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JCC page 3
Dr. Stern knows from experi-
Centers that are now striving
for success need to deliver com- ence there are no quick fixes, and
petitive services in early-child- modifications are painful. In or-
hood, camp and sports-and- der to get from Point A to Point
fitness areas, according to Mr. B, he and the leadership in At-
lanta took an overall look at the
Finkelstein.
"I call these areas the core agency. -
They kept stnfrwho could pro-
businesses of a JCC," he said.
vide for the artistic and
"These three areas have
financial successes the
to be up-to-date, in good
agency needed and
condition and provide
Buildin g for the
the best value for the future of t he Jewish hired individuals from
dollar. That is respond- Communi ty Center. outside the JCC move-
ment.
ing to the consumer. It's
The agency created
not a cycle. It's an ongo-
a business plan that took a hard,
ing challenge."
Dr. Tobin said successful objective approach to determin-
JCCs are those that are'highly ing the future of the organiza-
involved in community building tion.
"We created stringent finan-
and Jewish education and offer
cial controls, looked at how cash
innovative programs for teens.
One highly successful center flows through the institution,
is Atlanta's. But things were not created points of accountability
always rosy in this large South- and streamlined employee ex-
ern metropolis. Several years penses," he said.
One executive director who
ago the Atlanta Jewish Com-
munity Center (AJCC) had a says she pays particular atten-
$1.1 million operating deficit. tion to Atlanta is Leah Ann Kle-
Membership was sagging. Staff infeldt. The Detroit director is in
morale was down and the cen- contact with a dozen centers na-
ter was cutting programs dras- tionwide.
The JCCA is keenly aware of
tically to survive. In general, the
community was reluctant to get the need to look to the future for
all centers. Five national task
involved.
Then, in 1991, when a newly forces are looking at the ques-
hired executive director was tion of what a Jewish center
brought on, the situation start- should look like in the year 2000
and beyond.
ed to change.
One group is studying services
Director Harry D. Stern, who
went from the San Diego JCC to for families with young children.
Atlanta, worked with staff and Another is examining youth ser-
lay leaders to rewrite the script. vices. A third is looking at ser-
It took four years, but the sce- vices for adult populations.
nario improved drastically. In Others are working on a Jewish
1990, the agency had a $5.9 mil- education report and looking at
lion budget and $7 million in ex- the nature of center membership
penses. In 1995, the agency had in the next five to 10 years.
"Two years from now we will
a balanced budget of $9.6 mil-
be able to say, 'Here is our vision
lion.
The AJCC also achieved the for 2,000 and beyond,' " Mr.
highest membership figures in Finkelstein said.
Added Dr. Tobin, "Everyone is
its history and, according to Dr.
Stern, the community feels a in the searching mode rather
sense of ownership and the staff than the solution mode. Some
JCCs are redefining themselves.
feels empowered.
"Instead of cutting to survive, The ones with problems will have
we're building for the future," Dr. to think about their mission.
Stern said. "We continue ex- Some can be the same and some
panding our programming. We will have to be different. There
have identified who we are and is and will always be a tremen-
what we stand for, and we are dous need for institutions that
developing programming around bring people together, teach and
provide services." ❑
that mission."