In 1948, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El's founding families acquired a seven-acre site located on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. Named "Bonita Vista" by the original owner the site was dominated by a large French Renaissance mansion house, a caretaker's house and greenhouse, a formal garden, a teahouse in the rear yard leading to a path to the Lake Michigan beach, a large garage/stable building and a playground/tennis court area.

Today, the first floor of the mansion is occupied by The Joseph & Mae Gray Cultural and Learning Center. The Center incorporates the Maxwell Abell Library, the Pinsof Children's Reading Room and the Susan Fisher Glick Research Center. The Sager Family Beit Hamidrash (our chapel) was also built into one of the first floor rooms. The original paneling, molding, staircase and other architectural details enhance the beauty of these spaces.

The mansion's second floor was eventually converted into the classrooms and offices of the Bernard H. Sokol Hebrew High School. The caretaker's house is still used as a residence for a staff member and the teahouse is now a workroom. Unfortunately, erosion eliminated the path to the beach and the demands of modern life turned the formal gardens into our parking lot. The garage/stable building and associated property was sold to become a private residence.

A plan was developed to expand the mansion by constructing additions to incorporate school classrooms, a community hall and a sanctuary. In the fall of 1952 an engraved marble slab, imported from Israel, was dedicated as the cornerstone of the school building and it was completed in the following year.

In 1957 construction was started on a community center building that incorporated a hall that could seat 1,100 people facing the hall's stage, (or over 400 people for a banquet) a fully equipped kitchen facility and two multipurpose rooms. After a series of renovations that building wing now houses the 6,600 sq. ft. Harold and Ruby Blumberg Auditorium, the 1,050 sq. ft. Zell Activity Room, the Horwitz-Hoffman Youth Lounge and the Youth Community offices.

Groundbreaking for the 362 seat Field Family Sanctuary was held in June, 1961. Designed by the renowned synagogue architect Percival Goodman the "jeweled crown" soars over a bimah dominated by the massive bronze ark doors representing the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Paset Lounge is situated between the Sanctuary and the Auditorium. The three spaces are separated by moveable partitions. By opening the partitions, seating for 700 can be provided on Shabbat and almost 1,800 can be seated for the High Holidays.

The Sanctuary structure is entered through the Kopin Family Portico and the Arnold Rissman Family Kol Ami Museum.

The fall of 1986 saw the beginning of construction of the last major building additions; the Posen Rabbinic and Administrative Wing, Grossinger-Brickman Activity Center and expansion of the number of schoolrooms to accommodate the Jack & Mildred Cohen Religious School and the Paul & Sylvia Steinberg Preschool. The Activity Center can seat 150 people for special religious services or multi-media presentations. It also serves as an indoor gym for the Preschool and its stage doubles as an art activity room.

In total, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El has over 70,000 sq. ft. of space supporting its full range of religious services and educational, cultural and social activities.