I was over at the home of Haskel and Tina Greenfield and overheard Haskel and Karla Dahan talking about their "new shul". I thought they were talking about Rabbi Pinsker's new shul, but then realized that they were talking about a completely different "New Shul", one that Dahan referred to as The Newest New Shul"--the "one that is going to be at my house."
What ? I asked --looking for an explanation. Dahan responded that it is expected that Herzliya Ada-Yeshurun synagogue will be undergoing renovations in the near future to revamp the shul and make it suitable for daycare spaces. In the meantime, Herzlia shul members have been having to think about where their davening will take place during the renovations. The Dahan's offered their home to become the "new shul" during the renovations.
As Dahan joked, "That way I won't have an excuse to come late to shul." And neither will my husband !
As Greenfield quipped, "Haven't you ever heard of home-shuling.?"
According to Dahan, shortly after she has thought of suggesting her home as the New Herzliya Shul her husband Meir was approaced by the Herzlia Adas-Yeshrun synagogue President Earl Hershfield to inquire about whether services could be held at the Dahan home for the duration of the expected renovations.
"The nice thing about our 'newest new shul' is that it will have a real homey atmostphere," Dahan says. "In times like this we have to work together as a community. Our house is suitable and it makes sense to have the services take place there ," Dahan adds.
In related news, the proposed deal between Herzliya and the Federation, ad the Asper Campus to transfer the Herzliya building hasn't been finalized yet, and the full nature of the necessary renovations planned for the building is still being decided, sources tell the Wininpeg Jewish Review.
Greenfield says that families such as his need to be able to know what the status of the Herzliya shul will be in the next year. "We are planning a spring bar-mitzvah, and we can't have it at Herzliya at that time if it willl be in the midst of renovations."
It is not entirely clear at this stage whether the Dahan home will be the temporary "new shul' and that after that Herzlia will consider finding a school such as William Osler School or Brock Corydon for shabbat services during the renovations
Editor's note: If the deal isn't finalized soon, the Dahan's might have to start thinking about adding 60 daycare spots to their home-- and they may need some lead time to tell their neighbors! Never a dull moment.