Ahavas Achim Cultural Center

fundraising effort to preserve the oldest synagogue in indiana! donation information

[ahavasachim]

Campaign End:

Good morning everyone - with confirmation that the historic 1867 synagogue has been sold to another buyer, we will be closing our current donation campaign to acquire the property. As promised when the campaign began, all donations solicited for this campaign will be returned shortly. If you donated online this process should require no extra steps from you. If you donated via cash or check, the AACC team will be reaching out to confirm some details.

While this isn't the outcome that we wished for, we are hopeful that the new owners of the building will bring life back to the building while respecting its history and the concerns of the Jewish community to whom this building means so much. We hope to reach out soon and be of what help we can in any restoration efforts.

As for AACC, our nonprofit will remain active in order to share information and available resources for the general benefit of our local community and Jewish spaces in Indiana! Please stay tuned to learn more about our future direction.

[ahavasachim]

Spring Update !

Spring has arrived and with it an official update from those of us at AACC! As things often go, some of our news is very exciting (especially for donors!) and some of it isn’t quite what we’d like to hear.

Some of you who live locally may have already heard that another buyer has put in an offer for the historic synagogue. While the details are not yet publicly available, the building is now listed as active under contract. AACC staff are keeping a close eye on the proceedings and we will continue to pursue our mission of preserving the history of our local congregations in other forms should this acquisition opportunity pass.

With that in mind, our application with the IRS has processed much faster than we anticipated and our organization has been granted our 501(c)3 status! This means we are now able to accept tax-exempt donations from those of you who have been waiting to make a donation. While we are still accepting donations to our building purchase fund, we are also accepting general purpose donations that can be saved for future use to benefit other historic Jewish buildings that may need help funding a repair project or similar preservation. You can contact us at [email protected] for more information.

[ahavasachim]

Good morning everyone and shabbat shalom! We are now 23 days into our fundraising efforts and have raised $11,444 to purchase the historic synagogue building — we are so grateful to each of you who have shared and donated!

Today AACC is introducing our next steps to help us reach our total goal of $325,000 — donor recognition opportunities! These tiers are retroactive to prior contributions and will be cumulative based on each donor’s total contributions at campaign end. Donations can be made here: givebutter.com/preserveaacc and we also accept cash or check!

( Donors interested in tax-exempt donations can contact us at [email protected] )

$10,800: The synagogue’s first floor includes six individual rooms and donors at this level will have the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy or honor a loved one through naming a room. $5,400: One of nine permanent plaques to be placed throughout the building, large enough for multiple names and a dedication message. $3,600: One of eighteen engraved 8x8 inch bricks in the memorial garden, large enough for group commemorations or a short message. $1,800: An engraved 8x4 inch brick in the memorial garden, large enough for a name or two. Our initial goal is to fund 36 of these bricks. $540: One of fifty-four metal nameplates in a prominent Tree of Life installation inside the building. $360: Donor’s name of choice painted into various mural-style artworks within the building.

It is very important to those of us at AACC to show our deep gratitude to everyone who has supported us regardless of the amount of their contribution, and so we have decided that ALL donor names will be included in a printed installation within the building in enduring recognition of your support!

As an additional reminder, donations made “in memory" or “in honor of” at any amount will have the memorialized person’s name featured in an installation in the memorial garden.

Thank you again for your support, and have a restful shabbos!

** Names and messages must not contain offensive language, innuendo, or profanity and are subject to approval by the AACC board. Opportunities are subject to change by the board and donations will be returned if the campaign is not successful.

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Happy Monday, everyone! To celebrate reaching $7,000 in our fundraising effort to purchase our historic synagogue building in Indiana, here are some fun facts about the building's history!

this is the oldest synagogue building in Indiana, and the 12th oldest still standing in the nation!

it was built in 1867 by Jacob Welschbillig for the Ahavas Achim Congregation, one of the state's largest German-Jewish communities at the time.

the structure was built in a unique variation of the Romanesque style and used mostly local materials, with the exception of the stained glass windows.

before moving into this building the congregation met in a storeroom above a gun shop!

Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far — please help our efforts to preserve this building by following this page, sharing our posts, and donating to our campaign here: https://givebutter.com/PreserveAACC

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Indiana Jews race to reclaim a synagogue that shaped the Reform movement

The Lafayette congregation pioneered egalitarian prayer and launched national rabbinic leaders. Now locals hope to reclaim the 1867 building

Morning everyone! If you haven't had a chance to read this article out in the Forward about our efforts to save Indiana's oldest synagogue (12th oldest in the nation!) yet, please take a moment for it! There's a lot of great history in there about the original congregation and this 1867 building.

We have also officially passed the $10k mark! While we still need to raise $314,276 in order to secure this Jewish landmark and return it to the community, this is an important milestone and we want to thank all of you for your support. Please continue to share this post, talk about it with your local communities, and if you are able to please donate!

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Preserve Ahavas Achim

By Ahavas Achim Cultural Center

Hello! My name is Robyn and I am a founding member of AACC, a nonprofit formed by our local Jewish community in response to the sale of our historic temple built in 1867. This synagogue is the oldest in Indiana, and the 12th oldest still standing nationwide! Originally sold in 1969, it has since housed the Red Cross, the Unitarian Church, and other local nonprofits before falling into disuse. We have kept an eye on this building as it sat empty for the last few years, and now that it has been placed back on the market we are hoping to move as quickly as possible to secure it as an inclusive welcoming educational and cultural space for our local community!

Our goal is to raise $325,000 to purchase the synagogue!

We would be so grateful if you could donate if you are able (any amount helps!), check out our website, follow us here - and please share this post! Help us save this beautiful piece of diaspora history!

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Indiana Jews race to reclaim a synagogue that shaped the Reform movement

The Lafayette congregation pioneered egalitarian prayer and launched national rabbinic leaders. Now locals hope to reclaim the 1867 building

Morning everyone! If you haven't had a chance to read this article out in the Forward about our efforts to save Indiana's oldest synagogue (12th oldest in the nation!) yet, please take a moment for it! There's a lot of great history in there about the original congregation and this 1867 building.

We have also officially passed the $10k mark! While we still need to raise $314,276 in order to secure this Jewish landmark and return it to the community, this is an important milestone and we want to thank all of you for your support. Please continue to share this post, talk about it with your local communities, and if you are able to please donate!

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Indiana Jews race to reclaim a synagogue that shaped the Reform movement

The Lafayette congregation pioneered egalitarian prayer and launched national rabbinic leaders. Now locals hope to reclaim the 1867 building

Morning everyone! If you haven't had a chance to read this article out in the Forward about our efforts to save Indiana's oldest synagogue (12th oldest in the nation!) yet, please take a moment for it! There's a lot of great history in there about the original congregation and this 1867 building.

We have also officially passed the $10k mark! While we still need to raise $314,276 in order to secure this Jewish landmark and return it to the community, this is an important milestone and we want to thank all of you for your support. Please continue to share this post, talk about it with your local communities, and if you are able to please donate!

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Indiana Jews race to reclaim a synagogue that shaped the Reform movement

The Lafayette congregation pioneered egalitarian prayer and launched national rabbinic leaders. Now locals hope to reclaim the 1867 building

Morning everyone! If you haven't had a chance to read this article out in the Forward about our efforts to save Indiana's oldest synagogue (12th oldest in the nation!) yet, please take a moment for it! There's a lot of great history in there about the original congregation and this 1867 building.

We have also officially passed the $10k mark! While we still need to raise $314,276 in order to secure this Jewish landmark and return it to the community, this is an important milestone and we want to thank all of you for your support. Please continue to share this post, talk about it with your local communities, and if you are able to please donate!

