Ark Builders is a celebration of the work of a group of Jewish men at Temple Israel in Natick, Mass. It chronicles nearly three decades of design, construction and presentation to the Temple of dozens of highly artistic yet functional pieces of wooden furniture. The book traces projects from envelope sketches and engineering schematics through photographs of the fabrication process and presentation. It also examines the dynamics of small-group functioning, as the men hash out ideas and alternative designs over bagels and coffee. Perhaps most importantly, the book considers the impact the group has made on the community and how faith suffuses everything they do.

Jay H. Ball
Jay Ball is one of the founders of the Ark Builders. He and his wife Erica have been members of Temple Israel since 1961. Always deeply engaged in the arts and Town affairs, he was a member of the Board of The Center for Arts in Natick and served nine years on Natick’s Board of Selectmen. He continues a history of public involvement by serving on the Natick Days Steering Committee, the Natick Parking Study Committee, the MetroWest Health Foundation’s Natick Grants Panel and the Board of the Natick Affordable Housing Trust.

David S. Ball
David Ball grew up at Temple Israel. He graduated from Hebrew nursery school in 1964, became a Bar Mitzvah in 1973 and graduated Hebrew high school in 1976. His fondest memories of Jewish observance are Rabbi Harold Kushner’s sermons. He is a healthcare reform activist and retired RN. David is an Air Force Reserve Lt Col and a combat veteran having served from Kosovo to Afghanistan. His previous book, American Astrophilately, was nominated for a national book award.