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May 4, 2001/Iyar 11, 5761, Vol. 53, No.31
Study funded by Grossmans
BARRY COHEN
Editor
Harold and Jean Grossman have pledged up to $150,000 to pay for the first Valley-wide Jewish demographic study in 18 years.
The study, already on the drawing board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, had been on hold due to a lack of funding.
The efforts people make to understand our growing community can serve as a model for other cities in the West, Jean Grossman said.
"It was a nice honor for (our family) and something important for the future," she added. They contributed the money in honor of Harold's birthday and the birthdays of his brother, Bud Grossman, and sister, Marion Cohen. Harold and Jean Grossman live in Paradise Valley. Bud lives in Minneapolis and spends winters in the Valley; Marion lives in Encino, Calif.
"(The Grossmans) are unbelievable people who care so much about the community," said Lanny Lahr, federation president. "They put forth their effort and money to work for good things in (the Valley)."
"They had a vision to understand the importance of the study and going forward," said Howard Cabot, chairman of the federation's Population Study Committee. "We want to start (the study) as expeditiously as possible," he added.
Cabot expects the committee to meet in the next 30-45 days and possibly to expand from its current five members.
The committee will consider several proposals recently submitted by research firms, said Art Paikowsky, federation executive vice president. Cabot added that he hopes the committee will select one of these at the next meeting.
Once the study firm is selected, the committee will request information from a variety of sources about types of questions to be included in the survey, he explained.
"The information drawn from this is so important to us in developing a road map for the future," said Paikowsky. "The beauty of a demographic study is that it will assist not only the federation and its constituent agencies, but the other organizations in the community."
The Grossmans helped underwrite the last demographic study in 1983.
"We perceived an urgency and the need that another study be done," said Jean Grossman.
Cabot hopes to conduct the study in the fall.
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