New Chabad Center Opens In Truckee, CA

Right near Lake Tahoe, the mountain town of Truckee, California, is home to about 17,000 full-time residents and sees thousands of travelers each year — including many Jews. The summer brings visitors to Lake Tahoe for hiking and golf, while winter transforms Truckee into a major ski destination — all alongside a steadily growing year-round community. In July, Rabbi Chaim and Bassi Kudan opened the town’s first Chabad — and first ever Jewish presence.

Since then, the Kudans have been meeting Jews one-on-one and tabling at events like farmer’s markets and community festivals. “We recently set up a booth at a local run, and it felt like every other person who stopped by was Jewish!” Rabbi Kudan said.

Besides Truckee, Chabad also caters to surrounding resorts including Olympic Valley and North Star, and Tahoe City — a small town near the lake.

Looking ahead, they plan to host public Menorah lightings in Truckee and in local ski resorts, along with a long-term dream of opening a kosher taproom right on Truckee’s Main Street — weaving Jewish life into the fabric of the community itself.

“We want to connect with people in this environment — through hiking, skiing, snowboarding — and bring Judaism and spirituality into the lifestyle,” said Bassi Kudan. “I snowboard, and my husband’s learning to ski — so we’re really hoping to meet people where they are, both physically and spiritually.”