JCC Circle Fall 2009

8/8/2019 JCC Circle Fall 2009

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/jcc-circle-fall-2009 1/19

fall 2009

5770 w`s

jcca.org

P R r

c i r c

l e

jeRRy silveRman | toRahs foR ouR tRooPs | jcc goveRnance

are you maximizing thepower of your jcc pool?

lenny Krayzelburg’sjcc swim academy isbringing an aquaticsrenaissance to jcc



ns e

F r a ress c rrec i n r Inf rma i n ab u JCC Circle c n ac inf @jcca. rg r ca (212) 532-4949.

©2009 Jewish Community Centers Association of North America.All rights reserved.

520 Eighth Avenue | New York, NY 10018Phone: 212-532-4949 | Fax: 212-481-4174 | e-mail: [email protected] | web: www.jcca.org

JCC Association of North America is the leadership network of, and central agency for, 350 Jewish CommunityCenters, YM-YWHAs and camps in the United States and Canada, that annually serve more than two million users.JCC Association offers a wide range of services and resources to enable its affiliates to provide educational, culturaland recreational programs to enhance the lives of North American Jewry. JCC Association is also a U.S. government-accredited agency for serving the religious and social needs of Jewish military personnel, their families and patients inVA hospitals through the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council.

JCC Association receives support from the JFNA National Federation/Agency Alliance, local federations and JewishCommunity Centers.

ISSN 1065-1551

2

410

14

18

20

23

28

This Time, There Is No Going BackAllan Finkelstein on the Future

An Aquatics RenaissanceSpotlight on the Lenny Krayzelburg JCC Swim Academy

East Village OasisVisit New York’s 14th Street Y — in Digital Paintings

Torahs for Our TroopsSupporting Jews in the Military

Focus on: PhilanthropyMort Mandel on Giving

Say Hello to the New Kid on the BlockWe Catch Up with Jerry Silverman

Governance MattersWhat Every New Board Member Should Know

Beyond the Battle of the BulgeWellness Is the New Fitness

FAll 2009 5770 w`s www.jcca. rg

1

BY ANd ABoUt...

Allan FinkelsteinBe ore becoming president o JCC Association 15

years ago, Allan held leadership positions at JCCs inLos Angeles, Columbus, and Bu alo. He has taught atHebrew Union College in Los Angeles, and at BrandeisUniversity. He is o ten called upon to speak about oneo his passions—new models o looking at Jewishcommunal li e, especially as it applies to collaborationbetween institutions.

Lenny KrayzelbergLenny is the ounder and director o the LennyKrayzelburg JCC Swim Academy, a comprehensive,learn-to-swim curriculum available only at JCCs. He is a

our-time Olympic gold medalist, multiple world-recordholder, two-time USA Swimmer o the Year, and wontwo golds at the 16th Maccabiah in Israel.

Ann F. Eisen Ann F. Eisen, ormer executive director o the NewOrleans JCC, is the vice-president o communityservices, governance and leadership or JCC

Association. She is certifed by BoardSource as aconsultant in board sel assessment. She is alsoresponsible or organizing the Esther Leah Ritz NextGeneration o Leadership Institute at the JCCs oNorth America Biennial.

Jerry SilvermanJerry Silverman is president and CEO o UJC/The

Jewish Federations o North America. He is a highlyexperienced leader in the North American Jewishcommunity and longtime corporate executive, withover 25 years o experience.

jcccircle:Sr. Vice-President,Marketing & CommunicationsR bin Ba in

Creative DirectorPe er Shevene

Communications Manager,JCC Circle EditorMiriam Rinn

DesignPe er SheveneJeremy K r esdan Her zberg

OnlineChris S r m

ChairAlan P. Solow

Honorary ChairsEdward H. KaplanAnn P. KaufmanJerome B. MakowskyMorton L. MandelLester PollackDaniel Rose

Vice-ChairsLisa BrillDonald BrodskyCheryl FishbeinGary JacobsVirginia A. MaasStephen R. ReinerToby RubinStephen SeidenPaula Sidman

SecretaryShirley Solomon

Assoc. SecretariesEnid RosenbergMichael SegalMichael Wolfe

TreasurerEdwin Goldberg

Assoc. TreasurersStephen DorskyAndrew Shaevel

Doron StegerPresidentAllan Finkelstein



2

3

It’ ti JCC t it t .If the economic downturn has taught us anything, it is that the growthwe experienced in recent years took place under an unrealistic set ofcircumstances. We will not likely see a return to the funding patterns thatsustained the institutions and services that we built.

It’s time for new thinking; time to change the unwritten rules of engagementamong Jewish institutions, and put our energy into developing the newstrategic directions that will allow our JCCs to adapt and thrive in the future.

For instance, today we see the need to reposition the JCC as a leadershipinstitution in the community. The notion that certain institutions “own”particular areas of Jewish life is no longer functional, and hinders us frommoving forward.

Too often, the high cost of Jewish living forces young families to choose—theJCC or the synagogue, day school or resident camp. It’s time we nd a way tomake fully integrated memberships in the Jewish community available—andaffordable. We need to rethink the way that Jewish communities operate in

order not only to be more ef cient, but also to provide service, af liation, andeducational models that are easily accessible to anyone seeking involvement.

And perhaps most signi cantly, we see a strong need to put Jewish mission atthe fore of the conversation. Too often over the past decade, mission has takena back seat to business, and the pressures to keep it there are only growing. Wemust move Jewish mission back to the core of our strategic thinking. This is theonly way for JCCs to maintain distinctiveness in the marketplace—and to ful llour unique role as North America’s most welcoming Jewish space.

