Federation Annual Campaign Kick-Off Event

L-R Stuart Forman, Interim Executive Director, Paula Chaiken, Event Chairperson, Paul Lantz, Federation President, Fred Levy, 2013 Campaign Chair.
High Holiday Update from the Jewish Federation of Greater Wilkes-Barre
September 2012

Over the past year, the Wilkes-Barre Jewish community has moved forward with many exciting projects and accomplishments, especially in the areas of facilities and governance.  Here’s a summary: 

Paul Lantz

Over the past year, our community has accomplished the following …
• Under the leadership of the JCC, completed a programming study to determine how to re-energize the programming we offer.  The study concluded that the JCC needs to develop additional revenue sources beyond membership dues and annual contributions, and identified several potential areas, including day camp and early childhood education.  The entire study is available on the JCC’s website.
• Analyzed our current agency governance structure.  The JCC, Federation and JFS concluded that our current structure is duplicative and that we should combine these agencies and hire a community executive director.  This decision was arrived at through discussion with national agencies and utilizing a governance expert. 
• Completed a pre-campaign assessment to determine the level of interest in the community for a major capital campaign.  The assessment, based on in-person interviews with over 60 members of the community, concluded that the vast majority of individuals support a campus concept and that a campaign could raise $5-7 million for such a project. 
• Invested over $200,000 to improve the camp facility. 
• Began the design phase for a community campus on 3rd Avenue.  All three synagogues, as well as all significant community agencies, are participating in the design process, which is funded by the Federation.  Committees have been formed to determine the space requirements and facilities relating to athletics, office/auditorium and other common areas, early childhood education, and sacred spaces. 
• Should a 3rd Avenue campus be the ultimate community decision, we have secured grant money totaling $1.2 million. 

What you can expect over the next few months…
• Completion of the design phase for the 3rd Avenue campus, including 2D & 3D drawings, construction cost estimates, and cost estimates for on-going operational costs so that each synagogue can determine if there is a financial benefit of moving to a campus.  This will then be compared to an analysis of the state of the community’s current facilities, including costs to rehab each building for the next generation of use.  Once the review is complete and a decision made as to facilities (i.e. relocate to a campus or remain in our current buildings), a capital campaign will begin to raise funds to rebuild our infrastructure.
• Continued progress on the merging of agency boards and the hiring of a community executive director 

Hopefully all this will be wrapped up by the end of 2012.

Finally, with all this going on, our agencies are ongoing.  We completed our annual 2012 campaign by raising $460,000 and allocating $388,000 to our local agencies.  Total contributions this year were down by 15% which impacted all agencies, so please give generously this year when asked.

An umbrella association of organizations in our Jewish community and is responsible for the United Jewish Campaign, UJA, the JCC of Wyoming Valley, United Hebrew Institute, jewish Family Service, the Jewish Home, the Mikvah, the Vaad Hakashrut and various national agencies. The function of the Jewish Federation goes beyond the fund-raising campaign and includes planning and budgeting, young leadership programs, education, media liaison, Jewish outreach, monitoring and response, local resettlement of Soviet Jews, and community relations.
Fred Levy will chair the 2012 Annual Campaign

Paul Lantz, President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Wilkes-Barre is pleased to announce Frederick Levy will chair the 2013 Annual Campaign.  The Annual Campaign raises funds, which support our local institutions and Jewish communities throughout the world.

 

The Jewish Federation’s values of compassion, charity, generosity and responsibility inspire us to improve the quality of life for people in our community, in Israel and in over seventy countries every day.  Our community cares for people in need and helps to nurture and sustain Jewish identity for generations to come.

 

Locally, the Federation Annual Campaign supports the Jewish Community Center and its Day Camp, the United Hebrew Institute, Jewish Family Service, Bais Menachem Youth Development Program, the Vaad, Mikveh and Eruv.  Contributions to the Campaign are critical to these agencies and those they serve. 

 

As it is written, “Every Jew is responsible for the other.”  Please give as generously as you can; everyone can make a world of difference right now.
Federation Update
At our recent Federation Board meeting we undertook two processes that we believe are necessary next steps for our community.
 
