Mar 1st, 00:00

   As I sit at my computer composing this article I am having a bit of trouble staying focused. I keep switching back and forth to the live feed construction cam on our web site templebethtikvah.com. I am watching as the concrete for the footings of our new building are being poured. It has been six years since the concept for this project was first mentioned at Temple Beth Tikvah’s 40th anniversary gala celebration in 2004. I remember the exact moment that Lila Pesner stood up and  announced that she and her husband Stan wanted to donate the proceeds from the sale of their airplane ($117,000) to be used as seed money to explore the possibility of building a new school to replace our worn out and unsafe 50 year old temporary building. That one gift of generosity set in motion the beginning of Project Legacy and the Asa Center for Life-Long Jewish Learning.

What followed has been a seemingly endless string of meetings, committees, consultants, meetings, architects, meetings, contractors, meetings, fundraising, meetings, Town Hall meetings, Congregational meetings, planning meetings…and on and on. There have been disappointments, plan changes, and budget changes. But mainly there have been triumphs over any and all obstacles placed before us. I have watched as so many of you have been generous with your time, your commitment to the project and, of course, your money. There are a myriad of thanks that need to be expressed to so many and those thanks will be forthcoming.

I do want to express my gratitude to three people who, without their involvement, I truly believe this project would not have happened. First; thanks to Lila Pesner for her indefatigable perseverance, enthusiasm and belief in the importance of this project. Second; thanks to Henry Cohen for his unwavering belief in the value of this project, his grounding of our dream in reality, and his financial expertise and organizational skills. Third; Joe Bloomfield for his ability to get things done and for the many ways his skills and contacts have saved us money. But most of all for the way he has thrown his heart and soul into Project Legacy even at what has at times been a cost to his family and to his business. The entire Bloomfield family has been a blessing to TBT.

I know this is sounding like an article one might read after the completion of Project Legacy and I realize there is still much to do. However, our contractor has told us that the “full court press” is on and we should see major progress coming rapidly. Getting back to watching this unfold on our web site; today is truly an historical day for our Temple. We have gone “vertical.” We are no longer tearing down, disassembling, or digging. We are BUILDING!

How appropriate it is that the first part of Project Legacy being constructed will be the “Western Wall” portion of our Holocaust Memorial. At the very root of Project Legacy is the desire to fulfill our obligation to Jewishly educate our children, and our adults, so as to preserve our heritage and culture for the benefit of this generation and future generations. It is the right thing to do and we should all be proud to be a part of this mitzvah.

If you have not yet taken the opportunity to pledge to the completion of Project Legacy or our Holocaust Memorial, I once again ask you to consider doing so. A pledge in any amount or a small increase in an existing pledge will help to eliminate the remaining small deficit in our fundraising effort. More importantly, it will allow you to know that you and your family have been an integral part of TBT’s effort to ensure our successful future.