Eugene’s Temple Beth Israel halfway to new home
Building community while constructing a synagogue
By Lynn Reichman
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Getting halfway there can be a milestone when you’re “Over Halfway Done,” the name of Eugene’s Temple Beth Israel’s upcoming Aug. 30 picnic to celebrate how far they have come with their new synagogue building.
“We’ve worked on the building a long time and to actually see it coming out of the ground is very exciting,” says Nina Korican, executive director of TBI. “There is enough there now to see what it will be like.”
The end of summer gathering will feature guided tours of the construction site by project manager Nathan Phillips. The tours will present an unusual opportunity to go onto a construction site, where access is ordinarily restricted.
Philips, a TBI congregant, is volunteering as the project manager, putting a substantial amount of energy into the process. He is using his expertise as a developer of multi-million dollar projects, primarily in the health care industry, to assist the congregation with the construction of their new synagogue.
His effort has also encouraged greater participation by many others, inspiring them to provide what they can towards this project. The congregation has been involved from the outset, spending thousands of hours in the planning of the building, while creating a stronger community at the same time.
“The spiritual and lay leadership of Temple Beth Israel is focused upon not just building a new synagogue, but upon building a stronger community in the process,” according to Sean Hoar, chair of the New Building Steering Committee.
Those working on the project say the community’s values are reflected in the input into the design and aesthetics of the building. Congregants have asked that the new building be sustainable, accessible and welcoming, with a simple yet elegant sacred space.
The building will be accessible for people with different abilities, beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Security also had to be considered in the design features, while being balanced with the need to have the synagogue feel inviting.
Numerous sustainability features are part of the building’s design including 100 percent recyclable components such as carpeting and wood beams, and energy efficient heating, ventilation and lighting. The synagogue is striving to make it as sustainable as possible while keeping within the project’s budget.
The synagogue is also “over halfway done” with its capital campaign, having raised more than $1.7 million toward the current $3 million goal for the overall $5 million project. The property is already paid for in full, since the community raised more than $1.8 million in a previous capital campaign. This has been done with a relatively small amount of the congregation solicited.
Leading the capital campaign is Norman Levinrad, a member of the congregation with financial experience as an actuarial and business owner.
As the building is taking form, so are the plans for its future use. The congregation already is starting to envision having more programming. Areas likely to be expanded are the cultural arts, including a possible film and concert series; community education; the preschool and Talmud Torah program; and lifecycle and holiday events.
After needing to rent extra space for the High Holiday services for many years, “holding High Holidays in our own space would be wonderful,” said Nina Korican. “We’ve been here [in the current building] over 50 years and things have really changed. There has been a huge growth in the community.”
The Temple Beth Israel End of Summer “Over Halfway Done” picnic will be held 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 30, at Harris Elementary School, 1150 E. 29th Ave., Eugene, across the street from the new building site. A vegetarian entrée and beverages will be provided; bring a side dish, bread or dessert to share, and a blanket or chairs.
Photos and information are available at www.tbieugene.org or call 541-485-7218.