A place for every Jew to feel at home in Tierrasanta.
Meet Our Team
Rabbi Shmuly and Mushka moved to Tierrasanta in 2024 to establish Chabad of Tierrasanta. They are the proud parents of two children, Leah and Mendel.
Rabbi Shmuly Begun
Born and raised in the Cheviot Hills community of Los Angeles, Rabbi Shmuly Begun practiced and studied in diverse Jewish communities across the globe. He was ordained as a rabbi by Rabbi Zalman Yaroslavsky and later graduated as a certified rabbinic judge from the Rabbinical Law School of America. Together with Mushka, he established Chabad of Tierrasanta in 2024.
Mushka Begun
Mushka grew up in New Jersey and loves infusing life with meaning and joy. She has worked in Jewish communities across the globe, in schools and summer camps. As an educator and freelance writer, she enjoys connecting with others, learning new things, and sharing what she discovers through teaching and writing. In 2024, Mushka and her husband, Rabbi Shmuly, co-founded Chabad of Tierrasanta.
OUR COMMUNITY
We proudly serve the Tierrasanta, Kearny Mesa, and Serra Mesa areas, including support for Jewish patients and families at the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center when it matters most.
OUR BELIEF
While we all have different levels of observance, there should always be a place for every Jew. No labels, no affiliations.
OUR HOPE
To foster a sense of community, enhance the Jewish experience, and offer ways to learn and enjoy Judaism at every age and stage of life.
About Chabad
A philosophy, a movement, and an organization, Chabad-Lubavitch is dedicated to the welfare of the Jewish people worldwide. Each Chabad branch is run by a local couple, catering to the Jewish needs of the community. Chabad-Lubavitch is the world's largest Jewish organization, with thousands of centers serving Jewish communities across 100 countries and territories.
Guided by the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Chabad has set the dictum of "Love your fellow as yourself" as the defining factor in its approach of unconditional acceptance of fellow Jewish people.
Questions
DO YOU HAVE TO BE ORTHODOX TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS OFFERED BY CHABAD?
Chabad is inclusive and non-judgmental, and our programs are open to all Jews. In fact, the majority of people who participate in programs at Chabad are not Orthodox. The teachings of Chabad are imbued with the renowned Chassidic spirit and joy, but in no way is the commitment to an Orthodox lifestyle a prerequisite to one's acceptance at Chabad functions.
IS THE GOAL OF CHABAD TO MAKE ME ORTHODOX?
Chabad is not out to make one Orthodox. Chabad is an educational organization dedicated to helping every Jew, regardless of background, affiliation, or personal level of observance, to increase their level of Jewish knowledge, enthusiasm, and commitment. Chabad invites you to explore the complex areas of Jewish religion, tradition, and practice in an open-minded and non-judgmental atmosphere. All of Chabad's classes, programs, and services are designed to heighten the awareness and lend valuable insight into one's heritage, traditions, religious practice, laws and rituals. Each individual is invited to participate, study, and learn. Each individual makes his or her own respective religious lifestyle decisions at his or her own pace. Each mitzvah stands on its own as an important step in one's personal growth.
DOES CHABAD CONSIDER REFORM, CONSERVATIVE, OR NON-PRACTICING JEWS AS "REAL" JEWS?
A Jew is a Jew is a Jew ā period. Chabad avoids labeling other Jews, since it tends to divide and create barriers between us. Jewish Law has traditionally considered anyone born of a Jewish mother or converted in accordance with Halacha to be a Jew, regardless of his or her degree of observance. We have one Torah, we are one People, and we have one Gād. Chabad endeavors to bring unity among the Jewish community through our common bond of Jewish faith and observance.
IS CHABAD OF TIERRASANTA FINANCED BY ITS HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK?
No. It is Chabad's policy that each center is supported by the community it serves. All funding for Chabad of Tierrasanta comes from local supporters. No funds are received from Lubavitch World Headquarters nor are any locally raised funds sent to Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York. All funds donated remain right here in our community, enabling Chabad of Tierrasanta to continue building and enhancing Jewish life.