* * *

New thinking. You see it here in the new format and focus of our JCC Circle magazine. And you’ll be seeing it in everything we do over the coming months,in preparation for the JCC Movement’s forum for new ideas, the JCCs of NorthAmerica Biennial, to be held in Atlanta, May 2-5, 2010.

I urge you—as the leaders of the JCC Movement—to join the conversation and bea part of this new kind of thinking. Visit biennial.jcca.org and submit yourhot topic ideas for discussion at the Biennial. I look forward to seeing you

in Atlanta, hearing your ideas, and having your input as we rewrite the rules.B’shalom,

Allan FinkelsteinPresident | JCC Association

T i ti ,t i i c .



5

A: the jcc swImmIng

pool

sound lIke a bIg fIsh sTory?IT’s noT. The lenny krayzelburg

JCC swIm aCademy aIms To TransformJCC pools from loss-leaders To

revenue powerhouses and magneTs for new members ...and make

a generaTIon of kIds waTer-safe In The proCess.

b p t s

4

Q: whaT

sAveslives earns good

Moneyand

makes newfriendsevery dAy ?



7

new amilies,” says Fox. “The Swim Academy really is bringing a great new resource here.”Shore ront pins its success on adapting to its neighborhood’s patterns o growth andinitiating programming that is valuable or its members. Fox saw in the Lenny K SwimAcademy an opportunity to reach out to the more a uent members o the community,those who were not drawn to the Y or social services. “Lenny Krayzelburg is a knownname to everybody in the Russian Jewish world. He’s one o their heroes.” The programonly opened mid-June, but Shore ont is already planning ways to expand its Lenny Kswim programming, expanding it into summer camp and preschool programming.

Making New Friends: A Crossover HitNot only has the Lenny Krayzelburg JCC Swim Academy rejuvenated Westside’s pool

and brought a new standard o programming excellence to Shore ront, it’s also beenresponsible or a lot o crossover at both JCCs, as amilies attracted initially by the swimlessons discover and take part in other JCC o erings.

“We are seeing cross-enrollment all the time,” says Greene. “Families coming in or aswim lesson hear about our preschool, and discover our teen program. Children whoare taking swimming are also taking gymnastics classes, etc.” At Shore ront, Fox fndsthat new people drawn to the JCC or the frst time because o the Swim Academy aregetting involved in other amily programming.

What’s the Secret?What’s so di erent about the Lenny K Swim Academy? How does it grow so quickly,bring new amilies to the pool, and on to other parts o the JCC? The answer lies in theSwimRight Method, the academy’s unique teaching curriculum.

“We have a very precise teaching style,” Krayzelburg says. “We ollow a clear progression,beginning with getting a child com ortable in the water, oating on their back, andgetting a good sense o their surroundings in the water. We’re very hands-on—every instructor is required to be in the pool with the kids, and we have a our-to-one ratio o

students to instructors, so kids get more individual attention.”As children learn, they progress through di erent levels that are broken down intoindividual skills. Parents are given a sticker book detailing the goals o each level o instruction, with every skill spelled out clearly. When children achieve a goal, they aregiven a sticker or the book.

aQuaTICs renaIssanCe

h - t i i i t ct -t - t t ti t t s i ri t t ’ cc .

6

The parent is bound to teach their children a craft.Some say, also to teach them to swim.—B. Talmud, Kiddushin 29a

Rebirth of the PoolWhen Olympic champ Lenny Krayzelburg approached Executive Director Brian Greenewith a proposition to open a new swim school at the Westside JCC , Greene had nothingto lose. The JCCs o g reater Los Angeles were restructuring, and Westside was partially shut down. The pool itsel was closed, and Greene, anxious to open it up again, wasreceptive to any plan, especially one coming rom the well-known, world-class swimmer

who had spent his early years—a ter emigrating to America rom Ukraine at ageten—swimming in the Westside JCC pool.

But his expectations were modest. “When our pool had been open in earlier years, weused to have two or three hundred kids taking swimming lessons, and I thought tomysel , ‘Boy, i we could get back to those glory days, that would be wonder ul.’ Andthen Lenny presented us with a business plan that said he was going to have our or fvehundred students within a year, and we all thought, hey, it’s great that he wants to beoptimistic, but this is ridiculous! We fgured i he achieved half o what he wanted to do,that would be great or us.”

Within months, Lenny had 750 students taking lessons at Westside—each week.

That was our years ago. The program’s success led to the pool being shut downagain—this time or an expansion. Westside recently opened its new Harry & JeannetteWeinberg Aquatics Center, a $4.5 million, state-o -the-art swimming acility createdthrough the generosity o major gi ts rom the Weinberg Foundation and others. TheJCC now averages 1,250 students taking weekly swim lessons, with a peak o 1,400 inthe summer months.

Revenue coming to the JCC rom the swim academy has grown accordingly. “It’s evenmore proftable now, especially with the new acility. It’s become a very key part o our operating revenue,” says Greene. “The Lenny K Swim Academy initialized therevitalization o our Center.”

Brighton Beach MemoirMore than just a continent separates Los Angeles’ Westside JCC rom the Shorefront YM-YWHA in Brooklyn, New York. Shore ront serves the communities o Brighton Beach andManhattan Beach, home to a large concentration o immigrants rom the ormer SovietUnion. Shore ront provides social services to this population, and works to integratethem into American society—in the settlement-house tradition o the frst JCCs—whilereconnecting them to their Jewish roots.

