Barbara Zale Center for Living History
The former archives room has been reimagined for the future into the Barbara Zale Center for Living History, a beautiful new space for intimate gatherings, learning, art and immersion into Temple’s history.
The renovation was the one capital component of the TE150 Endowment Campaign and was made possible by four generous donor groups: the Zale Family, the Pollock Foundation, Pamela and Steven Pluss and Karen and Walter Levy.
Pollock Family Media Wall
The new Pollock Family Media Wall brings Temple’s core values to life in innovative ways. Experience Temple’s history through an interactive timeline and fun trivia quiz; learn about Temple’s influence on the city of Dallas; discover how Temple feeds its neighbors in the Bounty photo essay, and meet the 100-plus member who have been beautifully photographed in The One Project. And many congregants have shared their own histories on My Temple Story.
The center has already had a significant impact on Temple life. Schoolchildren have learned not only about Temple’s history but in many cases their own family stories. Grieving families have found comfort in their loved ones’ connection to Temple. The Confirmation Class of 1959 held a joyous 65th reunion in the space, and Shavuot learning in the spce inspired many others to write their own stories.
Add your Temple Story to the Media Wall by clicking the link below.
Pamela & Steven Pluss Gallery
The Pamela & Steven Pluss Gallery has been a great place to showcase Temple art and introduce new art. Rediscoveries, the inaugural exhibit that opened at Rededication Shabbat in November, brought together seven special art pieces with connections to Temple’s history. Israel Illuminated opened during Temple’s Israel Independence Day celebration, and features work with an Israel theme or by Israeli artists. Future plans include bringing in artists-in-residents to integrate with Temple programming.
For more information about Temple’s archival material please contact:
Anjelica Ruiz, Director of Libraries and Archives
aruiz@tedallas.org
Architecture
Jon Rollins, a Temple vice president and Dallas architect, designed the new look for the room. During the renovation, “it was important to keep what worked about the space as it was, but to make it function better,” he says. The goals were to open up the room to make it more visible and to bring design elements from Tycher Gathering Space and the rest of Temple into the center. Additionally, the new Karen & Walter Levy Living History Office provides enhancements for the storage of Temple’s collection, as well as workspace.