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January 5, 2001/Tevet 17, 5761, Vol. 53, No.14
JCC aims to serve entire community
LEISAH NAMM
Staff Writer
Once the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center facility opens in Scottsdale, it will become a "neighborhood gathering place - the neighborhood being the entire Jewish community."
That's the vision according to JCC President Mark Shore.
But until the scheduled 2002 completion of the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus on Scottsdale Road and Sweetwater Avenue, Valley Jews should know that the center is "active now."
In the absence of a permanent home, the center's current programs, ranging from sports leagues and summer camp for children to meals programs for the elderly, are held at various Valley locations.
In an interview, Shore talked at length about current center programs and what he envisions for the new campus.
Youth
"We've expanded our programs for youth this year and will continue to expand," Shore said.
The center's preschool serves about 180 children from 2 months to kindergarten on the grounds of Temple Chai in Phoenix.
During the summer, the center offers Shemesh Day Camp for kindergarteners through eighth graders, including swimming, arts and crafts, music, drama and Judaica. Ruach on the Go is an expanded day-trip program for older elementary school children, and a sports camp serves kids ages 7-11.
In October, the center started a JCC Junior Maccabi Program. Initially a soccer league, it now includes basketball and possibly baseball.
"We will respect something that Little League does not - Hebrew school," Shore said. "We don't really want Jewish kids to have to choose (between after-school sports and Hebrew school)."
A new program, "Me & My Dad," for dads and their kindergarten-through-second grade children, was developed to bring Jewish dads and their children together. Group leader is Kim Biggard, director of Youth and Camping Services.
Teens
For teens, the center will provide an expansion of the camp's counselor-in-training (C.I.T.) program and will administer Young Judea, a group sponsored by Hadassah for children grades 3-12.
"My sense is when the JCC is built and open and functional, BBYO (B'nai B'rith Youth Organization), which used to be part of the JCC on Maryland, will probably create a focal point at the JCC for itself as well," Shore said.
He also envisions making the physical education complex available Saturday nights after Shabbat for members of Jewish youth groups to hold shared activities.
Tryouts for the JCC Maccabi Games will be held in February for ages 13-16, competing in basketball, soccer, golf, cross country, table tennis, tennis and bowling.
Youths who make the teams will compete against other JCC teams in regional games to be held in August in Sarasota, Fla.
Singles
The center will do some singles-specific programming, but will focus more on quality programming for adults in general, Shore said.
"If someone wants to take a class in learning how to use a computer, they don't need to be single," he said.
Programming by age group rather than by marital status will help avoid the problem of the wide age span of previous singles programming, he said, citing the Young Leadership Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix as a good example.
"YLD is a great role model ... because they serve people up to a certain age, whether they're married or not."
The center is also looking into starting a Jewish dating service and will offer holiday programs, such as Passover seders, to singles.
Adults
The center is currently looking to organize a formal study program for adults, perhaps with the Bureau of Jewish Education or the Tri-City JCC.
One pilot program, sponsored by the Jewish Community Center Association of North America, will connect Phoenix via satellite with the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan and other American Jewish communities.
The first event, on March 11, will include talk-show host Dennis Prager, author and philosopher Anne Roiphe and attorney Alan Dershowitz discussing issues facing the contemporary Jewish community.
Participants can join in discussions through instant e-mails or phone calls.
For recreation, the center runs a men's basketball league in North Phoenix and plans to start a league in Scottsdale.
Seniors
The JCC Seniors' Center serves 50-60 seniors each day from its facility at 1805 W. Montebello in Phoenix.
Belle Soltz, who has worked with the senior program for 28 years, called it "a 'home away from home,' plus, it gives us all a reason to get up in the morning."
Seniors play cards and games, exercise, join in discussion groups and participate in other activities.
"It makes life worthwhile," said Jim Kline, 98, whose family drops him off each morning on their way to work. "I'm glad we have a center to spend our time away from home."
The Seniors' Center also serves hot meals to anyone 55 years and older or disabled, with a suggested $3 donation.
"The meal, for many of the seniors, is the only hot meal they get in 24 hours," Shore said.
The center's Meals on Wheels program, the only kosher meal delivery program in Maricopa County, takes 60 meals each day to homebound seniors.
It is anticipated that the meals program will remain at the Montebello location, Shore said.
When planning senior programming for the new center, "we'll differentiate between what we do for the frailer elderly versus the rest of the elderly population," he said.
Community support
Volunteer task forces begin meeting this month to make decisions about JCC programs, dues and membership recruitment.
"We're forming these task forces to look at the different programming areas of the JCC so that when we open, we'll have in place the programs that the community desires," said Bob Silver, vice chairman of the JCC board.
Silver said he became involved with the JCC five years ago because "I wanted to see a strong, vibrant Jewish community center, not only for a place that can hopefully draw in those people who are unaffiliated, but also truly a central meeting point for the entire Jewish community of Phoenix."
Current membership is $118, which includes admittance to JCCs nationally.
Since the closing of the Maryland Avenue JCC in 1996, center programs have been held at synagogues, public schools and other locations. Shore hopes to continue to work with the synagogues and other Jewish agencies.
"The goal of the JCC is not to become competition," he said.
Facility features
"As the building is built, we'll have a fitness program, aerobics, jazzercise, dance studios, art studios - just about any program you can think about we can offer," Shore said. Other planned features are a full fitness facility with state-of-the-art equipment and massage therapy services.
The JCC's new building will have a social hall that can accommodate catered events and, with a stage and risers, be set up for performances.
Also at the center will be a kosher coffee shop supervised by the Greater Phoenix Vaad Hakashruth.
Shore said he wants the community to know the center will be responsive to its members' needs.
"We'd even like to be proactive and know what the needs are before they're needs," he said.
The current office is at 8010 E. Morgan Trail, Suite 5, Scottsdale 85258. Call 480-483-7121.
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