Growth leads to new digs for Shalom

It started small, but over the years Congregation Or Shalom has grown to the point that it needs a new home.

A ceremonial groundbreaking for a new building in Vernon Hills is scheduled for Sunday.

Called "Generations of Light," the project will provide the congregation with more space for activities and programs to build a stronger sense of community and better serve present and future members.

The $5 million-plus project calls for the existing building at 21 Hawthorn Parkway to be demolished and replaced.

"We're already at the point our current building doesn't meet our needs," said congregation president Jay Goldberg.

The congregation moved to Vernon Hills about 20 years ago, renting space at its current location. The building was purchased a few years ago and expanded by the congregation.

"When they originally started there were just a handful of families," said Zena Singer, temple administrator. About 380 families now belong to the congregation.

As interest increased, there were times that people stopped coming to services because it was too crowded, Goldberg said. The existing building is about 15,000 square feet. The new one will be about 22,000 square feet but will be configured to maximize opportunities.

The intent is to be able to hold life-cycle events, such as weddings, while providing a larger library, more classrooms and space for participants to mingle or study. The congregation operates a religious school serving pre-school to high school-aged children.

"It will give us the ability to have a larger sanctuary, a social hall and a kitchen," Singer said.

"We right now have such space constraints … that has limited our ability to do great programming," she said. "It will afford us so many opportunities to bring the community here."

Growth of the congregation parallels that of the area, which has seen an increase in the number of families.

"Often families don't take that step into membership until the kids are ready to go to school," according to Singer.

Goldberg said the sanctuary will be enlarged to hold up to 300 and can be expanded to accommodate 500 to 600. The current facility holds about 185.