Spring 2013

You can now see all three levels of our building. The slab has been poured on all three floors. The bones of the building are all in place with structural steel. The three vertical concrete masonry walls that you see are two staircases and one elevator. These are in the administrative area, where offices will occupy the first floor and multi-purpose meeting rooms the top 2 floors.

Progress continues on erecting the beautiful stone walls that will extend around the exterior of the entire first floor as well as the interior of the sanctuary and social hall. Above the stone walls we will have stucco. The eastern most wall you see (closest to Hart Lane) is the back of the sanctuary, and in the middle of that wall will be our Ark. Soon we will begin framing interior walls. A very small amount of landscape clearing has also been done.

You can now stand on the second floor and look over the space that will be our beautiful sanctuary and social hall. Stay tuned for details about a very special event on the morning of May 5 when you can come on to the job site and witness our progress for yourself!

Weather permitting, we expect to celebrate Hanukah this year inside our own space.

• Our new building will have 3 floors and over 20,000 square feet of space
• Administrative offices  for our staff will be on the first floor administrative wing
• 2nd and 3rd floor have 6-8 multi-purpose rooms (depending on partition openings)
• Sanctuary with a balcony and spacious foyer
• Social Hall
• Kitchen

Detailed Floor Plans (10/2012) - First Floor - 2nd Floor - 3rd Floor

With your help and support, We've raised

$7.3 Million of our $8 Million dollar goal

Help us reach our goal.   Make a pledge, increase your pledge, fulfill your pledge sooner!!  Contact Marilyn Stahl or Sandy Dochen.

From our beginnings in 2000, Temple Beth Shalom has been working toward our goal of creating a permanent Reform presence on the Dell Jewish Community Campus. Here are some of the milestones along our way:

2000	After JCAA opens, several Jewish organizations express interest in building on its campus. Temple Beth Shalom becomes one of two formal partners.
2001 – 2006	Ongoing negotiations continue with Dell Jewish Community Campus (DJCC). Beth Shalom makes offer in early 2006, but DJCC’s conditional use permit has expired. Rezoning required before any further building will be allowed.
2005 – 2006	Capital Campaign, Phase I raises $2.8 million in pledges, much of which has been collected.
2007	Andersson-Wise Architects hired to research building needs. Congregational meetings to establish preliminary programming needs are held.
Sept. 25, 2008	City of Austin approves rezoning of DJCC to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) to allow new construction on campus. The JCAA and Congregation Agudas Achim currently occupy 125,000 square feet. With the PUD approval, an additional 206,000 square feet can be built.
Dec. 17, 2008	Board of Trustees recommends approval of land purchase.
Jan. 18, 2009	Congregational meeting approves purchase of land on campus. Read more
Feb. 20, 2009	Land purchase agreement signed by DJCC and Temple Beth Shalom. Read more
Mar. 29, 2009	Land dedication ceremony held on our new land. Read more
Summer/Fall 2009	Member Input Committees gather detailed information on building and programming needs. Read more
Dec. 6, 2009	Andersson-Wise preliminary master plan and phase one building plan are presented at congregational meeting. Read more
2009 – ongoing	Capital Campaign, Phase II is under way. We will be building only what we can afford — and we will not break ground until we have enough money and pledges to build a meaningful structure.
May 6, 2012	Groundbreaking Ceremony
May 5, 2013 Late 2013	Topping Off Ceremony Opening of New Building with three floors and over 20,000 square feet of space.

As the Israelites began their long journey to the Promised Land, they built a tabernacle in the wilderness to serve as their spiritual home. God recognizes the centrality of sacred space to the community, as God commands, “Let them build a sanctuary that I might dwell among them.”

For ten years, Temple Beth Shalom has been converting its rented temporary space on the Dell Jewish Community Campus into sacred space. However, our physical constraints are now limiting our mission as a congregation as we are forced to shorten or cancel services, classes, and other events due to lack of available space. The need for a permanent home has become crucial.

Our new home will become a reality only if we dedicate both our hearts and our resources to its creation. If you have yet to make your pledge to the Capital Campaign, or you want to increase your current pledge, please contact Sandy Dochen or Marilyn Stahl, co-chairs of the Capital Campaign Committee. Let us make a covenant with each other to provide ourselves and our children with a home in which we can enrich our relationships with each other, with the Jewish people, and with our God.