11/03/2005
By: Dawn Caminiti
LITCHFIELD-Chabad Lubavitch of Northwest Connecticut gets plenty of help in its mission of spreading the word about the richness of the Jewish faith and culture, and two of its most valuable advocates will reap the dividends of doing good deeds in the form of being honored at the organization's third-annual Community Awards Dinner Sunday.
Attorney Norman Drubner of Washington is to be recognized as Man of the Year for his continuous contributions to the organization, and Charles "Chic" Frosch of Brookfield, president of Union Savings Bank in Danbury, is to be honored with a Community Service Award for the bank's ongoing support of the Jewish Fest, the organization's largest annual event."We are blessed to have such unique people living in our midst, who really exemplify the meaning of selflessly caring for others," Rabbi Joseph Eisenbach said in a press release.The dinner that pays tribute to the honorees is to be held at the Connecticut Grand Hotel in Waterbury. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is the keynote speaker, and Mark and Linda Greenberg and Bob and Emilia Macfarlane are the chairmen of the event.With its headquarters at the Liorah Greenberg Jewish Community Center in Litchfield, Chabad Lubavitch has been serving Litchfield County and the Southbury and Waterbury areas for the past nine years. Its purpose is to educate people about Jewish culture and provide a non-denominational gathering place for those looking to be more involved in the Jewish faith."Chabad Lubavitch exercises the universal motto 'people helping people, no matter race, color or religion,'" Rabbi Eisenbach said. "We have seen the community respond, in astonishing ways, to our educational, social and arts programs."Those programs include a range of holiday celebrations and programs, classes, a summer camp and an annual arts festival. Over its nine years, the organization has been able to offer more and more programs due to the support of local residents. For the past three years, it has been honoring community members who have significantly contributed to the center's growth. A committee chooses each year's honorees. Past award recipients include Mark Greenberg of Litchfield as Man of the Year; Arthur Schaier, an attorney with Carmody and Torrance in Waterbury; Paul Tornaquindici, who owns a chain of ShopRite grocery stores, and Tom Geisler, who sponsored the project that led to a satellite office in Waterbury.Mr. Drubner, an attorney and real estate investor, is being honored for his ongoing involvement with the organization. He got involved with the Chabad Lubavitch when he moved to Washington about three years ago. While he belongs to a synagogue in Waterbury, he supports the Chabad Lubavitch because he recognizes the important service it provides for members of the region's Jewish community."What they do, not only in Litchfield but everywhere, is reach out and offer as much or as little as people want by teaching about Jewish life, rituals and culture without setting too many rules," Mr. Drubner said. "I think there is a real need for this kind of movement. ... A lot of families are looking to be a part of those traditions and cultures, but may be put off by a formal synagogue and this really helps. I think it's done a lot of good."Mr. Frosch leads a bank that has offices throughout Litchifeld and Fairfield Counties, and has been a supporter of Chabad Lubavitch for several years. He is being recognized at the dinner for its contributions to the New England Jewish Music and Art Festival. It is the Chabad's largest annual event, which includes Jewish craft sessions, music and food. Union Savings Bank started as a minor supporter and is now the key sponsor to the event."We're happy to have an opportunity to support it. It's a major event for them," Mr. Frosch said. "As a mutual savings bank, we see it as our responsibility to support the community and help it to prosper."For additional information about the dinner, or to attend, visit the Web site, www.thedinner.org, send an e-mail to dinner@chabadnw.com or contact the center office at 860-567-3609 or 800-297-6864. Additional information about the programs and services offered through Chabad Lubavitch can be found on its Web site, www.chabadnw.com.
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