JCC Association Annual Report 2009 1

jcc association
of north america
annual report 2009
2

2009:

A Year of Innovation
The bigger the challenge, the greater the
opportunity to make significant change.
This was our attitude throughout 2009, a year defined by the most turbulent economic
environment in decades. The crisis led us to seek innovative ways to enhance our services to
JCCs—at a time when they were needed most.

JCCs faced shrinking budgets, lagging philanthropy, tight funding, and an ultra-competitive
marketplace. We dedicated ourselves to providing every JCC with value every day, to help
them streamline operations while maintaining their status as a major source of meaningful
Jewish connection for many in their communities.

We began work on new Jewish vision for JCCs, the first Movement-wide reassessment of
what Jewish means at the JCC in nearly two decades. At the same time we unveiled new
ways to bring Jewish learning and a vital Israel connection to JCCs.

We embraced new communications technology and new partnerships as we reinvented the

way we deliver trainings and other professional development opportunities to JCC staff
throughout the continent.

Our Benchmarking project provided JCCs with invaluable data and specific steps to take
on the path to continuous improvement. And we made substantial innovations in our
services that can have a direct impact on JCCs’ bottom line, from marketing consultation
and DiscoverJCC.com—our new continental web presence for all JCCs—to new program
offerings like the Lenny Krayzelburg JCC Swim Academy.

But perhaps most importantly, we began to develop and pursue a new strategic direction
for the JCC Movement, one that addresses the profound changes we’ve seen since the
economic downturn began. We are confronting matters that the Jewish community
has ignored for too long, and having conversations that we avoided in the past. We’re
questioning the way we organize the community’s resources and the process we employ to
make decisions about community needs.

The goal of this new strategic thinking is to bring us to a different way of doing business and
to exciting new partnerships, and ultimately to position JCCs as leaders and conveners in
their communities.

It is our hope that one day we will look back to the challenging year of 2009, and see that we
laid the groundwork for a bright future for JCCs and the Jewish communities of North America.

Alan P. Solow Allan Finkelstein

Chair President
2

innovations in:

Jewish Vision
For more than one hundred and fifty years, the JCC
Movement has nurtured dos pinteleh Yid, the spark of
Jewishness, in North American Jews. It has done so in
different ways at different times. At the beginning of the
twentieth century, it helped Jewish immigrants adapt to their
new homeland; in the middle of the century, it followed the
children of those immigrants to their new homes in the suburbs,
always supporting and enhancing their Jewish values and their love
of Israel. Approaching the end of the century, the JCC Movement
initiated a comprehensive renewal of Jewish education for adults that
transformed the JCCs into bazaars of Jewish culture and heritage. Now, we are
rededicating ourselves to fanning that spark of Yiddishkeit and making sure
that our JCCs are places where people find themselves warmed and inspired
by the eternal flame of Jewish life.

We convened a Jewish Visions

think tank to reconsider JCCs’
Jewish mission in a new era
With the day-to-day pressures of running large
organizations, especially under the burden of an
economic downturn, it’s easy for JCCs to push their
Jewish mission aside and focus on immediate problems.
But the Jewish nature of a JCC and the Jewish
community it fosters are critical components of what
we do. Indeed, it’s why we do. To focus once more
on the JCC’s Jewish mission, the Mandel Center for
Jewish Education brought together academics, JCC
professionals, and religious leaders to think and talk
about what Jewish means at the JCC. This conversation
is not new, but it needs to begin again with each Rabbi Michael Melchior, former Knesset member and Israeli
generation, and we’ve started that most Jewish of government minister addressed Israel Leadership Seminar
activities, the intellectual schmooze. participants on the topic “Using our Vision to Creat Diversity.“

New Young Shlichim
program aims to
make a strong Israeli
presence in JCCs an
affordable luxury
Everyone knows that young,
enthusiastic Israelis make a hugely
positive impact on Jewish kids and
adults. But how can JCCs find and
fund those shlichim, or emissaries,
and bring them to work at their
JCCs? In partnership with the Jewish
Agency for Israel, we have designed
a program that will allow JCCs to add
qualified and personable young Israeli
shlichim to their staff. Moreover,
we have assigned a highly qualified
Israeli to oversee the program
and coach the shlichim as they
adjust to American and Canadian
life. Knowledgeable support by an
experienced senior staff person is the
key to make this program succeed.
Undaunted by conflict
in Gaza, board members
at our Israel leadership
seminar made stronger
JCC-Israel connections
a priority
Ignoring the flying rockets, JCC
Association board members visited
Sderot and other towns in southern
Israel at the beginning of 2009 to
learn first-hand about what was
happening. But they didn’t focus on
politics alone. They also met Israeli
entrepreneurs, artists, academics,
and innovators, gaining a deeper
understanding of what makes
Israel the vibrant, diverse, start-up
nation that it is. Some of our board
members blogged about their trip.
Entrepreneur Andy Shaevel marveled
JCC Association Annual Report 2009 3
at the Israeli capacity for innovation: calendar featuring Peer K. Explorer®
“Today, Israel is much less about and Dafna®. A series of weekly
planting trees, or the kibbutz-based explorations of Jewish values, the
communal business model and calendar bridges the gap between
much more about venture capital, classroom and home. Each week
entrepreneurship, and technology. presents a theme based on a mishna
Israel is contributing to the global or an idea from Pirkei Avot, and offers
economy and the advancement of activities for parents and children to
our standard of living.” do together, including conversation
topics, creative projects, games, songs,
Kislev/
DECEMBER 2009 Tevet 5770 and readings. A three-month pilot of
Mon Tues Thur Fri Sat Sun
30 1
Wed
2 3 4 5 6
the calendar was tested by parents in
hillel And grAndmothers Agree—
1
tAke CAre of yourself! 2
there is a famous story about hillel who told a passerby
3 not for myself,4who
hillel would say:
if i am
5
6
select An Ethical Start communities
this fall, and the first full-year calendar
he was on the way to doing a very important mitzvah. will be for me? And if i am
only for myself, what am i?
What was that mitzvah? taking a bath! We learn that
taking care of our bodies is an important Jewish value, And if not now, when? (1:14)
as well as taking care of our spirits and our characters. for
Cut out pictures of “Things I Do
is being developed for 5771 (2010-11).
to see Myself” and “Things I Do for Others,”
Make a staying-healthy chart, which Explore your cabinets such as putting on shoes and hugging
you
includes brushing your teeth, measuring how many healthy foods Grandma. Use the pictures to make
snack
your growth, wearing weather-appropri- can find. Share a healthy cards or to illustrate a story.
ate clothing, eating healthy foods, and when you’re done.
playing outside. Complement your child on
the things she can do for herself.
Mon Tues
W ed
9
Thur
10
Fri
11
Sat Sun
13
12
Gourmet curriculum
8
7
Hanukkah Hanukka Hanukkah
h
WhAt does it meAn to Be humAn?
aims to help early
humans can speak and make art and tools. We can
imitate god’s qualities, like clothing the naked and
rabbi Akiva used to say “Beloved is
feeding the poor. these abilities mean we have a
humankind for we are created “b’tzelem
tremendous responsibility to our fellow humans.
elohim” or in the image of god. (3:18)
Set aside one night of Hanukkah to be family art night,
childhood parents bond
Help your child clean out his toy bin and closet and
donate items in good condition. Remember, “Who is and create a mural, collage, or sculpture for a special
rich? The one who is happy with what he has. “(4:1) relative or friend.
Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun
with each other, and
Rosh
15 Chodesh
14 16 17 18 19 20
Hanukk
Hanukkah ah Hanukkah Hanukkah Hanukkah
One Hanu
Choose WhAt pAth to tAke
the JCC
kkah nigh
children t, tell your
how you
this mishna refers to choices that affect how we live our lives. All choices choices, made impo
such as
to school, where you rtant
have consequences. the maccabees chose to stand up for their beliefs. how you went
friend, wha chos
What were the consequences of their choice? t neighbor e your best
hood you
live in.
Draw a family tree and trace the
history
of your family and their choices.
rabbi Akiva says, “the freedom of choice is given.” (3:19)
Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Today’s parents with young
22 23 24 25 26 27
children are tomorrow’s community
21
What makes time move slowly
Where does the time go? or quickly? Help your child to
identify the things that must be
leaders—but only if they get involved.
As the solar calendar year winds down, done quickly, like eating ice cream And if not now, when? (1:14)
we often think about the year that has before it melts, or the things that
passed. school vacation may give you a lot require patience, such as washing Prepare an obstacle course and
hands well. Talk about what you aim for the best time.
of free time. this is a perfect opportunity
to explore this concept with your child. miss out on when you’re late.
We developed a new curriculum,
Use a kitchen timer to
Wed
see how long it takes
Mon Thur
Tues
an ice cube to melt or
Fri
bread to toast.
30 31
Sat Sun
28 29
1 connected to our signature early
Janu
Continue your explorAtion of time ary 2 3
In the car, keep a lookout for buildings or towers
with clocks. Count the number of clocks in your
home. Go to a store and look at all of the watches.
Look up the candle lighting time for Shabbat this week and arrange to
light the candles at that exact time. How does it feel to schedule your day
around a specific time? Don’t wear a watch or try not to look at the clock on childhood program, An Ethical
Shabbat. Does that change the way you and your family spend the day?
Start, that brings parents into the
EC centers to learn more about their
New calendar bridges child’s experience, to bond with
the gap between home other parents, and ultimately to
and classroom for An
develop stronger connections and
commitment to the JCC.
Ethical Start® students The Gourmet’s Guide to Ethics: Soup
“What did you learn at school today?” to Nuts with An Ethical Start® is a
four-part family series that builds upon
Many parents today want to get more
our classroom curricula. The events
involved with what their children
are casual, fun, and educational.
are learning in the classroom—and
even bring it into the home. Nowhere The curriculum provides JCCs with
is that more apparent than with a step-by-step guide of how to plan
parents of children involved in An the events, what food to serve,
Ethical Start®, our signature values- conversation starters—everything
education program for JCCs. they need to create a series of social
and educational events that bring
Now they can, thanks to An Ethical
parents with young children closer to
Journey Through the Year, a
each other, and to the JCC.
 Hear, O Israel
4
Innovations in
Jewish Vision

Breaking new ground, Camper survey

we partnered with shows value of Israel
JESNA to help the education for teens at
Jewish community resident camps ARTzeinu:
OuR lAnd ubmrt

engage families with Do today’s North American Jewish Discover Israel Through the Arts

teens have a love of Israel? Can

young children
Families with young children are
of paramount importance to the
entire Jewish community, and
collaboration is the key to maximizing
communal efforts to reach out
to them. We looked beyond the
traditional communal boundaries,
to establish a partnership with the
Jewish Education Service of North
America (JESNA). By combining
our respective areas of expertise, we
hope to provide communities with
better ways to welcome, support, and
nurture families with young children,
and provide them with the meaningful
Jewish experiences that build stronger
connection to the Jewish community.
Working with JESNA, we are
developing three initial projects in
pursuit of this vision: a website that
will provide information to communal
leaders and Jewish early childhood
professionals, a conference for
Jewish early childhood directors,
and a demonstration project that
will create a system of Jewish
educational opportunities for
families with young children.
they explain the situation in Israel to
someone critical of the Jewish State?
According to new survey results, the
answer is more likely to be yes among
JCC campers who have participated
in our teen Israel education program,
The Goodman Family Institute:
Yisrael Sheli (My Israel). Now in
its second-year pilot, the program
provides flexible and engaging
materials and training strategies to
JCC residential camps.
The survey of campers, conducted
by the Florence G. Heller-JCC
Association Research Center, shows
that the program has a significant
influence on what the campers know
about Israel and how they feel toward
Israel. Post-program campers are
more likely to express curiosity about
and desire to visit Israel, and—
perhaps most significantly—they are
more likely to feel the pride in Israel
that is too important for us to take
for granted, and be able to advocate
on Israel’s behalf.
Getting creative: New
curriculum uses Israel’s
vibrant cultural scene
to engage adults
Israel is a small country, but it seems
crammed full of painters, poets,
musicians, filmmakers, songwriters,
dancers, and every other sort of
art maker. ARTzeinu (our land):
Discover Israel Through the Arts,
the newest unit in the Mandel
Center for Jewish Education adult-
engagement program JCC Journeys:
Adult Jews Living and Learning,
examines the extraordinary richness
of Israeli arts and introduces adults
to an Israel they may not know.
Offered as a benefit of affiliation,
Journeys is designed to appeal to
that segment of the population that
has the time and curiosity to learn
more about Jewish culture—the folks
who will soon make up the largest
part of the Jewish community.

