Adding Up the Little Things

Not all the fixes around the synagogue involve major work. Some are simple, annual upkeep needs, but the problems add up -- both in terms of cost, and the quality of the synagogue's daily use.

The Maintenance Committee's Ezra Goldstein shed some light on the most pressing issues. The front steps were sealed in the fall, but leaks have begun again, exacerbated by December's snow. Cracks riddle the stairs, and someone has to make sure there's a big trash can in the boiler room to catch the drips that fall from every major snow or rain storm.

The current synagogue entrance was never meant to be anything more than a side door, and the traffic, as well as misuse from those who try to force the door, constantly wears out the lock.

"And, of course, there is the regular winter problem of the inadequate storm drain on the north side of the building," Ezra said. "I'm hoping we can make it to spring before we have to get the drain snaked out again. We'll see if a lake starts to form in the side yard as all this snow melts."

He's still waiting to hear how much a new lock would cost. A stop-gap for the steps runs $350. A bid for $3,000 would more permanently seal the steps, although not indefinitely. Snaking the drain runs $125 every time -- money that likely could be better spent on a more reliable fix.