Several key Jewish leaders are reviving efforts to create a vibrant Jewish arts and cultural hub in the heart of Atlanta — an idea that has been floated since 2018.
The concept has taken on a new dimension with the news that the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta could move its offices to Sandy Springs. David and Helen Zalik, who own “The Dupree” office building in Sandy Springs, have made an overture to the Federation to become a tenant. The Federation is exploring the idea as long as it can negotiate a favorable lease.
It would be a significant change for the Federation, which has been based in Midtown for decades.
For the past 30 years, the Federation has been located at 1440 Spring St. NW at 18th Street across from the Center for Puppetry Arts. Real estate developer Steve Selig donated the 3-acre property and the one-story building to the Federation in 1994.
Central to the conversation is the Breman — a multifaceted cultural center and museum located in the Federation’s building. The Breman has been exploring the possibility of expanding its footprint, building a theater and partnering with other Jewish cultural organizations, such as the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.
“This building is not going anywhere until there’s a solution as to what the Breman will look like,” said David Fisher, interim president and CEO of the Jewish Federation. “We all want to work on finding the most fiscally responsible and dynamic solution we can find.”
Fisher added that the decision to move the Federation’s offices “is not a done deal.”
Leslie Gordon, executive director of the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, has enjoyed being part of Midtown’s cultural corridor. The Breman was the anchor tenant of “the Spring” concept, a 2018 proposal that envisioned developing a Jewish center for arts and culture on the Federation’s property.
“The Breman continues to plan on having a theater that can serve us and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and others,” Gordon said. “We have always known we were going to outgrow our space. And ultimately, we knew we were going to need more space. Even without the Federation, the project is still viable.”
Gordon said the current location has been ideal for the Breman.
“We draw from all over the metro area. Half of our attendees are schoolchildren, who come from everywhere. There are a ton of APS [Atlanta Public School] students. We have students who come from Alabama and Tennessee,” Gordon said. “We always had a plan to expand and be in a bigger space. It just means whatever plans we have need to be accelerated. I feel confident a Jewish cultural center in Midtown is viable and desirable.”
Matt Bronfman, the CEO of Jamestown real estate company, has been a champion of “the Spring” concept for the past six years. As the past board chair of the Federation, Bronfman continues to believe the Jewish community needs to have a strong presence in the central city.
“Jamestown invests all over the country,” Bronfman said, adding the trend locally and nationally supports intown arts and entertainment districts. “It is where young people want to live. I remain incredibly optimistic that we will create a great Jewish cultural and arts center in intown Atlanta. There’s a growing Jewish population in the city, particularly younger people who are mostly unaffiliated with a synagogue but crave community connectivity.”
As of now, there are more questions than answers.
If the Federation moves to Sandy Springs, will it sell part or all of the three acres? Would it invest some of the proceeds of the sale into a new Jewish cultural center? Would it explore an alternative location near Midtown for a Jewish center? Or is there a possibility that it would keep proceeds of a land sale to secure the Federation’s endowment, potentially providing no financial support to the creation of a Jewish arts and cultural center in the inner city?
“The Federation is in no way shape or form abandoning intown or Midtown,” Fisher said. “We are committed to working with our community partners. The funding has to be there. There’s certainly a commitment to do everything we can to help make sure there’s vibrant and dynamic Jewish life intown and help advance the aspirations of the Breman. Many possibilities exist. It’s our responsibility to explore numerous solutions.”
The Temple, located on Peachtree just north of the Spring Street site, has been part of exploratory conversations.
I’m excited to see what the intown Jewish community will look like in the future,” Peter Berg, senior Rabbi of the Temple, wrote in a text. “The Temple, Atlanta’s oldest and largest synagogue, is committed to being part of the solution. We are actively speaking with stakeholders and donors about what we can accommodate on our historic campus. With our partners, we will ensure that there is a vibrant Jewish community to serve our growing intown families.”
The push and pull between the central city and the suburbs for Atlanta’s Jewish community is nothing new.
When I was growing up in Atlanta in the 1960s, the Jewish community was concentrated in the central city. Jewish students represented about one-third of the student body at Grady High School. My parents were part of Congregation Or VeShalom, a Sephardic synagogue that was located on North Highland.
But when the synagogue moved “out” to N. Druid Hills Road, our relationship with the congregation faded away. The move was part of an exodus of many Jews from the City of Atlanta to the northern suburbs. Something shifted.
My parents were active members of the Jewish and Black coalition supporting the civil rights movement. Unfortunately, from my perspective, when Jews moved to the suburbs, they became less involved in the issues of civil liberties, civil rights and social justice.
The Atlanta Jewish Community Center also moved from Peachtree to Dunwoody’s Zaban Park in 2000, reinforcing the demographic shift of Jews in Atlanta.
In the last decade or so, there’s been a reverse migration as more and more people are choosing to live intown so they can be an integral part of the city’s vibrancy.
Kenny Blank, executive and artistic director of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, was “thrilled” with the concept of transforming the Spring Street site into a gathering place for Atlanta’s Jewish cultural community.
“I still believe in the vision,” Blank said. “I think it’s absolutely a viable project. What Atlanta needs is a cultural hub for the Jewish community.”
Mazel Tov – but more importantly good luck getting any ATL Council votes.
Catholics lost their downtown Archdiocese offices to Cobb, everyone crossed out the United from the Methodists, and you think the Jews are gonna be able to stay without adding at least affordable housing wing to this thing? Nyet!