To better serve Jewish soldiers, we’re creating portable Torahs for our troops
Jewish military chaplains certified by JWB and lay leaders trained by JWB conduct services, lead Seders, and offer comfort
to Jewish personnel in the U.S. Armed Forces. But all too often, when conducting services, they are lacking the most
powerful, important and essential ritual object of Jewish life – a Torah scroll. Jewish military chaplains asked us for Torahs
scrolls they could carry into the combat theater, so JWB Jewish Chaplains Council launched an initiative to commission
the writing of small, lightweight and fully-kosher Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls). It’s a mitzvah for every Jew to write or help
to write a Sefer Torah, and Torahs for Our Troops gives the entire Jewish community the opportunity to fulfill this sacred
obligation. We brought the sofer (scribe) and scroll to the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly and
other communal gatherings, and hundreds of people have dedicated letters, words, even books of the Torah – almost
enough to finish the first Torah. We’re bringing it to the JCCs of North America Biennial, where it will be completed, and
immediately beginning work on a second Torah.
 JCC Association Annual Report 2009 5

A Closer Look:
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council

Called to the Torah...

in Iraq
I n addition to leading Hanukkah, Passover and
Holocaust Remembrance Day services in three
Middle East countries and at six forward-operating
bases, Rabbi Sarah Schechter, a U.S. Air Force
chaplain, officiated at a Torah dedication ceremony
and at two adult bar and bat mitzvahs when she
was stationed at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council lent her the Sefer
Torah, and because of that, “two people were able
to make their dreams come true,” Schechter says.
Both the bar and bat mitzvah had unusual family
stories, which they shared with the congregation.
In the bar mitzvah’s case, his mom died when he
was six and it was just too much for his dad to raise
three sons on his own and have them all celebrate
their becoming bar mitzvah.
In the case of the bat mitzvah, she was born Jewish
and raised by a Christian mother and Jewish
father. Both of these young people said they grew
up knowing they were Jewish, but felt something
missing. “When I learned that we would have a
Sefer Torah here, I told them that if they wanted, I
would teach them Hebrew, a few prayers and how
to read from the Torah scroll,” Schechter says, “and
we could celebrate their adult bar and bat mitzvah
here in Iraq.” They eagerly agreed, and for them,
the training and celebration was a “dream come
true.” It all happened on a joint-service base (air
force and army) in Iraq, because of the presence of
a Torah scroll.

A procession escorting the Sefer Torah

at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Rabbi Schechter, right, leads a procession escorting

the Sefer Torah at Joint Base Balad, Irag.
6

innovations in:

Service to JCCs
We knew that challenges arising from the country’s
economic condition would lead to unprecedented
demand from JCCs for the services and expertise we
provide, so we challenged ourselves to develop new
ways to deliver services, programs, and expertise that
help JCCs better serve their communities and build
meaningful Jewish connections.

Challenging ourselves to JCCs and camps is an astonishing asset—but only if

provide value to every JCC
every day
Ever hear of a BHAG? Pronounced BEE-hag, it stands
for Big Hairy Audacious Goal—a term coined by
business gurus JIm Collins and Jerry Porras, who
define it as “an audacious 10-to-30-year goal to
progress towards an envisioned future.” In 2009, we set
ourselves this BHAG:
Provide value to every JCC, every day.
It’s not an easy goal, and not one we can achieve
overnight. But it challenges us to think strategically,
to pursue new ideas, and to develop initiatives and
services to help every JCC in North America fulfill its
essential role in Jewish life.
Upgraded JCC Resources site puts
valuable materials a click away,
generating 20,000 page views in
its first nine months
The JCC Movement comprises more than 350 JCCs,
YM-YWHAs, and camp sites in the U.S. and Canada, run
by over 3,000 talented professionals, and guided by
over 10,000 dedicated volunteer leaders. The collective
experience of this group in operating and governing
it can be gathered, organized, and distributed to the
people who need it, when they need it. To move closer
to this ambitious goal, we began a major overhaul of
JCC Resources, our online repository of documents
and materials. We added and are improving a strong
search feature that will make it easier for JCC staff and
lay leaders to find information ranging from sample
marketing plans and benchmarking findings to our
governance manual and branding guidelines, as well as
free illustrations, photos, and ad templates. And most
importantly—good ideas from every corner of the
JCC Movement.
How to address the economy was
the topic of the year. Our economy
hotline offered hundreds of
suggestions
As soon as the depth and breadth of the recession
became apparent, our Mandel Center for Excellence
in Leadership and Management began to gather
information and resources to help JCCs manage
the economic downturn. At first daily, then several
times a week, the Economy Hotline went out to JCC
executives and lay leaders, advising them on credit
lines, loan practices, membership retention, marketing
initiatives, staff policy, fundraising, and many other
 JCC Association Annual Report 2009 7

The complete Economy Hotline—150 messages full of ideas to help JCCs address
economic challenges—is available for download at JCC Resources. Visit www.jcca.org.

gathered recommendations, and got also remodeled our service plan to

best practice ideas rapidly to camp dramatically increase the number
staff. As the situation unfolded, we and frequency of on-site visits.
connected JCC camps with each Mark Horowitz, director of early
other via conference calls. Working childhood education, visited nearly
together, we were able to minimize fifty EC sites in person, holding
the effect of H1N1 on JCC camps face-to-face meetings to build
aspects of JCC operations. We heard continent-wide. relationships with JCC staff, to get
from grateful board members how to know the challenges they face,
and to share with them the latest
pertinent the information was, and New model of service developments in the field.
executive directors reported how
often they used the Hotline at board to early childhood In addition to consulting on the
and committee meetings to find departments leads traditional professional issues of
solutions. Now that the crisis has
eased somewhat and it isn’t published
to dozens of site working with young children, Mark
also focused on Jewish vision,
as often, the Hotline is available and visits and direct helping JCCs develop the idea of the
searchable on JCC Resources. consultations EC center as a place built around a
foundation of Jewish values made
To augment the distance learning
visible to children, and incorporated
Our assistance helped opportunities we offered early
into daily life.
childhood educators in 2009, we
JCC camps weather a
potential pandemic in
2009: H1N1
JCC summer camps from Montreal
to California share many of the
same challenges each year, from
recruiting counselors to building
Jewish memories that last a lifetime.
In 2009, our camps faced a new
challenge: how to handle the H1N1
virus sweeping the continent.
Our campers and counselors were
particularly at risk. We knew camp
staff would be working double-time
to run the camps while protecting
the health of their constituents, so
we provided them with the most
valuable safefuard against an
outbreak—information.
Using our contacts with other
camping movements and at the
Centers for Disease Control, we
8
JCC Maccabi Games 2009:
Host Communities:
San Antonio, TX
San Francisco, CA
Mid-Westchester, NY
3809 Participating Athletes
from the USA, Canada,
UK, Mexico, Venezuela,
Guatemala & Israel.
The JCC Maccabi Games is a partnership between JCC Association and Maccabi USA, Maccabi Canada, and Maccabi World Union.
A Closer Look: “I love sinking my
JCC Maccabi Games®
teeth into a big
W hen Randi Fields first considered taking on the
job of co-chair of the JCC Maccabi Games®
in San Francisco, she wasn’t sure she could swing
planning effort.”
it. “It was a long-term commitment,” she says, but “I love sinking my teeth into a big planning effort.” A
member of the JCC of San Francisco’s board of directors, Randi served on the feasibility committee that
did a lot of the advance work. “Our JCC is smack in the middle of the city, with a small footprint,” Randi
says, so there was concern about parking and sports venues. Since San Francisco’s housing stock is much
smaller and more compact than other communities, the committee worried whether they’d be able to
house all the athletes. “That was a huge effort,” Randi says, but they found almost 500 homes to host.
She took four North Carolina teens (one of whom was her college roommate’s son) into her own home,
and her son shlepped his mattress downstairs so the boys could all sleep in the same area.
The Games committee worked out arrangements for venues with other institutions such as the
University of San Francisco and with the municipality. In her work as a filmmaker and producer, Randi had
experience dealing with different agencies. “This was a lot like a media production, with a lot of moving
parts,” she says, adding that there were 43 separate committees. “I worked with a fantastic team. We had
tremendous support from the staff. It was a great group of really smart and committed individuals.”
The community-building aspect of the project became clear in the week before the kids showed up,
Randi says; it turned into a real bonding experience. “You’d go to the grocery store, and you’d meet
people shopping for their athletes.” There were spontaneous gatherings wherever you went—it was a
giant shared experience. Now Randi chairs the JCC Maccabi Games legacy committee. “It’s an ongoing
process, continuing to think of ways to engage the many people who came out.”

innovations in:
Making JCC Learning Accessible
Across the JCC Movement, tightened budgets threatened to put
staff development and learning opportunities out of reach—
precisely when they were needed most.
We responded with a variety of new approaches to bring more
training to more people than ever before.
Web-streamed Virtual Kadimah
conference brings two days of
training and inspiration to An
Ethical Start® educators in four
time zones
In the past, we held two in-person Kadimah
Conferences* a year, one on each coast, but to avoid
prohibitive travel costs for participants this year, we
devised a new form of virtual conference that made the
Live-streaming conferences made distance learning feel
not so distant. Pictured: An Ethical Start® conference for
Early Childhood educators.
*An Ethical Start’s Kadimah Conference (Kadimah meaning “Forward!” in Hebrew) is the initial training for directors, teachers, and Jewish
educators in how An Ethical Start is integrated into the school community.
JCC Association Annual Report 2009 9
teaching, bonding, and morale-building of a Kadimah
Conference accessible to JCCs everywhere.
The new Virtual Kadimah was an ambitious event held
simultaneously over four time zones. The primary
conference was held with 30 participants in our New York
office, and was streamed live to each participating JCC,
which conducted its own simultaneous mini-conference,
breaking up into small groups and learning pairs. The
whole group would virtually reconvene after 20 minutes to
recap and discuss, with remote participants contributing
their input in real-time, through an interactive chat feature.
Leaders of the local conferences were trained before the
event on the technology involved, and how to prepare the
conference room to make a physical space that inspires
learning. This innovative format saved money for JCCs, and
allowed many more staff to participate than in the past.
New regional professional
conferences reduce cost barrier,
bring expert training opportunities
to JCC staff
The tough economy made us rethink our traditional
professional training program and come up with
something more affordable and more efficient. Our
solution was to bring the training directly to the audience.
Forty JCCs sent almost 300 professionals to four regional
10
Innovations in
Teaching & Training
conferences to learn at a much lower
cost. We also held three retreats in
different parts of the country so our
JCC executive staff could continue to
grow and develop while they stayed
close to home.
Partnering with the
Athletic Business
Conference to bring
a JCC-specific extra
day of learning—and
reduced conference
fees—for JCC
participants
Too good a deal to pass up—that
was the special arrangement we
made with the Athletic Business
Conference to offer a full day of
JCC-focused programming before
ABC at a lower rate than attending
the meeting alone. JCC professionals
grabbed the opportunity to learn how
to make their full range of wellness
offerings even more attractive to
their communities, and we were
excited to extend our professional
development services to JCCs.
Live-streamed
conference pairs
development experts
and JCC FRD staff for
full day of idea-sharing
on fundraising in a
down economy
The challenges engendered by the
unpredictible economic environment
have been particularly daunting
for fundraisers. JCC fundraising
professionals were hungry for
information this year, and looking to
connect with colleagues to compare
notes on the situation. We knew
we needed to find a new way to
bring them together, and to provide
them with information from outside
experts—but it all had to happen
with no budget, and at minimal cost
to attendees.
We put together a day-long
development conference, featuring
outside experts who agreed
to present at the conference
pro-bono. Topics included how
to motivate donors in a down
economy, FRD and marketing, how
to use social media for fundraising,
and how planned giving can grow in
the current environment.
The conference was attended in person
by over twenty five JCC fundraising
professionals and streamed live—using
the model we developed for our Virtual
Kadimah conference (see p. 9)—to any
JCC interested in participating. Remote
participants could see the speakers
in real time and submit questions and
interact with their colleagues via a live
chat feature.
We reached out to old
friends and new to
bring aquatic safety
trainings with industry
leaders to JCC staff—
at no cost
Promoting safety and saving money
are both important to JCCs, and
sometimes they go hand in hand. We
teamed up with The Redwoods Group,
a JCC Association preferred vendor,
to bring high level aquatics safety
training seminars to JCC staff—at
no cost. An innovative partnership
with the YMCA kept these training
opportunities free for JCCs. By
opening the trainings to staff from
both organizations, we were able
to reach the numbers of attendees
that made it feasible for Redwoods
to cover speaker costs. The trainings
were held across five regions:
JCCs hosted the event in Seattle,
San Francisco, and Orange County,
and YMCAs hosted in Denver and
Phoenix, with all five events attended
by staff from area JCCs and YMCAs.
Mentoring program
partners experienced
delegation heads with
younger colleagues,
makes preparation for
JCC Maccabi Games®
a breeze
Think it’s all fun and games, being
a JCC Maccabi Games® delegation
head? Guess again. Their many
responsibilities include recruiting
athletes and coaches, organizing
tryouts, scheduling practices,
developing year-round social and
community service programming
for athletes, fundraising, ordering
uniforms, even booking flights to
the host city—and that’s all before
they even get to the Games! It’s a
year-long marvel of logistical and
organizational wizardry. And in a
typical year, fully half of them—over

