Plans for a new synagogue on West Gilman Street are underway for the Jewish student community at UW-Madison.
Chabad-Lubavitch is a philosophy, movement and organization that provides a base for some Hasidic Jews. The movement was first established in the late 18th century.
According to the UW Chabad website, rabbi Yona Matusof and his wife, Faygie Matusof, launched a branch for religious practices on Gilman Street in 2005, providing a more accessible location for UW-Madison students.
The pair held services in their Gilman Street apartment and it soon flourished, bringing in as many as 30 students in the first three weeks. The increase of student worshippers forced the Matusofs to move to a larger, more spacious apartment.
We weren't really able to fit much more, and for larger things we had to rent space out of our apartment,"" said rabbi Mendel Matusof, Yona Matusof's son.
To accommodate the more than 1,000 current members, the Matusofs recently purchased a house at 223 W. Gilman St. with the goal of completing construction by September 2009. The house will provide a new opportunity for students to practice their faith on campus.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he provided the approval for the building of the synagogue.
""I supported their plan wholeheartedly,"" Verveer said. ""[The synagogue] is particularly convenient for students who choose to worship there.""
Yona Matusof said converting the house into a synagogue will provide increased Jewish programming and allow for further student involvement. The building will hold approximately 75 people in the main sanctuary, with added space available in the large adjoining room.
""It'll be so much more spacious and so much more comfortable,"" Mendel Matusof said.
The Matusofs hope the synagogue will be fully constructed by next year and expect the building to provide a place of worship for the Jewish student community, especially during the busy holiday season.
