After Groundbreaking, LI Center to Double in Size

Set to break ground March 13, a Long Island Jewish center is undertaking a massive expansion project, doubling the size of its current location to better serve a vibrant and rapidly-growing Jewish community.

With 3,700 Jewish homes on its mailing list, the Chabad-Lubavitch Chai Center of Dix Hills, N.Y., has already spent three years on the $2 million project as the needing zoning permits worked their way through the halls of the local government. After an expected nine months of construction, the final result will be a stately, brick-laid, three-floor edifice measuring approximately 24,000 square feet.

“We’re literally busting at the seams,” says Rabbi Yaakov Saacks of the center’s current Suffolk County property, built in 2001 and presently comprised of two floors measuring a combined 12,000 square feet. “It’s a decent size, but it’s just not large enough to accommodate our expanding educational system that includes everything from Chai Tots Preschool to Hebrew High to the Friendship Circle, which provides support for children with special needs.

“Thankfully, we have so many students – 130 are in the Hebrew School – that we really felt a strong need to expand,” continues the rabbi, who recently celebrated 18 years of service to the local community. “We’re currently renting trailers to fit everyone.”

“It’s an amazing community,” says resident Ronnie Aviram. “My family and I and all of our friends are all behind the expansion project and working to see it happen. It’s a community where everybody helps everyone. Everybody is excited.”

Michael Ashley, a longtime attendee of Chai Center functions, calls the center a “virtual home” for local Jews.

“There’s no doubt that with Rabbi and Zoey Saacks’ commitment to the community and their warm and caring personality, it will grow even more,” he predicts. “They’ll need to add another expansion in the next five or six years.”

To illustrate how tight the current quarters are, Saacks notes that last year, 900 people attended High Holiday services, but the Chai Center’s sanctuary can comfortably seat just 480.

“We had the overflow in a tent,” the rabbi gently laughs. “We want to be able to accommodate everyone under one roof.”

So far, community members have raised $700,000 for the expansion and are diligently working on generating the rest through a building-fund campaign.

“We are very aggressive marketers,” says Saacks, whose five children have signed on to the effort and can be seen at community-wide fundraising events and at volunteer functions. “We’re constantly out there doing new programs all the time.”

“The whole thing is very exciting,” gushes Zoey Saacks, who serves as the Chai Center’s educational director. “With our increased size, we’ll be able to serve all the needs of our community, from preschool to adult education.

“We’re blessed with wonderful people in our community that are active and excited to come to many programs,” she adds. “Once we have the facility, we will have no limits.”