16 | DECEMBER 19 • 2019 and, of course, this is to attract future growth. We want to keep people engaged in being Jewish. ” According to Tisdale, the Early Childhood Center (ECC) is currently at capacity with 250 students. The temple’ s summer camp serves 150 children. “Our goal is to see families affiliate, ” he adds. Temple Israel is the largest Reform synagogue in the country, according to the Union for Reform Judaism, with 3,400 members. Its existing building is 120,000 square feet. The new classrooms and related enhancements are being fund- ed through donations, primarily from the Sarah and Harry Gottlieb Endowment Fund. The Joseph J. and Deanna I. Bittker Foundation is the major donor for The Bridge. The $4.5 million project was designed by architectural firm Stuart J. Fine + Associates. Sachse Construction is the contractor. The second phase will create a much-needed additional dedicated prayer space and social hall, a gath- ering area to be called The Heart, an innovative educational room and a splash pad for young children. “The second phase is where the real changes come — the new prayer space, The Heart and a place for learning through movement, ” Yedwab explains. “Kinetic learning will rev- olutionize how Jewish education is taught. The Heart came out of the future planning committee — that a shul should be a gathering place. It will be a place to hang out, play mahj or cards, or have coffee — modeled after Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield. ” The temple has been using Korman Hall as a multipurpose room for reli- gious services and a children’ s play area, which requires frequent set-up and removal of large play equipment. Yedwab points out an ark installed in a wall with sliding doors so that it is out of the way of playing children and others when not used for religious services. “It doesn’ t have the acoustics for a prayer space, ” he notes. In addition to the main sanctuary, the temple has a small chapel that seats only 180, which is too few for many events. Yedwab is especially excited about redesigning Korman Hall to become a place for immersive Jewish learn- ing. “Children learn through kinetic movement and tactile learning. The pioneer for this was the Friendship Circle. Imagine if you were climbing the ladder of Maimonides’ eight levels of charity, ” he says. A splash pad will be another attrac- tion for young children and some- thing different than what is available at other synagogues, Yedwab says. The new prayer space will be named in honor of major donors Sandy and the late Bill Lefkofsky. Major donors for The Heart are Jews in the D “We are constantly visioning about how to reach people and increase our bandwidth in the eastern areas.” — RABBI JENNIFER LADER continued from page 14 TOP: Phase II will include a children’ s splash pad. ABOVE: A new state-of- the-art security entrance also is slated for Phase II. DRAWINGS COURTESY OF STUART J. FINE & ASSOCIATES.