About Chabad of
Winter Garden
Led by Rabbi Mendy & Sheina Konikov
Chabad of Winter Garden offers a warm, inclusive, and inspiring Jewish experience for every Jew — regardless of background, affiliation, or level of observance.
Rabbi Mendy has led Jewish programs and community initiatives across the globe — from Iceland to North Dakota, from Cambodia to Egypt — bringing Jewish life, warmth, and connection wherever he goes.
Founded in 2025 to meet a growing need for connection and community in the greater Winter Garden area, Chabad of Winter Garden was built on one clear vision: a vibrant, welcoming home where individuals and families feel valued, supported, and inspired.
With no barriers to entry and no membership requirements, our doors are open to all. Entirely supported by the generosity of our partners and supporters, we continue to expand our impact while remaining deeply personal and family-oriented.
Winter Garden
community
every month
membership required
Programs for every age & stage
At Chabad, every Jew is family. We offer engaging programs for all ages — designed to help individuals learn, grow, and connect with their heritage in a joyful and meaningful way.
About Chabad‑Lubavitch
The Philosophy
Chabad-Lubavitch is a philosophy, a movement, and an organization — considered to be the most dynamic force in Jewish life today.
The word "Chabad" is a Hebrew acronym for the three intellectual faculties of chochmah (wisdom), binah (comprehension), and da'at (knowledge). The movement's system of Jewish philosophy teaches understanding and recognition of the Creator, the role and purpose of creation, and the unique mission of each creature.
"Lubavitch" is the name of the town in White Russia where the movement was based for more than a century. The word means "city of brotherly love" in Russian — conveying the essence of the responsibility and love engendered by the Chabad philosophy toward every single Jew.
Following its inception 250 years ago, Chabad-Lubavitch swept through Russia and surrounding countries, providing scholars with answers that eluded them, and simple farmers with a love that had been denied them. Eventually the philosophy reached almost every corner of the world and affected almost every facet of Jewish life.
The movement is guided by the teachings of its seven leaders ("Rebbes"), beginning with Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812). These leaders expounded upon the most refined aspects of Jewish mysticism, and concerned themselves not only with Chabad-Lubavitch, but with the totality of Jewish life — spiritual and physical. No person or detail was too small or insignificant for their love and dedication.
The Rebbe & Today's Organization
In our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of righteous memory (1902–1994) — known simply as "the Rebbe" — guided post-Holocaust Jewry with boundless optimism and self-sacrifice. Motivated by his profound love for every Jew, the Rebbe set into motion a dazzling array of programs, services, and institutions to serve every Jew.
The origins of today's Chabad-Lubavitch organization can be traced to the early 1940s, when the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe appointed his son-in-law and later successor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, to head the newly founded educational and social service arms of the movement.
Today over 6,000 full-time emissary families apply 250-year-old principles to direct more than 3,500 institutions dedicated to the welfare of the Jewish people worldwide.
Join us and be part of something uplifting,
meaningful, and truly connected.