Facilities, Pool, Gym, & Rentals

We are pleased to announce our Winter Pool Special: If you sign up for our family pool membership ($450) from now through March 1, you will get one free one-on-one half-hour private lesson with a certified water safety instructor.

Each family membership is good for one year. To learn more about the CBE pool, click here. To sign up, or if you have any questions, please call the CBE pool office at 718-768-3814, ext. 215.

The Main Sanctuary building was built in 1909. It is the third home of the congregation and seats approximately 1,200 people. When it was built, it housed all of CBE’s programs and included classrooms, a middle auditorium room and offices for the temple’s administration, as well as a room that served as both the rabbi’s study and board meeting room.

The building continued to be a focus for CBE’s major religious activities until September 2009 when the congregation was forced to close down the Main Sanctuary during the High Holidays due to unsafe conditions. The Rotunda (the space beneath the Main Sanctuary) was unaffected by the damage in the Sanctuary and continues to serve as the home for CBE’s Yachad program.

The Temple House building was completed in September of 1929. It was a state-of-the-art six-story building. In the Temple House were a 125-seat chapel, social halls, a major ballroom, meeting rooms, administrative offices, a library, classrooms for the religious school, handball courts, a swimming pool and gymnasium.

The Temple House quickly became the focus for all of CBE’s social, cultural and educational life. Not only were children educated in the Temple House classrooms, but adults presented original theatrical productions in the ballroom, receptions of all kinds were held in the social halls, youth groups met for informal education, and a varied program to enrich Jewish and community life was offered.

In 1979 CBE’s Early Childhood Center began in some of the rooms of the Temple House. It was followed by the After-School Center, and Summer Day Camp. All of these activities used all of the Temple House facilities in new and innovative ways that fulfilled the potential of the building.

In addition to educational facilities, the Temple House also served as home to our athletic facilities. The lower levels contained a pool, basketball court, sauna and locker rooms and there were handball courts located on the roof level. The sauna and handball courts are sadly no longer available but the pool, gym and locker rooms, including the newly renovated women’s locker room, are open and available to congregants and gym members weeknights, Monday through Thursday, and most weekends from September to June.

Today, the Temple House continues to be used seven days a week for the multiple and varied activities of Congregation Beth Elohim. It is still the home to many of our educational programs, religious activities and services, life-cycle events, adult and Jewish learning, community groups, and administrative offices.

Pool Facilities
The pool is located on the lower level of the Temple House. It measures 60′ by 20′ and has four lanes. There is a lifeguard that is always in attendance whenever the pool is open. There is a women’s locker room that provides direct access to the pool and a men’s changing room that is adjacent to the pool. The shower area in the men’s locker room is still under renovation. Showers will be available for men in another location accessible through the pool.

Hours and Reservations

The pool hours for the coming year, from September 7, 2011 – June 24, 2012, are as follows:

• Monday – Thursday
  • Open Swim: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
  • Lap Swim: 8:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
• Friday
  • CLOSED
• Saturday
  • Open Swim: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday
  • Open Swim: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The pool will be closed on Jewish and national holidays. CBE reserves the right to close the pool when needed.

Swimming Lessons
Individual 30-minute swim lessons are available for $30 per person between 5:30 and 6:00. Reservations can be made through our pool instructor, Lennox Fable. Lennox can be reached at (718) 768-3814, ext. 215 or lfable@cbebk.org.

Pool Regulations
The following regulations must be followed at all times:

• Bathing caps must be worn in the pool. They are available from the Temple office or from the security officer on duty at the door at a cost of $5.00.
• All pool users must shower before entering the pool. (men’s shower facilities are not available in the locker room but will be available and clearly visible)
• The pool may not be used if a lifeguard is not present.

Fees and Membership
The pool is available to all Temple members as a courtesy to our congregants. Non-members can sign up for a pool membership by calling our Aquatics Director, Lennox Fable, at 718-768-3814 ext. 215 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Lennox can also be reached at lfable@cbebk.org.

Membership rates are as follows:

• $300 – Individual
• $450 – Family

The large gymnasium is located on the floor below the pool and is equipped with basketball hoops.

When the gym has not been reserved in advance, its use is on a first-come/first-served basis and is limited to one hour if there are members waiting to use the space.

Hours and Reservations

From the end of June through the first two weeks of August, 2011, the gym is generally available for use by members during the following hours:

Monday – Thursday: 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

The gym is closed on Jewish and national holidays.

The gym is frequently reserved for basketball games or for handball playing during membership hours. To find out if the gym has been reserved or to reserve the gym for use during a specific time, contact the Director of Operations and Maintenance, Eddie Venezia, at 718-768-3814 ext. 272 or EVenezia@cbebk.org. Reservations are limited to two hours for groups and one hour for individuals.

CBE members who would like to find other members to join them for a game of basketball, squash or handball should also contact Eddie Venezia, who can provide them with information about scheduling availability and joining ongoing member leagues.

CBE Gym and Pool Members may be accompanied by no more than two guests at a time when using the pool and no more than four guests at a time when using the gym. There is a $5 fee for each guest, which must be paid when the members and guests sign in. Guests may not use the facilities unless accompanied by a CBE Gym and Pool Member.

Non-CBE Gym and Pool Members are not permitted to bring guests.

CBE has a variety of spaces to offer our congregation and community. Whether you are planning a bris, bar/bat mitzvah, wedding, memorial or another type of event, we have a number of spaces to rent that are suitable for a variety of different occasions, functions and events.

If you are interested in scheduling an event or inquiring about our spaces, including rental of the gym and/or pool for use during non-membership hours, please contact Amy Daly-Fisher at 718-768-3814 x207 or afisher@cbebk.org.