Sylvia Plotkin Judaic Museum

Sylvia Plotkin Judaic Museum is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and is an important institution of education for Jewish heritage. There are many exhibits, events and activities available for visitors who can learn up to 5,000 years of Jewish culture. The museum was founded in 1967 in Phoenix at the Temple Beth Israel then moved to Scottsdale.

The museum was renamed the Sylvia Plotkin Judaic Museum in honor of Sylvia Plotkin who devoted much of her time and services to the museum until her death in 1996.

The first exhibit at the museum was the Passover Exhibition; this was borrowed from the local Jewish community. There are now over 1,000 artifacts from around the world, these feature themes such as Torah, Holidays and the life cycle events of Jewish people. Other exhibits include a reconstructed composite synagogue of Tunis, color photographs of how the Jewish people live in Tunisia today and an interactive exhibit which is a replica of part of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Many events are hosted at the museum throughout the year and a recent addition to the museum is the Temple Beth Israel Biblical Garden where visitors can view life in biblical days. The garden was created as a memorial to Evanne Copland Kofman by her family. Visitors can enjoy a picnic in the garden or meditate among the plants such as papyrus, fig and olive trees, or enjoy a scheduled tour of the garden.