Taiwan is getting its first synagogue and community activity center as part of the forthcoming Jeffrey D. Schwartz Jewish Community Center. The 22,500 square-foot center, currently under construction, is slated to be completed by winter 2021.
Conceived and funded by Jeffrey D. Schwartz, Founder and CEO of the Four Star Group, the Jewish Community Center will serve as the new hub of Jewish life in Taiwan. The Center will feature a traditionally-styled synagogue, mikveh (ritual bath), kosher culinary lab, dining hall for celebrations and events, library, kindergarten, and classrooms for adult learning programs.
The Center will also house Asia’s first museum of rare Judaica and Jewish art: The Jeffrey D. Schwartz Museum of Jewish Art and Judaica. The museum comprises hundreds of items organized into several collections, including rare Hanukkiot, Sefer Torah scrolls, and mezuzot. The Museum includes paintings dating to the 17th century, modern artwork by contemporary artists, as well as a collection of rare photographs of the Holocaust and of Israel’s early pre-state days. In addition to the items that will be on display at the Center, collections will be made gradually accessible in digital form on the Center’s new website.
Shabbat and holiday services, as well as supervision of the kosher restaurant, kindergarten, and mikveh, will be led by Rabbi Shlomi Tabib and Rebbetzin Racheli Tabib of Chabad-Lubavitch.
As Mr. Schwartz explains, “The Center’s mission is three-fold: to create a warm and welcoming space for Jews in Taiwan to observe and celebrate their heritage; to raise awareness and appreciation of Jewish culture and history among the local community in Taiwan; and to shape the global conversation on Jews and Jewish life.”
The Center is built and operated by the Jeffrey D. Schwartz and Na Tang Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association (JTCA), a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the Jewish community in Taiwan and globally. As Na Tang, Co-Founder of the Association explains, “our hope is that the Center will become a place where the people of Taiwan can cultivate a deeper understanding of Jewish history and culture. It will be a place where we can exchange ideas, build new connections, and strengthen ties between two of the world’s most ancient and admired cultures, cultures that continue to thrive today.”
Photographs, stories, and news about the Center and upcoming events leading up to its launch next year will be featured on their new website. Sign-up to the Center’s e-newsletter for announcements and other news at jtca.org.tw.