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Preserve Ahavas Achim

By Ahavas Achim Cultural Center

Hello! My name is Robyn and I am a founding member of AACC, a nonprofit formed by our local Jewish community in response to the sale of our historic temple built in 1867. This synagogue is the oldest in Indiana, and the 12th oldest still standing nationwide! Originally sold in 1969, it has since housed the Red Cross, the Unitarian Church, and other local nonprofits before falling into disuse. We have kept an eye on this building as it sat empty for the last few years, and now that it has been placed back on the market we are hoping to move as quickly as possible to secure it as an inclusive welcoming educational and cultural space for our local community!

Our goal is to raise $325,000 to purchase the synagogue!

We would be so grateful if you could donate if you are able (any amount helps!), check out our website, follow us here - and please share this post! Help us save this beautiful piece of diaspora history!

[ahavasachim]

Campaign Update - Help us save this synagogue!

Happy Friday and shabbat shalom! It's about time for a little campaign update, and I am so pleased to share that a week and a half into our fundraising campaign, we've raised $8,105 to purchase this endangered historic synagogue! This comes from 33 lovely donors in amounts ranging anywhere from $2 to $5,000 — thank you all so much!

With the local real estate market so competitive, it is crucial that we keep this momentum going and growing. Rather than give a monetary goal for this weekend, we're hoping to see 54 (or more!) total donors before we light those shabbos candles tonight.

If you have a bit to spare this payday, please consider sending it our way! Every little bit helps, and additionally all donations that are made "in honor/memory of" will be commemorated in a future installment in the property's garden. No matter what you donate, we want to remember your loved ones with you! Click here for our fundraising campaign <3 and as always, please share this post!

Thank you all again, and we wish you a restful Shabbat!

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Happy Monday, everyone! To celebrate reaching $7,000 in our fundraising effort to purchase our historic synagogue building in Indiana, here are some fun facts about the building's history!

this is the oldest synagogue building in Indiana, and the 12th oldest still standing in the nation!

it was built in 1867 by Jacob Welschbillig for the Ahavas Achim Congregation, one of the state's largest German-Jewish communities at the time.

the structure was built in a unique variation of the Romanesque style and used mostly local materials, with the exception of the stained glass windows.

before moving into this building the congregation met in a storeroom above a gun shop!

Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far — please help our efforts to preserve this building by following this page, sharing our posts, and donating to our campaign here: https://givebutter.com/PreserveAACC

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Preserve Ahavas Achim

By Ahavas Achim Cultural Center

Hello! My name is Robyn and I am a founding member of AACC, a nonprofit formed by our local Jewish community in response to the sale of our historic temple built in 1867. This synagogue is the oldest in Indiana, and the 12th oldest still standing nationwide! Originally sold in 1969, it has since housed the Red Cross, the Unitarian Church, and other local nonprofits before falling into disuse. We have kept an eye on this building as it sat empty for the last few years, and now that it has been placed back on the market we are hoping to move as quickly as possible to secure it as an inclusive welcoming educational and cultural space for our local community!

Our goal is to raise $325,000 to purchase the synagogue!

We would be so grateful if you could donate if you are able (any amount helps!), check out our website, follow us here - and please share this post! Help us save this beautiful piece of diaspora history!

[ahavasachim]

Help us save a historic synagogue!

Preserve Ahavas Achim

By Ahavas Achim Cultural Center

Hello! My name is Robyn and I am a founding member of AACC, a nonprofit formed by our local Jewish community in response to the sale of our historic temple built in 1867. This synagogue is the oldest in Indiana, and the 12th oldest still standing nationwide! Originally sold in 1969, it has since housed the Red Cross, the Unitarian Church, and other local nonprofits before falling into disuse. We have kept an eye on this building as it sat empty for the last few years, and now that it has been placed back on the market we are hoping to move as quickly as possible to secure it as an inclusive welcoming educational and cultural space for our local community!

Our goal is to raise $325,000 to purchase the synagogue!

We would be so grateful if you could donate if you are able (any amount helps!), check out our website, follow us here - and please share this post! Help us save this beautiful piece of diaspora history!