Rabbi Yossi Brackman has seen an unprecedented uptick in attendance and engagement over the past two years at the Rohr Chabad-Lubavitch Center at the University of Chicago, which he directs with his wife Baila.

“We’ve been on this campus since 2002, and at our current location since 2010,” he shares. “The location is excellent, so much so that the university tried very hard to buy it from us. But the space could not keep up with our growth, which was less than ideal.”

Just this week, the Brackmans held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a $4 million expansion of their Chabad House, which will allow them to reach and support even more Jewish students.

Before the expansion, fitting even 40 students inside was a squeeze, forcing many programs to move off-campus. Yet, participation kept growing, especially after the Brackmans’ daughter and son-in-law, Rabbi Mendel and Mussie Rapoport, joined the team to focus on graduate students.

“In the past two years, we’ve seen a significant rise in students turning inward to their Jewish identity, and doing so in a deep and meaningful way,” Rabbi Brackman says. “That accelerated our need to create a space where we could offer what they were looking for in a warm, welcoming environment.”

It’s part of a phenomenon dubbed “The Surge” of rising Jewish engagement following the horrific attack of Oct. 7, 2023, which became a catalyst for engaging or reengaging with their Jewish heritage, a true great Jewish awakening. The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) commissioned their first study of this upward trend in the American Jewish community in 2024, and their followup 2025 survey found that even approaching two years since the terror attack, of the Jews who refer to themselves as “only somewhat,” “not very” or “not at all engaged” in Jewish life—making up more than 80% of the Jewish community—over 30% are actively deepening their engagement in Jewish life.

According to the JFNA’s findings, the largest rise has been seen among Jews connected to the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, with 44% reporting deeper engagement in Jewish life since Oct. 7, 2023. “Close to half of those people who are part of this ‘Surge,’ this group showing up more in some way [to Jewish life] … are doing it through Chabad,” said Mimi Kravetz, chief impact and growth officer at JFNA.

Rabbi Brackman notes that Chabad’s lifelong model of engagement is a key reason for that confidence.

“Many of our students first encountered Judaism through Chabad’s international networks for children and teens. Later, they might join a CYP chapter—Chabad Young Professionals. Donors understand that Chabad isn’t just a one-off college experience, it’s a Jewish journey that is together with a person through every stage of life.”

That continuity was felt profoundly at this week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. One alumnus, b, shared that while he attended Chabad regularly as a student, peer pressure and other distractions kept him from growing much in his Judaism at the time. Yet the connection endured: knowing how Chabad had been there for him during his college years led him to seek out his local Chabad center after graduating and moving to Miami. He began attending regularly, and now serves as the Torah reader each week on Shabbos. When he learned of the University of Chicago expansion, he donated generously and flew in for the dedication, recognizing where his Jewish journey began.

The increased attendance and activity at the Rohr Chabad Center at the University of Chicago accelerated the need to expand. Thankfully, their property included a large backyard with ample space to fill.

“The Chicago weather meant we weren’t using it much in the winter, and in the summer the college is out of session,” he explains. “So it was perfect for expanding our Chabad House into it.”

The project added over 5,000 square feet across two stories, including a large multipurpose room for synagogue services and events, a recreation area, a mikvah, and more.

This growth has played out in concrete ways in Chabad centers across the world: higher attendance, broader participation, and expansions of Chabad centers around the globe. It has also fueled a wave of new Chabad emissaries. Over the past year, every week, an average of two new Chabad couples have set out to establish or join Chabad centers worldwide.

They join more than 6,500 Chabad rabbis and rebbetzins already dedicating their lives to bringing Judaism to their fellow Jews, following the call of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.

“The consistent growth is completely in line with what we’re seeing on the ground,” says Brackman. “So many more people are searching, looking for something real, something authentic,”

“It Gives Them Hope”

In the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Rabbi Yisroel Altein has also noticed this phenomenon. He and his wife, Chani, recently completed an 18-month, $3 million renovation of Chabad of Squirrel Hill, transforming it into a warm, modern, and inviting hub for the local Jewish community.

“Squirrel Hill is a historically Jewish area, and you can find Jews of every background here. But that didn’t mean engagement came easy,” Rabbi Altein explains.

In fact, the building Chabad occupies today had served as a synagogue for decades before the congregation dwindled, eventually merging with others. The Alteins have been working steadily to reverse that trend.

“In the 20 years since we moved to Squirrel Hill, we’ve seen participation consistently grow, and even more dramatically in recent years,” he says.

