The Synagogue Building
Background
After 15 years of fighting for a plot of land on which to build, the case finally reached the Israeli Supreme Court, which ruled that Darchei Noam (and future congregations) must be allocated land. After that, it took another 5 years and more hard work until the much-desired Building Permit was finally obtained in March 2006. In June of that year, a very emotional Groundbreaking Ceremony took place in the presence of members and friends of the congregation, as well as representatives from the Reform Movement overseas.
The importance of Having a Building
The region served by Darchei Noam consists almost entirely of a non-Orthodox population, most of who are unaffiliated but attend a synagogue during the High Holidays and on other occasions. To meet the needs of our community, Darchei Noam needs proper facilities.
Based on the experience of similar congregations in other Israeli towns, Darchei Noam expects to double or even triple its membership as soon as it has finished its own building, and there is little doubt that it will establish itself as an important and attractive alternative to the numerous Orthodox synagogues in the area which cater mainly to a non-Orthodox public.
The Building
Unfortunately, due to a long-standing political and religious status quo, only Orthodox institutions are eligible for public funding to build in Israel, and they enjoy generous financial support from various government authorities.But we did not let that stop us! Again, taking the lead in the Israeli Reform Movement, our community raised the funds on our own to start building our synagogue. Our new synagogue building is located on Yavne Street on the border between Ramat Hasharon and Herzliya, and will therefore serve residents of both towns.
The well-known architect Saadia Mandel was commissioned to design a modest and functional structure. Today, visitors to the construction site can attest to the fact that the building Mandel has designed is much more than merely functional. It is beautiful and impressive.
The new building measures a total of 1079 m² (11,610 sq.ft.) spread over a basement, a ground floor and a gallery floor and, when finished, will meet the needs of our congregation for the years to come. We cannot wait to be done!
Update on the Building’s Progress
On Tu B’Shvat in February 2008, we held a festive tree planting ceremony outside the future entrance of the synagogue, commemorating the completion of the structure skeleton.
Since then, the stone exterior has been completed, the ceramic floors laid, and, most recently, the windows and the doors were installed. We are proud of all that we have accomplished and appreciate the support our community has shown. No other congregation in Israel has done so much on their own. But while we have accomplished so much through our hard work, we need to make one last push as we set out on our final lap to get to the finish line: Congregation Darchei Noam occupying its new synagogue building!
Join Our List of Partners – Donate to our Building Fund
Recognizing the extraordinary efforts of the Darchei Noam community and the contributions our efforts have made to the Reform Movement in Israel, the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) has identified Darchei Noam as the number one priority congregational building project in the Israeli Reform Movement. To help us with the final push, Darchei Noam has entered into a partnership with ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America), the Zionist arm of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). ARZA’s professional fundraising team is helping us run Darchei Noam’s Final Lap capital campaign of $2 million.
Our Goal? To raise the money needed to finish our building and move in! Click here to make a tax-deductible contribution on-line or find out how to send a contribution in the mail. http://www.arza.org/action/donate/index.cfm?
There are opportunities for making significant gifts and naming all or parts of the synagogue in memory or in honor of loved ones. There is also support for congregations to run campaigns to partner with ARZA and Darchei Naom. To learn more about these opportunities or to make a pledge, you can contact Barbara Kavadias, the Director of Development at ARZA at (202) 650-4286 or bkavadias@arza.org.
Would you like more information? Click here to see the campaign brochure or ask Barbara to send you a copy.