Shore ront also had a unctioning—and busy—pool, when they decided to bring in the Lenny K JCC Swim Academy. “We already had swiminstruction,” says Executive Director Sue Fox.“We had swim classes, junior swim team, seniorswim team, and lap swimmers. We were already making money rom our swim instruction.”So why make the change?

“We were looking to strengthen our program toteach children swimming, and to reach out to

Within months,Lenny had 750students takinglessons at theWestside JCC...each week.



9

themselves back to the side o the pool.

“What makes these survival tests uniqueis that they’re done ully clothed. We wantto stress the real-world situation, and givethe child the natural instinct so they won’tpanic should they ever fnd themselves inthis situation,” Krayzelburg says. “They’llknow what to do.”

“It’s critically important,” says Fox. “We’reright here by the ocean, and always very concerned about drowning statistics. Iknow that because o what we do, parentswill not have to go through that aw ulexperience.”

And parents appreciate it. Both JCCs report their best marketing tool or the SwimAcademy is word o mouth. Parents see their kids happy and motivated to beswimming, and they tell their riends.

“It’s better than anything else I’ve seen out there,” says Greene. “It’s a frst-ratecurriculum or swim instruction. Lenny’s name and background attract people to theprogram initially, but they stay because o the quality o the swim instruction.

“It’s a great business venture, it’s created a great name or Westside in the community,but it’s also saving lives, and that’s the bottom line.”f i ti t l k JCC s i ac , c t ct stb c t (212) 786-5105, - i : st b@jcc . , i it .jcc . /l k i .

w i l k, ?l k i -ti o ic i t, t u.s.o ic T C t i i 2004. a i t c t , t i t l

ix c i t t. h t 100 200 c tt 1998 w C i i , i 11-ti us n ti C i .

l i o , u i . hi i c i c i i ti J , i 1989 i t ci t i i t t t u it st t tt

i l a . h q ic q tic t t w t i JCC, t i it st b c , JCC a ci ti ’ i ct t

ic . a t , l c t i t JCC m cc i g ® i d t it (1990) b ti (1992). h c u.s. citi i 1995

t it i usC i 1998.

f i i i ti c t t 2000 o icg i s , l i i t i i

i t 2001 w C i i i t tici t i t 16t m cc i g i I . att t ti , I i c t t t

c i ti , l ’ ci i t tt i u.s. t , ic i t c t i t t

t t t t t .h c i i t t u it st t t t

i c i , i t 100- tc t t 4 x 100 .

aQuaTICs renaIssanCe

C i t t t t t ,t ti t t .

8

“The instruction builds confdence rom the moment their toes hit the water,” says Fox.Stickers motivate the children, serving as clear indicators to them—and to the amily—o their accomplishments. Greene concurs, noting that children progress rapidly through the steps. They quickly become com ortable in the water, learn basic strokes,and become swimmers. “When children progress that quickly through the steps, they

eel success ul, and they’re excited to come back every week.”

The Bottom Line: Saving LivesWith Krayzelburg’s career successes [see inset], he could be training the next generationo world champions, but instead he chose to return to his roots at the JCC and workwith children and in ants, the ultimate beginners. Why?

“Every single child needs to learn to swim, and every parent has to address water sa ety ortheir child,” Krayzelburg says. “For me, coaching elite swimmers and Olympic hope uls

doesn’t bring the same satis action asbeing able to impact thousands o kids,and getting them frst and oremostwater-sa e. Teaching kids to swimis giving them a gi t or li e. It’s anincredible eeling.”

According to the Centers or DiseaseControl, atal drowning remains thesecond-leading cause o unintentionalinjury-related death or children ages1 to 14 years, and accounts or ully 26percent o deaths o children ages 1 to4. Survival tests are part o the Lenny K curriculum. “We teach kids howto behave in the water in case o anemergency,” Krayzelburg says. “They

develop the instinct to roll onto theirback and oat—that’s the frst part o our survival test, and we’ve got a ten-month-old who’s already doing it.”

The second part o the survival testinvolves training the children to get

p iti c i t t c c cc i t.

a st t ic wWhen the jcc a M k , in West Hills,

CA, underwent a recent transformation,the JCC’s strategic plan “led us to theLenny Krayzelburg JCC Swim Academyas a partner,” says Executitve DirectorPaul Frishman. The programming part-nership with Lenny “helped us achieveall ve of our strategic goals: offeringquality programs, creating value for ourmembership, providing quality customerservice, building and maintaining partner-ships, and being scally ef cient.”

The JCC reopened in early fall with aredone swimming facility, upscale lockerrooms, and new tness center —and aquickly growing Lenny K swim program.“It’s a tremendously positive componentof our JCC, and it’s an oustanding pro-gram for the community,” says Frishman.



11

di c JCC:

14 s yof The eduCaTIonal allIanCe

t i a

ip i ti J k t

JCC Association Senior Graphic Designer Jeremy Kortesrecently visited the 14th Street Y of the Educational

Alliance, which is located in Manhattan, on the edge ofthe East Village in a gentrifying area. He created theseartworks in a brand-new medium—painting by ngertipon the iPhone! A painter, illustrator and musician, Jeremyused an app called Brushes to make these digital paintings.

