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.”
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7 Responses
chabad is the leaders of klal yisroel
I write this in memory of the 214th Yahrzeit of the Founder and Establisher of Chabad Lubavitch and Tanya and Shulchan Aruch, etcetera, named; Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi. I spent the day in fast for this momentous occasion. I read that Shneur means “Two Lights” and Zalman means “Time”. “What time is it?” “The time is now!” Show Kindness, Compassion and Mercy to all that you meet along the way, now. You never know when your Holy Communication will have the desired effect of promoting Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya in someone’s life.
Bleipt Gezundt to one and all at Yeshiva World News. And Refuah Shleimah to anyone who needs complete healing from any affliction.
Sincerely, Rebbetzin Yehudit Chana Chaya Devorah Mark
Something seems fishy here. The developer bought it in 2023 for $35 million. Now, all of a sudden, it has rocketed to $100 million, like tripled, in such a short time? It is an old building that needs work. I guess he wants a nice tax deduction via the Chabadskers.
I smell hate. Let’s say he got a nice tax deductible, or lets even say that the chabadskers got a nice building to spread Torah, and yiddishkeit. That’s a big Kiddush Hashem!!
This is not a Gemara, no need to rip it apart..
@Lemayseh
Oh, the spicy drama unfolds! It’s like watching a real estate soap opera starring the Pro-Chabad enthusiasts! 🍿🔥
Let’s break it down: A $35 million building magically morphs into a $100 million golden goose in the blink of an eye. Either that developer has some mystical real estate powers up their sleeve, or we’re witnessing the most ambitious property makeover in history!
And the plot thickens with the mention of Chabadskers! Are we in a real estate rendition of Ocean’s Eleven, where tax deductions are the ultimate heist prize? Who knew tax evasion could be so thrilling?
Grab your popcorn and let’s see if this developer’s tax deduction dreams come true, courtesy of the Chabadskers’ magical touch! 🎩💰✨
The comments above are why we do not have Moshiach. So small and petty. It’s sad that Lemaysah and IMChabad have not studied Torah but it’s not too late. Judging favorably, Loving your fellow, love kindness, emulate H-Shem, etc. So much lashon horah on this website. It’s not too late to study and not too late to change. Like Pirkei avos – what is someone who has learning but no deeds? What is someone who has deeds but no learning? Better to be an am haaretz with good middos than a “talmid chacham” without good middos.
What do you think HKBH thinks when you write like that? Do you think your bubbies and zeides in the world of truth see it and tell their friends how beautiful your words are?
Estimating real estate values is an art, not a science. A property’s value can indeed shoot up over the course of two or three years, and when one is not selling it but estimating its value for purposes such as a bank loan, a tax deduction, or an offer to sell, one is entitled to put the highest reasonable value on it.
Cf Trump.