50 people—are doing it all for just the
first or second time.
To help new delegation heads tackle
these challenges, we developed a
mentoring program that pairs all first
and second year delegation heads with
experienced mentors to answer their
questions, give them reminders of
deadlines throughout the year, and keep
them on track to develop a successful
delegation. The typical mentor is
assigned two or three mentees, each
from a different region, to encourage the
spread of ideas around the continent.
We also developed an intense, in-person
training session for new delegation
heads, called Delegation Head 101. The
two-day seminar gave over fifty new
delegation heads an idea of what to
expect in the coming year, and tips on
how to represent their community and
build a delegation of teen athletes—from
first tryouts to closing ceremonies—
without a hitch.
JCC Association Annual Report 2009 11
A Closer Look:
JCC Maccabi ArtsFest®
L aurie Albert is an enthusiastic shower singer, but “when I hear
the wonderful voices of these teens sing, it makes me want to
keep my mouth closed,” she says. The community engagement
director at the JCC of Northern Virginia, Laurie oversaw JCC
Maccabi ArtsFest® when JCCNV hosted, and she will take a
delegation to the JCC Maccabi Experience in Baltimore. Laurie
enjoys working with teens. “You get to experience what they’re
all about. They have fresh ideas,
and so interested in what they’re
doing.” Laurie believes that the
“It’s the
ArtsFest artists in residence make
the program unique. They guide the
community
teens through the process of making
art and then lead them to the final
we build for
performance. The other aspect of
the program that Laurie appreciates
the kids”
is the bonding she saw among the
2009 Host Communities:
participants. “They’re very supportive
New Orleans, LA
of each other,” she says, and she
Orange County, CA
knows that many of the teens keep in
touch on Facebook and other social
media sites. “That’s what it’s all about” Laurie says. “It’s what
happens afterward, and the community we build for the kids.”
“Please communicate to the
people and organization that
made it possible, through
financial aid, for Elijah to attend
JCC Maccabi ArtsFest, that
ArtsFest has been a totally
positive force in his life. Even
though we celebrate all major
Jewish holidays, even though
Elijah went to Hebrew school,
even though he had a Bar
Mitzvah—it has been ArtsFest
that has given him his most
significant Jewish identity and
commitment. JCC Maccabi
ArtsFest has become for him
the pathway for his positive
development as an artist, a
person, and a Jew.”
Brenda Schuman-Post,
Parent, San Francisco
12

innovations in:

JCC Operations
JCC staff and lay leaders have big
responsibilities in their hands, from teaching
toddlers to swim to governing the JCC. We’re
working on ways to help keep operations running
smoothly, so you can focus on the important stuff.

Our JCC Excellence: the Benchmarking Refreshing the

Project evolves, expanding the definition of JCC
excellence, and providing data to JCCs on what’s
working...and what’s not
In 2009, we developed Since benchmarking itself is an
benchmarking data for 36 JCCs organic process, we’ve improved
in the US and Canada, bringing to it based on our own findings,
56 the number of JCCs that have expanding our definition of
participated in the project over the JCC excellence. To the original
past five years. We collected survey categories—Jewish Impact and
responses from over 15,000 JCC Financial Stability—we’ve added
members, 3,000 non-member users, two new ones: Attracting and
and over 2,000 JCC staff members, Retaining Quality Staff, and
allowing us to give participating Offering Compelling Programming.
JCCs concrete numbers on how
Our reports have helped JCCs in
they are performing compared to a host of ways, from increasing
previous years—and also compared donations and member retention
to their fellow JCCs. levels to understanding the
importance of performance
evaluations and open
communication in retaining
good staff. Benchmarking
data has been used by JCCs
for guidance in making major
changes, from implementing
innovative customer service
programs, to determining
whether to open on Shabbat.
business model
—and revenue stream
—of JCC pools
The Lenny Krayzelburg JCC Swim
Academy, our newest signature
program, aims at nothing short
than rethinking the JCC pool, and
transforming it from a loss-leader
into a major source of revenue. How?
Through the SwimRight Method,
a new learn-to-swim curriculum
developed exclusively for JCCs by
four-time Olympic gold medalist,
Lenny Krayzelburg.
Lenny’s innovative teaching model
not only gets kids swimming
quickly, but has them coming
for lessons far longer than with
typical learn-to-swim programs.
His current JCC programs have
grown almost exclusively through
recommendations from one parent
to another, and the word-of-mouth
brings new families through the JCC
doors for the first time, many of
whom discover the JCC and become
members. Lenny’s business model
includes year-round instruction
with open enrollment—rather than

the standard ten-week class—and
automatic monthly billing.
Does it work? Lenny’s longest
running program, at the Westside
JCC in Los Angeles, is up to over
1300 swim students taking weekly
lessons, year-round. We believe that
the potential for this new signature
program to help kids learn—and
love—to swim is as limitless as its
potential to help JCCs reinvent their
pool as a revenue-generator.
Addressing today’s
need for higher
standards of board
accountability, we
developed board self-
assessments...
We want to help JCC boards lead
their JCCs to succeed, so we devised
a process whereby boards can
examine how they operate and where
they can improve. Our consultants
are available to work closely with
individual boards, taking into account
their specific communal issues, and
aid them to fulfill their missions.
...and revised our
governance manual for
JCC boards
Oversight is an increasingly
important aspect of board
membership, especially in light of the
widely publicized examples of the
failure of board oversight in the past
few years. In response to that failure,
Congress, the courts, and leaders
in the nonprofit world have urged
boards to improve transparency and
accountability. JCC boards need to
establish conflict-of-interest and
whistleblower policies, and they must
be careful to do due diligence and
follow up on problems. Our newly
updated manual on governance leads
boards step-by-step to a higher level
of responsibility.
Our new marketing
consultant is helping
JCCs reinvent their
story—and tactics—
for a digital age
The core markets JCCs compete
in—early childhood, wellness,
camping—are tougher now than at
any point in years. At the same time,
the way marketing messages are
delivered and received has changed
dramatically, with developments in
social networking and other electronic
media. Recognizing that the old ways
no longer work in today’s economy,
our Mandel Center for Excellence in
Leadership and Management brought
in a new marketing consultant to help
JCCs re-engineer the strategic and
tactical components of their marketing
to remain competitive in this new era.
Michael Rowland, a brand strategist
whose past clients include Panasonic,
Cablevision, the YMCA, and UJA-
Federation of New York, has already
been in contact with over one hundred
JCCs in eight months on the job.
Serving as both educator and coach,
Michael’s top focus is to get JCCs
to look beyond what other JCCs
are doing, and take advantage
of innovations from the broader
business world. His weekly electronic
message—a marketing thought-
starter, reminds JCCs that thinking
new thoughts is essential in times of
fast-paced change.
JCC Association Annual Report 2009 13
jeRRy silveRman | toRahs foR ouR tRooPs | jcc goveRnance
Pool of Resources
are you maximizing the
power of your jcc pool?
fall 2009
5770 u`x
jcca.org
circle
lenny Krayzelburg’s
jcc swim academy is
bringing an aquatics
renaissance to jccs
JCC Circle gets a new
format—and a new
focus on information
for JCC lay leaders
Delivering information that JCC
leaders can use right now is the goal
for our redesigned magazine for the
JCC Movement. We have entered
a new era in communications, one
where we’re all bombarded by
information 24/7. We wanted to
provide a communication vehicle
custom tailored for our audience,
so our first issue is sleeker and
livelier, and spotlights personalities,
programs, and services for JCCs.
We also included suggestions for
follow up and Internet resources
to find out more. We posted the
individual articles online and added
a talk-back feature, and we linked
to the stories from our Twitter feed.
JCC Circle has been the magazine
for the JCC Movement for many
decades; we believe our latest
version will find an appreciative
audience in the twenty-first century.
14

A Closer Look:
JCC Excellence:
The Benchmarking Project

E xecutive Director Mark Shapiro of

the Samson Family JCC in Milwaukee
can’t say enough good things about JCC
Excellence: the Benchmarking Project.
“It [did] more than help us recognize the
benchmarks. It gave us an opportunity to
hear the voices of our members. It helped
us keep the mission of our mission [in line]
with the mission of our business.” Shapiro
points out that while JCCs are naturally
process driven, the Benchmarking Project
gave the Samson JCC the opportunity to
focus on results. They then used those
results to work on priorities.

Benchmarking:
“It’s really making
a difference”
Mark put together a cross-departmental
Benchmarking team, which came up
with six areas on which to focus. One
of those was verbal greetings at the
front desk, an area that Benchmarking
told them needed improvement. The
JCC reprogrammed how the computer
displayed members’ names as they
swiped in so that the name popped
up big and clear on the receptionist’s
screen. The JCC also redesigned staff
name tags so that they show only a first
name and are clipped high on a shirt
front, where they are easily read. Both
membership and staff welcomed these
changes. “It’s been phenomenal,” says
Mark. “We’re at 90 percent compliance.”
The Benchmarking results now drive
the year’s work. “It’s really making a
difference,” Mark says.
 JCC Association Annual Report 2009 15

JCC Association’s
Merrin Teen Fellows

O ne of the first challenges Alan Scher confronted when

he became the teen director at the San Francisco JCC
was to find the kids. He quickly realized that there aren’t
that many teens in San Francisco, a city that is home to
many single people. The Jewish teens who do live in the
area often go to private school and have many options
for their free time. Savvy and articulate, they are totally
focused on college, and what they need to get in. “It’s a
challenge to engage young people because their time is
so precious,” Alan says, but “we have seen tremendous
growth.” One way he has connected with teens is through
social justice programs. “Our most popular event was our
local Days of Caring & Sharing program, an outhrowth
of the JCC Maccabi Games. One hundred and twenty
kids came out, more than came to a Giants game.” Alan
remembers how meaningful this kind of work was for him
when he was a teenager. The concept of tikkun olam, of
repairing a broken world, has always been a part of his
Judaism, he says, and “it definitely resonates with teens.
They are thinking critically about how they can be working
to improve the world.”

