Chabad-Lubavitch has secured a sprawling, 300,000-square-foot campus in the heart of Los Angeles. West Coast Chabad announced Tuesday that it has acquired a 16-story property at 9911 West Pico Boulevard that will become the Chabad Campus for Jewish Life, the largest Jewish center in North America. The roughly $100 million campus was donated by real estate developer Alon Abady and his wife, Monique, in honor of Alon’s mother, Liora Abady.

The campus — located near Century City and Beverly Hills, across from Hillcrest Country Club and adjacent to the Fox Studios lot and the Simon Wiesenthal Center — will house religious, educational, social service and cultural programming under one roof, according to Chabad officials.

The gift marks a major expansion for Chabad-Lubavitch, which has long favored decentralized outreach through local shuls and institutions rather than centralized mega-campuses.

“This is about building something that can endure — and adapt,” Abady said in a statement. “When my family immigrated to Los Angeles in the 1970s, Chabad was there for us. That was never forgotten.”

According to Chabad, the campus will include a shul; classrooms for students of different ages; life-cycle event venues; youth and senior programs; mental health and social services; support for Jewish college students; and a large convention and banquet hall capable of hosting international gatherings. Plans also include specialized programming for children with special needs, services for California’s growing senior population, and a museum using multimedia and virtual reality to present Jewish history and the story of Israel.

The property also comes with newly granted by-right residential conversion entitlements, giving the organization flexibility to pursue future housing initiatives, a notable asset in a city grappling with both affordability challenges and zoning constraints.

The story behind the gift is deeply personal. When the Abady family arrived in the United States with little money and no support network, they were assisted by Rabbi Baruch Shlomo Cunin, then a young shliach sent by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson to build Jewish life across the West Coast. Cunin helped the family navigate financial hardship and establish roots in Los Angeles.

Abady later built a real estate empire. Rabbi Cunin went on to become the longtime West Coast director of Chabad-Lubavitch. When Chabad approached Abady about the campus — which he had recently acquired — the response was immediate.

“He said it was time to repay a kindness,” Rabbi Cunin said.

The deal closed Friday, Jan. 9. As Shabbos approached, Chabad leaders and supporters gathered at the property to affix a mezuzah to the front door.

“This extraordinary gift reflects the Rebbe’s mission to illuminate the world through goodness and kindness,” Rabbi Cunin said. “The Chabad Campus for Jewish Life will serve as a beacon — strengthening Jewish life while uplifting the broader Los Angeles community.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)