|
|
July 26, 2002
Old location, new shul
Beth Hamidrash congregants celebrate their new building.
PAT JOHNSON REPORTER
The only Sephardi congregation west of Toronto is now meeting in
its newly built shul. The reconstructed Beth Hamidrash Synagogue,
located on the same Heather Street site as the old building, welcomed
congregants back for services last Shabbat.
"It's wonderful," said congregation president Stanley
Shawn. "It's just such a beautiful building ... it's just such
a privilege to be there."
The joy may be accentuated due to the obstacles overcome in the
process. Construction was halted last summer when money for the
project dried up. The building was largely completed by that point,
but interior details required about an additional $500,000 to be
finished.
Almost as soon as the synagogue went public with the dilemma through
a story in the Jewish Western Bulletin, a solution was found.
"Some prominent people in the community stepped forward and
really helped us get going again," Shawn said.
The Diamond Foundation and Ben and Esther Dayson came through with
substantial sums of money for the project.
"They were the major [donors] but there were other people who
helped in smaller ways," said Shawn.
The synagogue is a fairly small congregation, with about 100 families,
and the committee shepherding the construction knew they would have
to reach outside the limited resources of their community. The entire
price tag was about $1.6 million. Approximately $400,000 was raised
through the synagogue's members and the synagogue has a mortgage
of about $800,000.
Beth Hamidrash boasts a diverse Sephardi membership, with members
from all over the world, including Africa and the primarily Muslim
nations of the Middle East.
During construction, Beth Hamidrash members met at Schara Tzedeck,
something that led to an unexpected bonding, according to Beth Hamidrash
Rabbi Ilan Acoca. The two congregations shared many kiddushim and
a deepened sense of fraternity was created, he said.
"Schara Tzedeck opened their doors and gave us their place
without any expectations," said Acoca.
Nevertheless, it was nice to return home last week, he said. For
some families with children, the walk to Schara Tzedeck was a difficult
one.
"The sense of family that Beth Hamidrash has was challenged
in a way," Acoca said. Now that they are in the new shul, though,
Acoca hopes not only to draw back all the congregants who found
it difficult to make it to the temporary location, but to draw new
congregants to the permanent, beautiful new synagogue.
There is a sense of renewal and excitement felt by congregants and
their rabbi.
"For me, it's like starting new," he said.
Because of the long, narrow structure, which is necessitated by
the form and location of the synagogue's property, skylights have
been installed in the new building to allow more natural light.
In addition to the new bimah and sanctuary, a complete, finished
basement has provided the synagogue with a social area and kitchen
that it did not have before.
Having benefited from the generosity of the community during the
construction phase, the rabbi reminds members of the community that
the congregation still has a significant outstanding debt.
"We are willing to get as much help as we can," said Acoca.
^TOP
|
|
