Leaders of the £6 million project to establish a Jewish cultural centre in Edinburgh say they are closing in on their goal to raise £100,000 to appoint fundraising staff.

The project’s Professor Joe Goldblatt said donations had come from as far afield as China and the USA, with American businessman Mike Leven giving a matching gift of £50,000.The door to further US support had been opened by the decision of the British Schools and Universities Fund in New York to allow US tax relief on donations to the cultural centre made through the fund.

“We are the first Jewish organisation to be approved by the BSUF,” Pro Goldblatt said.

The website, www.jcc.scot, describes the project’s objectives as “bringing visibility to one of Scotland’s minority communities and contributing to the rich mix of cultural life in Scotland’s capital city, increasing the appeal of Edinburgh to the international community.

“Our centre will house a rich, diverse and inspiring range of events from food to film, comedy to klezmer, hip hop to Hebrew.

“We will offer the very best of Jewish programming to engage audiences from across Scotland and beyond, creating outstanding activities, classes and courses.” In the meantime, the committee is planning events including an Edinburgh Limmud this year.

Prof Goldblatt reported “strong and expanding support from civic leadership” and advice from commercial property developers on a site for the centre. Major donations would be invited once the site had been identified. “We are making steady progress and hope to make an announcement in 2019.”

According to the website, two-thirds of the projected cost will be for land acquisition, consulting fees and construction work. However, the EJCC board was “in discussions with Edinburgh City Council regarding providing a gift of land or a long-term [75-year] lease agreement for land owned by the city. The successful outcome of these discussions may reduce the total capital investment cost.”