In a ceremony that made history for the state of South Dakota, the Chabad Jewish Community Center broke ground on Aug. 12, marking the construction of the first center of its kind in the Mount Rushmore State. The groundbreaking drew prominent political figures and community leaders to celebrate this milestone for South Dakota’s small yet proud Jewish community.
U.S. Sen. John Thune, Gov. Larry Rhoden, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson and Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken joined Rabbi Mendel and Mussie Alperowitz and community members as ceremonial dirt was turned at the future site of what will become a beacon for Jewish life across the state’s vast prairies.
“The Rebbe taught that we were created to make this world a place that G‑d can call home. We hope that this center becomes such a home: a welcoming place for all and a place that lifts us up and brings us together,” the rabbi told the gathered crowd. “When I think of Sioux Falls over the next 100 years, I see the Chabad Jewish Community Center standing as a lighthouse—a place of connection, inspiration and community for the entire city.”
This vision of the Rebbe was highlighted by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson as he described the value the Chabad Jewish Community Center would bring to all people.
Representative Johnson spoke of the Alperowitzes influence across Sioux Falls, extending well beyond the Jewish community. He shared how was impacted by what he had learned about the Rebbe: “The values and principles that the Rebbe taught, that he lived, that he was a leader for, served not just the Jewish population — they are principles for all of humanity.”
The congressman said the new Chabad Jewish Community Center would reflect that vision. “This community center is not only for Jewish people. The principles and values the Rebbe taught will make us all stronger, helping us live a more just life,” Johnson said.
The center will house a synagogue, educational and community centers, a kosher kitchen, and, significantly, the state’s first ever mikvah.
Signifying the broad reach of the Chabad Jewish Community Center, people came from across the state to participate in the opening, including all the way from Brookings, and as far as Rapid City. Among the two hundred people who gathered for the event was business leader Adam Hendry.
“I’ve invested in Sioux Falls because I believe in its future. I’m proud to be part of the Chabad Jewish Community Center and to be here today to witness this historic moment,” he said.
Among those to speak at the event was Stephen Rosenthal who together with his wife Carol, are Jewish community leaders in South Dakota and pillars of the Jewish community. “Having lived here for 50 years, I can say that in all my lifetime, I have never witnessed a moment of such promise for our Jewish community,” Rosenthal said. He noted the historic significance, as this was the first time in over 100 years that a Jewish space was being built in the state. “This moment declares loud and clear that the Jewish community is welcome here. We are embraced. We are woven into the very fabric of this set of this city and this state.”
Decades-Long Journey to the Final Frontier
When Alperowitz and his wife, Mussie, arrived in 2016 from Brooklyn, N.Y., they ended South Dakota’s dubious distinction as the only state in America without a permanent rabbi—a status the state had held for decades.
South Dakota’s Jewish roots date back to the late 19th century, when Jewish merchants arrived with the railroads and gold rush, building businesses from Sioux Falls to the Black Hills. Like many small communities, numbers declined in the mid-20th century as younger Jews moved to larger cities. With no rabbi living in the state for several decades, the local Jewish community in Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen were led by dedicated lay-people, and traveling rabbis who would make occasional visits.
One constant for South Dakota Jewry, however, throughout the years has been Chabad-Lubavitch. Shortly after the Rebbe arrived on U.S. shores, he began dispatching rabbinical students to under-served communities around the globe, laden with suitcases of Torah literature and Judaica materials, boundless energy and vibrant Jewish knowledge. From the outset, there were visitors to South Dakota.
The Alperowitzes visited South Dakota for Purim in 2016, where they held two events: a community celebration in Sioux Falls that drew 45 attendees and another program for a dozen Jewish students at South Dakota State University in Brookings. The warm reception revealed the hunger for a more lasting Jewish connection.
“People kept saying, ‘It’s amazing to see that there are so many other Jews in town. We had no idea they were here!’ ” Alperowitz recalled. And with that, began the journey that led to their decision to relocate to Sioux Falls.
When the Alperowitzes arrived, they began hosting programs and services in the basement of their rented townhome. As attendance grew, they raised funds to purchase a larger home. “It gave us a bit more space, but still not what we needed,” they recall. Soon, larger events and holiday celebrations had to be held in rented hotel spaces.
With South Dakota’s population growing, especially in its largest city Sioux Falls, the local Jewish community has expanded as well, making the need for a larger space even more pressing. Last year, Chabad began utilizing 5,000 square feet of donated office space. “This was a real shift, and marked the beginning of a transformation for the Jewish community,” Alperowitz told Chabad.org.
Still, a permanent, purpose-built space was needed, one that could host Sioux Falls’ growing Jewish community, the Gan preschool, Shabbat services, educational programs, and visitors from across the state. A mikvah was also a top priority. With South Dakota being one of the few remaining states without one, couples dedicated to this mitzvah must travel many hours by car or even fly to the nearest facility.
“This was definitely our priority from day one,” said Mussie Alperowitz. “Imagine the burden on couples without a local mikvah.”
The new Chabad Jewish Community Center will meet these needs and better serve the growing Jewish population.
Creating a Proud Jewish Future
Stuart Jacobs, a regular at Shabbat services, attended the opening together with his 93-year-old father, Daniel. “It makes me proud to be Jewish,” Stuart said of the occasion. For Daniel, it was an emotional moment, witnessing the beginning of a facility that will serve generations to come. That vision was beautifully symbolized by about 20 children from the local Camp Gan Israel, who were introduced by Mussie Alperowitz to join the groundbreaking and turned the soil with their own Judaic inspired, hand-painted shovels.
“Projects like this demonstrate the values of a community, serving others and making a real difference in people’s lives. That is what this center will do,"said Senate Majority Leader John Thune. “From the shul to the social hall to the classrooms, every part will provide a place where members of the Jewish community and beyond can come together, share life, and grow for generations.”
The senator also spoke warmly of the rabbi and his family, and their close relationship, as well as the impact of the rabbi’s work well beyond the Jewish community, and expressed appreciation for the community, who enthusiastically backed the building project.
Former Governor and now Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has shown her support for the project.
“The Secretary has been a friend since our earliest days in South Dakota and was one of the first to welcome us. As Congresswoman, later as Governor, and now as DHS Secretary, she has always been a strong supporter of the Jewish community and our work across the state,” Alperowitz said.
With security always a priority, Rabbi Alperowitz shared that during his recent trip to Washington, Secretary Noem assured him she would continue to use the power of her office to help keep Jewish communities and synagogues safe, including in South Dakota.
Governor Larry Rhoden spoke about South Dakota as a free and welcoming state and expressed his support for the Chabad Jewish Community Center. He also reflected on his recent trip to Israel and his commitment to fostering a strong and vibrant Jewish community in the state. Although not in attendance, U.S. Senator Mike Rounds also offered his public support to the project when he hosted a delegation of Jewish community leaders from South Dakota at his office.
As the groundbreaking ceremony concluded, Alperowitz’s words resonated across the prairie landscape: “Sioux Falls is a very special place. We’re honored to be part of its story and proud to be able to contribute to its future.”
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