10



13

12

t jcc M m is blessed with wonderful diver-sity. Jewish Community Centers come in all shapesand sizes. Some boast huge suburban campuses;others are ensconced in multi-story urban buildings;and a few don’t have their own spaces at all. SomeJCCs focus on the arts while others emphasizeservices to the elderly. There are JCCs that are es-sentially preschools, and others that have a strongemphasis on tness. All JCCs aim to serve theircommunities and welcome people in.

l a m ab 14 s y

at d jcc. m/f Ajcc .Wa a a a w kat d jcc. m/ p pa g .

Moms and toddlers at the 14th Street Y’s “2 x 2”preschool prep program



n g s t , c i t Jwb s ic tmi it p C itt t t

c i t u it st t n , c t x i tt JCC a ci ti i ct t t i J i

i it c i c ti Jwb, t i Jwb ic , c ct s , it i i it , i it c iti

c t t J i i it t t c i t t , i t t ti

J i it i— T c . “C i i

15

It i it J

t it Tc . w iti

itt

t i it .

*

P h o

t o g r a p

h e r :

R o

b e r t

A .

C u m

i n s ,

T h e

2 0 0 9 J e w

i s h F e d e r a

t i o n s o

f N o r t h

A m e r i c a

A n n u a

l G e n e r a

l A s s e m

b l y

who are These men and women? T t , i t , ,

t , , i . T t

J i i , t i t u it st ta f c . a , t JCC a ci ti ’Jwb J i C i C ci , t t t 10,000 t J i

cti t i t u.s. i it t i t t t c ct J i i t .

14

Now,write downthis song andteach it to Israel. * — Deuteronomy 31:19

bf i m

m



17

A g jWB m …David Everett, lawyer and retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel, recently spent ive monthsin A ghanistan as a senior military advisor to the police chie o Kabul. “It’s my sense thatthe typical A ghan is most concerned with our things,” Everett said. “Putting ood on the

amily’s table, putting clothes on their backs, having a roo over their heads, and security.”And whoever is able to provide those things best, Everett believes, will win the ight.

Everett’s amily has a long and proud military tradition. His ather and three uncles allserved in World War II. Each uncle was awarded a Purple Heart, a military decorationgiven to those who have been wounded or killed in battle. His mother’s brother, FredBrenner, an Air Force B-24 navigator, was killed on a mission to Germany.

Everett also has power ul and long-time connections to JCC Association. His ather,Henry Everett z”l , served on the JCC Association Board o Directors or many years,and David serves on the JWB Committee on Services to Jewish Military Personnel.

Everett’s parents, Henry and Edith Everett, co- ounded the Everett Foundation in1955. A generous grant rom the oundation recently underwrote the publication o a new JWB Tanakh, the irst ull Jewish Bible published or the U.S. Armed Forces inmany years. JWB, working with the Jewish Publication Society, published the newedition, specially sized to it into combat uni orm pockets; it is now being providedto all Jewish troops. Copies o the Christian Bible have been generally available or allrecruits at boot camp, and now Jewish recruits have a Tanakh readily available at every initial training site.

The Everett Foundation was a naturalpartner or JWB in making publicationo the Tanakh possible: it is dedicated tothe memory o Henry Everett, who diedin 2004, and Fred Brenner. The seniorEverett was a passionate lover o Jewishbooks, having served on the boards o ,and supported, JPS and the NationalJewish Book Council, in addition toJCC Association.

All o these intertwined connectionsmade it seem bashert (meant to be)that the Everett Foundation wouldsupport the new JWB Tanakh. Butultimately, says Everett, the impetus orproviding the grant was his personalunderstanding o how com orting itcan be to have a Tanakh when servingin a combat zone. “It’s all about theJewish men and women whose liveswill be touched in such pro ound waysby having this Tanakh while they areserving our country, so ar away romhome and in harm’s way.”

Everett was in A ghanistan when two Jewish service members rom his base werekilled this past spring. Speaking o his lost colleagues, Air Force 1LT Roslyn Schulteand Shawn Pine, a civilian contractor who was also a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, Everett said, “They were very highly regarded by their colleagues in the U.S.and coalition orces, as well as by the A ghans. It was very important to me that thememorial service which our command held or them included a Jewish chaplain.”

Col d i f. e tt, i ctic c i t i k ,

i it i i

16

the feld and aboard ships need Torahs that can accompany them rom site to site, as they move around the combat theater,” said Sablotsky, “so we are undertaking a new project tocommission the writing o small, lightweight and ully kosher Sifrei Torah (Torah scrol ls).”

At the recent Jewish Federations o North America AnnualGeneral Assembly in Washington, DC, more than threethousand delegates stood together at the closing plenary as 21 Jewish American representatives o the United StatesArmed Forces reverently escorted a newly commissioned,as yet unfnished Torah to the stage. Chaplain Col. BrettOxman explained that this and hope ully fve additionalsmall, portable Torahs will be carried by Jewish military

chaplains as they travel to visit our Jewish troops.Many in the audience were moved to tears by the sight o these brave men and women. One delegate reacted, “I’mproud to be American, and I’m proud to be Jewish. This issomething that lets me be both at the same time.”

“This is a project that unites the entire Jewish community,” added Oxman. RADM HaroldRobinson, (Ret.), director o JWB said, “I know how power ul it will be or the AmericanJewish community to provide these Torahs to serve those who serve us. I only wish I had aTorah I could have carried with me when I was visiting the troops in Iraq.”

torAhs for our troops i j ct Jwb J i C i C ci , ic JCC a ci ti . T i t T t c it t i t t c t

it, t , t t t t j ct, c t ct zi d i ic t i @jcc .

c t (212) 786-5099.

