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of nearly the entire staff to
the rehiring of most of that
staff after securing a Payroll
Protection Program loan.

And then preparations for
summer camp had to begin.

As hard as the last year has
been, though, the efforts to
remain open were a reminder of
what Krulik loved about her job
— thinking about community
fundamentals and the best way
to get people what they needed.

Krulik announced her
departure in an email to
members on Feb. 9, writing
that her last four years working
with the staff have “been
nothing short of remarkable.”
“I am eternally grateful for
the faith and trust that you
have placed in me,” Krulik
wrote. “The JCC has always
and will always have a special
place in my heart.”
Cindy Smukler, president
of the JCC’s board of direc-
tors and a longtime friend of
Krulik’s, said she was disap-
pointed that the JCC would
be losing her, but understood
that MLRT represented “a
wonderful opportunity.”
“Amy has accomplished
much over the past four years
as the CEO of the Kaiserman
JCC,” Smukler said. “We will
miss her leadership and her
talent. With that being said,
we are excited about this new
opportunity and hope to
replace her talent.”
An interim CEO hasn’t been
named. In 1997, Krulik was hired
as the director of communica-
tions and cultural arts at the
JCC, and then transitioned to
a role as membership director
and site director until 2003.

The Krulik family became
deeply enmeshed there. As
she told the Jewish Exponent
in 2017, her children attended
camp, preschool and after-
school programs at the JCC.

From 2003 and 2016, Krulik
held leadership roles at the
Jewish Relief Agency, Colonial
Plantation and JCCs of Greater
Philadelphia, returning to the
JCC as CEO in 2017.

Joel H. Ginsparg, presi-
dent of the board of trustees at
MLRT, said a search committee
scoured the nation for candi-
dates when the synagogue’s
last executive director, Janet
Lee, resigned around the
High Holidays in 2020. MLRT
considered at least 30 candi-
dates from across the country,
conducting interviews by
Zoom. In the end, the search
committee settled on Krulik,
who was already familiar with
the synagogue’s people, history
and culture.

“She just happened to be the
cream of the crop,” Ginsparg
said. “She was the person that
really stood out as we went
through and completed the
process, which is why we’re
thrilled and excited that she’s
joining us.”
When Krulik was contacted
by the search committee, she
was immediately intrigued. In
the last year, Krulik said, she
found herself leaning more
heavily on Jewish ethical study
and Jewish spiritual connec-
tion than she ever anticipated.

So when MLRT offered her
the opportunity to marry
her professional life with
that newfound connection to
religion, Krulik was thrilled
to accept.

“I’m excited to focus
Jewishly on things, on Jewish
practice and Jewish spirituality
in our community,” she said.

At MLRT, Krulik will be
asked to take on a dual role
requiring her to fundraise while
running a complex operation
that has a large congregation,
a religious school and an early
childhood education program.

There will be plenty of
changes: In addition to focusing
more on religious engagement,
Krulik joked that she expected to
see far fewer naked gym-goers,
preschool students and campers
every day.

“I’m proud,” she said laugh-
ingly of her JCC tenure, “that
we have created a comfortable
and respectful environment for
people when they’re at their
least clothed.” l
jbernstein@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740
Amy Krulik will the leave
Kaiserman JCC by the end of March.

Courtesy of Amy Krulik
The JCC has always and will always have a special place in my heart.”
AMY KRULIK
Basketball instruction at Kaiserman’s Camp Kef in 2020
16 FEBRUARY 18, 2021
James Mara hangs out at Camp Kef.
JEWISH EXPONENT
Photos by Janine Nelson
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM