Leaning Walls, Time to Rebuild

Beth Jacob was built as a residence, probably around 1890. In 1914 it was converted to a synagogue. At some point (perhaps in the 1940s) a shed in the back was converted to a community gathering space. In the 1930s a rabbi lived in a small apartment under the rafters above the sanctuary. Now the building is structurally unsound. The basement, which has been reinforced by concrete many times over the years, does not keep water out and does not hold the walls straight. The eastern wall is leaning inwards. We have not held services in the sanctuary for the past three winters after an engineer warned of possible collapse in heavy snow or heavy winds. Time to do something. Time to build a new building.