T t , i it www.t a f o t . g .

f i ti , i it .jcc . /j .

“I’m proud to beAmerican, andI’m proud to beJewish. This issomething that

lets me be bothat the sametime.”

J i t ai f c ,

m i , n , a c t

t iT t tJfna ga .

P h o

t o :

R o

b e r t

A .

C u m

i n s

T h e

J e w

i s h F e d e r a

t i o n s

o f N o r t h

A m e r i c a

A n n u a

l

G e n e r a

l A s s e m

b l y



19

By establishing andcontinuing to fund thetwo JCC AssociationMandel Centers,our foundation isaccomplishing two of ourmost important goals...We are seeing a greatreturn on our investment.— Philanthropist Mort Mandel

m t m : gi igi m i t liPhilanthropist extraordinaire M Ma grew up in a home where helpingothers was a given. Even though his family didn’t have a great deal of money,there was always enough to share with someone in need. “Someone neededto have her refrigerator fixed,” Mandel recalled, “and my mother [gave her the

money and] said, ‘Someday you’ll do me a favor.’ She never made a loan.”Mandel and his brothers took their mother’s example to heart. As soon as theystarted making more than they needed in their auto-parts business, they formeda foundation. “We gave back really two ways,” Mandel said. In addition to financialdonations, “we’ve given of ourselves. We’ve taken volunteer assignments sincewe’re young adults. Our involvement in the larger community has added a lot ofmeaning to our lives . Giving back has been one of the most important reasonsthat I feel comfortable with myself. I do it because that’s how I define myself.”

Mandel is a former chair of JCC Association and the impetus behind the MandelCenter for Jewish Education and the Mandel Center for Excellence in Leadershipand Management, with each Center receiving an annual grant of $500,000.Mandel refers to these as “evergreen grants” — enabling the two centers to knowthat their funding is ongoing, so they can plan ahead to have maximum impact.

MCELM was formed to ensure that the JCCMovement develops the highly qualifiedlay and professional leaders it needs toguide complex institutions such as JCCs.Through its Benchmarking Project and otherservices, the Mandel Center for Excellencein Leadership and Management has becomethe go-to place for JCCs wanting to be thebest they can be.

The Mandel Center for Jewish Education’smission is to infuse Jewish learning intoJCCs and camps. Through camp curriculum

such as TAG: Jewish Values through JCC Camping ®, thousands of Jewish childrenabsorb Jewish values during their camp experience. Other foundations see thevalue of the mission, funding Mandel Center programs such as The AVI CHAIFoundation-funded Lekhu Lakhem: Jewish Educational Journeys for JCC ResidentCamp Directors, which transforms camp directors into Jewish educators. AnotherAVI CHAI initiative, Chizuk, brings Jewish educators to resident camps. TheGoodman Family Institute- Yisrael Sheli , provides intense Israel education to high-school-age resident campers.

Mandel believes that Jewish Community Centers are integral to Jewish life inNorth America. “I’ve stayed with JCC Association longer than I’ve stayed withany other organization” he said. “I’m also involved with the JCCs in Clevelandand Palm Beach. By establishing and continuing to fund the two JCC AssociationMandel Centers, our foundation is accomplishing two of our most important goals:strengthening the quality of leadership in the JCC Movement and strengtheningJewish identities throughout the Jewish community. We are seeing a great returnon our investment .”

18

JCC n t a ic

FOCUS ON: Philanthropy

“Giving back has beenone of the most importantreasons that I feelcomfortable with myself.I do it because that’show I de ne myself.”

T avI ChaI f ti t t t m C t

J i e c tiA grant of $175,000 has just been awarded to the Mandel Center forJewish Education to implement a new cohort of the Lekhu Lakhem alumniprogram called Netivim. In awarding the grant, Yossi Prager, executivedirector of AVI CHAI North America, said, “AVI CHAI is delighted to be theCenter’s partner in this program, which has demonstrated its success instrengthening the Judaic programming at participating JCC overnightsummer camps.”

Since its inception, directors and assistant directors from 18 of the 26 JCCMovement-affiliated resident camps have participated in Lekhu Lakhem.“With this new grant,” says Dr. David Ackerman, director of the MandelCenter for Jewish Education, “we are seeing these directors continuing intotheir fourth or fifth year of ongoing Jewish learning and leadership. It’shaving an enormous impact on Jewish life and learning in our camps.”



s ht t n

ki t b cm t J si , t c

J i f ti n t a ic

by Miriam RinnJ si t j Ceo t

J i f ti n t a ic j t t , t tx ct ti i i t i ticti .The Forward i t 50 t i ti

J i , i t t t i j “ i i icx ct ti .” si c t Jfna ( u it J i

C iti uJC) - cc ti t t i ct t f ti J i C . T t c t

c ’ it t. n , J ic tc i t t si c t Jfna, ic t t i t i it c it c

ti i c t 1999 t c t ci .T - t t si t t

t i . “T i t t it it i t c i ti t t

i t t c ti ,” i , c i t t t t .

w i Jfna ic i, t t ci t .

“I t i it’ ix ,” si i . “oic ic c i d.C., c t it . T t

t q ti .”



w t every ...

By Ann F. EisenJCC Association Vice-President, Community Servicesand Consultant on Leadership Development

JCC boards & governanCe

governanCe

MAtters :

I’ j t ctt t

i ct JCC.w t I

t i t ti ?

