Well, we’ve lucked out in the dry weather department! The concrete for the third floor was poured yesterday and the second floor was poured today. The picture on top shows the cement mixers sending the concrete through high powered hoses to the third floor. The next picture shows the workers laying out and smoothing the cement. The ground floor will take a little bit more time as more underground work needs to be done before the concrete is poured on.

Today I was given my first grand tour of the interior of the site by JRC President Alan Saposnik and construction supervisor Marc Bonnivier (that’s Marc on the left and me on right, below, standing against the west wall of the third floor sanctuary.)

Alan and I both agreed that the third floor sanctuary is already a sacred space. It felt like we were perched on a mountaintop, with a sublime quality of natural light suffused throughout. It was so powerful to contemplate the countless sacred memories that will soon be created in this makom kadosh – this holy place.

As you can see, the entire steel structure has now been completely covered by plastic tarps. (We’ve observed more than once that the building frame sort of resembles the Ohel Mo’ed – the ancient Israelite Tent of Meeting.) We’re currently waiting for the rainy weather to subside so the workers can pour the concrete for the floors.

The wet weather is continuing to delay the overall construction schedule, but we are hopeful that we can still make up time into the Spring and Summer. The forecast calls for the rain to subside – if this is the case, Marc the construction manager tells us they will be able to pour the third floor tomorrow.

The picture below gives a great view of the third floor sanctuary. The view faces east, from the back of the room toward the bimah. The east wall will be made almost entirely of glass, so the trees and sky will be clearly visible in back of the bimah and ark. You can also see the clerestory – clear glass panes that ring the top of the walls around the perimeter of the room. Needless to say, natural light will be a main feature of our new sanctuary.

Pray for sun!