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bankrupt Toronto JCC as recession hits Jewish community
Construction on target Electrical lines are laid in preparation for repaving the parking lot at the JCC. Work is on achedtile, miperviMtrs have announced.
Friedel director resigns tFriedel Jewish Academy is undertaking a nationI u search for a new director following the resignation of Michele J. Riojas, according to Michael Katzman, chairman of the FJA Board. Mrs. Riojas submitted her resignation upon her busbaad'a promotion, which calls for the felly's transfer to Kanaas City. She will continue in tiie position of director while the search for a replacement is underway. *We deeply regret that Mrs. Riojas must leave Friedel. Her dedication, energy, and professionalism have gained the love and respect of the Academy's faculty^ students, and parents, and she has been an immeasurable asset as administrator and educator," Mr. Katzman said. Mr. Katzman said that Mrs. Riojas has contributed significantly to expanding Friedel's general academic curriculum. Under her guidance, the Academy is making plans to include a state-of-theart, computerized curriculum upon moving into the Gordman Education Center, he said. The move is projected for the spring of 1996. "^e are grateful to Mrs. Riojas for leading the Academy to a new level of excellence which will enable the next director to move ahead in positive directions. This is especially important for us as we approach our move into a splendid new building,' he added. Mrs. Riojas expressed mixed emotions about leaving Friadel. *I am extremely pleased that my husband's achievements have been recognized. At the same time, I am very, very sorry to have to leave Omaha and give up my role as director of FJA,* she said. '1 have every confidence," she added, 'that the dedicated toachera and involved parents of Friedel will support my successor as they supported me. I know that, together, they will assure a continuation of the excellence which has become synonymous with Friedel.' According to Mr. Katzman, the matter of most importance after acquisition of a new director is the stepping up of fund-raising. *We hope the community will respond generously to a campaign aimed at providing the best In new technology for the student's of Omaha's Jewish day school,* he said, He pointed out that for Friedel Jewish Academy, as for other Jewish day schools throughout the country, tuition meets only an approximate 60% of •xpensas. 'Other expensiBS must be met by the ganerotlty of a Jewish community that recognizes the importence of an excellent Jewish education.*
By Gil Kezwer Under a reorganization plan, the three branches TORONTO (JTA) — In yet another sign of the pro- of the JCC are to become independent. longed recession rocking Canada and its Jewish The downtowif building will assume $3 million of community along with it, the Jewish Community the debt, while the suburban branch is to raise $1 Center of Toronto has gone bust. miUion. On Aug. 25, the JCC filed notice of its intention More painful adjustments include cancelation of to submit a proposal to creditors under the federal the 1994- 1995 season of the Leah Posluns Theater Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. The proposal must at the Bathurst Street campus, which had hunbe submitted within 30 days. dreds of subscribers. Creditors have a further three weeks to accept or The JCC's popular dance and theater school reject the proposed terms. classes were also canceled, and the Institute of In the boom years of the 1980s, the JCC — which Jewish Learning, an adult- education program, was consiste of a main campus on Bathurst Street, the closed. central artery of Toronto's 160,000-Btrong commuIn addition, 26 full-time and six part-time JCC nity, as well as a downtown building and a subur- staff have been let go, including the director, Paul ban branch — underwent an extensive renovation Brownstein. |H and expansion program. The dismissed staff members, who had received " But as the economy soured, pledges became no advance notice or compensation, are seeking uncollectible. JCC management began teking capi- compensation. tal out of foundation funds and other monies to The jobs of the 276 remaining staff have been cover operating costs. saved, at least temporarily, said Zbar. The Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, which "The action that we've taken has been difficult, funded some programs at the JCC but was inde- but we want to ensure the survival of the institupendent of it, has assumed responsibility for $5 tion," he said. million (Canadian) of the JCC's debte. "We're trying under very difficult circumstances The federation's largest creditor is the Bank of to keep the place open." ^H Montreal, which is owed $9.7 million. Bernie Ghert, president of the Toronto .^| The Honeywell Corp., a manufacturer of comput- Federation, has sent a letter to 26 community leaders, has a $1.1 milUon lien on the JCC for an ener- ers asking them to each personally guarantee gy conservation system it installed. And 290 credi- $100,000 as part of a $2.6 million line of credit. tors, many of th«n small, Jewish-owned businessIn 1992, the cash-strapped Sbaareh Haim es, are owed $1.2 million. Synagogue in Richmond Hill, an afflueot suburb The JCC's total indebtedness is put at between four miles north of Toronto, became the first $13 million to $17 million, said Morris Zbar, the Jewish house of worship in Canada to go bankrupt associate director of the Toronto Federation. in four decades. The Conservative congregation, which once numThe federation will appoint a seven-person board of directors to replace the officers of the near-bank- bered 305 family members, collapsed under a $4.8 million mortgage. rupt community center in order to run the JCC .
Brandeis report says Jewish organizations out of sync By Robert Israel Jewish Advocate, Boston A new Brandeis University study conducted by Gary A. Tobin of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies in Waltham concludes that the Jewish organizational world will have to change dramatically—and soon—if it is not going to be left behind by changes in modem Jewish life. "The present focus and emphasis of many Jewish organizations and institutions are no longer in sync with contemporary Jewish life," Tobin said. "The current concern over the issue of Jewish continuit/ masks the real issue facing the Jewish community: whether or not the existing structure has the capacity to build and nurture the Jewish community of the future." Barry Shrage, who, as head of Boston's Combined Jewish Philanthropies, has been a champion of the phrase "Jewish continuity" and all of ite implications for insuring a generational, educational and organizational link from one generation to the next, agrees with Tobin. "It's absolutely true," Shrage said. "The issue isn't the phrase, it's what you think it means, and whether you have a program to deal with the issue. The real issue is this, what it means to be a Jew in the modem world." Tobin's study, "Creating New Jewish Organizations and Institutions," addresses the challenge of modernity by noting that while Jewish organizaUons and institutions continue to serve many vital functions, these organizations often ignore the needs of contemporary Jews or pay insuflident attention to new types of cUente. Tobin liste community building, enhancement of Israel- Diaspora relations, development of information networks, and the strengthening of Jewish
families, as priorities that are often unaddressed. Among the populations whose needs are not being met, Tobin says, are young unmarried adults, divorced and "blended" families, intermarried cou pies, and relocating Jews of retirement age. "In order to face today's challenges," Shrage said, "we need to make real plans. We need to increase the level and quality of Jewish education, build a new relationship to Israel, and to make a new commitment to social justice. We must create a Jewish life worth living. It's not just about the number of Jews in the world, but whether we can create a Jewish culture compelling enough so that Jews are attracted to it." As an example of a Jewish agency that has undergone such an evolution, Shrage pointe to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Boston. "JCRC has moved from an anti-Semitism agenda to a social agenda," rage said. "It is now moving totally to the language of social justice, building coalitions in the inner-city like Freedom Summer and the Dudley Street Initiative, and involving many younger Jews who are searching for this path to involvement. Tobin's study advocates a fundamental redesign of the entire Jewish comqiunal structure, including: * New institutional approaches to Israel/Diaspora relations which take into account the cultural dif ference between Jews of the Diaspora and of Israel. * Institutional support for Jewish identity programs to enhance religious life and spiritual growtli. * Tlie development of new, innovative institutions for conmunity building and development.