Living Jewish history

Editorial

With the completion of the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale, Valley Jews have invested in our future, providing a meeting place devoted to our spiritual, cultural and physical health.

But we cannot forget to invest in our past. Nine months ago, the Arizona Jewish Historical Society took a major step toward doing so by committing to purchase Phoenix's first synagogue, a central Phoenix facility that housed Temple Beth Israel from 1920-1949.

The purchase price was $540,000. So far, almost $300,000 has been raised. The remaining $240,000 is needed by Oct. 1 or the property will be lost.

And once the property is secured, an estimated $1.7 million will be required for renovations, an endowment and to hire a curator to manage the site.

The property - to be renamed the Jewish Heritage Center - will be home to the Culver Street Synagogue, AJHS and a museum. And in keeping with the vision of long-time AJHS director, Beryl Morton, who died in December, it will be a gathering space for organizations, weddings and b'nai mitzvah celebrations.

Just as we support the multimillion-dollar complex in northern Scottsdale for neighborhood Jews to gather, so too must we back the historic gathering place in the Central Phoenix neighborhood where Valley Jews first settled in the late 19th century.

Once renovations are complete, the center will truly represent a living record of Arizona's Jewish community. Its location, adjacent to the Burton Barr Central Public Library and within walking distance of the Heard Museum, will afford Jews and non-Jews alike the opportunity to view the history of Jewish life in Arizona, including documents and Western gear used by farmers and ranchers.

It will present ongoing exhibits such as "Phoenix in the '50s" and the Web-based Oral History exhibit established in association with Arizona State University.

The Jewish Heritage Center's location in the cultural heart of the city positions it as a visual statement of the Jewish community's contributions to the Valley's cultural landscape.

The Valley's 83,000 Jews are served by our Jewish Federation, community centers, synagogues, many service and advocacy groups, scores of educational and cultural resources, and hundreds of social organizations. But only by preserving and celebrating our past can we firmly anchor our Jewish community life today and prepare knowledgeably for our future.

By recording where we have been, strengthening where we are, and clarifying where we want to be, the Jewish Heritage Center enriches us all.

For information and to contribute, call AJHS, 602-241-7870.

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