Synagogue Mishkan Mordechai

Award Criteria

Architectural Excellence

The new Mishkan Mordechai Torah Community Center is a 790-meter, three-story modular building. The exterior is designed to have a beautiful brick wall cladding and lighting, with a third-floor pergola. The interior layout includes a Beit Midrash, a Kollel, a women's section/shiur room, an events hall, a gym, and a game room/daycare. The building's design features a Moroccan-style Aron Kodesh as its centerpiece. The planning rationale prioritizes a home-like feel for the community, with a Kollel as its nucleus, and a space where women and children feel welcome. The community acquired the land from the city of Beit Shemesh, allowing them to establish the center in an ideal location just a minute away from their previous site.

Technical Innovation & Sustainability

The building is constructed using "Modular Containers". This volumetric modular construction method offers several innovative and sustainable advantages. The containers can be added to, moved around, or have floors flipped, providing flexibility for future growth. This approach is also more sustainable than other temporary structures which often get scrapped after a few years. The modular nature allows for the building to be resold in the future when the community moves to a permanent community center. Other features include a modern electric ceiling on the rooftop and a smart zmanim screen on the exterior.

Cost Effectiveness

The use of "Modular Containers" was chosen as a cost-effective solution for the community. This method is described as being much cheaper than other temporary structures on the market. The modular design provides significant financial advantages, as the caravans can be resold once the community is ready to build a permanent community center. This allows the community to maximize the money invested in the project. Additionally, the gym will operate on a subscription-based model to create cash-flow for the center, which can then be reinvested into community programs.