The Mashrabiya Project

Through July 23rd

Now on Display by Brenda Hillegas

Did you know there’s an entire museum dedicated to contemporary art and creativity made with wood? Tucked into Old City at 141 N. 3rd Street, just steps away from many of Philadelphia’s historic sites, the museum welcomes the public to browse two floors of objects and exhibitions.

Currently on display, guests can experience The Mashrabiya Project, which showcases Egyptian wood-turned mashrabiya. Jennifer-Navva Milliken, the museum’s Executive Director and Chief Curator, curated this interactive exhibition to showcase these lattice screens that are often attached to windows or interior spaces. The architectural object, commonly used in Islamic and Egyptian cultures, allows privacy from public view while still offering ventilation. Seeing Through Space at the Museum for Art in Wood is the first exhibition in the U.S. to examine these objects and their prominence in Islamic and Egyptian craft.

Through July 23rd, you can view never-before-seen works by six artists from across the Islamic worldAnila Quayyum Agha, Nidaa Badwan, Susan Hefuna, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Majida Khattari, and Hoda Tawakol - and learn more about how the mashrabiya inspired their pieces literally and metaphorically.

On Saturday, May 6th, the museum will present Nazariy’: The Dancer’s Gaze - A Guided Tour of The Mashrabiya Project. Dancers from Usiloquy Dance Designs will take over the gallery with interpretations of the exhibition through the South Asian dance style Bharatantyam. Nazariy’ is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to view an interactive, choreographed response to The Mashrabiya Project: Seeing through Space. It will take place one night only. Tickets are $20 and can be reserved on the website for two time slots - 5:30-7pm and 7:30-9pm.

The Museum for Art in Wood is a non-profit and admission is free. Along with permanent and rotating exhibitions, visitors will also find a research library, workshops and classes, and a gift shop filled with wood crafted items for all ages and tastes. For more info on hours and exhibits, visit www.museumforartinwood.org PRH

by Jamie Flowers

BLOCS, the Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools, started in 1980 as a financial campaign to aid parochial schools. The purpose of this crusade was to ensure a qualified labor pool for Philadelphia firms once students graduate, search for employment, and become productive members of their communities.

The Archdiocesan schools were the eighth largest educational institution in the U.S. and fueled much of the labor force. BLOCS has been able to keep the city’s economy strong in many ways by committing to a Catholic education, high academic standards, and job readiness.

BLOCS is funded by your taxes through the establishment of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs. Donors can receive up to a 90 percent tax credit against their personal Pennsylvania state tax liability by making their gift through BLOCS. Many types of taxes can be offset by this credit, such as personal income taxes and business taxes. Becoming a donor is simple. To take advantage of this amazing program, you become a member of BLOCS Scholarship LLC and make a two-year commitment to fund the LLC. Then you sign the LLC agreement and write your check to BLOCS. BLOCS then disperses the funds to the school of your choice or to the school with the greatest needs (if the gift is undesignated). You are then provided with a K-1 for your donation and the 90 percent tax credit is issued to you by the state. You can use that tax credit to either fund your Year 2 commitment to BLOCS or it can nearly double your annual donation. Schools are then able to award scholarships for tuition assistance to families with economic hardships. Anyone can apply for a scholarship, but an independent third-party company called FACTS collects the family’s past tax returns, proof of income and other financial data to determine if the student(s) qualify and recommend the amount of tuition assistance. Once the application is processed, BLOCS issues a check to the school, which is then dispersed directly to the student.

Rory Sweeney, interim president of Neumann Goretti High School, said he knows firsthand how the EITC impacts the school’s students.

“When our families are faced with rising tuition costs to realize a quality, faith-filled education, scholarship dollars from the EITC program help ease their financial burden and allow them to be comfortable with Neumann Goretti as their chosen school. And BLOCS is a key partner that ensures an EITC participant’s donation supports our students in need.”

Applications for the 2023-24 school year are now open and will close on September 30, 2023. To begin an application, head to the FACTS website (onlinefactsmgt.com). Students, grades Pre-K-12th grade, must be registered at the school of their choice prior to applying for a BLOCS scholarship. Schools make the final decision on who is awarded a scholarship, and the Commonwealth of PA requires that a third-party qualifies the family’s eligibility for need-based scholarships. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia uses FACTS to manage and screen the qualification process, but some private schools use other fact-checking companies. If you have any questions, you can reach out to the school you are applying to for guidance.

BLOCS provides more than 16,000 students and families in the greater Philadelphia area with opportunities, hope and promise. Many scholarship recipients have been so inspired by their Catholic education that they have made huge impacts on their neighborhoods, their larger communities and even the world. Past students have gone on to college, become community leaders, business owners, started families and spearheaded their own campaigns to give back. BLOCS has started a storytelling campaign called #BuiltByBLOCS that has showcased nearly 100 students through storytelling videos and log posts. Many have overcome incredible adversities to achieve success. These students and families are grateful to those that choose to donate to their individual and collective success. PRH

Ss Neumann Goretti High School is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Magazine Business Network.