Click on this link to see a picture of what the building will look like:
images/expansion-unveiling/BJC_Perspective.pdf

Click on this link to see a picture of what the First Floor will look like:
images/expansion-unveiling/First_Floor_Plan.pdf

Click on this link to see a picture of what the Basement will look like:
images/expansion-unveiling/Basement_Plan.pdf

Addressed by Shlomo Bakhash, President

I must admit that representing the Babylonian Jewish Center as President is without a doubt a most challenging and incredible experience. This was one of a few times where I had difficulty putting my thoughts together. I couldn’t get the right words to describe how I feel about this project. Many times during the last few months I questioned myself and debated with many of you on the wisdom of such a momentous project, and whether it was at all necessary.

The Big Question has always been "Do we really need to expand"?

In order to answer that question we had to ask more questions….

**Is it fair that our children are wondering around the synagogue without a safe and proper environment to play and learn?

**Is it fair that we don’t have a proper room for a Hebrew School?

**Is it fair that parents of our young children continuously come up and down the stairs to insure the safety of their loved ones, and miss the opportunity to pray, or listen to the Rabbi’s sermon or guest speaker of the day?

**Is it fair that our elders don’t have a place to sit down during a Kiddush lunch?

**Is it fair that our congregation has to stand in a cold tent during special occasions?

**Is it fair that our parents, grandparents do not have a place other than our freezing lobby to socialize just for one evening per week?

**Is it fair that the Rabbi and his students don’t have a study room to study just for one evening per week?

**Is it fair that we don’t have a youth lounge?

**Is it fair that we don’t have a proper coat room to hang our coats?

**Is it fair that we are bottlenecked in a single stairway each Sabbath, trying to get up to the Lobby for a Kiddush Lunch?

**Is it fair that we as a community don’t have a proper and respectable social hall to celebrate Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Social events, Religious Holidays and other functions?

DO WE NOT DESERVE BETTER?

Let’s take a moment and reflect inward….we know that our history has forced us to develop a natural aptitude for survival by easily assimilating with our host country (whether be Iraq, Iran, or the US). But we also know that we pay a terrible price whenever we relax and forget our heritage and who we really are. Think for a moment, of that Iraqi character, that of our great grandparents, our grandparents, our parents; ourselves….now look into the future and see whether our children, our grandchildren and our great grandchildren will manage to hold on to this character and identity.

….Our community depends on how hard we fight to keep our identity, which is the foundation of our survival. The most effective way to insure our survival is the combination of strength of family, knowledge of our history, pride in our culture, and the maintenance of our traditions. I strongly believe that we have the obligation to protect this national treasure, our cultural wealth, our language, our cuisine, our music, most of all, our character…… which is far greater than we can imagine. The only insurance policy that we have is that our Synagogue provides us an environment to satisfy our religious, social and educational needs.

And that is the main reason why we need this expansion so badly. If we fail to create an environment where our community members, our youth and our children can meet to pray, learn and socialize…Trust me," we take the risk of stagnation and of losing it all".

We have heard the voices of dissension and Nay Sayers when we first built the synagogue, and let them look at where we are now. Where a few of us here see these plans as obstacles, most of see it as an opportunity of a life time, and a chance to elevate ourselves. We have to have the courage to take this risk, a risk with no downside and all upside…

.

As we await this monumental milestone, it is with great pride that we look back on all our great accomplishments over the past years. Seven years ago, when we established our synagogue, we managed to unite the Iraqi Community in a way which has not been possible in a very long time. And this is what we are most proud of. We have been successful in pushing back our own extinction for at least 20-30 years. We achieved our initial goal. Now we have to help our children and the future generation to achieve theirs.

It is now time to take bigger risks…and focus on how our children can succeed in their battle to preserve our culture, our traditions and our heritage. We have to have the COURAGE (the willingness to accept risk), PERSEVERANCE (a persistent effort to overcome all obstacles), and COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE (a desire and dedication to improve our performance, resulting in superior accomplishments.

Last but not least, you will find your support pledge card on the table in front of you. As you hear the speakers tonight, and something or someone touches your heart, please take a moment to fill out the card and show your support to this important project. Thank you.

NONETHELESS, I DECIDED NOT TO WHINE ABOUT IT AND TAKE THE NATURAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT ALL WHO CONSTANTLY DO FOR THE BJC DO ON AN EVERY DAY BASIS-AND SAID TO SHOLOM-DONT WORRY ABOUT IT-IT WILL GET DONE.