JCC Association’s Merrin

Teen Fellows: Tikkun
Olam “definitely resonates
with teens”
Another aspect of Alan’s success is his participation in the
JCC Association’s Merrin Teen Fellows Program. “I cannot
say enough positive things about my experience with the
Merrin Teen Fellowship. It’s been a great experience to be
in this learning environment. I’ve been very impressed with
my colleagues.” The structure of the program encourages
participants to become friends and colleagues, and Alan
says that he has already found himself turning to other
Merrin Fellows to discuss ideas. He believes that part of
the fellowship is training oneself to be a leader of the JCC
Movement. “I have no doubt that I can live up to it,” he
says, “because they’ve been preparing us to do it.” One of
the most rewarding parts of the experience has been to
meet and learn from inspiring JCC professionals, Alan says.
“It’s been nothing less than transformative. I don’t think I
would have thought that I could make a career in the JCC
field if I had not met these people.”
16

innovations in:

Strategic Direction
The economic bubble of the past few decades has popped, and the idea of
perpetual and unlimited growth no longer seems tenable. Similarly, the way
the Jewish community operates is changing; we built our Jewish institutions in
ways that paralleled the economic bubble, ways that are not likely to return any
time soon, if ever. It’s time to rethink how we do things, embrace a meaningful
new strategy for the JCC Movement, and clearly articulate the vital role JCCs
will play in the future of Jewish communal life.

Task forces plot five avenues

for the JCC Movement’s future
In September 2008, our board of directors began a two-year task
force process, which wil chart a strategic direction for JCCs in the
coming decade. The final task force reports will be delivered at
the JCCs of North America Biennial in May, 2010, but the bulk
of the work developed throughout 2009 gives a strong idea of
where the thinking leads, as presented in the following highlights:

Moving from fitness to

wellness
It is essential for JCCs to position themselves
as the wellness providers for their communities.
JCCs have been known for providing high quality
fitness services, but wellness involves a more
holistic model, which includes a healthy mind
and soul in a healthy body. JCCs are uniquely
equipped to provide programming to answer this
need. The model will include: physical fitness;
social action and service; arts and culture;
adult learning; and spirituality. The end result
will create a well-rounded model of service to
members and users that crosses all departments,
and even JCCs without fitness centers can
become important wellness providers.
 JCC Association Annual Report 2009 17

Engaging the next generation

in JCC leadership
How many JCC leaders are in their twenties, thirties,
and forties? How successful have we been at engaging
this younger group? The average age of JCC board
members does not reflect the great potential of younger,
entrepreneurial leaders. We need meaningful leadership
development programs to significantly increase the
presence of this age cohort on our boards. This is an
urgent priority for the entire movement if we are to
effectively reshape our agencies for the emerging needs
of both individuals and the larger community. Our task
force is developing guidelines and a training program to
help JCCs throughout North America engage their next
generation of JCC leaders.

Creating a new vision for day camps

Day camping is a core business of JCCs, serving some
80,000 campers and thousands of young staff, yet it is not
recognized for the contributions it makes to connecting
families with young children to Jewish life. We are planning
a landmark study in 2010 of the impact of Jewish day
camping, and developing a new vision for day camps
that will “put them on the map.” This vision will build the
brand identity of JCC day camps; develop curricula to
enhance the Jewish experience in day camp; create a new
generation of professional development opportunities
for day camp directors and leaders; and identify and
reinforce exemplary practices in programming, facility, and
operations.
ISRAEL and the JCC
One cannot consider the future direction of North
American JCCs without articulating a renewed vision for
a vibrant relationship with Israel. The classical Zionism
of building the Jewish state is not persuasive to younger
generations as a reason to connect to Israel. Still, Israel
is, and must remain, central to our understanding of
Jewish identity and peoplehood. A new finding in the recent
Benchmarking data tells us that a significant percentage of
those who feel that the JCC has helped them gain a better
understanding of Israel, its people and culture say they are
“very likely” to support the JCC and renew their membership.
The JCC has a unique ability and responsibility to create
real and meaningful connections to Israel for our members
and for the larger community, and doing so must be
strongly reflected as part of JCCs’ core mission.
executive succession
A major element of the success of the JCC or
any institution is the leadership provided by the
chief professional officer. A significant number of
our executive directors (as well as those of other
Jewish organizations) will retire within the next
ten years. The entire movement must focus on
identifying potential CEOs both within and without,
and preparing them to assume these significant
responsibilities. Each JCC should have a plan for
succession of executive leadership, just as many
have for assuring high quality volunteer leaders.
We cannot afford to wait until these positions are
open to take action.
JCC Association is preparing measures to ensure
a seamless transition to capable new executives,
including:
• creating ongoing training opportunities for
assistant directors
• Identifying and nurturing promising
professionals below assistant director level
• creating a training program for all newly placed
first time executives, and
• developing a continental best practices benchmark
to encourage all JCCs to implement an effective
on-going executive succession process
18

innovations in:

Communications
Technology
Cell phones, e-mail, social networking, e-books, smart
phones—the way we talk, write, read, and watch has
changed completely in the last ten years, and it will
probably change as dramatically in the next five. We’re
embracing the revolution in communications, and
working to help JCCs shift confidently into the future.

DiscoverJCC: Our new movement- With this in mind, we launched DiscoverJCC.com, a new
online presence for the JCC Movement, designed to gather
wide website gives JCCs a potential new members and users and channel them to
continental presence online, and their local JCC and JCC summer camp.

brings visitors one step closer to
their local JCC
You know what makes your JCC special. Your members
and users know what makes your JCC special. But how
will someone who’s never walked through your door—or
even heard of your JCC, for that matter—discover the
programs, services, and welcoming atmosphere that make
your JCC such a distinctive place in your community?
Increasingly, the answer is the Internet.
The majority of potential new members and users of JCCs
will find you via searching online—provided you rank
in the top page or two of search results for queries like:
“Cleveland Jewish day care” or “Houston summer camp.”
And search engine results are only going to become more
important as a younger generation—who has grown up
doing everything online—comes of age, and becomes the
next group of parents with young children.
DiscoverJCC introduces the searching public to the kinds of
programs and services they’ll find at a typical JCC, and gives
them a hint of the intangible benefits that only a JCC can
offer. It features a continental JCC-locater. With a click, the
searcher can access an individual profile page for any JCC.
We built DiscoverJCC.com—working with our preferred
vendor, Accrisoft—to be optimized for search engines,
bringing potential members and users searching for
services like yours one step closer to discovering your JCC.
Our new electronic marketing
specialist shows how today’s
marketing tools are not just valuable
for JCCs—they’re essential
Hired in December of 2008, Interactive Marketing
Specialist Chris Strom has provided guidance to

JCCs on a variety of modern day
communication challenges. Through
his “e-marketing essentials”
workshops, webinars and other
trainings, he has educated hundreds
of JCC professionals about search
engine optimization, social media
marketing, e-mail marketing and
effective Web design.
JCC professionals from many
different departments have
benefited from the trainings.
The marketing, fundraising
and development, camping and
membership staff that have been
drawn to his trainings are evidence
that the message is spreading—
social networking is a tool that can
and should be used by everyone
inside the JCC.
“The Web has not only opened
more intimate channels of
communications between JCCs and
their members, but has enabled
members and staff to be the JCC’s
most powerful marketing tool,“
Chris says.
Staying competitive:
new partnership
brings latest digital
media to JCC fitness
centers
To give JCCs with fitness centers
another edge in the ultra-
competitive fitness market, we
partnered with ClubCom—a leading
provider of customized
digital media networks
for fitness and family
centers — to launch the
JCC Television Network
(JCC-TV).
JCC-TV is a comprehensive
high-definition digital
media network that is available for
installation within each JCC facility. It
broadcasts customized digital music
entertainment through overhead
sound systems, and high-definition
music videos and digital signage
through wall-mounted televisions.
Music can be customized according
to time of day, and to match the
general preferences of members and
the overall image of the JCC. JCC-TV
can be used as a communications
platform to educate members while
promoting membership sales and
JCC programs and services. It can
also be used to stimulate third party
fundraising, capital campaigns and
the generation of media revenues.
In the coming months, we will
schedule webinars to present JCC-TV
to different regions, so JCCs can
learn more about how they can keep
their JCC fitness centers ahead of
the curve.
JCC Association Annual Report 2009 19
JCC Association Annual Report 2009 19
We’re exploring the
new possibilities of
social networking, from
Facebook to Twitter
Social media is truly a brave new
world, an entirely different way to
engage with our affiliated JCCs,
with the Jewish community, with
the media, and with the world. To
meet our members and stakeholders
where they are, we set up Facebook
pages for JCC Maccabi Games, JCC
Maccabi ArtsFest, JCC Maccabi
Israel, JCC professionals, and JWB
Jewish Chaplains Council. Our
Biennial Facebook page gave people
the chance to start a conversation
about what they wanted to talk
about at the convention. Our existing
Listservs were a-buzz with ideas,
questions, and responses all day long.
Our Twitter feeds gathered hundreds
of followers, including many JCCs and
Jewish federations and organizations,
and gave us another avenue to
inform, share, and connect. We’ve
learned that social media allows us
to do more than tell our story—it
permits a real exchange—and we’re
excited about the next stage in the
communications revolution.
20
A Closer Look:
Professional Development Services

“I never would have thought of [being a] day-camp director as a career,”

Julie Hollander says. “I just didn’t think that’s what people did for their
lives.” But now Julie is the director of youth and camping at the JCC of
Louisville, and she loves her job. How did she get from there to here? With
the help of JCC Association professional development services, and a JCC
Association graduate scholarship.
Julie discovered the Bernard & Ruth Siegel JCC in Wilmington, Delaware
when she was interning as an undergraduate, and that’s where she fell
in love with JCC work. Through jccworks.com, she found a job at the Sid
Jacobson JCC in East Hills, New York, where she developed a successful
school-break teen travel program that emphasized service learning and
tikkun olam. When her supervisor suggested she consider graduate
school, Julie applied for a JCC Association scholarship. Once she earned
her master’s in public administration, Julie again turned to jccworks.
com. “I knew Lonny Friedman (Operations Director, Merrin Center and
Graduate Scholarships) and Joy Brand (Associate Director of Professional
Development), and they were really helpful. I don’t think I would have
found a job in Kentucky without jccworks,” she says.
A native of Columbia, Maryland, Julie feels at home in Louisville. “It’s more
similar to where I grew up than Long Island.” She is working with younger
children and overseeing camp programs for every season, and she’s hoping
to bring a delegation to the JCC Maccabi Games too. Although Julie’s not
certain whether she wants to be a JCC executive or a camp director, she’s
definitely interested in an upper management position is the JCC field.
“It’s a good working environment,” she explains. “It’s wonderful to meet
the needs of the population you’re serving. It’s really meaningful to impart
Jewish values, and to know that I’m making a difference.”

