CAMP BDJ - May 11, 2004 update

Dear Friends:

We hope this letter finds you well. We wanted to take this opportunity to provide all of our members with an update as to where we stand with our building campaign. At the same time, we want to apologize for the fact that this update is long overdue. As the pace of the project itself picks up, you will be getting updates more frequently and regularly between now and the completion of our project. In addition, if you have any questions at all about the campaign or its status, please feel free to contact any of us and we will do our best to answer any questions you have.

Before we get into the update, please hold the date of June 15 for the shul's Annual Meeting. Unlike most years when all we do is approve the new Board, this year the membership will not only be provided with a thorough update on our project, but members will be able to ask any and all questions they have, and they will get full and honest answers to those questions.

So where do we stand now? On Friday, May 7, the President of the shul signed a contract with Sam Shafer, the contractor approved by the Board of Directors. That same day, architect Naomi Langer got the permits necessary to begin from the City of Los Angeles. DEMOLITION HAS BEGUN!

As you probably know, the scope of the project has changed. It now includes:
-lead and asbestos abatement throughout the building
-painting the façade of the building
-adding fire alarms throughout the building
-beautifying the sanctuary, lobby and the Rechov Yeladim courtyard
-adding a handicapped-accessible bathroom in the main lobby
-adding in the sanctuary six windows to let in natural light, a center mechitza, and ramps to provide disabled access to newly configured center and front bimas (the aron kodesh in the main sanctuary will be retained, though the design committee is exploring simple ways in which to enhance its beauty)
-reupholstering and reconfiguring the existing seats to match the new sanctuary décor
-constructing a one-stop elevator connecting the sanctuary level to the Gold Room
-redecorating the Gold Room
-creating an internal entrance through the "courtyard" into the Beit Medrash
-updating the electrical and mechanical setup of the building and bringing the building up to code in many ways that are not visible.

While we are currently unable to undertake building new Rechov Yeladim rooms, creating additional space for our children remains foremost on our minds.

These are certainly exciting developments, but we are still faced with significant challenges. First among those is whether we will be back home for the High Holidays. While the contractor and the Board are committed to finding a way to have us back in the building for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, there is a good chance, as many of you have guessed, that we just might not make it back by then. A lot of work is being undertaken and, as those of you who have ever added on to your homes know, we are at the mercy of contractors, sub-contractors, and City inspectors. Amram, Rav Yosef, and the Board are exploring all our options, and we will communicate those to you as the situation becomes clearer. In the meantime, if you have any ideas that you would like to add to our mix, please let Amram know.

We also have financial concerns. Even though we raised in excess of $2 million and even though the scope of the renovations has been cut back, the shul is still going to incur about $300,000-$450,000 of debt to complete the project. The Board undertook this level of debt after a great deal of deliberation, even taking votes at several different meetings with the same result each time. In making the decision, the Board understood that the debt could be a burden to the shul for years to come, but that to make any further cuts in the project would be irresponsible and unresponsive to the contributors.

What this means is that all of us are going to have to step to the plate in future years to make sure that the shul can carry this obligation comfortably. We will have to continue to support the annual Tribute Dinner, Yom Kippur appeal, and all those other times we are asked for money, in addition to our capital campaign contributions. As with all capital campaigns, our contributions to this one must be above and beyond our other contributions to the shul's general operating budget.

These last nine months have been trying for all of us as we try to keep moral up. We know that nerves have been frayed, communication and processes could have been better and more people could have been included in more ways. People take seriously and personally what happens at B'nai David-Judea because this is a very special community, a place that houses our closest friends and ideals, and we don't want to jeopardize it. We are in this together, and your concerns are our concerns.

If you have a question, call us. If we don't know the answer, we'll find it out for you. If you want to participate, call us. We'll get you involved. If you want to know more, come to the Annual Meeting, read the regular updates or call the construction hotline at 310-GIVE-BDJ.

On behalf of our unique shul, thank you for your commitment to what we stand for and what we hope to accomplish in the years ahead. Without each of us, our shul is only a building. With each of us, we are a community.

Sincerely,

Julie Fax, Communications Committee
Robert Smith, Communications Committee
Rav Yosef
Robert Blitzstein, President
Jeff Rabin, Finance Committee