Members of the Jewish community and the DC Council attended a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the Capital Jewish Museum on Monday, September 14.
The museum had been waiting for construction work to begin in a permanent future location, which is now 3rd and F Streets, Northwest, for over 10 years.
The new place, which is planned to house a synagogue, will open in the spring of 2022.
The ceremony was one of a series of week-long events, including the panel discussion Museums As Agents of Change that took place on Wednesday, September 16.
“It’s going to be a really special place for the city, for the Jewish community, but also very much also for non-Jews to come and learn about Jewish culture, Jewish life and values, particularly with themes around civic engagement and social action,” Kara Blond, executive director of the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, told WTOP about the development.
The city’s oldest synagogue building was moved three blocks from its original site to the corner of Third & G Streets, Northwest in 1969. It became home to many exhibitions, educational programs, and more.
Community contributions and a gift from Lillian & Albert Small helped restore the synagogue, which is listed on the National Register for Historic Places.
The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington (JHSGW) adopted the name Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in 2018.
The organization was founded in 1960 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1965.