Building A Dream

Interfaith Ceremony Breaks Ground For Area's First Synagogue

Last updated Friday, October 19, 2007 9:00 PM CDT in Religion

By Bettina Lehovec
THE MORNING NEWS

"By lineage we are first cousins," Bayyari said, tracing Muslim and Jewish traditions back to Abraham. "It's a shame that all these years we have been fighting over a piece of land. We need to break that cycle. What better way to bridge that gap than helping build a temple?"

Bayyari received a hero's welcome at the Oct. 14 event, with onlookers getting to their feet when he was introduced. The partnership between the Muslim and the Jews has inspired national attention, with recent articles in the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times.

"Building our synagogue has become an interfaith effort," Feldman said. "This has created a lot of goodwill for us."

Representatives of several area churches offered "groundblessing" prayers. They included Rabbi Jacob Adler of Temple Shalom, the Rev. Lowell Grisham of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and the Revs. Dave Hunter and Kerry Mueller of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fayetteville. Temple Shalom has been meeting at the Unitarian church for more than 20 years.

Tibetan Buddhist monks offered a chant for peace, harmony and healing.

The groundbreaking portion of the ceremony included representatives from three pivotal times -- the past, the present and the future. They dipped their golden shovels in a row of soft earth as Adler led a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

U.S. Congressman John Boozman congratulated temple members on their soon-to-be new home. He was joined by Arkansas state senator Sue Madison, state representative Lindsley Smith, Fayetteville mayor Dan Coody and city council members Shirley Lucas and Lioneld Jordan.

All praised Bayyari and the Temple Shalom community for their example of brotherhood.

"As this temple rises to reality, let us hope that it becomes truly a model for peaceful harmony throughout the world," Madison said.

'A Long Time Coming'

Members of Temple Shalom have contributed to a building fund throughout the temple's 26 year history, but several events in the past few years accelerated the congregation's efforts.

Longtime member Miriam Ella Alford, who died last year, offered an anonymous matching grant up to $500,000. The Temple Shalom community pitched in to raise more than $150,000. Past president Joe Ratner began looking for a space.

The initial vision was to find a location central to all of Northwest Arkansas, Ratner said. Temple Shalom was the only Jewish community here for many years. Then Congregation Etz Chaim formed in Bentonville, easing the need for a central location. Both congregations are part of the Reform movement.

Chabad of Northwest Arkansas, located in Rogers, is an Orthodox Jewish congregation.

The Temple Shalom building committee thought it had found a home in the E. Fay Jones "Butterfly House" on Rockwood Trail in Fayetteville. They tried to buy the house, but neighbors blocked rezoning efforts. They feared the temple would increase traffic and cause congestion. The city planning committee tried to find a workable solution, but eventually, temple members withdrew their bid.

It was a time of disappointment, Ratner recalled. Yet seeds of good had been planted. Bayyari approached temple member Ralph Nesson to express his regret about the turn of events. He offered to help -- and the unlikely liaison began.

"Not getting the Butterfly House was difficult for the congregation," Ratner said. "It brought us to where we are today. It galvanized the community and inspired Fadil to offer his help."

It's difficult to estimate what the dollar savings will be, said Jeremy Hess, chairman of the temple building committee. A general contractor typically charges between 10 and 15 percent of total building costs. Bayyari has waived that fee and will try to obtain materials at cost. Other area businesses have also offered services and products at cost.

The projected cost for the synagogue is $2.2 million. Nearly half has been raised. Hess said the project should be completed in about a year.

Plans for the 6,600-square-foot building call for an expandable sanctuary, a general sitting area, classrooms, an art room and a kitchen. A library will feature materials that foster interfaith understanding. The library area and grounds will be open to the public.

Adler, a member of the congregation since 1984 and rabbi since 2006, said he was thrilled that the congregation would finally have a permanent home.

"This is exhilarating. It's been a long time coming. Having this community support is really inspiring.

"In some ways, it's like having your own house, when a family moves from renting to owning. You feel like you're really here."

It will likely be the little things that mean the most, Adler said. Currently, the temple holds services at the Unitarian church and smaller Torah studies at the Hillel House up the hill. Hillel is a Jewish student organization that will meet at the synagogue once it is built.

Often, members have to run to the Hillel House before a service because they've forgotten a ceremonial scroll covering or a certain prayer book, Adler said. He looks forward to having everything in one place.

Adler quoted Rabbi Jacob Josuph, known as the seer of Lublin (Poland), to sum up his appreciation of the interfaith effort initiated by Bayyari.

"A God who had only one way of serving him! What a poor excuse for a God that would be."

Building A Dream

For information about the Temple Shalom capital campaign, call 521-4521, 750-4004, 521-3119 or view www.atempleofpeace.com.

Source: Temple Shalom

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