When the Rhinebeck Jewish Center is completed early this fall—in time for Rosh Hashana, residents and visitors to this historic Dutchess County village may expect to be delighted by the harmony of the structure against its bucolic backdrop. Standing on the site of a 100 year-old barn will be the new Rhinebeck Jewish Center, as green and integrative a project as any community can hope for. 

The design of the colorful structure made of upcycled wood from the old barn, is the work of Yeshaya Shor, a graduate student at Parson’s Architectural Design program at The New School for Design. A childhood friend of Rabbi Chanoch Hecht, Chabad representative to Rhinebeck, Shor undertook the project as an independent study under the guidance of Professor Peter Wheelwright. 

“I’ve visited hundreds of shuls and Chabad centers around the world,” Shor told lubavitch.com, “and was always interested to see how some are able to ‘function’  and others just aren’t.”  The imprint of the new structure, designed to “retain the memory of the old barn,” will have 2300 square feet of space, including a sanctuary, a library and a social hall. A space for children’s activities will be adjoined by an outdoor courtyard that will be used as well during the warmer season. 

“For me the idea was to address all of Rabbi Hecht’s concerns in a structure that would be a celebration of space—an inspiration to people who come here to pray, to study or to socialize,” said Shor. 

Founded in 1686 by Dutch settlers, Rhinebeck has preserved much of its historic charm. Only two hours from New York City, the village is attractive as a weekend address for many homeowners. With a Jewish population of about 500 (out of a general population of 20,000 in the Rhinebeck and Red Hook towns), Rabbi Hecht and his wife Tzivie, here since 2007, felt it was time to expand. But they wanted to do something that would reflect the integrity of the environment and the character of the village. 

“In our vision for this center we wanted to find a way to work with the existing barn that has been standing here for so long, and we wanted to create a structure that would respect the uniqueness of this village—to make it as green as possible,” Rabbi Hecht explained. He also believed that the best way of achieving this would be by bringing local engineers, designers, and architects to weigh in on this with Yeshaya.

Drawing on the expertise of local talent, like architect David Borenstein and engineer Richard Chazen, along with international talent from recent Parsons graduates and designers, Natalia Priwin, Lighting Design consultant; and Yoav Menachem, Product Designer for the project’s furniture, the project took a collaborative effort that met all of Hecht’s requirements of maximizing green construction and technology. 

The structure’s inside temperatures are kept comfortable year round by a highly insulated thermal envelope. Radiant flooring provides heat in the winter, and overhanging eaves block direct sunlight during the hottest times of day in the summer. The spaces will be illuminated by daylight pouring in through stained-glass windows representing the 12 tribes of Israel in both the social hall and study, adding a colorful play of light within the interior. Another sustainable practice, says Shor, is the use of rainwater collection from the building to water the garden, where the Rabbi grows his own produce.

So far, the project has met with approval and enthusiasm, garnering a spread in Inhabitat, a website devoted to green design and architecture. Rabbi Hecht expects that this collaborative effort may yet serve as a model for other community projects. Construction is set to begin this spring.