Torah in the Technology Corridor

Coined the “technology corridor” of Illinois, Naperville and its surrounding areas are home to dozens of hi-tech firms and company headquarters for several large companies. The area is also home to approximately 20,000 Jews, and hundreds more Jewish businesspeople make the daily commute from Chicago, some 40 minutes away.

Soon after starting his new job in Naperville, Reuven Cheruff, from Chicago, along with several other businessmen, began organizing a daily minyan for Minchah. Words spread and interest grew, so he asked Rabbi Avrohom Wolowik, then serving as program director for the Cheder Lubavitch Hebrew Day School system in Chicago, to teach a monthly Torah class in private homes in the Naperville area. And the rest, says Rabbi Wolowik, is history. Over two years, the class snowballed into well-attended holiday programs, additional Torah classes, community Shabbatons, until, just six weeks ago, Rabbi Wolowik, his wife Baily, and their three children moved out to Naperville to establish a permanent Chabad presence, under the auspices of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois directed by Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz .

As the only organized Orthodox presence in Naperville, Chabad has already set in motion a full range of community programs and services, including well attended Shabbat services, lunch and learn Torah classes at local business establishments, weekly torah classes, and hospital visitations.

In addition to serving the local population of mostly middle to upper-middle class working families, the Wolowiks will be working with several community and state colleges in the area, with a combined Jewish student population of several thousand.

Currently running operations from their rented home in Naperville, the Wolowiks say they are grateful for the warm reception and strong support of the community. “This is a very friendly, family-oriented community,” says Rabbi Wolowik. “We are focused on enhancing Jewish awareness here, and hope to see a lot of dynamic activity and involvement in Jewish life in this area.”