Chabad at Yale kicked off its multi-million dollar renovation project with a groundbreaking ceremony at the future home of the new Bender Chabad House and Berger Family Building.

Founded by Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Shua and Sara Rosenstein in 2002, the Chabad House is expected to move into its new digs – about eight times larger than its current 1,100-square-foot space – in 2013. The Bender Chabad House is named in honor of a $1.8 million gift from Yale University alumnus and Chabad at Yale chairman Norman Bender in memory of his parents. The Berger Family Building is named in honor of Herman and Faye Berger – great-grandparents of private investor and Yale alumnus Brad Berger, who announced a $1 million naming donation earlier this year – and four of their children, who perished in the Holocaust.

Attendees of Sunday’s ceremony included Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Rosa Delauro.


Yale University alumnus and Chabad at Yale chairman Norman Bender, left, Rabbi Shua Rosenstein, and private investor Brad Berger listen as Connecticut Rep. Rosa Delauro addresses the groundbreaking ceremony outside the future home of the Bender Chabad House and Berger Family Building. The Bender Chabad House is named in honor of a $1.8 million gift from Yale University alumnus and Chabad at Yale chairman Norman Bender in memory of his parents.


Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Shua and Sara Rosentstein, who founded Chabad at Yale in 2002, present a ceremonial ram’s horn to private investor and Yale alumnus Brad Berger, who in January announced a $1 million naming donation in honor of his great-grandparents Herman and Faye Berger and four of their children, who perished in the Holocaust. The Berger Family Building is named in honor of Herman and Faye Berger – great-grandparents of private investor and Yale alumnus Brad Berger, who announced a $1 million naming donation earlier this year – and four of their children, who perished in the Holocaust.


Brad Berger’s sister Leslie Mendell and Rabbi Shua Rosenstein hold the ceremonial ram’s horn given posthumously in honor Martin Berger, who passed away suddenly one week before the ceremony. Berger’s son Greg Berger and widow Karen Berger stand beside Rosentstein.


Brad Berger shovels a scoop of dirt at Sunday’s groundbreaking ceremony as, from left, Greg Berger, Rabbi Shua Rosenstein, Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Norman Bender and Yale Provost Peter Salovey look on.


Rabbi Shua Rosenstein guides his daughter Rochel into position at Sunday’s groundbreaking.


Norman Bender, second from right, donated $1.8 million to the renovation project.


Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal addresses the gathering.