awarded a grant of $250,000 from the
National Fund, St. Josaphat raised funds
to make significant repairs to the
exterior of their building, including
masonry repointing, waterproofing and
stained glass window restoration.
•
Christ Church Lutheran is
housed in a renowned Mid Century
Modern building, the product of a rare
father/son collaboration between Eliel
and Eero Saarinen, in Minneapolis. The
main building designed by the elder
Saarinen was completed in 1949. Eliel’s
son, Eero, designed the education wing
in 1962. The connection between the
two buildings was not fully accessible
and the building was experiencing water
infiltration. Their recently completed
project, made possible with help from a
$130,000 National Fund award,
waterproofed the courtyard and created
ADA compliant access.
Beth Ahabah exterior
Photo: Allison King
Applicants to the National Fund
must compellingly convey their
historical significance, describe how
they plan to preserve their house of
worship, and demonstrate that their
preservation project will have
community value. The program is
competitive—only 5% of those who
applied in 2019 were invited to
participate in the National Fund.
Acceptance into the program is just the
beginning. Capital grants are only
awarded after congregations have
construction-ready documents and
proof that they have raised the required
matching funds. To help congregations
achieve their project purpose and reach
their financial goals, the National Fund
offers an intensive training program
which provides resources to assist them
in raising funds, navigating the
construction process, and engaging with
the larger community. Almost half of
the fifty-four participants have had
their capital grants disbursed; others are
still working on fundraising and project
preparation. Twelve congregations,
including Congregation Beth Ahabah,
have finished their projects. Here are a
few of the highlights:
•
Basilica of St. Josaphat was
founded in Milwaukee in 1888. Its third
and current building was built by Polish
immigrants between 1896 and 1901. In
1929, St. Josaphat was named the third
basilica in the United States. After being
Repair work underway at the Basilica of Saint Josaphat, Milwaukee
Photo: Basilica of Saint Josaphat
4
SACRED PLACES • WINTER 2019