Building Our Home

Prior to 2000, Beth Chaim had a dream to have a place of our own which would require buying land and building a home where our community could worship and come together with no encumbrances. 

Some of us remember how hard it was living as nomads.  We were blessed that for many years Danville Congregational Church and a local public school offered and provided space for worship, celebrations and religious school.  Although fortunate that these options were available to us, we had to spend so much of our most precious resource, our time, making sure that we left no trace that we had been in other people’s spaces. Books, supplies, our Torahs and other items of worship had to be unpacked, distributed, then packed up and stored, schlepping over and over again. It was time.  We began raising money for the land and over several years accumulated a substantial sum and raised additional funds through generous Beth Chaim members and various fundraising events.  Around the year 2000 we located and purchased an ideal property for our new home and 1800 Holbrook Drive was born.  

Over the next 5 years, we worked through planning and architecting a place of worship. Our members, as with many other projects, were very involved in this process.

Beth Chaim organized many committees to transform this former residence property and dirt on the hill into our beautiful home.  The existing home structure had to be removed. We had to grade and level the hill.  There were architectural and engineering teams formed. We searched for the most cost effective construction companies to meet our budget.  It was all coming together but we were still short of what would be necessary to fund the multi-million dollar building budget.  A serious capital campaign was initiated.  We had some starts and stops.   However in 2005, our community prevailed and together made our dream possible.  One of the largest kick starters occurred when we received a challenge from Nathan Shapell’s Foundation.   Mr. Shapell, a Holocaust survivor and major real estate developer in our community agreed to meet with Beth Chaim.  A philanthropic offer was made…   If BCC members could raise $1.5 million in six months, Mr. Shapell would match with a $1 million gift.   His comment was “I will not stand behind this offer a day longer than 6 months.”  We succeeded and the proof is in our beautiful building with our gorgeous sanctuary that was designed to invite nature in.

One of the most memorable days in our history was a warm June day in 2007 when we officially walked out of Danville Congregational Church and carried our two Torah scrolls all the way down Camino Tassajara to our new home.  Everyone who wanted to got a chance to carry a Torah for a bit.  As a community, we proudly embraced our Torahs and moved them from a Church that had been a gracious temporary home for us, to our new home on the hill.

Thanks to more individuals than we can possibly mention, we proudly stand on top of the Holbrook hill with a Beth Chaim Jewish Identity that is more important than ever.   May we preserve our home and Jewish culture for generations to come.