H EADLINES
The Kaiserman JCC pool’s heated tent
Courtesy of Kaiserman JCC
I see the antidote to the last 16 months as
[being] JCCs. “People need community more
than ever before.”
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May 6 – 12, 2021
ALAN SCHER
“I see the antidote to the last
16 months as [being] JCCs,” he
said. “People need community
more than ever before.”
Scher has no preconceptions
heading into the job, saying
“it’s somewhat folly,” to come
in with pre-formed ideas. By
listening and building relation-
ships, the proper direction
should present itself, he said.

Scher described the JCC
fi nancially as a three-legged
stool, with Camp Kef and the
Robert J. Wilf Preschool and
Kindergarten components
doing well — camp enrollment
is topping the pre-pandemic
2019 numbers — but the
largely closed fi tness compo-
nent creating a major hole.

Th at means fundraising will
be a key component of his job.

“Fundraising is essential for
every JCC right now. It’s not a
luxury right now,” Scher said.

“Increasingly, philanthropy
has had to fi ll that gap.”
Th e structure of local JCCs
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has changed radically in recent
years. The Jewish Community
Centers of Greater Philadelphia
split up in 2009, leaving
the three branches — the
Kaiserman JCC, the Gershman
Y and the Klein and Stiff el
JCCs — on their own, including
regarding fundraising.

Th e Kaiserman JCC is now
the only true JCC in the fi ve
Southeastern Pennsylvania
counties. Th e Gershman Y
morphed into the Gershman
Philadelphia Jewish Film
Festival and the Klein and
Stiff el JCCs merged into one
entity called KleinLife to refl ect
a larger communal role.

Still, Scher said he’s an
optimist by nature.

“I have found out already
that the Philadelphia Jewish
community is a special place,”
he said. ●
agotlieb@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0797
JEWISH EXPONENT
MAY 6, 2021
9