Financial Resources Development

A lifelong resident of Staten Island, New York, Allan Weissglass

remembers when the smallest borough was dotted with woods and
farmland. In fact, his father was born on a Staten Island farm and went
into the family milk business. “My uncles and father were very involved
in community,” Allan recalls, “so I had great role models.” Allan currently
serves as the chair of JCC Association’s financial resource development
committee, and he readily acknowledges that being in the fundraising
field this past year has not been a lot of fun. “Having said that, you have
to keep things in perspective,” he adds, “and keep in mind the great
work that the association continues to do. We met our goal, and that was
through the hard work of the staff. Most problems present opportunities.
That’s not just a cliché.”
Although he’s retired, Allan continues to work hard in the nonprofit
sector. “Over the years, I’ve built up a habit of community service. It’s
ingrained now,” he says. “It’s a nice way to spend time, both in meeting
people and doing good. My golf game is awful, and I don’t want to
learn to play bridge.” He’s happy to stay in his community and work in
organizations, work that he finds both rewarding and satisfying. “I’ve
enjoyed it all.”
 Heartfelt Thanks to Our 2009 Donors
At the beginning of 2009, we were faced with what seemed like an
overwhelming challenge: would we be able to reach our annual goal
when so many of our supporters— both individuals and foundations—
were of necessity reducing or eliminating their charitable
contributions? Our campaigns started slowly; gifts we normally
receive in the first quarter of the year didn’t arrive, and we just could
not predict how the year would end.
But we learned, as the year progressed, that our donors are as loyal
as they are generous, and as you will see in the pages that follow, our
numbers increased, donors said “yes, we will” and we reached and
exceeded our annual goals. More than 1500 individuals supported
our annual fund in 2009; donors who had been unable to make
contributions in 2008 came back to us; and we are able to look ahead
to 2010 confident that our support will continue to grow.
The Mandel Supporting Foundation renewed its support of the
Mandel Center for Jewish Education and the Mandel Center for
Excellence in Leadership and Management in JCCs; these two
centers were able to continue their critically important work, knowing
their funding was intact.
The work of the Mandel Center for Jewish Education was enhanced
by generous continuing grants from The AVI CHAI Foundation and
The Goodman Family Foundation, both of which are enhancing our
effort to help JCC Movement camps deepen the Jewish identities and
connections to Israel of thousands of youngsters and teens. AVI CHAI
generously provided a new grant—Netivim—to sustain the work we
have been doing with their support for the past several years. Legacy
Heritage Fund continued its support of Days of Caring and Sharing
in Day and Resident Camps, and was the primary funder of JCC
Maccabi ArtsFest for a second year. The Foundation for Jewish Camp,
together with a matching grant from the Genesis Philanthropy Group,
allowed us to pilot a program providing camperships for children of
Russian-speaking families.
The launch of a new campaign to provide small, lightweight, portable
Torahs for Jewish chaplains in the United States Armed Forces
(see article on page 6) brought the largely unknown work of JWB
Jewish Chaplains Council, a service of JCC Association, into the
limelight. We are grateful to Jewish Federations of North America
for highlighting this program at its General Assembly, and for the
donations we are receiving, both large and small, in support of this
project and the ongoing, daily work of JWB, which serves the Jewish
needs of men and women in the military. Towards the end of the
year, we were thrilled to receive notification of a new grant for 2010
from the Crown Family Philanthropies in support of JWB.
The work of our early childhood services department, and its
values-education curriculum An Ethical Start®, was strengthened
by a continuing grant from the Brill Family Foundation.
The final quarter of the year showed an encouraging trend for our
Meeting the Challenge: SECURING JEWISH FUTURES capital and
endowment campaign. While the first part of the year saw donors
holding back on long-term commitments in favor of annual support,
we began to see capital campaign commitments being made towards
the end of the year, and now know we are on track to complete the
campaign on schedule.
We offer special thanks to all of our donors, whose vision and
commitment to the work we do validates and reassures us that they
truly understand and support the vital role JCC Association plays in
leading the JCC Movement in North America.

2009 REVENUES 2009 EXPENSES

Program Fees National Federation / Financial Services to the Military | $384,000 | 3%

$2,290,000 | 18.1% Agency Alliance & Resource
Individual Federations Development
$1,605,000 | 12.7% $449,000 | 3.6% Program
Draw from
Enrichment
Investments
Professional Services
for Operations
Development $3,515,000
$679,000
$694,000 | 5.6% 28.3%
5.3%
Corporate
Marketing &
Sponsorship/
Affiliate Dues Communications
Other Community
$4,545,000 $807,000 | 6.5%
$463,000 Consultation
36%
3.6% Services
Finance & $1,865,000
Administration 15%
Annual Giving
$2,936,000
& Foundation Grants Jewish Education &
$3,026,000 | 24% Total Revenue 23.6%
Israel Operations Total Expenses
$12,608,000 $1,753,000 | 14.1% $12,403,000
22

Donors
President’s Office and
Senior Staff Office Mezuzot
Dana Egert
The Redwoods Group, Inc.
Shirley and Allan Solomon
JCC Association Endowment and Capital Funds Roberta and Allan Weissglass

Mezuzot
Launched in the fall of 2005, the Meeting the Challenge: SECURING JEWISH FUTURES campaign is making it Harriet and George Blank
possible for JCC Association to achieve a tripartite goal: Ruth and Michael Fletcher
Debby and Hal Jacobs
• Creating and endowing the new Merrin Center for Teen Services, to benefit both Jewish teens Judith and Lester Lieberman
throughout North America and the professionals in JCCs who work with them; Fani Magnus Monson and Michael
• Enhancing the JCC Association general endowment, to enable us to meet the rising costs of our A. Monson
current initiatives, maintain the quality of our signature programs, and to respond flexibly to new Alan and Janet Mann
JCC needs as they arise; and Ronna and Michael Segal
Amy and Andrew J. Shaevel
• Meeting the capital expenses of our relocation to offices at 520 Eighth Ave, necessitated by the Charlene and Jack G. Shaffer
changing real estate market in New York. Our new headquarters are providing a fiscally responsible,
cost efficient, technologically sophisticated home with room for growth in the years ahead. Deferred Gifts
Stephen Fitzsimmons
We thank the donors whose commitment and generosity have helped us pass the two-thirds mark of our Cheryl Fishbein and Philip Schatten
$12,000,000 goal for this campaign*. Their contributions will enable us to continue to help JCCs, YM- Linda and Jerome Spitzer
YWHA’s and JCC Movement camps provide programs of excellence and inspire Jewish Journeys for the
more than 2,000,000 members and participants who use their services every year. Nonspecific Gifts
Myrna Block
Jane Gellman
The Merrin Center for Program Services Suite Staff Lounge Thelma Z. and Melvin Lenkin
Teen Services Joan and Irwin Jacobs D’vora Tager and Robert Dietz Charitable Fnd. Inc.
Anne Heyman and Seth Merrin Ronald M. Katz
Conference Rooms and Professional Team and Laura Rubin and Leonard Rubin k”z
The Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs Department Suites Consulting Staff Offices Toby and Robert Rubin
Family Conference Center Noreen Gordon Sablotsky Michael Ostroff, The Ostroff Group Sandra Saltzman
Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs Ann P. and Stephen M. Kaufman Carol and Lawrence Zicklin Doris and David Yorysh
Evelyn and Jerome B. Makowsky
The Irene and Edward H. Geri and Lester Pollack Guest and Visiting *As of December 31, 2009
Kaplan Lobby Paula L. Sidman Personnel Suite
For information about contributing
Irene and Edward H. Kaplan Andrea and Alan P. Solow Virginia A. and Francis Maas
to the Meeting the Challenge:
The Barbara and Morton Mandel Entryway Mezuzah SECURING JEWISH FUTURES
President’s Office
Executive Suite Barbara and Edwin Goldberg Campaign, or to learn about
Betty and Norton Melaver
Barbara and Morton Mandel naming opportunities in the new
Senior Staff Offices Work Stations JCC Association continental
Bonnie and Allan Finkelstein Mandell L. Berman headquarters, please contact
Amy and Alan Meltzer Ruth White Brodsky & Joanne Fani Magnus Monson,
Sharon and Stephen Seiden and David Brodsky Vice-President of Development,
Sharon and David Wax Marshall B. Coyne Foundation, Inc. by email at FaniMM@jcca.org or
Deena and Jerome A. Kaplan by telephone at (212) 786-5135.
Management Team Offices I. E. Millstone k”z
Irene and Philip M. Shiekman Barbara and J. Victor Samuels
David Sterling Irene and Philip M. Shiekman

Endowment Funds: Beyond 2000
JCC Association is grateful to the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg
Foundation of Baltimore, and proud to have partnered with it in this
successful campaign, which enhanced our endowment by a total
of $5,100,000. We thank the following donors whose generosity
in contributing $3,600,000 made it possible to meet the Weinberg
Foundation’s $1,500,000 challenge grant:
Visionary
Harry and Jeanette Weinberg
Foundation, Inc.
Founders
Edgar M. Bronfman
Irene and Edward H. Kaplan
Evelyn and Jerome B. Makowsky
Benefactors
Jane Gellman
Ann P. and Stephen M. Kaufman
Arlene and Robert Kogod
Jacqueline Blatt and Ronald L. Leibow
Merle and L. Michael Orlove
Geri and Lester Pollack
Syril Rubin and Leonard Rubin k”z
Noreen Gordon Sablotsky
Paula L. Sidman and Edwin N.
Sidman k”z
Carol Brennglass Spinner and
Arthur C. Spinner
Lee and John M. Wolf, Sr.
Builders
Estate of Matilda Blendes
Bonnie and Allan Finkelstein
Betty S. and Norton Melaver
Anne S. Reich & Henry and Anne
Reich Family Foundation, Inc.
Cheryl Fishbein and Philip Schatten
Linda and Jerome Spitzer
Roberta and Allan Weissglass
Patrons
Anise and Ronald Belz
Ruth White Brodsky and Joanne and
Donald Brodsky
Marvin Gelfand
Barbara and Edwin Goldberg
Virginia A. and Francis Maas
Phyllis and Philip Margolius
Thank
You!
Patrons (continued)
Marvin J. Pertzik
Aliki and Peter Rzepka
Barbara and J. Victor Samuels
Barbara and Norman Seiden
Judith Shiekman k”z and Philip M.
Shiekman
Sharon and Edwin Toporek
Linda Cornell Weinstein and Sherwin
Weinstein
Barbara and Douglas Bloom
Barbara and Daniel Drench
Annette and Lionel Goldman
Tillie Mazor Foundation/Judith
Lieberman
Judith and Mark Litt
Estate of Mary Litt
Children and Grandchildren of
Jerome B. Makowsky, 1998-2002
Chair, JCC Association,
in his honor
Lynn and Gerald Ostrow
Patricia and Stephen R. Reiner
Shirley and Allan Solomon
Andrea and Alan P. Solow
Estate of Henrietta Weil
Friends
Wendy and Warren Blumenthal
Eleanor and Edward Epstein
Laura Rubin and Leonard Rubin k”z
Charlene and Jack G. Shaffer
Randi and Ian Sherman
Peggy and Philip Wasserstrom
Visionary: $1,500,000
Founders: $250,000 and above
Benefactors: $100,000 and above
Builders: $50,000 and above
Patrons: $25,000 and above
Sponsors: $10,000 and above
Friends: $5,000 and above
JCC Association Annual Report 2009
Endowment Funds:
Endowing Today for Tomorrow
The following individuals made a leadership commitment to JCC Association’s
Endowment Fund to assure that the work of the JCC Movement continues in
perpetuity. We give them our special thanks. These gifts were received prior
to the inception of the Beyond 2000 Endowment Campaign.
Founders
Joan and Jesse Feldman k”z
Florence G. Heller Memorial Fund
Florence G. Heller Trust
Mary and Solomon Litt k”z
Barbara and Morton L. Mandel
Samuel Morganroth
Geri and Lester Pollack
Esther Leah Ritz k”z
Guardians
Lili and Max M. Hahn
Syde Hurdus
Sam Sulsten
Lee and John M. Wolf, Sr.
Benefactors
Beatrice and Irving Edison
Henry Kaufmann Foundation
Evelyn Goodstein and Jacob
Goodstein k”z
Irene and Edward H. Kaplan
Frances and Joseph Kruger k”z
Judith and Lester Lieberman
Minnie Nathanson k”z
Janet and Irwin Jay Robinson
Arlene and Leonard Rochwarger k”z
Joanna and Daniel Rose
Charlene and Jack G. Shaffer
Judith Shiekman k”z and Philip
M. Shiekman
Jeanne and Milton Zorensky
Builders
Jean Adler and Robert L. Adler k”z
Hyman J. Cohen
Bonnie and Allan Finkelstein
Leo and George P. Frenkel
Yetra Goldberg and
Israel Goldberg k”z
Ann P. and Stephen M. Kaufman
Judith and Mark D. Litt
Evelyn and Jerome B. Makowsky
Joan and Martin E. Messinger
Anne S. Reich & Henry and Anne
Reich Family Foundation, Inc.
Syril Rubin and Leonard Rubin k”z
Muriel Russell
Helen Zimman and Harold O.
Zimman k”z
23
Patrons
Ella and Gerrard Berman k”z
Elayne and Julian Bernat
Shirley and Roy Durst
Edwin A. Hochstadter
Bea D. Katcher k”z
Charles R. Katz
Lynne and Charles Klatskin
Arthur Kokot
Jacqueline Blatt and Ronald
L. Leibow
Norma and Alfred W. Levy
Betty S. and Norton Melaver
Susan Mintz and Donald R. Mintz k”z
Merle and L. Michael Orlove
Pesses-Sachs Family
Evelyn S. and Shaol L. Pozez
Anne S. Reich and Henry S. Reich k”z
Barbara and Norman Seiden
Geraldyn and Henry Sicular
Roseann and Alan Simberloff
Linda and Jerome Spitzer
Sponsors
Gerry and Charles Aaron k”z
Dinerman Family
Barbara and Daniel Drench
Andrew L. Eisenberg
Linda Fischer k”z and Robert Fischer
Annette and Lionel Goldman
Alvin Gray
Dolores and Solomon Greenfield
Anise and David A. Kaplan
Janet Kaplan and Leonard Kaplan k”z
Clara Larner and Martin L. Larner k”z
Lynn and Gerald Ostrow
Marvin J. Pertzik
Harriet L. and William Rosenthal
Anita Rotman and Arthur Rotman k”z
Eugenia and Irving Ruderman
Milton A. Shorr
David Sterling
Muriel and Myron Strober
Sharon and Edwin Toporek
Peggy and Philip Wasserstrom
H. S. Weil Estate
Linda Cornell Weinstein and
Sherwin Weinstein
Roberta and Allan Weissglass
Founders: $250,000 and above
Guardians: $150,000 and above
Builders: $50,000 and above
Patrons: $25,000 and above
Sponsors: $10,000 and above
24

