseling and advice in all live cycle events, and bringing a spirit of Judaism and G‑dliness into the home.
He has the only Sukkah Mobile in Wisconsin, usually parked on Milwaukee's downtown streets, but often seen traveling throughout the city and suburbs as far away as Kenosha, where he served for years as Official Chabad Shliach to this rural community on the Wisconsin/Illinois border.
When you call Chabad of Downtown you can listen over the phone to a talk by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, a story for children, or even hear the shofar during Elul (the month preceding Rosh Hashanah), or a siyum during the Nine Days.
And if you're having trouble getting through to Chabad of Downtown, it could be that Rabbi Samuels is on one of his numerous tours to Israel where he leads groups, individuals, and couples on what may be the most unique, jam-packed and inspirational tour of Israel currently available.
From the warm embers that were first kindled in 1990, Chabad of Downtown has grown to become a brilliant source of warmth and light, a proud and shining flame among the lamplighters of Chabad in Wisconsin and Chabad-Lubavitch throughout the world.