THAT BEING SAID HERE GOES-

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME MY FATHER MENTIONED TO US,HIS CHILDREN, OF WHAT HIS INTENTIONS AND TO WHAT EXTENT HE AND MY MOM WERE WILLING TO INVEST IN CREATING A SYNAGOGUE- IT WAS BASICALLY JUST AN IDEA, A VISION, A DREAM-A NON ENTITY! SURE ENOUGH THIS VISION BECAME A REALITY-IT BECAME EVERYONES CHILD SHOWERED WITH EVERYONES SUPPORT, DRIVE AND HARD WORK.

JUST LIKE A CHILD IT IS GROWING UP FROM BEING A BABY TO AN ADULT AND JUST LIKE A CHILD IT NEEDS AND DESERVES ATTENTION, PATIENCE, LOVE, HARD WORK DEDICATION AND SPACE!

JUST LIKE A CHILD, IT IS A REWARDING EXPERIENCE! AS A MOTHER, I SEE THE EXPANSION OF THE BJC IS A PRAGMATIC STEP,AN IMPORTANT STEP AND BEAUTIFUL STEP IN THE BJC'S HISTORY.

THIS EXPANSION IS PRAGMATIC BECAUSE: WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY SHABAT BREAKFAST, WHILE SITTING AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE CHILDREN RUNNING OUT TO THE PARKING LOT TO RUN AROUND AND PLAY WITH FRIENDS.

WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE OUR GROWING KIDS MORE SPACE TO CALL THIS THEIR COMMUNITY CENTER, A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN HANG OUT IN NOT ONLY ON SHABAT. WE WILL BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE PURIM PARTY THAT WE JUST HAD IN A MORE ENJOYABLE FASHION - IT WAS STILL A SUCCESS WITH AN ENORMOUS ATTENDANCE AND, LOTS OF FUN.

WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENTERTAIN DOING SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR ALL THE GENERATIONS WE HAVE LIKE A MOMMY AND ME CLASS, A DANCE FOR THE TEENAGERS, BIRTHDAY PARTIES......AND MORE.

WE WILL BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE OUR UPCOMING BRISS OR SHASHAS, BAR/BATMITVAS, ENGAGEMENTS AND HENNA PARTIES

WE WILL BE ABLE HOST EVENTS THAT INCLUDE GROUPS FROM OTHER SYNYGOGUES. HOST JOINT EVENTS FOR BOTH YOUND AND OLDER GROUPS.

THIS EXPANSION IS AN IMPORTANT STEP BECAUSE ALL OF THE ABOVE WILL BOND OUR COMMUNITY AND GIVE IT GREATER PROMINANCE THROUGOUT.

LASTLY, THIS EXPANSION IS A BEAUTIFUL STEP BECAUSE, AS WE ALL GROW AND EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT EVENTS IN THE BJC WE WILL CONTINUE THE LEGACY THAT BEGAN FOR THE CHILDREN AND WILL HOPEFULLY BE CONTINUED BY OUR CHILDREN.  OUR CHILDREN WILL BUILD LONG LASTING RELATIONSHIPS TO LAST A LIFETIME.

IN THE PAST MONTH OR SO-I HEARD WHAT A COUPLE OF MOTHERS MENTIONED IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS-AND I THOUGHT THIS TOO WAS VERY INSPIRING AND  FITTING TO WHAT I AM TRYING TO CONVEY.

- I AM SORRY IF I AM NOT QUOTING YOU EXACTLY ---GILA AIZER-THE BJC IS THE REASON I MADE A LIFE IN GREAT NECK, THE  BJC IS THE REASON I HAVE MY NEW SON N LAW, THE BJC IS THE REASON WHY DANNY DOES KIDDUSH EVERY FRIDAY.

HELEN YEHUDA SPEAKING AT HER SONS BAR MITZVA ABOUT HER DESIRE TO EXPERIENCE ALL THE SPECIAL THINGS IN LIFE WITH ALL HER GUESTS,HER COMMUNITY- THE WAY HER MOM WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE WITH SOME OF HER LIFE LONG FRIENDS.

LASTLY, FOR ME- THE BJC, IS AN IMPORTANT SMALL PLACE FOR MY CHILDREN IN AN EVER   CHANGING BIG WORLD!

A PLACE THEY LEARN ABOUT RELIGION AND CULTURE.
A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE KNOWN BY NAME OR THEIR PARENTS NAMES.
A PLACE WHERE THEY SPEND TIME WITH THEIR PEERS.
A PLACE WHERE THEY SPEND TIME WITH MY PEERS.
A PLACE WHERE THEY KNOW THEIR FAMILY HAD HELPED IN CREATING.
A PLACE WHERE THEY SEE IS GROWING WITH THEM.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY A PLACE WHERE THEY SPEND TIME WITH THEIR BABA AND SAVTA!