Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Donates Company Equity to Support Chabad of Monticello

by CrownHeights.info

In a unique initiative aimed at strengthening Jewish communal life and expanding assistance to those in need, Chabad of Monticello is set to benefit from a donation of equity in a technology startup, helping support plans for a new Shul and community kitchen in Sullivan County.

The initiative brings together Dialogica founder Austin Worrell and Silicon Valley business development expert Dylan Gittleman, who announced plans to donate a portion of Dialogica’s equity to support the Chabad center led by Rabbi and Rebbetzin Benzion Chanowitz.

The proposed donation of 0.01% of the company’s equity is intended to help fund a new synagogue and commercial kitchen, providing Chabad with additional resources to serve the local Jewish community and assist residents facing difficult circumstances.

The initiative was inspired in part by the personal experience of Gittleman, whose mother battled pancreatic cancer. During her final months, Rabbi Chanowitz and his wife regularly visited her in a nursing home, bringing food, prayers, music and companionship.

Their dedication left a lasting impression on Gittleman, who said he was moved by the couple’s commitment to caring for people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

“The compassion they showed my mother was extraordinary,” Gittleman said. “Their tireless dedication to people in need inspired me to help build something lasting for our community.”

For Chabad of Monticello, the planned Shul and community kitchen would provide an expanded foundation for its communal and charitable work. The kitchen is intended to support food assistance and other outreach efforts, while the new synagogue would provide additional space for Jewish communal life and religious services.

Rather than making a conventional cash donation, the initiative uses company equity, giving the contribution the potential to grow in value if Dialogica succeeds. The company has expressed ambitions of reaching a billion-dollar valuation, though its future value remains uncertain.

Worrell said the project reflects a desire to support the work of Rabbi Chanowitz and his wife while encouraging other entrepreneurs to consider innovative ways of giving back to their communities.

The partnership highlights the role Chabad emissaries play in communities beyond major Jewish population centers, providing not only religious services but also personal care and support to individuals and families in times of need.

For Chabad of Monticello, the initiative offers the prospect of turning that commitment into a lasting communal resource, serving Jewish residents and others in need throughout the region.