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September 15, 2000/15 Elul 5760, Vol. 52, No.53
Schwartz family endows school opening in 2001
LEISAH NAMM
Staff Writer
The Jewish community high school will be renamed The Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School.
A major gift from the Sheila and Jess Schwartz family of Phoenix "will help guarantee that the school will have the best academic and Judaic studies program in Arizona," said Jay Schechter, headmaster of the new high school, which will open next year.
"The Schwartz family is ensuring the future of this Jewish community," he said.
He declined to disclose the amount of the gift.
Jess Schwartz, who died in 1996, was a founder of the Phoenix Hebrew Academy and a strong supporter of Jewish education.
Throughout the 40 years the family has lived in Phoenix, the Schwartzes have contributed to the Phoenix Hebrew Academy, Jewish Community Center, Kivel Campus of Care, Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix and Arizona State University's Jewish studies program.
The Schwartz family also supports Beth Joseph Congregation in Phoenix and hosts social gatherings for young Jewish singles.
Jess Schwartz owned American Creditor's Bureau.
The couple's children, Frank Schwartz, Abby Schwartz and Lesley Hammer, are graduates of the Phoenix Hebrew Academy and live in Phoenix; and their grandchildren attend the school.
Sheila Schwartz is vice president of the new high school's board of directors.
"It is important that this be a pluralistic high school, especially in this diverse Jewish community," she said. "It is my hope that Jewish students from all branches of Judaism will attend this school and learn to respect students from other backgrounds."
"This is a giant step forward for this community," said Arthur Paikowsky, executive vice president of the federation. "It takes leaders like Sheila Schwartz and her family to envision what's on the horizon and to commit themselves to making this a first- rate Jewish community.
Schechter said the school will open in August 2001 at a temporary site and later will move to the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus being planned for Scottsdale.
Announcement of the interim site is forthcoming, he said.
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