By LEAH WEATHERSBY

When Chabad-Lubavitch members in Northeast Seattle started holding meetings in a congregation memberıs garage over a decade ago, they could only dream that theyıd one day have a brand new, two-story synagogue to worship in right in their own neighborhood.

On Friday, Feb. 2, that dream will be realized when congregation members hold an inaugural prayer service for the recently completed $2.5 million Shaarei Tefilah-Lubavitch Synagogue at 6250 43rd Ave. NE in View Ridge.

Director Rabbi Sholom Ber Levitin moved to Seattle in the early 1970s to bring the New York-based Chabad-Lubavitch organization to the Puget Sound area. The groupıs mission is to help Jewish people establish a greater connection to their religious heritage.

³Weıre trying to reach out to Jews who do not have a lot of Judaism in their lives,² said Daniel Swedlow, Chabad program director.

According to Swedlow, only a few years ago everyone in the Seattle branch of Chabad knew everyone else. But over the last quarter of a decade the movement has grown. The organization runs Chabad House in the University District, a building which includes a school for Jewish children as well as a Jewish girlsı high school. Chabad house also offers services such as campus and community outreach, counseling, worship services, and a gift shop and book store. In addition, Chabad runs the Chaya Mushka Library, located at 3502 NE 65th St.

Chabad opened the most modest of synagogues in Wedgwood in 1991. It was located on the first floor of an apartment building at 3401 NE 65th St. Jewish tradition dictates that worshipers must not drive during the sabbath and Chabad wanted to have a facility to serve members of the Jewish community who live further north. Swedlow says that the small Wedgwood facility drew about 100 regular attendees. The new synagogue, a tastefully-understated piece of architecture, is expected to attract up to twice that many people. Swedlow gives much of the credit for the successful completion of the project to Dr. Joseph Greenberg, the congregation president and a podiatrist by trade.

Greenberg says that the building took about five years to complete. Funds for the project were raised from community members and also came from a loan from the Kirkland Bank of Commerce. Greenberg said heıs very thankful for the bankıs help and that heıs very pleased with building, which was designed for Chabad by architect Robin Abrahams.

While Greenberg notes that his congregation ³has a rabbi for profundities² he obviously feels extremely proud of the new facility.

³It was a long, challenging process but a beautiful building is the culmination of these years of hard work. I put my heart and soul into this project,² he said.

The Chabad-Lubavitch Synagogue in View Ridge offers services at sunset on Fridays and Saturdays and also on Saturday mornings. For more info, call 527-1411.