The planning being complete, the foundations were laid recently with a sum saved from planning stage.
New Foundations to rear of teaching space
It was laid in the Jewish month considered to be related to preparation.
From the Jerusalem Post
“Elul, the month of preparation, self-awareness, forgiveness and love between ourselves and God.
In post-biblical times… the whole month of Elul becomes a period of great significance, an entire month devoted to preparation for the great days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the Days of Awe.”The shofar is sounded each day, reminding us of the need to search our deeds but also signifying that God is forgiving, desiring life and not death, as the story of the binding of Isaac teaches. Special prayers of forgiveness, Slihot, are recited early in the morning or late at night – in which God’s attributes of mercy (Exodus 34:6-7), revealed to Moses at the time of the sin of the golden calf, are repeated.
A special psalm is also chanted morning and evening, Psalm 27, “The Lord is my light and my help, whom should I fear?” see JPost
It seems rather significant that without our involvement, they chose to begin the building work and lay the foundation at the time the binding of Isaac is remembered, they sing of the light of the Lord and the shofar sounds.
Other pictures of the footings and foundation.
Before timber formwork was placed and concrete is poured.
From the upper level where the new hostel sleeping area will be joined to the existing teaching space
A closer view
The side of the existing teaching space, the new Hostel space is to the right
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