Megillah, March - April 2005

Exclusive!

Editor's Note and Disclaimer: This is a Purim story. Any references made to persons or corporations living or dead is purely wishful thinking.

The following is based on an exclusive interview given to this reporter by the CEO of Sears and Roebuck Corporation. He is currently in town, staying at his suite at the Watergate. He is in town for two reasons: the bar mitzvah of his great grandson, and for last minute details in the merger of Sears and K-Mart.

Because of the upcoming merger of Sears and Roebuck with the K-Mart nationwide chain of stores, some of the Sears stores will be closed. In our interview, I was informed that the Sears store in the Bowie Towne Centre is slated to be one of the stores closed. In a surprising gesture, the building currently housing that store will be donated to the Jewish population in and around the city of Bowie. In addition to the donation of the building, the CEO is personally donating one million dollars for any remodeling that needs to be done to turn the current building into a suitable Jewish community center. The money he is donating will be matched by the Jewish Federation of the Greater Washington Area, an organization which has always been known for its generosity to the Jews of Prince George's County.

Plans for the refurbished building include two sanctuaries, each holding up to 800 people, as well as a smaller, more intimate sanctuary. There will be two furnished suites for the use of visiting dignitaries, an indoor swimming pool, and an exercise room. There will be eight classrooms in the building and an activity hall. Two kitchens (meat and dairy) are being planned, each equipped with the latest Sears kitchen equipment.

The small building currently housing the automobile department is to be turned into a home for the rabbi of the congregation.

The building will be in an ideal location. It will be near to the Jewish people living in Bowie and Crofton. With its proximity to Rt. 301, it will be easily accessible to people living in Southern Maryland.

When the rabbis of Nevey Shalom, Shaare Tikvah, and several other Prince George's synagogues were informed of these plans, they burst into a rousing rendition of "Siman Tov u'Mazel Tov!".

Senator Lieberman and his lovely wife, Hadassah, will become honary members of the congregation, and they will help cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony.

It is hoped that the newly refurbished building will be ready in time for the High Holidays this Fall. This will be a showplace for the entire Washington area and a first time for such generosity of business and the private sector combined.

~Bernice Cohen