December | 2007 | Shalom Rav

While there is still a bit of final exterior work to be done, the majority of the work now is primarily interior finish. The pic above shows a lovely view of the bimah construction. You can see how the steps have been cut out and run along the periphery. When finished, the bimah floor will be made of dark walnut.

A radically different kind of picture can be found below. Now why would I possibly be showing you a close-up shot of a toilet handle? This is a feature of JRC’s water saving “dual flush” toilets: you pull the handle up for liquid waste (which needs less water) and push down for solid waste (which uses more water). Our toilets will clearly necessitate a new consciousness raising effort for bathroom usage in our new building. (JRC members: consider yourselves on alert!)

Below this are two views of the reclaimed cypress which is now being installed along the sanctuary walls. The final pic is a view of the Jerusalem stone walkway that leads to the building’s main entrance.

We’re kicking to the finish!

We are now closing in on the final two months of construction. The exterior is now almost completely finished (see pic above.) The next pic below offers include an interior view of the sanctuary. You can see the framework for the bimah platform being constructed and the sound baffle on the left, which will hang directly over the Torah reading table. The second pic down shows reclaimed cypress slats that are currently being installed on the chapel walls and ceiling. (Cypress is a main feature of our building that will also figure prominently in our sanctuary.) Below this is an interior view of our main staircase looking down from the third floor. The next pic shows our parking lot across the street. It has now been completely paved and striped (though it might be hard to tell with all that snow.)

The second pic from the bottom shows one of the cabinets and counter tops in the Religious School workroom. All our cabinet faces and shelving are made from Dakota Burl, which is a wood-like material made from recycled sunflower husks. At bottom there is a photo of the tile in one of the bathrooms. All of the sinks and toilets have been delivered to the site and the plumber will start installing them next week.

We continue to move along with construction, most of which is essentially finish work, such as millwork, installation of doors, counter tops and other final pieces. The bimah will be completed and the walls of the sanctuary will be worked on so that the cypress siding can be installed.

Finally: our local NBC affiliate, NBC5 recently featured JRC’s new building on the evening news. Click here to watch!