“I’m not Jewish, I just work here!” Taylor here. Beth Hebrew was designed in the 1950s by a creative nerd with an affinity for ancient Egypt. The building was a work of experimental modernist architecture, simply because it could be. It served as the first orthodox synagogue in Phoenix, functioned as a community hub, and hosted the bar mitzvah of a young Stephen Spielberg before closing. The same building later housed the congregation of a Mexican evangelist church (complete with resident faith healer). It was at another time the headquarters of the Phoenix Black Theater Troupe. My friend Michael Levine fought to save the building from demolition for years, and eventually purchased the property to preserve it as a piece of Phoenix history. I’ve been lucky enough to play a part in the long and ongoing process of restoring Beth Hebrew from extreme disrepair to its former glory. I worked on this building either alone or with my friend Michael Carter every day for about two years, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We ate lunch on the stage and talked about the future. We talked about buying houses, getting married, starting families, and traveling the world. We swept the floor a thousand times. We fixed the roof when it rained. We locked up every day and went home. Having a key to this building has been a huge part of my life. To celebrate our life together here with all of you would be an honor.
Right here! https://r.uber.com/rIwW3cgdpmi