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Architects: Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects Inc
- Year: 2000
Text description provided by the architects. Mechanical, Electrical, Lighting & Plumbing Engineering: Randall Lamb Associates
The menorah is the emanation of light, the representation of the unchanging and unified divine world. This object inspires the image for the buildings for Congregation Beth El. The plan optimizes the difficult topography with an entry turnaround and parking platform in the valley. An elevator rises from this level to a court formed between the existing structures—social hall, offices, and school building—and the new sanctuary; arcades added to the facades of the existing buildings unify the complex. The court is the focus, the connective space for the gathering of the congregation. All activities lead from this arrival court. The lobby of the sanctuary, on the east side of the court, is two stories with a glass roof above.
Traditional elements are interpreted in the language of the design: a tzedakah box, four slots for placing money embedded in a column, clocks to announce service times, kippah and tallit receptacles, a sink for hand-washing, and bookshelves. The sanctuary itself is a box of light. Paired thick concrete columns alternate with voids and glass to create the image of the menorah. On the glass columns the Five Books of Tehillim (psalms) are inscribed, providing a rich calligraphic tapestry of meaning. The interior evokes warmth and security with colors described by Moses for the Tabernacle: gold, purple, maroon, and blue. The furniture is dark walnut, and stars of light hang from the ceiling. Two floating galleries provide additional seating. In the middle of the court, a chuppah of four poles holds a Star of David. This is the center for wedding ceremonies and outdoor services.
