Mandelbaum Family Dining Pavilion Project Completed

The Princeton Center for Jewish Life (CJL) had a significant renovation and expansion of its kitchen and servery. The project involved both a renovation of the existing facilities and an 1,800 square foot addition.

The Mandelbaum Family Dining Pavilion encompasses two new spaces at the center: the servery, where diners pick up their food, and the kitchen, which is the only kosher kitchen on campus. The expansion and enhancement of these spaces were made possible thanks to a gift from David Mandelbaum ’57 and his wife, Karen Mandelbaum, as part of the Venture Forward campaign.

To adhere to kosher dietary laws, the updated kitchen has three separate spaces: one each for meat, dairy and parve. 

Erinsson Colon, project manager in Capital Projects, noted that the requirements added complexity to the planning, design and renovation: “Although this is relatively small renovation in size, the space has three distinct kitchens.”

This means triple of many major appliances and careful space planning. To be both sustainable and good financial stewards, the project team was able to save equipment from the Bulter/Wilcox kitchen before it was demolished in 2024.  

Outside the center, the project also included the installation of a bioswale and rain garden for stormwater management, enhancing the environmental sustainability of the site. Inside, the new space includes a community mosaic art wall featuring recipes and pictures.

Throughout the renovation, the building remained fully operational, including the dining space, which stayed open to serve the campus community. Meals were prepared offsite and delivered to CJL, ensuring uninterrupted access to kosher dining despite the ongoing work.

"People have said really good things about the space,” said Colon. “This project would not have been possible without the exceptional coordination with Campus Dining, who played a crucial role, particularly during the construction phase. The CJL staff were also outstanding partners throughout the process. We were fortunate to have an excellent project team.”

With the renovations complete, the Princeton Center for Jewish Life can continue serving the campus community with enhanced facilities and a renewed commitment to kosher dining.