TORONTO — When life give you lemons, you make lemonade.

That’s just what Shaarei Shomayim Congregation did when in September 2011 a pipe burst in the shul’s lower level, causing extensive damage. Repairs had to be done, but the shul took the opportunity presented by a boatload of waterlogged lemons to not only repair the damage, but bring the 49-year-old shul into the 21st century.

The results are there for all to see as Shaarei Shomayim has shed its dowdy weather-beaten look for a fresh, sunlit visage.

On May 8 and 9, the synagogue will host a community celebration called “Reopen and Rejoice” to mark the building’s re-dedication. The event comes as the culmination of the shul’s “Retire, Rebuild, Renew” campaign, which raised more than $6 million for a three-stage renovation project.

With work almost completely done – on time and on budget – the life of the shul will be enhanced and the membership can continue to grow, said Rabbi Chaim Strauchler.

“Everything is new, and everything is the same,” he said. “When you go inside, you feel there’s a new energy. But there’s a sense of continuity and tradition. A member from 50 years ago would know it’s the same place.”

“We didn’t change the essence of the shul,” said architect Clifford Korman, himself a member of the congregation. “We changed 100 little things that when you add them up, it created a great new facility.” 

The changes are apparent even before you enter the building. Facing the synagogue’s main doors on Glencairn Avenue, visitors are greeted by an open space that serves as a patio, courtyard and meeting area. A curving ramp accommodates the infirm and the disabled, making it easier to enter the building. In fact the renovation was designed to make the facility accessible all the way from the sidewalk to the bimah, said Korman.

A copper-coloured cladding protects the shul’s east-facing and most weather-beaten wall.

Inside, the redesigned foyer features lots of natural light, as well as new chandeliers. The space, about 600 square feet, doubles as a grand entrance and can also be used for social occasions, such as kiddushes and parties or as overflow space from the adjacent social hall.

Changes were made to the staircase as well as to the entry to and from the social hall and sanctuary, to dampen sounds and to make traffic flow more easily, said Korman.

The sanctuary itself has seen some major upgrades, Korman continued.

The carpet has been removed from the bimah and replaced with the same limestone that is featured in the Aron Kodesh. Twin ramps allow for people with disabilities to more easily mount the bimah and take part in services.

When needed, a temporary Aron can be placed on the stairs leading up to the permanent Ark to permit people in wheelchairs to be honoured with opening the Ark during services, said Rabbi Strauchler. It’s all part of the shul’s plan to make it more inclusive and welcoming, he added.

The old seats in the sanctuary have all been replaced with “theatre seats,” each with their own armrests, and reduced in number from 750 to 650.

There is new carpeting and the sound technology has been enhanced to permit people throughout the room to better hear what is being said on the bimah.

Visitors will see major changes downstairs, on the lower level, Korman said. The beit midrash has been moved to a larger room that features natural sunlight, making it a more inviting space. The room is lined with new wooden bookshelves and new carpeting, but it retains the old brass doors to the Aron Kodesh, whose provenance can be traced back to the shul’s previous location on St. Clair Avenue West near Oakwood Avenue. The beit midrash remains the heart of the synagogue, where services are held daily, as well as formal study sessions and a room where members can come, pick up a book and study on their own, Rabbi Strauchler said.

There are also renovated meeting rooms downstairs, more rooms for Netivot HaTorah Day School, whose south campus is housed in the synagogue, as well as a new roof, new heating and electrical system, and other modern upgrades. The shul changed caterers as well.

The three-phase renovation project began in 2011 after the pipe burst. The first phase was meant to repair the damage, but after that it was a case of, in for a penny, in for a pound.

As the first phase of the project was completed, aided by an insurance payout that funded 30 to 40 per cent of the cost, the congregation decided to continue to make upgrades and to renew the facility to better meet the needs of the members, said Rabbi Strauchler.

Of the synagogue’s 650 member families, about half contributed toward the renovations. Four Seasons Hotels founder Isadore (Issy) Sharp was the single largest contributor, putting $1 million into the effort. The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation contributed $500,000 towards the beit midrash, while other members contributed an average of $10,000 each.

That’s a testament to the value the congregation holds in its synagogue, Rabbi Strauchler said.