22

Silverman is convinced that a central federation agency can add valuein several ways. For instance, in nancial resource development. “We don’traise money,” he said, “but we can add value to the local federations intheir fundraising.” A national entity can create af nity groups, can help tobuild community foundations, can collect and share best practices. JFNA is“creating a powerhouse cohort of women across the nation,” he said, “andthe same with the young leadership cabinet.” Recruiting and mentoring greattalent is the mission of the JFNA’s Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence,and Silverman wants to ramp up that service.

Silverman grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, not usually considered a seedbed ofJewish communal in uence. But it was a traditional home, grounded in Jewishlearning. His father is a cantor and a rabbi, and his mother is descended fromrabbis. For 25 years, Silverman worked in the clothing industry, rst for Levi

Strauss, and then at Stride Rite. Moved by his daughter’s wonderful experienceat a Jewish resident camp, Silverman decided to switch to the nonpro t sectorwhen he took over leadership of the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Now, helaughs at the idea that he may have traded agile and rapid decision makingfor the deeper emotional satisfaction of working in the Jewish community. “Idon’t think that the for-pro t world has a quicker pace,” he said.

Silverman’s inspiring experience with Jewish and JCC resident andday camps reinforces his belief in the ability of JFNA to engage the nextgeneration of givers, something it must do if it’s going to reverse its shrinkingdonor base. There are programs in the Jewish community that already aremaking a difference, he said, citing camps and Taglit Birthright-Israel. Both ofthese avenues are open to a diverse range of Jews—different backgrounds,races, family de nition—which mirrors the Jewish community of the future. AJFNA service-learning pilot had 600 young adults come to New Orleans to dohands-on volunteer work. “Young people don’t want structure and systems.They’re cause oriented. They’re interested in moving with agility on an issue.We have to insure that there is breathing space for them,” Silverman said.“You’re going to see more portals of entry that will allow young people to feelempowered” at JFNA.

Through the Jewish Agency, Israel continues to be the bene ciary ofa large percentage of federation funds, and Silverman doesn’t see thatchanging. He points out that despite its economic success Israel still devotesa huge part of its budget to defense, and that a “surprising number of familieslive under the poverty line.” But just as much as Israel needs the contributionsof American Jews, Diaspora Jews need to support Israel. The bene ts go bothways. “We’re living a miracle for the last 61 years,” Silverman said, and everyfederation needs to feel a part of that miracle. “I think contributing dollars isan essential part of that connection.”

“I have a lot to learn,” Silverman said, when asked about the relationshipbetween federations and JCCs. “One of the great things is that I have a priorrelationship with Allan Finkelstein. We are committed to coming up with ashared vision that hopefully we can model and share with communities.”Silverman will address JCC executive directors at the Executive Seminars inWashington, DC in January, and he’s one of the speakers at the JCCs of NorthAmerica Biennial in Atlanta in May. He will no doubt have thought more aboutJCCs and their local federations by that time. JCC leaders’ hopes are as highas everyone else’s.

THELEADERSHIPJCCs NEED.

C tc it J si t t JCC n t a ic bi i 2010 i at t !

r i t t i i .jcc . tt i ici .



JCC boards need to establish con ict-o -interest and whistleblower policies, and they must be care ul to do due diligence and ollow up on problems.

Sometimes, board members eel that their oversight responsibilities run counterto their role as the JCC’s ambassadors, and since the latter is more un, they spendmore time promoting the JCC than poring over audit reports. Remember that as aboard member you’ll eel better praising an institution that you know is operating judiciously and e ectively.

People naturally respect a board that is known or providing strong oversight, andthat respect translates into in uence and prestige. It may even have a positive e ecton undraising. Donors eel more com ortable contributing to agencies with engagedand responsible boards o directors.

I t t t ’ t i i i . I t i I ti . w

c I ?You’ll be glad to hear that we have just completed a revision o the JCC Association Manual for JCC Board Members, which is flled with in ormation that will help yoube a more e ective board member. We also publish other manuals and reports about

undraising and governance, which you can fnd on JCC Resources. Each JCC hasa designated JCC Association community consultant who is available to answerquestions or to do board training.

The 2010 JCCs o North America Biennial in Atlanta provides numerousopportunities to learn the latest ideas about governance and the chance to meet boardmembers rom other JCCs. You can contact me at [email protected] to schedule agovernance training or evaluation.

You should also fnd a mentor on your board—someone who has served or a

while. Many boards have ormal mentoring or orientation programs or new boardmembers. But even i your board doesn’t, search out an experienced board memberto talk with about your role.

25

leadershIp

next t

?

• c t ct a ei t(504) 866-5090, i

- i : a ei @jcc .

• fi t

• r t Manual for JCCBoard Members, i

JCC a ci ti ttt ://jcc . / c /

• att t JCC n ta ic bi i 2010.r i t t i i .jcc .

First, congratulations! You’ve accepted a position that should provide excitingchallenges and serious responsibilities. You’ve agreed to lead, support, and overseea critically important institution in your community. These three aspects o the job—strategic leadership, communal and fnancial support, and oversight o missionimplementation—can get con using, and sometimes even contradict one another. Butsuccess ul nonproft boards ulfll those roles, and do it well.

w t it t t t ic ?h I t i t t?As a member o the board, you will be involved in deciding on and planning the

JCC’s strategic vision, or where the JCC wants to end up in, say, fve years. Maybe your board decides that the JCC should str ive to be the wellness center o yourcommunity. Encouraging people to become healthy and giving them ways to improvetheir physical, emotional, and spiritual health is what your JCC is all about. Such avision expresses the JCC’s commitment to bettering its community.

