The Arizona
Jewish Historical Society was awarded a grant of $225,000 from the
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust to support the restoration of
Phoenix’s first synagogue as the CutlerYPlotkin Jewish Heritage
Center. When completed, this historic building will serve the
community as a museum and cultural center.
Originally
built in 1922, the site was the home of Phoenix’s first Jewish
congregation, Temple Beth Israel, until 1949. Following this, it
began a new life as Phoenix’s first Chinese Baptist Church, and
later housed a Spanish-speaking Baptist congregation as well. The
Arizona Jewish Historical Society purchased the property in 2002 to
save it from destruction by developers. In May 2008, the site was
officially designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.
“We are honored
to receive this grant from the Virginia Piper Charitable Trust,”
says AJHS Executive Director Lawrence Bell. “This shows that our
project is not just a ‘Jewish’ project, but really is something
important to the larger civic culture of our city. It provides our
Jewish community here with a unique opportunity to take a leadership
role in areas such the arts, culture, education, and historic
preservation that are essential for any large city to grow and
thrive.”
Exhibits in the
museum will focus on the Arizona Jewish experience and the ways in
which Jews have contributed to the history of our state and our
country. They will also focus on the great diversity of our city,
and the three different religious congregations which shared this
same space.
The grant from the Virginia Piper Trust is
divided into two parts. The first $100,000 of the funds are a
direct capital campaign contribution to the AJHS. The remaining
$125,000 is structured as a 1-1 matching grant to be equaled by
funds raised in the community. According to Bell, “This means that
every dollar given to our project now will be matched by an
additional dollar from outside the Jewish community via the Piper
Trust. This presents an incredible opportunity for members of the
Jewish community to double the effectiveness of their donations
without detracting from other community resources or projects.” To
make a contribution, or to get involved, please call 602-241-7870,
or visit us on the web at
www.azjhs.org.
The Virginia G.
Piper Charitable Trust is committed to honoring Virginia Piper’s
legacy of making grants to nonprofit organizations whose work
enhances the lives of people living in Maricopa County. By
strengthening nonprofits and encouraging strategic planning for the
future, the Trust strives to make Maricopa County a stronger,
healthier, more livable community.
The Trust,
which began awarding grants in 2000, focuses on healthcare and
medical research, children, older adults, arts and culture,
education, and religious organizations. To date, the Trust has
invested more than $236 million in nonprofit organizations and
programs that serve the people of Maricopa County. For more
information about the Trust, please visit
www.pipertrust.org.