Endowment-Funded Program Support

Merrin Center for Teen Services
JCC Association is grateful to
Anne Heyman and Seth Merrin
whose generosity established the
Merrin Center for Teen Services,
which is dedicated to enhancing
the work of teen professionals and
providing programming for the
youth they serve.
Support of JCC Association
Israel Office
Judith and Mark D. Litt
Jewish Education Programming
Geri and Lester Pollack
JCC Association Scholars Fund
Syril Rubin and Leonard Rubin k”z
Lenny Rubin Israel Education Fund
This fund, named in honor of Lenny
Rubin k”z upon his retirement,
supports the continuation of Israel
education for JCC Association staff.
We thank the generous donors who
contributed to this fund in 2009:
Kate Obstgarten Private Foundation
Laura Rubin
In addition, we thank the many
people of the JCC Movement—lay and
professional—who contributed to the
fund to honor Lenny Rubin’s memory.
Lorraine Fay Linder Senior
Citizens Fund
Lorraine Fay Linder k”z
Esther Leah Ritz Next Generation
Memorial Fund
To honor the memory of Esther
Leah Ritz, former continental chair
and founder of the JCC Association
Endowment Fund, we established the
Esther Leah Ritz Next Generation
Memorial Fund. Proceeds of this
endowment underwrite the cost of
the Next Generation program, which
supports the development of lay
leadership for Jewish Community
Centers.
We are grateful to the donors to this
endowment fund:
Judith and Joseph D. Hurwitz
Irene and Edward H. Kaplan
Ann P. and Stephen M. Kaufman
Carol and Leonard Lewensohn
Philanthropic Fund
Barbara and Morton L. Mandel
Evelyn and Jerome B. Makowsky
Melanie Katzman and Russell
Makowsky
Geri and Lester Pollack
Laura Rubin and Leonard Rubin k”z
Endowed Scholarships
JCC Association scholarships enable students who plan to make careers in
the JCC Movement to pursue their education at the master’s level. We are
grateful to the donors of these scholarship funds:
Robert L. Adler Memorial Scholarship Fund
Alumni Scholarship Fund
Ella and Gerrard Berman Scholarship Fund
Elayne and Julian Bernat Scholarship Fund
Harold Dinerman Memorial Scholarship Fund
Shirley and Royal H. Durst Scholarship Fund
Joan and Jesse Feldman Scholarship Fund
Frances and Samuel Finkelstein Memorial Scholarship Fund
Frenkel Memorial Scholarship Fund
Israel Goldberg Memorial Scholarship Fund
Goodstein-Kleitman Memorial Scholarship Fund
Edwin Hochstader Scholarship Fund
Irene and Edward H. Kaplan Scholarship Fund
Philip R. Kaplan Memorial Scholarship Fund
Bea D. Katcher Scholarship Fund
Charles R. Katz Memorial Scholarship Fund
Mary and Solomon Litt Scholarship Fund
Minnie and Louis Nathanson Memorial Scholarship Fund
Pesses-Sachs Scholarship Fund
Evelyn S. and Shaol L. Pozez Scholarship Fund
Henry S. and Anne S. Reich Scholarship Fund
Joanna S. and Daniel Rose Scholarship Fund
Syril and Leonard Rubin Scholarship Fund
Michael-Ann Russell Memorial Scholarship Fund
Fedgie and Hy Schultz Memorial Scholarship Fund
Geraldyn and Henry Sicular Scholarship Fund
Diana S. Simberloff Memorial Scholarship Fund
Avraham Soltes Memorial Scholarship Fund
Sam Sulstan Memorial Scholarship Fund
Olga F. and Oliver B. Winkler Scholarship Fund
Helen and Harold O. Zimman Scholarship Fund

The National Federation/Agency Alliance is a partnership that provides

a significant amount of funding to nine national agencies including
$1,393,000 to JCC Association of North America in FY 2009/1010. The
national agencies that make up the Alliance engage in critical work to build
capacity and support the work of the federations and their local affiliates.
They also help advance the federation system’s goals on a national and
international stage. While mindful of its role in evaluating and monitoring
the national agencies, the Alliance works to promote deeper relationships
and create synergy between the national agencies and the federations.

Thank You!

