We have now raised $1.3 million toward our new Sanctuary. By the end of December, the campaign hopes to contact all members to provide an opportunity to pledge this year.

  When we reach the $3 million mark, we will be able to break ground. “The sooner we receive donations, the sooner we can begin, and the lower construction costs will be,” says Andy Briefer, co-chair of the Building Committee.

  “It is our hope that every member of the Congregation will support this campaign to the best of his or her ability,” said Amy Charles, co-chair of the Make Me A Sanctuary Campaign.

  “Had it not been for the families who founded our congregation, Or Chadash would not be here for us to enjoy.” Now each of us can assure that our children, our grandchildren and we will have a sacred space of which we can be proud, while maintaining the intimacy and sense of community that have long characterized our Congregation.

  Please contact the office, 512-8500, to pledge or meet with a Campaign representative.

  Mark Your Calendar for a Campaign fundraiser: The 7h Annual Jog-a-Thon on April 13.

  Families Share Their Vision of a Sanctuary In recent weeks, religious school families met on the office patio to share their ideas about the meaning of a Sanctuary. Here are some of their thoughts:

   “I want my children to attend services in a sanctuary that our family helped to build.”

  “Someone else’s generosity built the sanctuary I grew up in. Now it’s my turn to help build one for this community.” “Attending services in a Jewish space will bring more spirituality to our experience.”

  “We’ll have a stronger sense of community if we can worship, meet, go to school and celebrate, all at our own place.”

  Have You Seen the Butterflies?!

Visitors to Or Chadash are now greeted by winged wonders in our new butterfly garden. “The butterflies bring the land­scape alive,” says congregant and land­scape designer Debra Huffman, who helped design our outdoor areas. “These butterflies seemed to appear late in Tucson this summer, but they came and they’re lovely.”
(Click here to view a few photos of the butterfly garden)

  The butterflies, sometimes 40 at a time, are attracted to the blue flowers of Conoclinium greggii, which blooms from July through October, and is more com­monly known as Thoroughwort and West Texas Mist Flower.

   Huffman placed the one-foot high plants beneath a Mexican Red Bud tree (Cercis mexicana) that features shiny, wavy-edged leaves that catch and reflect the sunlight.

   “The tree has brilliant purple/pink, sweet-pea shaped blossom clusters in the spring, and at times when the tree gets confused about the weather. It is ex­tremely drought tolerant,” said Huffman.

   Next to the butterfly garden is a sign directing visitors to the office and gift shop. The Sisterhood Gift Shop is tem­porarily closed while a new ceiling is in­stalled to repair damage from the sum­mer rains.

   “Maybe the butterflies will bring the Gift Shop some luck!” says Rochelle Roth, one of its managers.

  Now the mountains are not the only natural feature that greets visitors to Or Chadash -- we have winged wonders welcoming everyone who enters by our new butterfly garden.

  “The butterflies bring the landscape alive,” says congregant and landscape designer Debra Huffman, who helped designed our outdoor areas. “The butterflies attracted to this plant seemed to appear late in gardens in Tucson this summer,” she adds, “but they came and they’re lovely.”

  The butterflies, sometimes 40 at a time, are attracted to the blue flowers of Conoclinium greggii, which blooms from July through October. This hearty plant has common names including Thoroughwort and West Texas Mist Flower. Huffman placed the one-foot high plants beneath a Mexican Red Bud tree (Cercis mexicana) that features shiny, wavy-edged leaves that catch and reflect the sunlight. “The tree has brilliant purple/pink, sweet-pea shaped blossom clusters in the spring and also at other times if the tree gets confused about the weather,” Huffman says. It is extremely drought tolerant, she adds.

  Right next to the butterfly garden is a sign directing visitors to the office and gift shop. The Gift Shop is temporarily closed because a new ceiling is being installed to repair damage caused by the summer rains. There was little breakage of merchandise, thanks to the work of the Gift Shop managers and volunteers.

  “Maybe the butterflies will bring the Gift Shop some new luck!,” says Rochelle Roth, one of the managers of the Sisterhood’s Gift Shop.