Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation Supports Chabad of Southside’s New $2.9 Million Synagogue

Published by Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation on

MIAMI, Fla., September 18, 2016— The Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation, a family-run charitable organization dedicated to creating a generational legacy of giving, donated to Chabad-Lubavitch of Southside Jewish Life Center’s new synagogue. The center, a cultural and religious hub, provides the Jewish community of the local universities and the city of Jacksonville with weekly Sabbath meals, prayer services, and social events.

The Chabad house is the only full-time Jewish center available to University of North Florida (UNF) students. The donation will help to expand the center’s efforts to reach out to the more than 1,000 Jewish students who attend the neighboring schools of Florida State College and Florida Coastal School of Law. The 10,000 square-foot structure will be equipped with a student lounge, a library, a full-featured kosher kitchen for Shabbat and holiday meals, a kosher café, a dining hall, an activity room, and a preschool.

The $2.9 million project began construction on September 18, 2016 with help of donations made by Lazar Finker and Raissa Frenkel, Dinie and Ryan Shapiro, Moris and Lillian Tabacinic, and Eugene and Brooke Frenkel. Over 250 people attended Chabad of Southside’s Jewish Life Center’s groundbreaking event including Republican Nominee for US Congress, John Rutherford, and recently elected member to The House of Representatives, Clay Yarborough.