News
This week in Federation:
Discussion of the JCDSRI Funding
June 26, 2006
I apologize for the length of this article. It is very long, but the
Special Board meeting was very important, and you can't read what I
leave out. You can skip or skim through it, and you know that I'll be on
vacation next week, so this has to last two weeks. Consider it a double
issue.
The Big Buzz continued this week - about the meeting held Monday
night in the JCC Social Hall. If you weren't there, let me bring you up
to date.
Attendance was incredible. According to sign-in sheets, over 60
members of the Board and 25 guests attended. One challenging part of
being Interim Exec is preparing for these meetings. Since people don't
always have the time to respond to the call to the meeting (only 20
responses at meeting time), I take a shot at how many will show. But I
understand that it's more important to attend than to respond. It just
makes my job a little more interesting.
The meeting started with an explanation by the President, Herb Stern,
of the purpose of the meeting. He explained that Board members were
invited to sit at a large horseshoe-shaped table and guests in the
chairs in the back for the ease of counting votes, but that everyone
would have a chance to speak. (Board members from Jewish Community Day
School - JCDS, Providence Hebrew Day School, the Bureau of Jewish
Education and the Jewish Seniors Agency attended, too).
He recapped the history of the JCDS noting that in February 2005,
Federation had seeded the start-up costs of the school with a $425,000
grant. Tonight was another phase of that process: a request for
programming for $1,000,000 and for $225,000 for capital improvements -
all over a six year period.
(Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.) He noted that there
could very well be another phase: a new permanent home for the school.
The President also reviewed some of the frequently asked questions.
Why don't we resolve the Hebrew Day School needs now? Because
Federation is reviewing their financial issues, and since both schools
are important, we don't want to ask JCDS to wait until we know the scope
of the problem at Hebrew Day.
Why did the call to the meeting say "in conjunction with the Bureau"
when that wasn't true? It was an error, the President explained, and he
apologized. (That was really my fault, but you just can't get good
help.)
Will this hurt other agencies? Obviously, there is just so much money
in the pot and when money is allocated to one agency, it affects all
others.
Why is this being done at the last minute? In a perfect world, this
request would have been submitted three months ago. But it wasn't.
Should we then wait a year? (What's more Jewish than to answer a
question with a question?) The President's answer: it's late but not too
late to do it, if the Board decides.
The President then asked Mat Shuster, chair of a JFRI ad-hoc
committee to report.
Mat related the process his committee went through - the fact that
the 5 year budget presented was both a core budget and one to achieve a
"school of excellence." He stated that the committee separated the two
parts of the budget; that to produce a school of excellence would
require $5.6 million more over 5 years but that the school would produce
an additional $3.6 million from increased enrollment, tuitions and
fundraising; that there would therefore be a $2 million shortfall; and,
finally, that the committee was recommending that the community, that is
Federation, fund one-half over
a six year period based upon the conditions that it was subject to a
yearly review (at least) by the Bureau and that the school match the
funds given by Federation.
The committee also recommended that JCDS borrow $400,000 now to cover
their immediate needs for funds, but that Federation pay the interest
for the next six years. (The reason for this is because Federation was
being asked to allocate funds now, in advance, from its 2006-2007 year
and thus the funds would not be available until January 2007.)
The stage was being set, the discussion ready to begin, and the
wheels were turning in everyone's minds. But first: Minna Ellison,
Executive Director of the Bureau of Jewish Education - the educational
professionals on whom Federation relies - described a vision for the
community.
She spoke eloquently that our community "faces challenges but that we
are at a moment of unparalleled potential to move beyond the obstacles."
She noted all the planning that had been done, that so many in the room
had participated in that work and that tonight was a manifestation of
that bold vision. For too long, she continued, "we have not given day
school education the attention it deserves. Now is the time to change
that."
Bruce Wolpert, Board chair of JCDS, noted the passion in the room,
the fact that we are crafting the future of the community and that we
need to start now.
And then was the piece de resistance: Dani Steiner, head of JCDS, who
spoke so well of what the money would do at JCDS. Last I week I
mentioned all the changes the school wants to make, but Monday night he
placed meat on the bones.
He spoke of cutting-edge teaching and educational methods to include:
more time for classroom advisors; the addition of a part-time school
counselor; an integrated arts program; and new faculty and
administrators.
He related how there would be a multi-denominational Judaic
curriculum including a new Milestone Events program; there will be two
full hours per week when the Middle School students may elect either
Judaic or general studies; and students will an opportunity to explore
and learn about
services for all denominations - an experience in Jewish diversity.
He talked of community focused programs including Shabbatonim
(community weekends); adult multi-denominational text study groups; and
education collaborations with synagogues, agencies and Sunday schools.
And he emphasized the importance of community service programs and
how there will be an aggressive recruitment, public relations and
marketing efforts. He showed drawings of what the new outside of the
school will look like.
When the President called for questions (after a motion was placed on
the floor), there was a momentary pause - people were still catching
their breath. But members rose to the occasion.
Here's a sampling of comments - usually in answer to a question:
All the funds will come from unrestricted endowment income.
We have an aging community and there's nothing more important than a
school of excellence.
Fall River had a school they didn't attend to, and now their
endowment supports an empty building. Let's not let that happen here.
Let's get started. We've already wasted two years
$1,225,000 is a cheap price to pay if we get to 300 students [in five
years. Now at 180.]
We keep doing studies but take no action. We need to act now
And act they did, by passing the motion. And maybe, just maybe, the
Rhode Island Jewish community made a historic decision.
It was obvious that the President had done a magnificent job in
preparing for and leading the meeting. He exemplified leadership at its
best: even-handed, knowledgeable but in control.
And it was obvious that Dani had sold his product. In his low key
way, he presented a plan that people could understand and wanted for
their children and grandchildren. He had defined a "school of
excellence."
On the way back to my office, I tried to use my security card to gain
entrance to Federation, but it wouldn't work. Is someone telling me
something? I found out later, however, that the card was valid only
during certain hours. The $1,225,000 was worth it. I was learning
already.
As a final note, please welcome, Hy Tabachnick, new Interim Executive
Director at the Center who comes to us for six months and brings a world
of experience.
As always, your comments are most welcome. Talk to you in two weeks.
Have an enjoyable 4th and of course, Shabbat Shalom! Hershey.
______________________________
Harris N. Rosen, Interim Executive Vice President
Jewish Federation of Rhode Island
130 Sessions Street Providence R.I. 02906
401-421-4111; Fax: 401-331-7961
HRosen@jfri.org
Back to News Archive
|
