Synagogue makes it official, signs paperwork for its first home

A journey that began 18 years ago and included stops in several northshore communities officially ended April 4, when leaders from Shir Hadash Synagogue signed the final documents to purchase their first home, an existing building at 200 W. Dundee Road in Wheeling.

With Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow and President Jeffrey Wallk at the table, officials from all sides of the transaction finalized the purchase, which was met with sips of wine and smiles of joy.

"It’s ours," said Lynne Arons, Board member and marketing committee member. "I just put it on facebook."

"Holy cannoli,” said Treasurer Sandi Schleicher, “we have a building!"

For Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow, the moment was the realization of a dream that he has held close since the first days of the synagogue.

"We have a building," he said. "It's wonderful."

Jeffrey Wallk said the move to Wheeling represents an opportunity for Shir Hadash to make an impact on the growing community. “The building represents another milestone in Shir Hadash's journey as a community of families and individuals embracing Jewish traditions and values with creativity and caring for the members and communities we serve.

Rabbi Weiner-Kaplow pointed out that the actual building search began 15 years ago. “Many synagogue leaders and building committees have worked so hard over the years to find us a home. We have looked at hundreds of properties,” he said. “Yet, due to many reasons, including cost, zoning, location, and suitability, nothing came through.

“There is an expression in Yiddish, ‘beshert,’ which means when something is meant to be. Well, looking back on the long search, we see that this building was worth waiting for. It is terrific in every way. It is our beshert,” he said.

The synagogue's new home is located at 200 W. Dundee Road, in Wheeling, the current headquarters for RAILS, a provider of support services to area libraries.

The move in is expected around the end of August.

The building will serve as home for religious services, the synagogue's growing religious school, youth and social action programs, its music and arts activities and administrative services. Plans call for the building to house classrooms for K-7 religious school, a library, youth lounge, sanctuary, a large social area and a multi-media room.

There's room for expansion as well, including space at the south end of the structure that is now used as a shipping dock, and two acres of vacant land to the east.

Wallk said village officials have been extremely welcoming to Shir Hadash, and that the synagogue is looking forward to joining the “up and coming community.”

The synagogue's new home is adjacent to the town's growth area; village officials are planning a “town center” project on site of the former Wickes Furniture to the west of the synagogue along Dundee Road, and a tract of land on the north of Dundee across from Wickes is also slated for development. Major improvements to Heritage Park, on the south side of Dundee, are already under way.

“The building and the land, combined with the welcoming acceptance from Wheeling, create a compelling opportunity that guarantees our investment,” Wallk said. “The additional traffic (from nearby development), combined with the fact that we are the only congregation in Wheeling, presents a significant opportunity for growth for Shir Hadash and a chance for us to contribute to the growth of Wheeling.”

Under the direction of architect Mehran Farahmandpour, synagogue planners have mapped out a five-phase program to shape the building to their needs, and a capital campaign to help pay for the work. The first phase will focus on “making the building more functional to the needs of Shir Hadash,” he said.

“There are two areas that we need to focus on in order to make this office building into our synagogue: Their auditorium needs to become a sanctuary, and some offices need to be re-configured to function properly for our classroom needs.”

This work represents “a good foundation,” he said, and will be completed “before we move in. It is just enough to make the building functional for a synagogue. The later phases will further modernize, elaborate, and enhance the building.

Rabbi Weiner-Kaplow finds significance in the fact that Shir Hadash has found its home in its 18th year. “In Jewish tradition, the number 18 represents ‘life,’ he said. “This building is a toast to our first 18 years and to our future. It says, “L’chaim – To Life!”

Shir Hadash attracts members from Northbrook, Glenview, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights and Palatine as well as Chicago, Skokie, Park Ridge, Barrington and Gurnee. For more information, visit www.shir-hadash.org