Rabbi Mordechai Rubin was born and raised in Albany, NY, the youngest son of Rabbi Yisroel and Rochel Rubin—pioneers of Capital Chabad. After attending Maimonides Hebrew Day School, Rabbi Mordechai continued his Torah studies in Chicago, Manchester, Brooklyn, and Melbourne, where he taught Talmud and Chassidic Philosophy and served as editor of a Talmudic journal. He received his Rabbinic ordination from Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch in Brooklyn and later pursued advanced Rabbinic studies at Kolel before returning to the Capital Region to establish the Chai Jewish Center of Colonie in 2017.
Mrs. Chana Rubin grew up in Brooklyn, NY, where her father, Rabbi Yossi Paltiel, serves as a renowned scholar and lecturer at the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva. Inspired by his passion for Torah and education, Chana pursued her own path in Jewish learning—studying at Beth Rivka Schools and the Beth Chana Teachers Seminary in Tzfat, Israel. She has worked in Jewish education and special education, developing curricula used by schools nationwide.
Together, Rabbi Mordechai and Chana were married in 2016 and are proud parents of two daughters, Mushka and Risha. Their shared mission is to build a warm and inclusive Jewish home for the Colonie community—one filled with learning, joy, and connection.