NOVEMBER 10 • 2022 | 55
jewelry,” he laughs.
After the jewelry store
in West Bloomfield closed,
Gross started working for
another jeweler where he
would work in the back
doing jewelry repairs.
His senior year of high
school, Gross switched
from Southfield-Lathrup
High School to Berkley
High because they had an
excellent jewelry casting
program. And that’s where
Gross met his future wife.
“I gave her my business
card. I started my own
business when I was 17,
renting out studio space
three days a week in the
Magic Touch Hair Salon in
Oak Park for $400
per month,” Gros
says.
With the money
he earned from
making and selling jewel-
ry, Gross earned enough
money to buy a car and put
himself through gemology
school.
“It’s been a long jour-
ney,” says Gross, who puts
on tefillin weekly with
Chabad’s Friday Boys at his
Berkley jewelry studio.
“I hope that people will
be inspired to donate to the
cause. I have a pipe dream
of raising $1 million from
some expats who live down
in Mexico for a school in
San Miguel de Allende.
I plan to have a conver-
sation with people after
I’ve proven myself with
this project. It’s pretty
amazing,” Gross adds.
“When I’m dead and
gone, this philanthropy
could snowball and go
on forever.”
To donate, go to www.mhg-
jewelry.com/mexico-fundraiser.
For information on cultural
tours, go to www.mhgjewelry.
com/jewelry-mexico-adven-
ture.
TOP LEFT: This is
Jesus Villaverde
Fuentes house/
teaching studio.
RIGHT, TOP TO
BOTTOM: The
beautiful Lobby and
Grounds of the Arte
Instituto San Miguel
De Allende Mexico.
Jesus and
Matthew
Gross, the
first time
they met