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August 2011
Av-Elul 5771

PRESIDENT’S AND DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE:

THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDPARENTS' JCC: This past year has been filled with changes at the JCC including our new extended hours on Saturdays and openings on the 2nd day of Jewish holidays. Change is apparent not only at the JCC but also in our society as increased mobility and economic realities have changed the way we view institutions and how we relate to them.

In years past many people in our area viewed the support of non-profit institutions as critical in building community and made them an essential part of their philanthropy. Whether it was a synagogue, a church, the JCC, or the art museum, people felt that their lives would be enriched by investing in these institutions. Often individuals supported the institutions even if they did not receive a direct service or benefit; they did this because they knew their community would be better off and healthier as a result. Today these non-profits are still very dependent on philanthropy.

While the JCC may feel like a fitness club to many - we are a community center and as such the JCC is dependent on the generosity of donors to pay bills, upgrade facilities and serve the community. It is you and I and the rest of the community, Jew and non-Jew, who must revitalize a culture of giving to organizations liek the JCC. Sometimes a gift of only $25 to the annual appeal will make a difference. We all need to look beyond our own use, see how much the community relies on this institution, and start to give at levels that represent our desire to sustain the JCC for generations to come.

It is a two way street: we ask you to consider changing the way you view the JCC to help it grow, but we also know that the JCC must grow and change too. The JCC board deliberated over the Saturday full-day openings considering the requests from many members, Jews and non-Jews. In the end the board voted to go forward with the change based on several principles: 1) The JCC is not a religious institution; it is a secular cultural institution that is founded in Jewish values, 2) The JCC seeks to be welcoming to people of all faiths and to be respectful and inclusive of the many variations of Jewish observance. This is the Jewish belief in being welcoming to all and striving to be inclusive (Isaiah 58).

We will continue to identify ways to make the JCC more usable to its members and more responsive to modern lives and needs. At the same time we will maintain adherence to the spirit of the Jewish values that inspired our founding and have sustained this institution through time. Now more than ever we need you and the rest of the community to do your share as well. Please commit your financial resources and your time to help make the JCC ready for tomorrow, to help make the decisions and fund the changes and upgrades that will continue to make this the greatest little community around.

This is not your grandparents' JCC, not even your parents' and perhaps at this point it shouldn't be. But like your grandparents let's make sure that the JCC is still here and as vibrant as ever for your grandchildren. BECAUSE IT IS OUR GRANDKIDS' JCC!

All the best,

Dan B. Shertzer, President

Emily G. Holdstein, Executive Director