*************************** CONSTRUCTION NEWS ****************************

Temple Beth Shalom is officially empty and ready for reconstruction!

Even before Temple business was wrapped up for the year, Karl Geller's moving committee did battle with decades of debris – as well as some significant treasures – and quickly completed the task of sorting, allocating, and packing all of our belongings. Karl’s system was to set up areas for each category: school supplies to be moved to Wakefield; Temple items to be moved to the sites where services will be held; items to be packed into deep storage for the duration; and trash, trash, trash.

In the investigation of dusty boxes in the attic and out-of-reach kitchen shelves, we found song books and cookbooks from the 1950s, a set of 90 little glasses – mentioned in Rob Gati’s video as a legacy from Oak Manor – that we have saved for Kiddush cups in our new, "green," kitchen (dishwasher included!), and a set of silverplate flatware, carefully wrapped in flannel covers and hardly tarnished atall.

Meanwhile...

Dorothy Travis worked Craig's List like a master, emptying the building very quickly of old desks, book cases, cabinets, and all the weary, beaten up kitchen equipment deemed unnecessary in our new space.

The Contractor Committee combed through the bids, checked references, studied suggestions for cost saving ideas from each contractor group, and will soon announce its contractor decision.

The Kitchen Design Committee met with Bob Beaumont of Windsor Woodworking in Malden to discuss the exact design and placement of kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances.

Watch this space for updates and photos on construction progress!