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Compounding The Fuzziness

W

hat does the JCC mean to
you?
Is it a place you send your
kids or your parents — or go your-
self?
Is it a place for sweating or study?
Is it a place to play mah jongg or
hold an ADL fund-raiser?
Do you expect it — or the Jewish
federation — to organize that trip to
Israel? If you're troubled with family
tsores, will you find that comforting
ear at your synagogue or the JCC?
If you think the image of the center
is a little fuzzy, you have a lot of com-
pany.
The role of the JCC has changed
substantially in 21st century
America as compared to 60
years ago. Then, they pro-
vided a country club for
people who couldn't get into
the country club and a meeting place
for people who desperately needed to
feel part of a social community that
complemented the shuls.
That doesn't mean the 350 JCCs,
Young Men's and Young Women's
Hebrew Associations and their related
camps don't have a purpose now. But
with American Jews largely free to
decide for themselves how to be con-
nected to religious and communal
activities, the centers have to define
their role and relevance with great
clarity if they are to enhance Jewish
life. Some of the centers nationally
are vital, engaging places, buzzing
with activity and purpose; others feel
like relics or unfocused.
That problem was at the core of a
yearlong self-study of the JCC's by
the Hagshama (Hebrew for "realiza-
tion") Commission, which reported
its findings last month in Montreal.
The report laid out eight general
goals, including greater flexibility in
membership dues, new programs to

reach non-members, different board
structures, and more collaboration
with other institutions to expand the
centers that now serve one million
members.
But it is woefully short on specifics
— what should a membership cost,
for example — or what is the mini-
mum size for a center to be effective?
And it entirely ducked any serious
discussion of what programs could be
cut from stretched budgets to make
room for the new activities. It refused
even to suggest priorities for what can
stay and what can go. For example, is
adult education more central these
days than Maccabi Games or bringing
speakers from Israel — or
should youth support be the
top essential priority?
The report talks about
,
"inspiring Jewish journeys"
but doesn't say whether better securi-
ty is more needed than better weight
machines.
Part of the report's problem is its
infatuation with jargon. Try, for
instance, to decipher the following,
all-too-typical passage:
"JCC leadership, lay and profes-
sional, must proactively acknowledge
the impact of new models of social
entrepreneurs and venture philanthro-
pists. This new generation of funders
views giving as investing rather than
as charitable contributions. JCCs
would be well served to adopt new,
welcoming, and relevant 'language' in
approaches to resource generation."
Presumably that means "find out
what floats the boats of Jewish phi-
lanthropists, learn to use their buzz-
words and, when you ask them for
money, couch JCC services as a prod-
uct instead of a process.
About the only clear-cut recom-
mendation in the report is to change
the name of the JCC Association to

Dry Bones

BUSH HAS 1NE
SUPPORT OF HIS
PARTY, BUT...

HE NEEDS TO WIN
THE SUPPORT OF
THE PUBLIC.

EDIT ORM

HE NEEDS TO WIN
THE SUPPORT OF
HIS PARTY!

"Jewish Community Centers of
North America." That may mean
something to JCC directors, but it
sure isn't going to boost membership
rolls.
The JCC's that want to play a con-
tinuing meaningful role in American
Jewish life are going to have to make

some tough choices about what they
are and want to be, whom they will
serve with what programs and servic-
es, and at what cost. It would have
been useful if the Hagshama report
had provided some practical guidance
for that process. Sadly, it didn't.

❑

Upward And Onward

W

en the curtain goes up on its annual
meeting next Wednesday, June 16,
Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit leaders must address budget,
staffing and programming challenges while taking
pride in the many proven and newer offerings —
from the Janice Charach Epstein Gallery, InLine
Hockey Center and Sara and Irving Pitt Early
Childhood Development Center to the new

Shalom Street and David B. Hermelin ORT
Resource Center.
Amid these and other success stories like the
Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment, the Lenore
Marwil Jewish Film Festival and the Jewish Book
Fair, JCC leaders must overlay the impact of con-
struction cost overruns, operational deficits and
member recruitment on their vision for the future
of the 78-year-old community pillar. Status of the

Health Club's push to go younger and compete
with private, nearby operations is of particular
interest, too.
The Hagshama Commission won't be of much
help as our JCC presses on And the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit is not an
unlimited financial lifeline though it continues to
help the JCC recalibrate itself. More than ever, our
J CC must look within for answers. ❑

2004

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