MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood Jewish Center welcomes the community to a special dedication event to commemorate the expansion of its new facility, recognize donors and celebrate Hanukkah. The event will take place on Sunday, Dec. 5, starting at 2 p.m. at the expanded Maplewood Jewish Center, 113 Parker Ave.
“The Maplewood Jewish Center first opened our doors in 2008,” said Frumie Bogomilsky, the center’s administrator. “In that time, the community we serve has continued to grow and flourish. We knew our center needed to grow as well, to better meet the needs of the families and individuals from surrounding areas. We began to dream of a larger, more expansive center, but we weren’t sure how to turn that dream into a reality. That’s when some very special people stepped in.”
Thanks to the vision, support and contributions of key donors, the dream of a larger, modernized center began to take shape. In 2017, the center broke ground on what would become a $1.5 million investment and a seven-year construction project.
“It’s been a long journey, with many twists, turns and bumps including the pandemic,” said Rabbi Sholom Bogomilsky, the center’s spiritual leader. “But thanks to the dedication, perseverance and resilience of our staff, supporters and community members who came together to see this through, we now have a brand new, beautiful center to welcome and serve more families and community members.”
The new Maplewood Jewish Center features more than 17,500 square feet of state-of-the-art amenities and spaces, including the community’s first kosher mikvah, a Jewish ritual bath. The center’s Kinder Gan Preschool now offers more early education classrooms to accommodate families on waiting lists. Additional features include a spacious new sanctuary, social hall, fully equipped kosher kitchen, ADA-compliant amenities including a Shabbat elevator, and landscaped gardens with outdoor seating and a sukkah pad.
In celebration of the center’s opening and of the return of face-to-face interactions, the community is invited to attend a special “Illuminate and Dedicate” event on Dec. 5. Hosted at the center, the event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours, refreshments, scheduled speeches and donor recognition.
“We want this community to know that the Maplewood Jewish Center is their center — for celebration, learning, prayer, for being together, and for life,” the rabbi said. “That is why we wanted to celebrate this wonderful new resource with the very people the center was built for, as well as those who made it possible. We look forward to a fantastic turnout and a memorable occasion.”
Anyone interested in attending the dedication event at Maplewood Jewish Center can RSVP at MJCDedication.eventbrite.com, by calling 973-763-7455 or by emailing admin@maplewoodjewishcenter.org.
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