Florida Building Left Stranded by Hurricane to Become a Synagogue

As residents of Key West, Fla., Rabbi Yaakov and Chanie Zucker have seen their share of hurricanes and bear a healthy respect for them. But while they – like the thousands of others on the Florida Keys – kept their eyes to the skies last week as Tropical Storm Fay dumped inches of rain on the archipelago, they noted that it was a hurricane three years ago that ushered in a process of Divine Providence that left their Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Center of the Florida Keys with a brand new building.

In 2005, Hurricane Wilma plowed through the Keys as the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Many people decided to relocate in its wake, leaving one building in particular – which was originally intended to house a church – uncompleted for lack of necessity. The Zuckers, with the help of a grant from the philanthropic Tabacinic Family of Bal Harbour, Fla., and local communal support, purchased the 5,000-square-foot structure in May.

Yaakov Zucker, who has been operating for the past several years from a mobile home in an isolated area of Key West, said that the amazing part of the transaction is that the new building only requires the installation of plumbing and electricity to be fully usable.

“It’s a dream come true,” said the rabbi, who plans to open the new synagogue in time for Rosh Hashanah, which begins the night of Sept. 29 this year.

Article Continued (Chabad.org)