Chapel Haven Schleifer Center (CHSC) was selected as the 2025 Honoree for the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven’s Annual Awards Celebration and Brunch.
This prestigious award recognized CHSC’s longstanding commitment to inclusion, empowerment, and community impact.
During a brunch and awards ceremony Sunday, October 19 at the JCC of Greater New Haven, CHSC’s history and longevity were memorialized in a moving ceremony that included a violin performance by ASAT student Isaac and speeches from CHSC President Michael Storz, three CHSC adults (Isaac Ohring at left in photo and Debbie Margolis, at right, and Lori Krass) and a keynote address by Harriet Schleifer, a parent and board member.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (pictured) and State Rep. Patricia Dillon also gave welcoming remarks at the event.
The New Haven Independent was on the scene and published this story
Michael Dimenstein, co-president of the Jewish Historical Society, called CHSC a “pillar of our community.”
“Over the past several years we have developed a tradition of celebrating the lives and works of exceptional contributors to the quality of life in our Greater New Haven community, and whose legacies are important chapters in the rich history of our local Jewish community,” he said. “Today we recognize and salute Chapel Haven Schleifer Center and the people whose vision established and continue this extraordinary pillar of our community.”
Click here to see a PowerPoint and Slideshow presentation shared at the ceremony.
“We are deeply grateful to be recognized,” Storz said. “I want to acknowledge that events like today can’t happen without passionate champions. I’d like to recognize two of those champions – Michael Dimenstein and Marjorie Drucker – who saw, in the founding of Chapel Haven, a history and a story worth preserving. We thank you for that and we are grateful that the historical society’s archives on our nonprofit will be preserved and shared going forward.”
The event included a slide show of historic photos dating back to CHSC’s founding in a multi-family house on Chapel Haven and a YouTube video from 2002 by Sydney Krass about how he and Jerry Rossman founded CHSC in a multi-family house on Chapel Street. You can view that interview here
Lori Krass, daughter of co-founder Sydney Krass, spoke about how CHSC got started and gave her “top 10” list of favorites about CHSC.
“Number 10: I liked my job working in the cafeteria at Southern Connecticut State University,” Lori said. “Number 2. I love Chapel Haven. And my Number 1 all time favorite memory about Chapel Haven is that My dad started Chapel Haven!”
View Lori’s speech here.
Harriet Schleifer said, “I am incredibly proud of the work that we do at Chapel Haven Schleifer Center every day. To have a program like ours, that takes a young person with autism, or Down Syndrome, or an intellectual disability, who is maximally dependent on Mom and Dad and the family – and gives them a satisfying, independent life – is amazing. Many of the adults who come to us have never had a friend, or made their own social plans; have never held a job or managed their own money; or done any of the things we take for granted for a neurotypical son or daughter. At Chapel Haven Schleifer Center, these things happen all the time.”
Among the skills that adults at CHSC learn, Harriet listed:
- Managing an apartment
- Getting along with roommates
- Managing a budget and grocery shopping
- Cooking and managing a daily routine
- Making a social plan
- Getting and keeping a satisfying job
- Starting or continuing toward a college degree
She noted that on average, adults who go through one of CHSC’s residential programs are able to move into a more independent apartment and require only about 2.9 hours a week of staff check-ins to maintain their independence.
CHSC community member Debbie said she loves her independent life, including two part-time jobs at CHSC and the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven. She also loves the accepting environment.
“When I first arrived at Chapel Haven, I didn’t know how I was going to continue practicing Judaism away from home. I should not have worried. The Chapel Haven staff were incredibly supportive and I taught them a few things…Now that I am working at Chapel Haven, I take days off to observe Jewish Holidays. My colleagues ask interesting questions to understand Jewish observance. Everyone loves Purim because I bring in hamatoshen to share. Chapel Haven has established relationships with BEKI and Westville Synagogue so Chapel Haven students and community members are welcomed.”
Isaac, who is part of Chapel Haven’s ASAT program, said he was honored to speak at the event and also to perform a selection on his violin. He has especially enjoyed being a part of CHSC’s Judaism Club.
“I joined the Judaism club when we celebrated Hanukkah during my first year at Chapel Haven. I was amazed at how many Chapel Haven students and alumni are Jewish, and it was joyful to have so many people in the Jewish community to celebrate the holidays with. I feel at home with other Jewish individuals and having this community made me more comfortable here in New Haven,” he said.
“As a new student at Chapel Haven the Judaism club was a wonderful way to make new friends with similar interests and backgrounds. The club grew bigger and better very quickly and there were multiple events and get togethers. I’m glad to have others to share the Jewish holidays with, including non-Jews who are interested in our culture. It makes me feel that anybody can celebrate, regardless of background.”
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Learn more here about the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven
