A synagogue in the tradition of Reform Judaism, Temple Beth El is a community where prayer is engaging and participatory. We cherish spiritual depth, sacred and contemporary music, lifelong learning and social justice as paths to Jewish commitment. Temple Beth El is a home in which we celebrate our joys and share our sorrows. Temple Beth El welcomes all who wish to participate in Jewish life – singles, couples and families in all their forms. In the words of our Senior Rabbi, Joshua M. Davidson, “The synagogue is a kehilah kedoshah– a sacred community. Like a sukkah, it is constructed of many different branches woven together: the young, the old, the rich and the poor, the married and the unmarried, single parents, grandparents, gays and heterosexuals, non-Jewish spouses. The broader the Sukkah’s reach, the more tightly its branches are woven, the stronger it stands. So, too, the synagogue: the greater variety of people welcomed within it, the closer they feel to one another, the stronger the temple stands.”
Temple Beth El Gains Approval
For Expansion of its Facility
CHAPPAQUA, NY (June 30, 2009) – Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester announced today it has received final approval from the Town of New Castle for an expansion of its facility in Chappaqua.
The project calls for the construction of a new addition of approximately 20,000 square feet to complement the existing 18,435-square-foot building. The new addition will include classrooms, a social hall and kitchen, a chapel/library/music room, administrative offices and restrooms. The existing sanctuary will remain the same size but will be restored to its original splendor. There will be additional parking and a realignment of traffic flow through the property as well as improvements to the entrance to the temple property from South Bedford Road (Route 117).
“We are delighted that we have now received Town approval to move ahead with this very important project. It is fitting that as our congregation celebrates its 60th anniversary we now embark on this milestone project that will serve many generations to come,” said William Pollak, President of Temple Beth El.
“This beautiful new building will serve as a Center for Jewish Life where generations of Jews will find community, form their most cherished friendships and celebrate life’s greatest joys,” said Temple Beth El’s Senior Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson. “It will allow us to dedicate our sanctuary as a sanctuary; no more will it be a waiting room and busy thoroughfare. It will also create appropriate learning environments for all our students, adults and children alike,” he added.
Completed in 1972, the current synagogue was originally designed to accommodate 450 families. However, over the past three decades the congregation has grown to approximately 640 families or more than 2,000 people, resulting in an overburdening of the existing facilities. In addition to worship, the existing synagogue is currently used for religious school classes, a nursery school and an adult education program. The project will allow the sanctuary to be dedicated to its intended use for worship and lifecycle events.
Site preparation work is expected to begin this summer with major construction to start in the summer of 2010. “It has always been our plan to start construction during the summer months when our school was not in session. As there is simply not enough time to properly prepare for a groundbreaking this summer, the prudent course to take would be to break ground next summer,” Mr. Pollak said.
The new building was designed by noted architect Alexander Gorlin, whose Manhattan firm has designed places of worship including several synagogues. Mr. Gorlin is a student of the work of renowned 20th century architect Louis Kahn, who designed the existing temple building as a memorial to the Eastern European synagogues lost during the Holocaust.
Mr. Gorlin’s design respects the architectural integrity of the existing building while addressing the operational and space needs of the congregation and improving the overall functionality of the building. The new addition is designed to fit appropriately within the natural setting of the 7-acre wooded property.
Temple Beth El launched a capital campaign for the new building last year. To date, the campaign has raised more than 60 percent of its $12 million goal. “We are deeply grateful for the tremendous generosity of the more than 100 families in our congregation who have contributed to our capital campaign. We will be contacting other members in the months ahead as we move forward in reaching our goal of $12 million,” said Mr. Pollak.
Founded in 1949, Temple Beth El has grown into a vibrant and active congregation serving 640 member households from all over Westchester and the community at large.
Temple Beth El offers one of Westchester’s finest nursery schools to congregants and non-members alike. Temple Beth El’s Religious School and Institute for Jewish Studies provide a wide range of educational programs.
