Mercer Island Reporter, August 07, 2013

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REPORTER

Mercer Island

Wednesday, Wednesday,March August20, 7, 2013 | 75¢

Serving the Mercer Island community since 1947

The food trucks are coming

Patriots fly high over Seafair

MISD board meeting Thursday, Aug. 8 The Mercer Island School District Board of Directors will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 8, in City Council chambers. A full agenda can be found online at www.mercerislandschools.org.

Terra Bella to host trucks for lunch and dinner starting this Tuesday

Funtastic Friday this week, Aug. 9

By Megan Managan

The Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Department will host Funtastic Friday this week at 1 p.m. on Aug. 9 at Homestead Park. The Fun Mobile will be on hand for “Alien Invasion” this week. To learn more, visit the city’s website at www.mercergov.org.

Camp Burbank community campout Saturday, Aug. 10 On Saturday, Aug. 10, Islanders are encouraged to get away, while staying close to home, with the annual Community Campout in Luther Burbank Park. Just bring a tent, sleeping bags, and come prepared for activities such as fishing, swimming, volleyball and more. A campsite, dinner on Saturday night, Sunday morning breakfast, s’mores and snacks are provided. Reservations are required. Call (206) 275-7609 to learn more or make a reservation.

Monday’s City Council meeting moved to next week, Aug. 12 The City of Mercer Island has moved this week’s City Council meeting to Monday, Aug. 12. The council’s Aug. 19 meeting has been canceled and has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.

mmanagan@mi-reporter.com

Megan Managan/Staff Photo

The Patriots Jet Team flies in formation over Lake Washington on Friday, Aug. 2, during their practice round prior to the weekend’s Seafair shows. See more photos on page 10.

SJCC project underway for new auditorium $5 million for construction of new state-of-the-art facility on Mercer Island By Mary L. Grady

editor@mi-reporter.com

Remodeling is probably not the right word for the $5 million construction project focused on a complete rehabilitation of the existing theater/auditorium and adjacent public space within the heart of the Stroum Jewish Community Center on East Mercer Way. Reinvention or renewal just might be a better way to describe it and the changes that lie ahead for the center. SJCC CEO Judy Neuman calls it a transformation for the facility that will lead it to becoming

an even more essential element for Jewish life here and the larger community it serves. Over the past many months the SJCC leadership has met to sharpen its view of the future for the institution based on its underlying values and the desires of its members. The last capital campaign for remodeling the center was in the mid-1990s. Most important in these discussions was the focus on the cultural aspects of Jewish life, Neuman explained. “That is our overriding mission,” she said. “When we chose to focus on the auditorium and the adjacent public areas first, we had to look at how they fit in within our mission and values,” she explained. She pointed to the center’s mission

statement, “to create outstanding programs, partnerships and spaces that welcome everyone to learn, grow and celebrate Jewish life and culture. “And there were some relatively straightforward questions that we asked ourselves,” she continued. “What do our members want more of, and how do we accomplish those goals?” A new, flexible auditorium/theater with adjacent, expanded open spaces integrate both the center’s focus on Jewish culture and the desire to have a place for gatherings and celebrations for members and the larger community, she said. But the JCC is not just for those who are Jewish, she explained. “We serve as an outreach to the Jewish community for Jewish life and culture. We are very culturally based. But our membership includes a large share of families and individuals who are not Jewish,” she said. To set it all in motion, the board

Though it just opened last month, new store Terra Bella on Mercer Island is already adding features. The shop, located across the street from Albertsons and next to Veloce Velo, will begin hosting food trucks this week in its parking lot. “We’re really excited,” said owner Nancy Meade. “Everyone we’ve told about this has been really excited.” For the time being, the trucks will be in the lot on Tuesdays and Thursdays for lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and then for dinner

Trucks | Page 2

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