With its sundrenched beaches and relaxed lifestyle, Tampa, Fla., can be an ideal city in which to grow up. For Josh D., the tree-lined streets of Tampa were the backdrop of his childhood. Josh’s father is Italian Catholic, and his mom is Jewish. Growing up, winters were a competition between presents under a tree and colorful candles on the menorah.
In his late teens, Josh began to have questions. He questioned his identity, his roots, his very purpose in life. Always a curious child, at the age of 18, he realized that he knew next to nothing about Judaism. How does a college freshman discover his Jewish soul?
It was 2008; he Googled it.
Mendy Dubrowski grew up in the same sunny city of Tampa, but with a decidedly different childhood. Raised in a Chabad Chassidic home infused with the warmth and light of Torah, Mendy always knew he wanted to be an emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.
When Dubrowski got married, he and his wife, Nechama Dina, moved to South Tampa. There, they found a community to serve: a diverse and growing mix of Jewish young professionals in search of meaning. The Dubrowskis founded Chabad Young Professionals of Tampa, holding Torah classes where no question is taboo, Shabbat meals where no person is unwelcome, and an open home and heart for every person they meet.
The day that Dubrowski opened his inbox to find an email from Josh, a student at the University of South Florida, he was unaware that he was entering a relationship that would span 10 years and two generations. Josh and Mendy met at a local coffee shop and connected right away. Josh’s first time inside a religious home was when he visited the Dubrowskis, where he was moved by the loving environment. Despite his busy college life, Josh became a consistent member of the Jewish community in Tampa, joining classes and social events.
He spent countless hours engaged in conversations about values and ethics, morality and responsibility. Why is it important to marry a Jewish woman? Josh wanted to know. Will you take Judaism for granted or work actively to strengthen your Jewish community? “So much of what we do is relationship-building,” says Dubrowski. “We make beautiful events and learning programs, but it is the relationships with people like Josh that are the heartbeat of our growing community.” Through sports games, social learning events, quiet runs and coffee dates, CYP provides a physical and spiritual space for Jewish people, no matter their background, to foster their personal growth and derive inspiration from one another.
Josh eventually took two trips to Israel with his mother, grandmother and Dubrowski. He began to take a leadership role in communal activities and engage in Jewish activities more frequently. “As I grew closer to the Rabbi Mendy and his whole family in my early 20s, the clarity and direction they gave me changed the course I wanted my life to go,” explains Josh. He realized that Torah was important to him, and indeed, that there is infinite value in marrying a Jewish wife. “I would never have met my wife if not for the impact CYP had on my life,” he says.
Today, Josh is married to Dayana—a woman who, like him, is in a growing relationship with G‑d and Judaism. Between Josh’s work in real estate, their shared love of boating and raising their first child, they are a busy family. But one thing they always make time for is their local Chabad. “It’s where I began my journey,” says Josh. “And I’m excited to see what comes next!”
The story of Josh and Mendy is just one of countless across the global Chabad Young Professionals community—one link in a network that spans more than 92 cities and unites tens of thousands of Jews internationally.
To find a local center, visit the Chabad Young Professionals website.
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