Chabad Jewish Community Center of Placer County prepares for new center

After years of planning, the Chabad Jewish Community Center of Placer County will soon begin construction on a new $6.5-million center that will more than quadruple the amount of space for its programs. The new center will be built on the Chabad's existing property on Douglas Boulevard in Granite Bay and marks the first major expansion since opening in 2005. In 2005, Rabbi Yossi Korik and his wife, Malkie, founded Chabad of Roseville "to serve as a vibrant beacon" of Jewish life and education in the Placer County area. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of this year and expected to be finished by summer 2022. "The Jewish community is growing and our educational programs have reached maximum capacity," said Rabbi Korik, the center's director. "Our new center will have the same feeling of home but larger and modern." The new center will be more than 17,400 square feet compared to the existing center, which is about 4,000 square feet. It will feature a shul (worship space), social hall, commercial kosher kitchen, classrooms for preschool and elementary age students, indoor and outdoor play areas, Mikvah (ritual bath) and a children's library. "We are so grateful to all those who have supported this effort so far," Korik said. "We are continuing our fundraising efforts and encourage the community to consider partnering with us for this project." The Chabad Center has secured pledges of nearly $2 million for the project so far, led by Scott and Cynthia Knudson, who have contributed $1.25 million, as of Sept. 3. "I'm really thrilled that I can be a part of strengthening and enlarging this school so that it can grow," said Cynthia Knudson. Scott Knudson added, "Chabad is active in trying to rebuild a community that the world tried to destroy. If we can contribute to that effort, it brings balance back to the world. I would love to see more of the community participate." Chabad "greatly appreciates the leadership of Scott and Cynthia Knudson and their willingness to invest in our efforts to expand our educational programs to meet the community's needs," according to Korik. The Chabad Center hosts a variety of educational programs and larger programs for the entire community, including an annual lecture featuring a Holocaust survivor. For more information, visit www.jewishroseville.com/letsgrow or call 916-500-4522.