Westchester Reform Temple Goes Green

Scarsdale's Westchester Reform Temple (WRT) is going green with a new addition.

WRT is proud of its new addition, including a sanctuary, social hall and memorial garden.  It is one of first synagogues in the tri-state area – and in the country – to have incorporated sustainable building practices throughout the building process, mirroring the congregation's commitment to green initiatives and applying for LEED certification. (LEED is now a widely used architectural term meaning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

There are different levels of LEED certification, including gold, platinum and silver. The new addition's final LEED ranking will depend on the number of points issued for qualifying sustainable materials and practices used both during the building process and in continued building maintenance.  The synagogue will be considered one of the most sustainable buildings in New York State.

It is one of first synagogues in the tri-state area–and in the country–to have incorporated sustainable building practices throughout the process, mirroring the congregation's commitment to so-called green initiatives and applying for LEED certification. (LEED is now a widely used architectural term meaning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

"That's a long process," explained Rabbi Richard Jacobs. "We're in the midst of it and we hope to have the official certification within the year." 

After a seven-year process, they're hoping for the best. The design of the sanctuary already won a Merit Award from the New York City American Institute of Architects (AIA). 

Additional Building Details and Breakthroughs

• The new sanctuary was officially dedicated in the Fall of 2009.
• The Bimah is fully accessible from both sides. 
• There are 164 glass panes. The ten columns that hold them are reminiscent of the tribes of Israel.
• The acoustics were designed by Jaffe Holden, the same acousticians that designed the new acoustics Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center.
• The sanctuary contains state-of -the-art video equipment that can record events without being intrusive and has video screens to eliminate paper handouts for lectures or events.
• The synagogue is working closely with Rogers Marvel Architects on the second stage of the building's master plan.
• The new sanctuary and social hall were part of Phase I.
• Phase II will include the existing sanctuary transforming into a center for lifelong Jewish learning built to accommodate the 800 religious school students and a large population of adult learners.
• The Early Childhood Center will now be designated specifically for the toddler and pre-school programs, no longer transforming in the afternoons and evenings for Religious School and Adult Education students.

Construction Materials and Innovations

The building used wood-based materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council; other structural details include using regionally extracted, proceeded, and manufactured products (from within a 500 mile radius of WRT – a widely accepted definition of local purchasing); implementing a construction-waste management plan to divert materials from disposal to reuse; using low-emitting materials in the adhesives, sealants, paints, and carpets that have low or no VOCs (VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds); and providing separate rooms for printing and copying to control indoor chemical and pollutant sources.

Another unique, and very new-age feature is the eternal light, which will be eternally lit...by solar panels.

"The idea of an 'eternal light' is a pretty standard fixture in any Jewish sanctuary, said Rabbi Jacobs. "We try to ask ourselves, 'What does it mean to be an eternal light?'"

"We've used previously a candle in our former sanctuary, and every seven days I would change that candle, and it was eternal because we constantly tended to the flame and kept it going," he said.

"Some synagogues have it connected to electric current, and light bulbs, and they change the eternal light every couple of years. We thought in a green sanctuary, wouldn't it be perfect if the eternal light was tied to the sun, and the notion being 'It's an eternal light as long we take care of creation,' and we just loved that there was the ability to have that symbolic reminder of our obligation to care for God's creation."

"The center is going to be used as our centerpiece here at our temple which is a very big part of what we do," Rabbi Jacobs said.

The Memorial Garden

The Memorial Garden is the central courtyard for prayer and remembrance at WRT.  The location – just off the central lobby – mirrors how the memory of lost loved ones is central to Jewish prayer at every service, according to Rabbi Jacobs. The space was designed as a place of quiet meditation and inspiration. 

"It's new for it to be in a form of a garden," he said. "Any synagogue would have places to memorialize their loved ones. We thought it would be beautiful to do it around a garden; a place where people could sit and have a moment of quiet reflection."

Setting A Trend With Spirituality

The size of the congregation has increased in the last decade, so they are in the process of playing catch-up for the 1,200 families that attend WRT.

"We've been looking for possible ways to expand our physical home so we needed more space," said Rabbi Jacobs. While it took some time in order to acquire ne property, and gnerate the design and committment to green development, construction costs saw a steady rise.

"We didn't build this building hoping to double or triple the size of the congregation, we're hoping to accomodate the increased activities and ongoing commitments of our members," said Rabbi Jacobs. He added that the hope was ultimately to "continue to be a place of gathering and learning for the wider communities as well."  

"Our intention was to do the right thing as a community: that was first and foremost. We also thought this was a 'reach' – nobody thought that we were going to be the second green synogogue in North America. It's clear that it's not yet become a huge expectation, but we wanted to create the sense that this was part of being our faith in 2010."

"Our concern for the environment and respect is not a political agenda but a religious one."