When they first arrived in the Steel City, their Chabad programs were held in the gym of the local Jewish girls’ school. By 2021, Chabad had purchased the former home of the New Light Congregation, with renovations started in 2024 to create a space aligned with the community’s growing needs.

“The synagogue was a time capsule from the 1970s, nostalgic for some, but not exactly a draw for the younger crowd,” Rabbi Altein recalls. “We renovated the entire interior to make it welcoming, contemporary, and functional. We wanted people to walk in and feel this is their place.”

The $3 million project was funded almost entirely by local support.

“People gave according to their ability, with donations ranging from $10 to $250,000,” Rabbi Altein says. “It was incredible to see the trust, the belief, the desire to invest in a vibrant Jewish future.”

“What people are seeing is real, meaningful Jewish engagement happening here. They see others being drawn in. And that gives them hope for the future of Judaism, and for the future of the Jewish people.”

That sense of hope is reflected in broader trends as well. JFNA’s recent study found that the mid-lifers they spoke with in their qualitative research attributed positive Jewish experiences to Chabad more than to any other organization. The same study revealed that nearly half of Chabad participants identify as unaffiliated, underscoring Chabad’s uniquely broad reach across the Jewish spectrum.

In the Heart of the City

This comes as no surprise to Rabbi Zalmy Dubinsky, who, along with his wife Mushka, co-direct Chabad Young Professionals Raleigh, N.C. The Dubinskys recently completed renovations on a $4 million dollar property in downtown Raleigh, which now serves as the chapter’s permanent home.

“When we first moved down, we operated out of a townhouse that could fit 15 people around the table,” Rabbi Dubinsky recalls. “Now, our Shabbat dinners regularly draw about 100 attendees.”

The Dubinskys closed on their new building, formerly a distillery, this past January. They began using it immediately, renovating section by section to meet their growing needs.

“We’re seeing a generation of young Jews who want to connect and find deeper meaning,” Rabbi Dubinsky says. “They’re looking to connect with G‑d, with their Jewish identity, and with like-minded Jews. That’s especially true in a place like Raleigh, which doesn’t have the same established Jewish presence as the Northeast or West Coast. It’s easy to feel isolated until they discover community.”

And, like in Pittsburgh, the project was largely enabled by the support of their own community.

“The lead gift came from a local couple, and the backbone of the $4.5 million campaign came from the broader community, older donors and young professionals alike,” Rabbi Dubinsky explains. “From $1,000 to $1 million, the common refrain we heard was, ‘This is the largest single gift I’ve ever given.’ People really stretched themselves because they believe in what we’re building, literally and figuratively.”

Meanwhile, across the country, in one of California’s top three cities with the highest percentage of residents aged 65 and older, a new Chabad emissary couple is being welcomed specifically to serve the youth.

Rabbi Sholom and Sarale Posner, who recently moved to Rancho Mirage, will be directing and expanding a full slate of youth-oriented programs, including a Hebrew school, summer camp, CTeen chapter, and Kosher Food Club. And, Rabbi Posner explains, there’s no contradiction between the city’s demographics and their mission.

“Although it’s often seen as a retirement community, the Coachella Valley has seen a real uptick in young Jewish families over the past few years,” he says. “Engagement with our children’s programming has grown by 40%. With new family homes being built across the area, including one development right across the street from Chabad, those numbers are only going to rise.”

Rabbi Posner is no stranger to the city. A Rancho Mirage native, he grew up watching his parents, Rabbi Shimon and Chaya Posner, establish and lead Chabad of Rancho Mirage, and experienced the city change from a retirement destination into a vibrant option for younger families.

“We visited several times over the past year to prepare for launching full-time youth programs, and what we saw absolutely amazed us,” Rabbi Posner recalls.

One moment that stood out was Simchas Torah, the holiday celebrating the completion and renewal of the Torah with joyful dancing.

“The children were the ones who didn’t want to leave,” he says. “They were the most excited, the most energetic. In particular, there were three boys, not yet bar mitzvah, who danced from the first hakafah until the last, uplifting the entire community.”

That solidified their decision to move full-time and invest in youth programming, breathing new energy into Chabad of Rancho Mirage and ensuring the next generation receives the attention it deserves.

“When we see scenes like that, we know the future is bright,” Rabbi Posner says. “These are Jews who are proud to live their Judaism out loud.”

That is the mission shared by 6,500 Chabad emissaries around the world. As they gather this weekend in New York for the 42nd International Conference of Chabad Emissaries (Kinus Hashluchim), they do so to draw renewed strength for the work ahead, whether that means building a multi-million-dollar center or inspiring a single Jewish child to dance with pride in their heritage.