State Of The JCC

The new Center Fitness Club at the West Bloomfield JCC.

Annual meeting looks at life after major renovation is completed.

SHARON LUCKERMAN
Staff Writer

W

ship had been as low as 3,322. After
renovation, the JCC surpassed its
membership target of 3,800. At
4,069, it's the highest in three years,
with revenue from membership dues
going from 16 to 19 percent since
last year.
Of that membership, said JCC
Executive Director David Sorkin,
the non-Jewish participation remains
constant at 5 percent (about 200
memberships). This participation
may be larger with sports activities
and smaller at Jewish programs.

ORT). The Henry and Delia Meyers
Library, in partnership with the
Alliance, is nearly complete and will
open in September.
At the JCC in Oak Park, the
Meyer and Anna Prentis Social Hall
was the major renovation project.
"This past year marks a real mile-
stone in the success of our key cul-
tural projects," Lis said.
This was a banner year for the
Jewish Book Fair, which attracted a
record 15,000 attendees, and the
Lenore Marwil Film Festival, which
broke all records with more than
19,500 tickets sold. Also, the
weeklong MusicFest debuted
this month. The Florence
Melton Jewish Adult Mini-
School and the Seminars for
Adult Jewish Enrichment had a
successful year as well.
"Our day camp and child

tt,
increased from 29 percent last year
to 34 percent this year. Total income
of the JCC is $9.8 million, with
expenses running $9.95 million and
a projected deficit of $150,000.
Stepped-up fund-raising through
the aggressive pursuit of sponsors
and donors will help cover opera-
tional budget shortfalls.

hat a difference a year
makes.
That was the report to
150 people attending the annual
meeting of the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan Detroit June
16.
"This year we have seen the
Projections and Challenges
fruition of a dream," said Douglas
"When the [D. Dan and Betty]
Bloom, representing the Jewish
Kahn and Jimmy Prentis Morris
Federation of Metropolitan
buildings were constructed, this was
Detroit and its banking arm,
a very different Jewish community,"
the United Jewish
Expenses by Major Area
Lis told the annual meeting audi-
Foundation. "Tonight we can
Fringe
ence.
say with pride that we have
Benefits 7%
In the nearly 40 years since the
established the JCC as our
West Bloomfield Center opened, it
Jewish center of activity ... a
and other JCCs around the- country
venue for recreation, leisure
have had to reinvent their opera-
learning, meeting, lifecycle
Salaries
tional philosophy and realign their
events and more.
Outside
Services
7%
51%
mission to make themselves
JCC President Hannan Lis
more relevant and appeal-
echoed Bloom's words when
Revenue by Major Area
ing within a market-driven
he took the podium for the
economy.
78-year-old agency.
All
Other
All Other
"The community which
Program
Both referred to the com-
7%
10%
we now serve is more
pletion of the largest renova-
Service Fees
diverse, transient and
tion project undertaken by
JFMD/UJF
34%
demanding than ever
The
West
Bloomfield
JCC
any JCC in the country and the sin-
21%
before," Lis said. "How well
now has two gyms in anticipa-
gle largest building project under-
we run our for-profit busi-
taken by the Detroit Jewish commu- tion of greater use.
Gifts and
ness [like the Center Fitness
nity. Work at the West Bloomfield
Club] will determine how
and Oak Park locations took five
Grants 9%
United Way 5%
Breadth Of Work
much funds we have for all
years to complete.
our community-based pro-
Over the last five years, new
Restricted
To support the construction plan,
Membership
grams."
traffic
has
been
sparked
at
the
Federation raised $35 million from
Funds 5%
Is there a plan for the
JCC in West Bloomfield with
19%
its massive capital and endowment
future?
the openings of the Center
drive, the Millennium Campaign for
"We are in the last year of
Detroit's Jewish Future, which began Fitness Club and its Executive
our five-year plan, which became a
development center are both on
Locker Room as well as the Jeanette
in 1999. The JCC's final goal is to
seven-year business plan, which we
their way to a record year," Lis said.
Weinberg Judaic Enrichment Center
raise an additional $2.5 million to
are completing in July 2005," Sorkin
The
Sarah
and
Irving
Pitt
Child
that
houses
a
children's
cultural
round out the capital campaign, said
said.
Development
Center
hit
its
200-stu-
museum,
Shalom
Street
(affiliated
Mark Davidoff, Federation's execu-
The last plan had grand initiatives,
dent mark for the first time. The day
with Federation's Alliance for Jewish
tive director and CFO.
he added.
camp experienced a double-digit
Education), and a technological
•
Though it's too soon to tell, indi-
"The next three-year vision will be
increase, with almost 1,000 children.
resource service, the David B.
cations are that the renovation has
This success is reflected in revenue more operational oriented. Now that
Hermelin ORT Resource Center
made a difference.
the building and fund-raising is in
from program service fees, which
(supported by Women's American
During the renovation, member-

"

Graphics courtesy of JCC Annual Report 2003-2004

6/25

2004

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