ON MARCH 3, Mishkon submitted a grant proposal to the National Fund for Sacred Places, which I helped to write. If awarded, the grant would provide a 1:1 match of funds, namely half of the estimated $186K needed to rebuild the glazing in the 12 exposed windows, and to overhaul their frames and hardware, in our historic sanctuary building.
Below the jump, this post describes what we said that Mishkon would do with those funds, and why.
Project Name
Restoration of historic stained glass windows at Temple Mishkon Tephilo
Project Description
In our 2003 Historic Structure Report, an assessment by Judson Studios—the oldest family-run stained-glass company in America—found the stained glass in overall good condition but identified 5 south-facing panels in disrepair, rust preventing most steel casement frames from closing, and much missing hardware. It then provided detailed repair guidance. (Those findings have been summarized HERE.)
Quotes from three stained-glass restorers in 2022 revealed further degradation. In 2025, the Board made window restoration a top capital priority to prevent water intrusion and protect the sanctuary from salty coastal air.
Each of 12 window wells (8 in the sanctuary, 4 in the mezzanine) houses 3 panels exposed to the elements. Because it seems most cost-effective to treat them in a single pass, we requested National Fund grant support to restore all of these windows and overhaul their frames and hardware.
Project scope:
1. Rebuild glazing per the Department of Interior’s preservation guidelines
2. Remove rust and lead-based paint from steel frames
3. Repair frames, including painting and hardware replacement
4. Cast and mount new bronze donor plaques
Project timeline:
Restoration would take 6–9 months. Three contractors (stained-glass specialist, window-frame repairer, and painter) must interweave their respective tasks, each returning periodically—while minimizing disruption to our neighbors and to our own activities. The glass studio takes roughly two weeks to restore each window; they will be removed and replaced in batches. Casting and shipping the bronze donor plaques can be done simultaneously with the rest of the work, whereas their mounting must be coordinated with it.
Project cost: $185,800
Yes, that's a lot of money. It is the sum of the estimates from a stained-glass specialist, a window-frame repairer, and a painting contractor. All of them would be asked to do challenging, non-routine work, due to the degraded state of the windows. The cost of bronze casting and shipping then rounds out the total.
To put that amount in proper perspective, consider that during the past five years, Mishkon has already invested $463K in the sanctuary building alone, including: waterproofing and water-damage repair ($204K); silicone re-roofing ($59K); structural repairs ($49K); extraordinary termite treatment ($47K); health and safety measures ($40K); interior repainting ($35K); and security upgrades ($29K). Those efforts have been funded through dues, fees, ad-hoc donations, grants, and a bequest.
Grant timeline
Now we are waiting until June to hear whether Mishkon made the first cut. If so, further submissions will be needed. Award announcements will be made in October 2026. A technical assistance program would follow, to prepare properly for the actual project. Capital funds would start to be made available roughly a year after the award. The project is supposed to be finished within another year.
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