Does that mean that the board will choose the wellness director or plan the scheduleo nutrition lectures? No, that is not the role o board members. Your role is toestablish an overall direction and then leave it to the JCC sta to make it happen.This is one o the most important distinctions or board members to appreciate: you are on the board to lead, not to manage. The JCC’s executive director is theperson responsible or implementing the policies that the board sets. But it’s criticalthat the board and executive director work closely and in tandem. Even thoughthere’s a natural pull and tug between the two, your JCC depends on the success ulpartnership o board and exec.

o , I t t t. n , I i t?I t i i it t t JCC

i , t t t i t I i ?Board members do indeed have an obligation to support the JCC fnancially by making personal gi ts and by soliciting gi ts rom others. But you also need to sharethe benefts o the JCC with your community. Tell people what a great institutionthe JCC is and all about the strategic vision that you helped to orm. Make yoursel available to community organizations or to members when they need in ormationabout what the JCC does. Share your excitement and enthusiasm. Support the JCC’sprograms by showing up. Be an ambassador.

Another way to support the JCC is with your knowledge and expertise. Whether you’re an accountant or an electrician, an architect or a music teacher, youcan volunteer your pro essional know-how to make the JCC a more success ulorganization.

s t t i t, ic i .w t t t t i ?You’re right, oversight is an increasingly important aspect o board membership,especially in light o the widely publicized examples o the ailure o board oversightin the past ew years. In response to that ailure, Congress, the courts, and leaders inthe nonproft world have urged boards to improve transparency and accountability.

24

?

?

?



27

This year is . JCCs are facing challenges like never before.

We recognize the problems you’re confronting, and we are re-tooling theJCCs of North America Biennial Convention to focus on strategies fordealing with the future head-on. Biennial 2010 will inspire you to imaginenew possibilities—and then show you how to achieve them.

i m , a a w ab a , a a , a- jcc .

The Biennial is the only place where all JCC leaders—including presidents,executive directors, board members, advanced leaders, Next Generation

leaders, and community leaders—can get together to learn from one another.At Biennial 2010, every seminar will be designed and executed to deliverthe tools you need to move forward in this dif cult economic climate. TheBiennial will deliver actionable insights for you to apply immediately to yourJCC and your staff team.

y a ’ a m .

If you do one thing all year for your JCC, it should be to attend Biennial2010. And bring your fellow leaders with you, to gather a wealth of cost-saving and revenue-generating ideas to strengthen your JCC today.

Speakers include:

A B a kCo-founder,The Home Depot

B MaCo-founder,The Home Depot

r lPresident,Lincoln Center forthe Performing Arts

j s maCEO, JewishFederationsof North America

• Understand how the economy is impacting the whole JCC Movement andhow you can a mm .

• Ga a ab a a a a to improve your JCC.

• l a m about issues and challenges facing your JCC.

• Develop your leadership and management skills; work with yourdelegation to determine ways to a g b a.

• Ga a ab ma about operations, programming and technology.

• e g z a a ba among your

delegation.

atlanta MAY 2–5

aCT now for early bIrdregIsTraTIon raTes!t J 15, 2010 t

i i .jcc .

26

s a BienniAl 2010?

T t i q ic q i :

1. a r e ou co ce r e bout how our J CC will f r e i t his e co om ?2 . a r e ou looki g f or w s to become m or e e f f e ct ive le e r ?3 . d o ou h ve r e spo s ibilit to im pr ove our J CC?4 . d o ou h te t he phr se “bec use t h t ’s t he w it ’s lw s be e o e”?5 . d o ou co s i e r ou

r s e lf lif e lo g le r e r ?6 . d o ou e jo be i g sur r ou e b ot he r br ight cur ious J ewish le e r s wit h t hir s t f or k owle ge p s s io f or s h r i g i e s?

y e s n o

I yes t tq ti , t BienniAl 2010

i at t i t c .



29

beyondThe baTTle

of TheBulGeDieting and workouts areno longer the whole story of

healthy living, and JCCs areperfectly suited to take centerstage in today’s more holisticconcept of wellness.Am a a b m g a a . According to data from the National Center for HealthStatistics, 12 percent of the population suffers limitationson activity because of chronic health problems, and 32percent of people over 20 years old have hypertension.Two-thirds of the population is now considered overweight.Our life expectancy at birth (how long a baby can expectto live) lags behind Japan, the U.K., Germany, Switzerland,and 43 other countries. How did we get here?

By M am r

28



31

that baby boomers are concerned about maintaining good quality o li e.They remember their parents’ later years, and they don’t want to repeat thatexperience. “They tell me, ‘I want to be able to li t my grandchildren, I want togo on an active vacation,’” Olinsky said.

Partnering with local health professionalsAt the Peninsula JCC in Foster City, Cali ornia, a partnership with KaiserPermanente Redwood City Medical Center is providing local residents withhealth education and preventative healthcare resources or ree. “It’s been a

very rewarding collaboration,” said the PJCC’s Associate Executive DirectorJane Post. “It is helping the JCC ulfll one o our guiding principles, Shleimut ,which means wholeness o body and spirit.” People have been showing up insignifcant numbers or nutrition lectures and other Kaiser preventative healthprograms. A recent Family Fitness Day, co-sponsored by the PJCC and KaiserPermanente, drew over 1,300 visitors, the largest event the JCC has ever had.

