We see living things as having two basic components which intertwine: the body and the soul. The Bible, in the Book of Proverbs, tells us that "Nishmat Adam, Ner Adonai" – the human soul is a light from God, a Divine Spark, if you will. All human beings are repositories of that light, that spark. It connects us, and it makes us responsible for one another. It is the recognition of this belief that is the foundation of this center. It is at the core its soul. This building may be the body, but there is a soul as well, and like any living thing it needs care and nurture. The body is the house for the soul, the place which shelters, nurtures and allows it to function. This building then holds the soul of one human being caring for another, seeking no reward other than the knowledge that we have helped another.

It has been said that for a house to be built and to stand it must be built with wisdom. As we admire the beauty of this building, the concretization of what began as a dream and a vision of what could be, it is clear that it was built in just that way, with wisdom combined with thought and caring. It is a celebration of human endeavor, accomplishment and potential. It stands as an example of the hope that people of good will can bring into the world, as well as our partnership with God in creating the world. God left the world unfinished so that we might make it what we want it to be, what it should be. So it is through our actions that we make God's presence manifest in the world. That presence, that Kavod Adonai in Hebrew, is something each of the Abrahamic religious traditions yearns for. When we live up to the highest ideals of our religious tenets, then we become angels, messengers of the most high.

It has been said that while a house may be built with wisdom, it is preserved and maintained in existence through understanding. We pray that this place, having been built with wisdom, will always stand on a foundation of understanding, sheltering human souls and the light of hope : Mishebeirach avoteinu v'imoteinu, May the One who blessed our ancestors, Hoo yishlach bracha v'hatzlacha, send blessing and success, l'chol ma'asei yadeinu, to all the works of our hands. May this house truly be a makom kadosh, a special place, a different place, a mikveh ha’am, a place of hope for everyone. May it continue to teach us that the words of Theodore Hertzl are true, Im tirtzu ain zo aggadah, if you will it, it is not just a dream, but a dream come true.

Amen.