Components of a revitalized, vibrant downtown Meridian keep falling into place. With the focal point of downtown redevelopment — the Mississippi State University Riley Center in the renovated Grand Opera House — nearing completion, it’s appropriate for community leaders to aggressively pursue complementary attractions.

One exciting possibility is a Southern Jewish cultural center and museum in the historic Kress Building. Officials with the Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life visited the city last week to sign a lease agreement on the city-owned building and lay other groundwork for the project, which is about three years from fruition.

The project is win-win-win for Meridian and city government. The lease will generate income for city coffers, and the building will be renovated at the expense of the Woldenberg Institute and its benefactors. When finished, the museum will be a tourist attraction and cultural jewel for local citizens, promoting interfaith, intercultural and interracial harmony.