Upcoming ceremony marks next step for long-planned 23,000-square-foot Chabad center on Hana Way
A new Jewish community center and synagogue nearly two decades in the making is preparing to break ground in Folsom, marking the start of a new chapter for Chabad and the growing community it serves throughout Folsom, El Dorado Hills and the surrounding region.
A groundbreaking celebration for the future Chabad Jewish Community Center will take place Sunday, Aug. 16, at 10:30 a.m. at 795 Hana Way, where the organization plans to construct a 23,483-square-foot, two-story facility designed for worship, education, youth programs and community gatherings.
Preparations at the property were continuing Monday afternoon. The former residence that stood on the site was used by local firefighters for training exercises prior to its demolition, providing crews an opportunity to train in an actual residential structure before it was removed. Monday afternoon, crews were wrapping up cleanup of the property as Folsom Times visited the site.
Community members, supporters and local civic leaders are expected to gather Sunday for the groundbreaking ceremony, marking the transition of a project that has spent years in planning from city approvals to development.
The event will include remarks from local elected officials, a ceremonial turning of the soil and a celebratory brunch. Organizers are also planning an interactive community art project that will allow those attending to leave a personal mark that will become part of the future building, symbolizing the collective effort behind the project.
For Rabbi Yossi Grossbaum, who has led the effort to establish a permanent Chabad campus in Folsom, the groundbreaking represents considerably more than the beginning of construction.
“We live in a world that is often filled with darkness and uncertainty, but each of us carries the ability – and the responsibility – to bring light into it,” Grossbaum said. “This new center is not just a building; it is a beacon. It will be a place where kindness is shared, where learning is alive, and where every person can find a way to illuminate their corner of the world. Together, we are not just laying a foundation of bricks and mortar – we are laying a foundation of light.”
The milestone comes after the project received unanimous design approval from the Folsom Planning Commission earlier this year, clearing a major hurdle for development of the new campus. As Folsom Times previously reported, the project is planned for a two-acre parcel at the end of the Hana Way cul-de-sac near East Bidwell Street.
The new center will give the local Chabad congregation a purpose-built home after operating from commercial space on South Lexington Drive. Chabad has served Folsom, El Dorado Hills and surrounding communities since its local center was established in 2007, providing religious, educational and social programs.
Plans approved by the city call for a 17,285-square-foot ground floor and a 6,198-square-foot second floor.
The ground level is designed around the center’s primary religious and community activities, with a synagogue sanctuary, classrooms, community gathering areas, a social hall, teen lounge and a mikva, a traditional Jewish ritual bath.
The second floor will include offices and conference rooms as well as four guest rooms intended to accommodate visiting scholars and support extended programming.
Outdoor and site improvements are also a significant part of the development. Plans include a 53-space parking lot, plaza and courtyard areas and a rear patio for outdoor gatherings and activities.
Architectural plans feature a combination of flat and low-angled rooflines and natural earth-tone materials, including masonry, woodgrain and concrete slab finishes. The design was developed to fit within the business-professional character of the surrounding East Bidwell Street corridor.
The project will dramatically change a Hana Way property that predates much of the development now surrounding it.
City records reviewed by Folsom Times during its earlier coverage showed the two-acre project site contained a 2,336-square-foot single-story residence built in 1976, along with a swimming pool and smaller outbuildings. With the residence now demolished and cleanup underway Monday, the property is being cleared for the new community center.
The property’s development history reaches back to 1989, when Folsom approved a parcel map and rezoned the original 6.73-acre property from agricultural reserve to business-professional use. The property was divided into three parcels around the newly created Hana Way cul-de-sac.
The southern parcel at 785 Hana Way was eventually developed with an office building, while the parcel at 790 Hana Way has remained undeveloped. Chabad acquired the two-acre parcel at 795 Hana Way approximately three years before receiving design approval for the new center.
The site falls within the East Bidwell Corridor Overlay General Plan area and the Humbug-Willow Creek Parkway master plan. The city’s review determined the project was consistent with the site’s Professional Office General Plan designation and Business Professional-Planned Development zoning.
When the Folsom Planning Commission considered the project earlier this year, city planning documents described it as a 23,483-square-foot Jewish community center and determined that no additional environmental review was required under applicable California Environmental Quality Act guidelines.
With those approvals behind it and physical preparations now visible at the property, Sunday’s ceremony will turn the focus from planning and approvals toward the future of the new campus.
Organizers envision the center as a gathering place for individuals and families of all ages, with programming extending beyond regular worship services. Educational programs, holiday celebrations, youth activities and community gatherings are expected to be among its regular uses.
The new facility also reflects the growth of the local organization since Chabad established its presence in the area nearly two decades ago.
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Hasidic movement within Orthodox Judaism known internationally for Jewish education, outreach and acts of loving-kindness, or chesed. Its centers typically combine religious services with education, youth programs, holiday events and community outreach.
Locally, Chabad Jewish Community Center serves Folsom, El Dorado Hills and surrounding communities. Since opening in 2007, the organization has offered a variety of educational, religious and social programs while operating without the type of permanent, purpose-built campus now planned for Hana Way.
Sunday’s groundbreaking will offer the community its first ceremonial opportunity to physically take part in bringing that campus to life.
The interactive art project planned for the event is intended to symbolize that collective involvement by giving attendees an opportunity to contribute something that will become associated with the building itself.
Organizers describe the groundbreaking as a “once-in-a-generation milestone” for the local organization and are inviting the broader community to attend.
The Chabad Jewish Community Center groundbreaking celebration begins at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at the future center site, 795 Hana Way in Folsom. The event will include the groundbreaking ceremony, community art project and brunch.
Those interested in attending can RSVP at folsomfuture.org. Additional information is available by calling 916-608-9811 or emailing info@jewishfolsom.org.
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