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What attracted him was "the staff, all the people working here.
They're a lot like a family. I formed a lot of relationships and
friendships here."
The assistant building superintendent, Jon oversees security,
room usage, mechanical repairs and ground maintenance and
provides audio-visual and technical support.
Irwin Shaw, right, former
JCC executive director,
welcomes the first fami-
ly to purchase member-
ships at the newly con-
structed Curtis and
Meyers Building in the
late 1950s.
Executive Vice President Emeritus Irwin Shaw figures he spent
about 50 years of the JCC's 75-year history at the JCC, either
as an employee or participant. And at age 90, he still visits fre-
quently. He is revered not only for his leadership, but also for
his innovative programming.
Mr. Shaw served as executive director from 1951 to 1977, a
post he accepted after working for other Jewish communal
agencies and as a teacher in the Detroit Public Schools. It was
during his tenure as executive director that he inaugurated one
of the JCC's most beloved and highly attended programs, the
Annual Jewish Book Fair, now the country's oldest and largest.
His love of Israel and interest in Hebrew language resulted in
the development of a Hebrew program, which netted the agency
another distinction: the Detroit JCC became the first in the
country to have a community shaliach (emissary) to teach about
and encourage tourism to Israel.
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Jon Butler only plan-
ned on working for the
JCC for two weeks,
driving a truck to help
with the move from the
Curtis/Meyers Building
to what is now the D.
Dan and Betty Kahn
Building. But some-
thing attracted him,
and he's been with the
agency for 26 years!
Jon didn't find the JCC by accident. His father was the original
owner's representative when the Kahn Building was under con-
struction.
He says he hasn't seen many changes over the years, except in
communications. "Computers were the biggest thing" as well as
the upgrade of telephone systems to meet the changing needs of
the agency.
What also keeps him at the JCC is his comfort level. "I know
what the job takes. I know what the needs are when a program
is scheduled."
Soft-spoken with a dry sense of humor, Jon Butler has provided
a vital service to the JCC for the past 26 years. Here's looking
toward the next 26!
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From 1977 to 1995, Dr. Morton Plotnick led the Jewish
Community Center into a new era. Beginning in 1965 as the
director of the educational services division, Dr Plotnick
became associate executive director of the agency in 1972.
Upon the retirement of long-time executive director Irwin Shaw,
Dr Plotnick moved into the top administrative post.
During his tenure as executive director, he expanded program
offerings to meet the community's changing needs, developed a
volunteer corps, introduced fine arts exhibitions and made
fund-raising and endowment development major priorities for
the JCC.
Through his involvement in the JCC Maccabi Games, Dr.
Plotnick helped bring the honor of hosting the Games to the
Detroit JCC three times: in 1984, 1990 and 1998.
He predicts a bright and challenging future for the JCC, which
he says will always be the center of the Jewish community.
Executive Director Mort Plotnick, .
center, joins members of his staff
for a celebratory meal during a
JCC staff training in Israel in 1988.