JCC Association 2009 Annual Funds
Mandel Center for Excellence in
Leadership and Management
JCC Association is grateful to the
Mandel Foundation for its annual
renewable grant, which created
and sustains the Mandel Center
for Excellence in Leadership and
Management.
JCC Association thanks Irene and
Edward H. Kaplan for their support
of a program within the Mandel
Center for Excellence in Leadership
and Management dedicated to
helping new and emerging Jewish
communities to create Jewish
Community Centers.
Mandel Center for Jewish Education
JCC Association is grateful to the
Mandel Foundation for its annual
renewable grant, which created
and sustains the Mandel Center for
Jewish Education.
JCC Association also thanks the
following for their support of
programs within the Mandel Center
for Jewish Education:
The AVI CHAI Foundation:
Hemshekh: an alumni program for
cohort I of Lekhu Lakhem
Netivim: a continued support
program for Lekhu Lakhem alumni
Chizuk: Jewish programming
directors strengthening Lekhu
Lakhem—JCC Camps
Goodman Family Foundation:
The Goodman Family Institute:
Yisrael Sheli (My Israel)
Annual Fund 2009
JCC Association gratefully
acknowledges the following
donors who have made generous
contributions to the 2009 annual
support program:
Leadership Circle
Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs
Joanna and Daniel Rose
Platinum Plus Club
Edith Everett
Joan and Martin E. Messinger
Geri and Lester Pollack
Barbara and J. Victor Samuels
Gold Plus Club
Lois Rosenthal
Sharon and Stephen Seiden
Paula L. Sidman
Shirley and Allan Solomon
Jeffrey and Lynda Solomon
Foundation, in honor of
Lenny Silberman
Andrea and Alan P. Solow
Sharon and David Wax
Silver Plus Club
Wendy and Warren Blumenthal
Lisa F. and Ron Brill
Joanne F. and Donald W. Brodsky
Marcella E. and Neil Cohen
Bonnie and Allan Finkelstein
Cheryl Fishbein and Philip Schatten
Ruth and Michael Fletcher
Noreen Gordon Sablotsky
Ann P. and Stephen M. Kaufman
Jeannie and Brian Kriftcher
Jacqueline Blatt and Ronald L. Leibow
Judith and Mark D. Litt
Virginia A. and Francis Maas
Millie and Lawrence Magid
Evelyn and Jerome B. Makowsky
Betty S. and Norton Melaver
Amy and Alan Meltzer
Linda and Jerome Spitzer
Sherry and Doron Steger
The Irma T. Hirschl Trust
Roberta and Allan Weissglass
Bronze Plus
Harriet and George Blank
Tanya and Stephen A. Bodzin
The Eric Brown Foundation, Inc.
Nancy I. Brown and Peter Brown
Dana Egert
Arlene Fickler
Robin Frederick and Michael Gold
Maxine and Jay Freilich
Freddi and Marvin Gelfand
Jane Gellman
Barbara and Edwin Goldberg
Roslyn and Ricky Haikin
Yetra Goldberg
Judith and Lester Lieberman
Laurie F. and Paul Lieberman
Fani Magnus Monson and
Michael Monson
Janet and Alan Mann
Scott A. Menaker
Barbara and Sidney F. Miller
Marvin J. Pertzik
Joan Karlin and Paul Resnick
Laura Rubin
Wendy and Steven Rubin
Linda and Barry Russin
Lori Barnet and Jeffrey Savit
JCC Association Annual Report 2009
Bronze Plus (continued)
Debra and Gerald K. Schwartz
Ronna and Michael Segal
Amy and Andrew J. Shaevel
Susan Stearns
Muriel and Myron Strober
Carol and Robert Wertheimer
Jessica and Eric Zachs
Super VIP Associate
David Ackerman
Elizabeth Schiro and Stephen L. Bayer
Barbara and Douglas Bloom
Dale T. and Edward Filhaber
Sandra and Arnold P. Gold
Rita and Lawrence Gotfried
Mark Horowitz
Carole and Morton H. Katz
Ronald M. Katz
Enid and David Rosenberg
Nancy and Lawrence I. Rosenberg
Jane Tzinberg Rubin and
Kenneth Rubin
Toby and Robert Rubin
Barbara and Norman Seiden
Randi and Ian Sherman
Linda S. and Kenneth Simon
Johanna and Arnie Sohinki
David Sterling
Henry Taub
Enid and Barrie M. Weiser
Mary Rita and Norman Weissman
Lee and John M. Wolf, Sr.
VIP Associate
Julian Bernat
Ruth Brodsky
Jane and John C. Colman
Barbara and Daniel Drench
Marian Edelstein
Ann F. and Robert Eisen
Janet S. and Doron Elam
Carol and Howard F. Fine
Florence and Barry Friedberg
Ellen B. Gaber
Alan Goldberg
Joyce and Neil Goldstein
Amy and Barnard Kaplan
Lori and Ron Kasner
Laurie and Robert Kimsal
Jeanmarie and Gary S. Lipman
Phyllis and Philip Margolius
I. E. Millstone k”z
Lynn and Gerald S. Ostrow
Amy and David Posner
Janet and Irwin Jay Robinson
Charlene and Jack G. Shaffer
Irene and Philip M. Shiekman
Jeanne and Jordan Tobin
Nannette and Michael Wien
Anita and Earl Winestock
25
Executive Associate
Anonymous
Robin and Bob Ballin
Arlene D. and Paul Barron
Marjorie and Morley Blankstein
Renee and Gary J. Bomzer
Cheryl and Hal Bordy
Nancy and Irving Chase
Ziva Davidovich and Leeor Wieselberg
Marilyn and Sam Fox
Judith Corn and David Fried
JoAnn and Paul Gillis
Emily G. and James Holdstein
David Jacobs
Marjorie Klayman
Sherry and John Kulman
Marilyn and Richard David Levin
Garth Potts
Patricia and Stephen R. Reiner
Sidney and Lois Robbins
Francine and Steven Rod
Barbara and Richard M. Rosenberg
Syril Rubin
Susan and Alan Sataloff
Brian Schreiber
Susan and Richard Strait
Ellen and Robert H. Temkin
Jennifer Tobenstein and David Polson
Sharon and Edwin Toporek
Ricki and Howard Wasserman
Charlene and Steven Wendell
Shirley C. White
We thank the myriad federal
employees who supported JCC
Association through contributions
to the Combined Federal Campaign.
Bequests
Jack B. Sherman Trust
The Estate of Henry Kohn
Leadership Circle: $25,000 and above
Platinum Plus: $18,000 - $24,999
Gold Plus: $10,000 - $17,999
Silver Plus: $5,000 - $9,999
Bronze Plus: $2,500 - $4,999
Super VIP Associate: $1,800 - $2,499
VIP Associate: $1,000 - $1,799
Executive Associate: $500 - $999
26
Program and Project Support
JCC Association gratefully acknowledges the following individuals
and foundations who have made generous contributions in 2009,
making these programs and projects possible:
Camping /The Legacy Heritage
Fund Days of Caring and Sharing
in Day and Resident Camps
The Legacy Heritage Fund, Ltd.
Early Childhood Initiative/An
Ethical Start®
The Lisa and Ron Brill Charitable Trust
The Marcus Foundation
San Francisco Jewish Community
Endowment Fund
JCC Maccabi Experience
JCC Maccabi Arts Fest
JCC Maccabi ArtsFest is presented
with support from the Legacy
Heritage Fund Ltd.
We also thank the following donors
for their generous support:
Gail and Henry Cohen
Jeffrey A. Deutsch
Feldman Family Supporting
Foundation, Inc.
Noreen Gordon Sablotsky
Lawrence Hellring
Ann and Stephen M. Kaufman
Jeannie and Brian Kriftcher
Lillian and Maurice Lipsey
Endowment Fund
Mark S. Raymond
Amy and Andrew J. Shaevel
The Budd and Nanette Mayer
Support Foundation, Inc.
Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs
Barbara and J. Victor Samuels
The Soref-Breslauer Texas Foundation
Ronna and Michael Segal
Sherry and Doron Steger
David Stone
Thank
You!
JCC Maccabi Games
JCC Association thanks its
collaborative partners in presenting
the JCC Maccabi Games:
Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel
Maccabi World Union
We also thank the following donors
for their support:
Stephen M. Berkenfeld
Bryan Stein
Support of Continental Youth
Sports Programs in JCCs
Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Program
Initiative
National Basketball Association
NHL Street Hockey
National Hockey League
Scholarship Programs
We gratefully acknowledge the
generous supporters of the JCC
Association Scholarship Program,
which enables students who plan to
make careers in the JCC Movement
to pursue their education on the
master’s degree level.
Elizabeth Schiro and Stephen L. Bayer
Ed Lee and Jean Campe Foundation
Shirley and William L. Grossman
Scholarship Fund
Louis and Anita Perlman Family
Foundation
Barbara and J. Victor Samuels
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
JCC Association gratefully
acknowledges the individuals and
organizations supporting the work
of JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
with contributions of $500 or more:
Ilana and Ari Berenson
B’nai B’rith International
Buffalo Grove, IL, Auxillary No. 89
Neal Cohen
Congregation Emanu-El of the
City of New York
Congregation Or Zarua
Covenant B’nai B’rith, CA, Unit 2215
Ruth Herman
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
(continued)
JCC Maccabi ArtsFest
The Coca-Cola Company
Jewish Federation of Greater The Redwoods Group Foundation
Middlesex County, NJ Just Born, Inc.
Jewish War Veterans, Niles IL Sterling & Sterling Inc.
Jewish War Veterans Department of
NJ, Trenton, NJ JCC Maccabi Games
New York Metropolitan Region The Coca-Cola Company
- United Synagogue of Forcefield Protective Headbands
Conservative Judaism Just Born, Inc.
Harold Z. Scheinman New Balance
Susan Schneider Staples
Temple Israel of the City of New York
The Federation of Jewish Women’s Preferred Vendors
Organizations of Maryland The following companies provide
The New Kalman Sunshine Fund preferential continental account
Jennifer Turner status or services to affiliated JCCs
Harriet and Nathan Wasserstrum and/or financial support to JCC
Women’s League for Conservative Association programs:
Judaism
Havva and Etan Zellner Accrisoft Corporation
Advecor, Inc.
Military Chaplaincy Rabbinical All in Kosher
School Scholarship Balanced Body Inc.
JCC Association thanks the following Carab Enterprises, Inc.
donors of scholarships for rabbinical Clubcom, Inc.
students committed to entering the Club Resource Group
Unites States Armed Forces: Crown Trophy
CSI Software
Rabbi Phillip Silverstein, in memory Cybex
of his wife, Adina Silverstein Elite Team Supplies
Jerry Weinstein, in memory of his HydroMassage
uncle, Irving S. Weinstein Fabiano Designs
First Data Oracle
Florence G. Heller-JCC FreeMotion Fitness
Association Research Center Landscape Structures
We thank the following donors whose Matrix Fitness Systems Corp.
generous contributions support the Maytronics US, Inc.
Florence G. Heller–JCC Association Microfit
Research Center’s practice-oriented Microsteps, Inc.
research for Jewish Community Mondo
Centers and YM-YWHAs: Network Services Company
Octane Fitness LLC
Sandra and Arnold P. Gold The Ostroff Group Inc.
Judith and Lester Lieberman Personal Training on the Net
Shirley and Allan Solomon Polar Electro Inc.
Poseidon
Corporate Sponsors Precor
We thank and acknowledge Loeb & The Redwoods Group, Inc.
Loeb LLC for providing pro bono Retention Management
legal services regarding intellectual Staples
property for JCC Association’s Star Trac
signature programs. Sterling & Sterling, Inc.
STOTT Pilates
We gratefully acknowledge the Strive Enterprises, Inc.
following companies who provided Technogym USA Corp.
support to JCC Association TMI Salt Pure Corp.
continental programs:
JCC Day at ABC Conference
Trident Group LLC
Matrix Fitness Systems Corp. Program Partners
Octane Fitness LLC American Council on Exercise
Power Systems, Inc. International Council on Active Aging
Precor Les Mills West Coast, Inc.
2008-2010 Officers and Board of Directors
Chair
Alan P. Solow
Vice-chairs
Lisa Brill, Atlanta, GA
Donald Brodsky, Houston, TX
Cheryl Fishbein, New York, NY
Gary Jacobs, San Diego, CA
Virginia A. Maas, Los Angeles, CA
Stephen R. Reiner, New York, NY
Toby Rubin, San Francisco, CA
Stephen Seiden, Livingston, NJ
Paula Sidman, Boston, MA
Arlene Barron, New Orleans, LA
Stephen L. Bayer, W. Hartford, CT
Alvin Berkun, Pittsburgh, PA
Harriet Blank, Bridgewater, NJ
Warren Blumenthal, Milwaukee, WI
Stephen Bodzin, Alexandria, VA
Gary Bomzer, No. Miami Beach, FL
Lisa F. Brill, Atlanta, GA
Donald W. Brodsky, Houston, TX
Nancy I. Brown, Alpine, NJ
Edward Cohen, Boca Raton, FL
Marcella E. Cohen, Washington, D.C.
Stephen Dorsky, Birmingham, AL
Dana Egert, Boca Raton, FL
Andrew L. Eisenberg, Boston, MA
Donald Epstein, Cranbury, NJ
Arlene Fickler, Philadelphia, PA
Dale T. Filhaber, Boca Raton, FL
Howard Fine, San Francisco, CA
Cheryl Fishbein, New York, NY
Ruth Fletcher, San Jose, CA
Robin Frederick, Stamford, CT
Maxine Freilich, Stamford, CT
Marvin Gelfand, Los Angeles, CA
Jane Gellman, Milwaukee, WI
Sandra Gold, Englewood, NJ
Edwin Goldberg, Louisville, KY
Joyce Goldstein, Essex Fells, NJ
Lawrence Gotfried, West Orange, NJ
Roslyn Haikin, Houston, TX
Emily Holdstein, Worcester, MA
David Jacobs, W. Hartford, CT
Gary Jacobs, San Diego, CA
Howard Jacobson, Kansas City, KS
Amy Kaplan, Voorhees, NJ
Edward H. Kaplan, Washington, DC
Ron Kasner, North Brunswick, NJ
Morton H. Katz, New Orleans, LA
Ronald M. Katz, Indianapolis, IN
Ann P. Kaufman, Houston, TX
Stephen M. Kaufman, Houston, TX
Officers
Secretary
Shirley Solomon, Boca Raton, FL
Associate Secretaries
Michael Segal, Miami, FL Edward H. Kaplan, Washington, DC
Michael Wolfe, Salt Lake City, UT
Treasurer
Edwin Goldberg, Louisville, KY
Associate Treasurers
Stephen Dorsky, Birmingham, AL
Andrew J. Shaevel, Buffalo, NY
Doron Steger, Bridgewater, NJ
Board of Directors
Peter Knobel, Evanston, IL
Brian Kriftcher, Stamford, CT
Ira Kronenberg, Clifton, NJ
Sherry Kulman, Toronto, ON
Ronald L. Leibow, Los Angeles, CA
Laurie F. Lieberman, Chicago, IL
Gary Lipman, Stamford, CT
Virginia A. Maas, Los Angeles, CA
Lawrence Magid, Searingtown, NY
Jerome B. Makowsky, Memphis, TN
Morton L. Mandel, Cleveland, OH
Betty S. Melaver, Savannah, GA
Dr. Scott Menaker, Charlotte, NC
Dr. Sidney Miller, Columbus, OH
Marvin J. Pertzik, St. Paul, MN
Geri Pollack, New York, NY
Lester Pollack, New York, NY
Ronald Prehogan, Ottawa, ON
Stephen R. Reiner, New York, NY
Paul Resnick, Palo Alto, CA
Leonard M. Robinson, Fairfield, NJ
Daniel Rose, New York, NY
Lawrence I. Rosenberg, Baltimore, MD
Howard Rosenbloom, Lutherville, MD
Daniel Rubin, Tenafly, NJ
