Where: Corner of Natoma Positively 6th Street Chabad – 496 Natoma St., S. Francisco, CA 94103
Initiator: Rabbi Yosef Langer, Executive Director of Chabad of SF and the team of Chabad SF
What: 4,500 square feet of space, shared between two floors (ground and lower level). We have signed a 15-year lease with a five-year option to renew, and first right of refusal on the property. The upper level will contain a multi-purpose room which will include a shul, social hall, kitchen, and a welcome lounge. The lower level will have a Mikvah spa, children's library, playroom, and offices.
Why: The high-paced population growth downtown includes thousands of Jewish young people. They have social, entertainment and spiritual needs that will be met through the new Chabad center. Everyone is welcome, regardless of religious background or financial standing.
Who will it serve: Locals of which there are many Young Jewish Professionals and families, Jewish tourists and businesspeople, conventioneers, and the local gentile crossover community. SF is among the top international destinations in the world, with more than 24.6m annual visitors to The City. If 1% are Jewish, then that equals 246,000 Jewish guests to support in SF with social and spiritual programs downtown.
When will it open: A soft opening after Phase 1 renovation is anticipated for summer 2016. A Grand Opening is being scheduled for early winter of 2017.
Building on success: For the past 3.5 years Chabad SF – SOMA Shul has operated and run programs in a partially-donated space at The Hub and School of Digital Film on 5th and Mission and other various venues in the downtown SOMA area.
We started with every 4th weekend hosting a Happy Hour & Shabbat gathering of 100 plus people.
After moving our young Rabbi and his family downtown two years ago, the frequency of programs has increased on a daily basis, where we host daily prayers services, weekly Shabbat services, holiday programming, lunch & learn classes at Google SF and other businesses in the area. Across the globe, Chabad is known as a place where integrity, morality, and joy in Jewish pride reign supreme. Chabad serves as a light to Jews and the rest of the nations across the globe. SF will become known for the same level of hospitality happening all over the world for Jews of all backgrounds to come visit our center at any time.
Many city officials, including current Mayor Ed Lee and “Da Mayor” Willie Brown, are very excited about the Positively 6th Street initiative. There are also two planed new Jewish eateries in close proximity working as part of the Chabad effort. All of these will serve as cornerstones to establish a Jewish thoroughfare presence in the center of the downtown SOMA area. They will also act as a bridge to the greater community through our unique programming.
