Welcome to the inaugural edition of Bonai Shalom’s New Building newsletter!
We hope that this will serve as an effective and timely vehicle to keep you informed and engaged in this exciting project.
After 2-1/2 years of dedicated effort by many folks committed to strengthening the future of Bonai Shalom, we took a leap forward this month and embarked on the Schematic Design phase of the project. If everything aligns -- if we come together as a community to raise the money needed in a timely manner and if the entitlement process with the City goes smoothly -- we could be under construction by the Summer of 2025!
Here is what’s happening…
Building Elements
Design Update
With the start of 2024, Bonai’s Architecture & Design Committee (ADC) participated in a project planning meeting with our contractor (Swinerton), project manager (Sii), architects (Stantec), and their design team including mechanical and electrical engineers, structural and civil engineers, sustainability designer, interior designer, and landscape architects.
The purpose of the meeting was to establish a “critical path” work schedule for all the participants -- including Bonai -- for the current Schematic Design phase of the project.
Since then, the ADC has met with the following Bonai groups to gather design information requested by the architects and engineers:
Many thanks to the staff and volunteers who participated in these meetings, shared their insights and expertise, and followed-up with additional research and information where needed. This process is ongoing, and we look forward to more input from the Bonai community as the project progresses.
Placemaking
The vision for the new building is more than a collection of rooms. It is a building that embodies “moments” of inspiration, teaching, connection, and community – “moments” that make it a uniquely Jewish, uniquely Bonai Shalom space. PLACEMAKING is the process of creating these “moments”.
Over the last 2 months, thanks to the participation of many of our community members, we have been collecting PLACEMAKING ideas that will help ensure the new building is a soulful, joyful reflection of our congregation and our collective mission and purpose as a synagogue community. Please continue to share your ideas online (click here) or in-person at Bonai Shalom.
If you have ideas that you have not yet shared, please do so by February 19, 2024. After that date, the poster boards in the shul will be coming down in preparation for the PLACEMAKING “CHARRETTE” and the next steps in the design process.
Placemaking "Charrette"
Community Event to Review and Prioritize Placemaking Ideas
Date: Sunday, February 25, 2024 Location: Bonai Shalom
A light lunch will be served at 12:15pm. Program will begin at 1:00pm. Our architect will be joining us to help us through the process.
RSVP Here
Campaign Corner
The Capital Campaign has been very successful to date with more than $7.7 million pledged from 20% of our membership. A very generous family has offered to contribute $1,000,000 to the campaign with the following challenge.
In order to receive these funds, we must expedite our fundraising efforts and raise 80% of our total fundraising goal by March 31, 2024. To accomplish this, we need to raise an additional $5,680,000. We currently have pending asks for more than $4 million, so we need your help to close the gap and unlock this most generous commitment!
Here is how you can help…
If you have been asked to contribute but have not yet made your pledge, please consider pledging this month, so we can include your commitment and spend our time reaching out to others who have not yet been approached.
If you have not yet been asked to contribute and can help us meet the challenge with a pledge today (which can be paid over 3 – 5 years), please let Jennifer (jennifer@bonaishalom.org) know that you would like one of our Campaign Committee members to call you to discuss your contribution.