Connecting people keeps them healthier This all, the JCC rolled out Kaiser Permanente’s walking program, 10,000Steps® to members and sta . “This is a un way to get our community involvedin wellness,” Post said, “and because we organize them into walking groups,it should also enhance social connections.” Research suggests that peopleenmeshed in social networks lead healthier—and longer—lives. Isolation andloneliness is a variable comparable to high blood pressure or smoking when

lIvIng well

W is “not a diet,it’s a wa .”

30

Looking for a way to get people activeEvery strip mall boasts a gym and thousands o weight-loss books are stackedon bookstore tables, yet Americans are atter, less ft, and unhealthier thanever. According to JCC Association Health and Wellness Services DirectorSteven Becker, the ftness-center model o exercising three times a week has notworked or the majority o the population.

Most ftness clubs are competing or the approximately f teen percent o already-motivated adults instead o trying to engage the other eighty-fvepercent. “The hard-body advertising strategy has done more to turn o prospective members than to attract them,” Becker said. “In act, at thecurrent rate, this will be the frst generation that will not live longer than theirparents. We’re looking or a way to get people active,” walking or biking ratherthan driving, eating healthier oods, and doing stress-relieving activities suchas yoga and meditation.

“People want balance. We’ve become the instantgratifcation society,” said Ronald Katz, the JCCAssociation board member chairing a task orceon ftness/wellness services at JCCs. While thegoal o the task orce is to provide JCCs withrecommendations and guidelines regardingwellness programs, it is frst surveying whatJCCs mean by wellness, since there are di erentdefnitions. One defnition is that wellness isthe science and art o helping people change

their li estyle to move toward a state o optimalhealth. “It’s not a diet, it’s a way o li e,” Katz said.“We have to take care o ourselves. I think peoplewant to do that.”

Helping people set attainable goalsRisa Olinsky, the li estyle and wellness director at the JCC MetroWest in WestOrange, New Jersey, agrees. “A wellness program is not just moving your body on a machine or what you eat. Wellness is the umbrella that takes in all thepieces o how your li e works.” Olinsky started her ftness career in the 1970sas an aerobics instructor. She recalled the routine then—bounce, bounce,stretch, on concrete oors—laughing at how oolish and dangerous that seemsnow. Science has learned much more about how the adult body works andthe e ects o aging on that body, according to Olinsky. She plans to develop awellness coaching program at the JCC, which will work in conjunction withthe registered dietician at the acility.

Done mostly on the phone, wellness coaching helps people set pragmaticand attainable goals. Someone may decide to take the stairs rather thanan escalator, or to walk on a treadmill or 30 minutes three times a week.“One o the simplest exercises is to learn how to breathe.” Olinsky believes

b

c c t

i t i i

q it i . T

t i

t ’ t ,

t ’t

t t t t t

x i c .



32

it comes to health, some research has shown. According to DeAnn Jacobson,group ftness director at the Marcus JCC o Atlanta, their Les Mills groupclasses and the Silver Sneakers program encourages health ul socializing.“Someone notices i they’re not there,” she said, and an exercise instructor may call to fnd out why. Especially or older people, a scheduled exercise class givesthem a reason to leave the house.

Tackling youth obesityThe Shaw JCC in Akron, Ohio is also partnering with medical acilities intheir community. The JCC runs a children’s health program called Future

Fitness with Akron Children’s Hospital. “They re er obese children to ouracility, and we work with them on making physical activity part o everyday

li e,” said Stephanie Davis, the JCC’s health and wellness director. Using gamessuch as relay races and obstacle courses, along with swimming, the programencourages overweight children to become active without the danger o embarrassment. The kids meet with a dietician to learn about health ul eatingas well. They’re all in it together, Davis pointed out, so they’re more willing totry things.

Parents pay $15 a month, but the program is underwritten by a grant to thehospital rom Kohl’s Community Youth Fitness. “We’ve had children loseweight. We’ve had children develop social skills,” said Davis, but the best thing

next steps

ask an expert

Co tact Ste e Becker, JCC Assoc at o d rector of health a dell ess ser ces: e-ma l Ste [email protected]

Work on your ‘definition’ De elop a de t o for ell ess —a d ell ess pro ramm —for your JCC

break out of the fitness box

Offer b -p cture ell ess educat o : cook classes, stressma a eme t, smok cessat o , l fe coach , et al

track habits...to encourage the good ones

E aluate fac l ty/pro ram usa e by e health & t essmembers th rst 30-60 days of membersh p

partner up

Look for other or a zat o s terested pro d ell essto your commu ty a d ork to ether to offer alue to yourmembers a d users

Ho to make your JCC the o-toplace for ell ess your commu ty

to come out o the program, she believes, is the bond that the kids orm withthe instructors. The children elt com ortable enough to teach the instructorssome o the latest dance moves, something they would never do at school,Davis said.

Because JCCs are ull-service acilities with activities or all ages, they areper ectly positioned to encourage health ul living. JCCs have always respondedto their community’s changing needs. And a healthy community is part o theJCC’s mission. As Katz puts it, “As a community center, we’re about betteringthe community.”

A Fam ly F t ess Day at the Pe sula JCC dre o er 1,300 s tors,the lar est e e t the JCC has e er had.

Living wELL

where the orld ds your JCC.D sco erJCC.com s the e o l e source for pote t al membersa d users to lear about JCCs — a d d the o e earest them.Packed th format o o ser ces a d pro rams that local JCCsoffer, th s s te as created by JCC Assoc at o to help the orldd sco er the JCC D ffere ce.



Documents

JCC Circle Fall 2009