Chabad Finds Permanent Home in Hillsborough, NJ

After nine years of serving southern Somerset County, the Chabad Center for Jewish Life will have a permanent home in Hillsborough.

The organization, which began in a donated office space on Amwell Road in October 2002, intends to purchases a second plot of land at 26 New Amwell Road. The one and a half acre plot is directly behind another one and a half acre plot that the Chabad owns, bringing its available land up to three acres.

“This is a great step forward in the Chabad establishment in Somerset County,” Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky said. “The community it very excited. We have leased space until recently.”

The Chabad Center expects to finalize the sale in about a month, Rabbi Krinsky said.

“When we heard the property behind it was going to be up for sale, we waited for it,” he said. “This opportunity came up where we can have a 3-acre campus.”

Both plots came with about $500,000 price tags each, Rabbi Krinsky said. The Chabad is already working with architects and engineers to create a timeline and action plan for the land, he added. The plan could include renovating a house that is already on the property, expanding the existing structure or building additional buildings.

Since its beginnings in the donated office space, the Chabad has hoped for a permanent space. Soon after opening, the organization quickly moved to a larger office space, then to its current, leased home on New Amwell Road.

“We’re going to be investing in our own property,” Rabbi Krinsky said. “This is ours. It also brings a sense of community knowing Chabad is here to stay.”

The Chabad intends to continue its current programs on the new site as well as adding newer programs too, Rabbi Krinsky said.

“We’re going to continue all of the programs we have been offering now,” Rabbi Krinsky said. “Our synagogue programs, our Hebrew school, our mommy and me, our women’s and adults programs, our Chabad teens and holiday events. All of that will be able to function in a place that we own.

“We’ll be able to function and grow and add additional programs in the future,” he added.

The Chabad will be running a building campaign to raise money for site renovations through its website, http://www.myjewishcenter.org . In addition, those interested in discussing giving opportunities can contact the Chabad at 908-966-0299.

“We would like to encourage the community to get involved,” Rabbi Krinsky said. “You don’t have to be a member of Chabad. Chabad is for everyone, Jewish, non-Jewish, young, old.”