Jane Tzinberg Rubin, St. Louis, MO
Steven Rubin, St. Paul, MN
Toby Rubin, San Francisco, CA
Linda Russin, Rockland Cty, NY
Noreen Gordon Sablotsky, Miami, FL
J. Victor Samuels, Houston, TX
Alan Sataloff, Palo Alto, CA
Martin J. Satinsky, Philadelphia, PA
Jeffrey Savit, Boston, MA
Philip Schatten, Brooklyn, NY
Brian Schreiber, Pittsburgh, PA
Gerald K. Schwartz, Miami, FL
Michael Segal, North Miami Beach, FL
Stephen Seiden, West Orange, NJ
Andrew J. Shaevel, Buffalo, NY
Jack G. Shaffer, Denver, CO
JCC Association Annual Report 2009 27
President
Allan B. Finkelstein
Honorary Chairs
Ann P. Kaufman, Houston, TX
Jerome B. Makowsky, Memphis, TN
Morton L. Mandel, Cleveland, OH
Lester Pollack, New York, NY
Daniel Rose, New York, NY
Cheryl Sherman, Staten Island, NY
Ian Sherman, Ottawa, ON
Philip M. Shiekman, Philadelphia, PA
Paula L. Sidman, Boston, MA
Philip Silverstein, Columbia, SC
Linda Simon, Pittsburgh, PA
Shirley Solomon, Boca Raton, FL
Alan P. Solow, Chicago, IL
Carol Brennglass Spinner, New York, NY
Jerome Spitzer, New York, NY
Doron Steger, Bridgewater, NJ
Jeanne Tobin, Cleveland, OH
Howard Wasserman, Brooklyn, NY
David Wax, San Diego, CA
Allan Weissglass, Staten Island, NY
Mary Rita Weissman, Dayton, OH
Robert Wertheimer, Baltimore, MD
Michael S. Wien, Marietta, GA
Anita Winestock, Vancouver, BC
Michael Wolfe, Salt Lake City, UT
Eric Zachs, Hartford, CT
Honorary Board
Members
Julian Bernat, El Paso, TX
Daniel Drench, MetroWest, NJ
Irwin L. Elson, Detroit, MI
Gilbert S. Fox, Nashville, TN
Hugh W. Greenberg, Detroit, MI
Gordon R. Gross, Buffalo, NY
Mark D. Litt, Larchmont, NY
Gerald S. Ostrow, Pittsburgh, PA
Irwin Jay Robinson, New York, NY
Harriet L. Rosenthal, MetroWest, NJ
Irving Ruderman, Rochester, NY
Norman Seiden, Palisades, NJ
Myron Strober, Palm Beach, FL
Henry Taub, Tenafly, NJ
John M. Wolf, Sr., Pittsburgh, PA
JCC
28 Association
Staff and
Services
Please note that if you are in
our telephone system through
the main switchboard (212)
532-4958, you can contact
additional staff members via
their extensions (Last four digits
of their number below). Staff
members can also be reached
directly at their telephone
numbers listed below.
Administration
Allan Finkelstein
President
Tel: 212.786.5082
E-mail: jccal@jcca.org
Yael Lubofsky
Coordinator of Board Relations
Tel: 212.786.5084
E-mail: yael@jcca.org
Rabbi Alvin Mars
Senior Consultant to the President,
Educational Development
Tel: 603.292.6205
E-mail: amars@jcca.org
Community Services consults with
all communities to enhance the
functioning of JCC boards, execu-
tives, and staff. Provides JCCs with
ongoing training in areas such as lay
leadership development, staff devel-
opment, programming, finances, etc.
Helps JCCs improve their services
by conducting research, gathering
statistical data, and strategic plan-
ning studies, developing annual work
plans, and providing seminars for
management and lay leaders. Com-
munity Services sends a bi-weekly
electronic communication packet to
executive directors and presidents
to share resources, information, and
trends. Research & statistical data
provided by Florence G. Heller-JCC
Association Research Center.
Mandel Center for Excellence in
Leadership and Management in
Jewish Community Centers is
transforming the field by allowing
JCCs to assess their management
effectiveness and leadership needs,
to be more responsive to difficulties
as they arise, and develop a
practical approach towards
continuous self-improvement over
time. MCELM is helping JCCs meet
the challenges of the future with
confidence and proficiency.
Alan Mann
Executive Vice-President,
JCC and Community Services;
Director, Mandel Center
for Excellence in Leadership
and Management
Tel: 212.786.5138
E-mail: amann@jcca.org
Gladys Goldman
Executive Assistant
Tel: 212.786.5088
E-mail: ggoldman@jcca.org
Community Consultants
Ann Eisen**
Vice-President, Community Services;
Consultant on Leadership Development
Tel: 504.866.5090
E-mail: anneisen@jcca.org
Janet S. Elam*
Vice-President, Community Services;
Consultant on Emerging Communities
Tel: 512.241.1118
E-mail: janetelam@jcca.org
David E. Posner
Vice-President, Community Services
Consultant on Strategic Thinking
Tel: 212.786.5124
E-mail: DPosner@jcca.org
Brandi Johnson**
Southeastern Office
Administrative Assistant
Tel: 504.866.5090
E-mail: bjohnson@jcca.org
Mandel Center for Excellence in
Leadership and Management in
Jewish Community Centers
Alan Goldberg
Vice President, Mandel Center for
Excellence in Leadership and Man-
agement and Community Services
Tel: 212.786.5122
E-mail: gold@jcca.org
Deann Forman
Director of Benchmarking
for JCC Association
Tel: 212.710.6432
E-mail: dforman@jcca.org
Michael Rowland
Contract Consultant, Marketing
Tel: 212.786.5153
E-mail: MRowland@jcca.org
Jordan Zarin
Program Associate, Mandel Center for
Excellence in Leadership and Manage-
ment and Community Services
Tel: 212.786.5145
E-mail: jzarin@jcca.org
Florence G. Heller-JCC Association
Research Center
Financial Resource Development
is responsible for JCC Association’s
Prof. Steven M. Cohen fundraising efforts, including
Director, Florence G. Heller-JCC annual support and designated
Association Research Center giving, JCC Associates, grant-
E-mail: scohen@jcca.org seeking, corporate sponsorship and
preferred vendor programs, special
Finance and Administration events and the Meeting the Challenge:
Services oversees management of Securing Jewish Futures capital
financial and human resources record and endowment campaign.
keeping, financial reports, and infor-
mation technology. Assists JCCs in Fani Magnus Monson
developing data-processing plans and Vice-President of Development
in conducting financial reviews. Tel: 212.786.5135
E-mail: Fanimm@jcca.org
Bob Kimsal
Chief Financial Officer David Sobel
Tel: 212.786.5141 Director of Corporate Partnerships
E-mail: bkimsal@jcca.org Tel: 212.786.5148
E-mail: Dsobel@jcca.org
Accounting
Pearl Magence Ziva Davidovich
Controller Director of Annual Funds
Tel: 212.786.5132 Tel: 212.786.5099
E-mail: pmagence@jcca.org E-mail: zivad@jcca.org
Irina Abromov Elaine Vasquez
Accounting Assistant Financial Resource
Tel: 212.786.5133 Development Administrator
E-mail: IAbromov@jcca.org Tel: 212.786.5136
E-mail: evasquez@jcca.org
Human Resources
Irina Khomina JCC Association’s Israel Office
Manager, Human Resources represents the interests of North
Tel: 212.786.5131 American JCCs and provides
E-mail: ikhomina@jcca.org services for them in Israel. It
also implements Israel-based
Information Technology Jewish educational programs
Andy Zhang including training seminars for JCC
Manager of Information Technology professional staff and lay leaders,
Tel: 212.786.5103 JCC Maccabi Israel® experience
E-mail: andyz@jcca.org programs for teens, Taglit-Birthright
Israel for young adults, partnership
Paul Niedbala initiatives between JCCs and
Associate, Information Technology/ community centers in Israel, and
System Administrator creates specialized Israel trips for
Tel: 212.786.5094 JCC members.
E-mail: pniedbala@jcca.org
Leah Garber***
Production Director, Israel Office
Franklin James 011-972-2-625-1265
Production Supervisor E-mail: lgarber@jcca.org
Tel: 212.786.5118
E-mail: fuj@jcca.org Sara Sless***
Program Director, Israel Office
Donald Credle 011-972-2-625-1265
Production Assistant E-mail: ssless@jcca.org
Tel: 212.786.5113
E-mail: dcredle@jcca.org Avigail Barkai ***
Secretary, Israel Office
D’wayne Haywood 011-972-2-625-1265
Shipping and Receiving E-mail Israel@jcca.org
Tel: 212.786.5107
E-mail: D’wayne_Haywood@jcca.org
Reception
Jamella Hall
Receptionist
Tel: 212.532.4949
E-mail: Jamella_Hall@jcca.org
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
is a US Government-accredited
agency to serve the religious,
educational, and morale needs of
Jewish personnel in the armed
forces, their families, and patients
in VA hospitals. Its Council Advisory
Group consists of Conservative,
Orthodox, and Reform rabbis and
active-duty Jewish chaplains, a
cooperative and successful venture
in Jewish pluralism.
Rabbi Harold Robinson
Director, JWB Jewish Chaplains
Council; Director, Armed Forces
and Veterans Services
Tel: 212.786.5119
E-mail: hrobinson@jcca.org
Rabbi Barry Baron
Deputy Director,
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
Tel: 212.786.5137
E-mail: bbaron@jcca.org
Janine Acevedo
Program Associate,
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
Tel: 212.786.5090
E-mail: Janine@jcca.org
Mandel Center for Jewish
Education has as its mission to
infuse the people, experiences and
programs of the JCCs of North
America with Jewish content,
learning, and values, and thereby to
enhance and elevate every Jewish
person who is part of a
JCC community.
Dr. David Ackerman
Director,
Mandel Center for Jewish Education
Tel: 212.786.5110
E-mail: dackerman@jcca.org
Patricia Cipora Harte
Vice-President,
Mandel Center for Jewish Education
Tel: 212.786.5130
E-mail: pcharte@jcca.org
Melanie Levav
Program Director,
Mandel Center for Jewish Education
Tel: 212.710.6434
E-mail: mlelanie@jcca.org
Jordan Zarin
Program Associate,
Mandel Center for Jewish Education
Tel: 212.786.5145
E-mail: Ahelfer@jcca.org
Marketing and Communications
maintains consistent brand image
for the JCC Movement and provides
strategic marketing training to JCCs
to increase their effectiveness in
image building, advertising,
communications , public
relations, digital and interactive
marketing and branding, as well as
accommodating the in-house needs
of JCC Association.
Robin Ballin
Sr. Vice-President,
Marketing and Communications
Tel: 212.786.5112
E-mail: robin@jcca.org
Peter Shevenell
Creative Director
Tel: 212.786.5101
E-mail: peter@jcca.org
Miriam Rinn
Communications Manager
Tel: 212.786.5092
E-mail: miriam@jcca.org
Jeremy Rosenstein Kortes
Sr. Graphic Designer
Tel: 212.786.5143
E-mail: jeremy@jcca.org
Dan Hertzberg
Graphic Designer
Tel: 212.786.5087
E-mail: dhertzberg@jcca.org
Chris Strom
Interactive Marketing Specialist
Tel: 212.786.5117
E-mail: cstrom@jcca.org
Janine Acevedo
Marketing Administrator
Tel: 212.786.5096
E-mail: jacevedo@jcca.org
Professional Development recruits,
refers for placement, counsels,
and trains professionals across the
continent. Extends scholarships
to qualified college graduates
interested in JCC careers and offers
training seminars as well as study
seminars in Israel.
Steven Rod
Vice-President,
Professional Development
Tel: 212.786.5085
E-mail: steverod@jcca.org
JoyAnn Brand
Associate Director of Professional
Development
Tel: 212.786.5114
E-mail: joy@jcca.org
Lonny Friedman JCC Association Annual
Lonny Report 2009
Friedman 29
Operations Director, Operations Director,
Scholarship Program Merrin Center for Teen Services
Tel: 212.786.5111 Tel: 212.786.5111
E-mail: lfreidman@jcca.org E-mail: lfreidman@jcca.org
Tory Holland JCC Maccabi Games &
Program Associate, Professional De- JCC Maccabi ArtsFest
velopment and Conference Registrar Aaron Selkow
Tel: 212.786.5086 Director, JCC Maccabi Experience
E-mail: Tory@jcca.org Tel: 212.786.5144
E-mail: aselkow@jcca.org
Program Services provides JCCs
and camps with program assessment Michele Korntreger
and resources to help them maintain Program Director,
creative, innovative programming in JCC Maccabi Games
arts and culture, early childhood edu- Tel: 212.786.5116
cation, adults, teens, individuals with E-mail: michelekc@jcca.org
special needs, fitness, recreation, and
camping. It also coordinates Gesher- Jason Silberfein
City, an initiative for young adults Operations & Athletics Director,
and the JCC Maccabi Experience, JCC Maccabi Games
which includes JCC Maccabi Games®, Tel: 212.786.5081
JCC Maccabi Israel®, and JCC Mac- E-mail: silberfeinj@jcca.org
cabi ArtsFest®. Merrin Center for
Teen Services creates programs and Andrea Bochner
resources for teens and the profes- Host Community Consultant,
sionals working with them to help JCC Maccabi Games
JCCs inspire the next generation to Tel: 212.786.5102
embark on its Jewish journey. E-mail: abochner@jcca.org
Arnie Sohinki Shaliach
Sr. Vice-President, Program Services Assaf Goren
Tel: 212.786.5097 Shaliach, JCC Association
E-mail: asohinki@jcca.org Tel: 212.786.5121
E-mail: agoren@jcca.org
Adults
Patricia Cipora Harte Program Associates
Vice-President, Program Services Leona Strassberg Steiner
Tel: 212.786.5130 Program Associate for Program
E-mail: pcharte@jcca.org Services, Adults, Sports and Wellness
Tel: 212.786.5093
Early Childhood Education E-mail: leona@jcca.org
Mark Horowitz
Director, Early Childhood Education
Tel: 212.786.5098
E-mail: mark@jcca.org
Lisa Litman
An Ethical Start® Coordinator
Tel: 610.668.1656
E-mail: Lisa@jcca.org
*JCC Association
Health and Wellness Southwestern Services Office
Steve Becker P.O. Box 30372
Director, Health and Wellness Services Austin, Texas 78755
Tel: 212.786.5105 Tel: 512.241.1118
E-mail: steveb@jcca.org
**JCC Association
Anthony Slayen Southeastern Services Office
Fitness and Wellness Coordinator 8200 Hampson Street, Suite 200
Membership Consultant New Orleans, LA 70118
Tel: 212.786.5128 Tel: 504.866.5090
E-mail: anthonys@jcca.org Fax: 504.866.8164
Merrin Center for Teen Services ***JCC Association Israel Office
Aaron Selkow Solomon and Mary Litt Building
Vice-President, Program Services, 12 Hess Street
Director, Merrin Center for Teen Jerusalem, 94185, Israel
Services Tel: 011.972.2.625.1265
Tel: 212.786.5144 Fax: 011.972.2.624.7767
E-mail: aaron@jcca.org
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