Friends of Mendelsohn

Founded to preserve and reimagine a Cleveland landmark of 20th-century religious architecture, the nonprofit Friends of Mendelsohn is leading the transformation of the former Park Synagogue building and campus in Cleveland Heights—designed by renowned architect Eric Mendelsohn and completed in 1950—into a vibrant, multi-use community arts campus. In partnership with Sustainable Community Associates, the organization is spearheading a $160 million redevelopment plan that will include dedicated space for community arts programming, academic facilities for Oberlin College and Conservatory, intergenerational housing, and enhanced public green space. A $5 million grant from the Mandel Foundation will support the project’s first phase, which aims to restore and modernize the sanctuary, ballroom, Rosenthal Library, and Miller Chapel, laying the groundwork for a cultural hub that honors Jewish heritage and expands access to the arts.