20 | JULY 13 • 2023 

T

emple Beth El Early Childhood 
Center (TBE ECC) officially 
dedicated its new, state-of-the-
art playground — a space designed 
to ignite imagination and nurture the 
holistic development of young children 
— on Friday, June 2. The dedication 
ceremony was brimming with excite-
ment, gratitude and a deep sense of 
community.
From its inception, TBE ECC has 
understood the profound impact of 
outdoor play and fresh air on children’s 
growth and development. In 2015, with 
the generous contribution of the Gun/
Greenspan family, a natural playground 
was brought to life, featuring a magical 
treehouse, a stage and inviting grass 
mounds that brought joy to countless 
children. Today, TBE expresses its 
heartfelt gratitude to Jill and Alana 
Gun for their invaluable support in cre-
ating this cherished space in memory 
of Fred Greenspan.
As the years passed, TBE ECC recog-
nized the need to enhance and update 
its playground to meet the evolving 
needs and desires of the children. With 
support from Temple Beth El and the 

efforts of committee chairs Taryn Leib, 
Marissa Ruby, Ali Smith and Brittany 
Yaffa, the vision of a state-of-the-art 
playground became a reality.
Working closely with Play Environ-
ments, TBE ECC embarked on a 
comprehensive redesign, incorporating 
feedback from educators and parents 
alike. The result is a meticulously craft-
ed play space that integrates cherished 
elements from the previous playground 
with new additions, promising a world 
of excitement and adventure for young 
hearts and minds.
The new playground boasts a range 
of captivating areas for children to 
explore and play, ensuring an engaging 
experience for each child. Features 
such as the sandbox, figure-eight driv-
ing track, garden, treehouse, stage and 
outdoor kitchens have been preserved, 
while additions, including a teeter-tot-
ter, a big yellow school bus, a climber 
with multiple slides and a rope-climb-
ing dome, have been introduced. 
Additionally, a dedicated area has 
been created for the youngest children, 
complete with bucket swings and a 
train for climbing.

OUR COMMUNITY

Celebrating the dedication of 
Temple Beth El’s new playground.

A Space of 
Joy and Growth

MELANIE WEBER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Jake and Cole Leib

Maya Jacobs
Julian Berk

LEFT: New play 
equipment was added 
to the playground 
.RIGHT: The ribbon to 
the new playground 
was cut June 2. 

COURTESY OF TBE