Everyone is probably aware that there is an ongoing analysis at the JCC.  This analysis focuses on the programs the JCC needs to run to provide services to its membership in a way that is fiscally sound.  This review includes a comparison of the real estate and repairs needed for the current building versus the potential to create a campus on 3rd Ave.  The major components of these analyses are how much it is going to cost and how we are going to raise the money.  To get these answers we have engaged the EHL Consulting team, led by Robert Evans, to answer the hardest questions for us:  which option should we choose, and how much money can we raise.  Over the next three months EHL Consulting will be conducting a Pre-Campaign Assessment to give us this information. 
 
Simultaneously we feel it is a good time to get all the agencies together to discuss our community governance.  Currently the Federation is without an Executive Director and Jewish Family Services has an interim Director.  We have multiple Boards with many individuals serving on more than one Board.  With a community currently less than half the size it was when this structure was created, we are suffering from volunteer burn-out.  Further, we may not be delivering the services our community needs.  We discussed with individuals from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) what other communities our size (both in population and campaign) are doing.  They recommended we bring in a professional to facilitate discussions among all our agencies to determine the best form of affiliation for our particular community, to help us establish the best form of governance for such an affiliation, and to assist us in achieving those goals to the benefit of our entire Jewish community.  We have engaged Stuart Forman to assist us in these efforts.  Again, this should be a three- to four-month process. 
 
Why so many consultants?  The Federation recognizes that we are without an overall professional community leader.  This makes it difficult for the community to run its Federation Campaign effectively, provide young leadership programs, and formulate and carry out long-term community strategic plans.  We also recognize we do not have the experience or breadth of knowledge that others may have.  Even recognizing the expense of two consultant engagements, the Board believes that these expenses will lead to long-term, cost-effective decisions and a stronger, more efficient community governance structure. 
 
One final note:  you may recall that the Federation engaged a lobbyist to help secure funding for the 3rd Avenue campus.  Since this project is still being evaluated, the owners of the 3rd Avenue property have reimbursed the Federation for the cost of the lobbyist.
 
 
Paul Lantz
Jewish Federation President
Pre-Campaign Assessment Report and Recommendations

NEPA Jewish Federation Business & Trade Alliance and Website (Greater Wilkes-Barre Chapter)

The motivation behind establishing a Greater Wilkes-Barre Alliance Chapter is to recognize that we are one “family” – that we have a responsibility to assist in promoting our collective business interests, directing interested parties to our business web sites, directing our products and services to the world market, facilitating our hiring processes, and sharing ideas with one another that will promote our business interests at the local, regional, national and international levels.

Expand Jewish Connections for Your Business! Social Media, Outreach, Networking, Business Referrals. Good for you! Good for our community!! Good for the future!!!
 
I am pleased to announce that Jewish businesses in Northeast Pennsylvania now have a forum to exchange information and increase their client base - all-the-while strengthening the unity of the Jewish communities of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike and Wayne Counties.
 
An Alliance Chapter has already been established in Greater Scranton and Wilkes-Barre and we intend to establish another in the Poconos as well. All Chapters will be united through our new Business and Trade Alliance web site and the hosting of joint Alliance programs www.jewishnepabta.org.

This enterprise has been undertaken as a service to you and your business, to insure the continuity of our Jewish communities here in Northeast PA.
 
Once our Chapter is established, we expect the annual membership fee (after the first year) to be a mere $125 - a fee to be used exclusively to underwrite Alliance program expenses.

Program sponsorships from our local businesses will be encouraged.

As business men and women, your accumulated knowledge and experience will be invaluable in deciding which programs would best promote Alliance objectives (that is, your business objectives), not just in Northeastern Pennsylvania, but throughout the country, Israel, and the world.
 
If our new Alliance Chapter can promote joint local, regional, national or international business ventures between our NEPA members and facilitate joint financing for such enterprises - all the better.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (o) 570-408-1640 or (e) jroth@lwrwinders.com  or Mark Silverberg, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania at (o) 570-961-2300 (ext. 1); (c) 570-335-2787 or (e) mark.silverberg@jewishnepa.org. 

I hope you and/or any interested member(s) of your family will be a part of our new Business and Trade Alliance (Greater Wilkes-Barre Chapter).

Thanks,
 
Jeff Roth, Vice President
Jewish Federation of Greater Wilkes-Barre

 

EITC

Educational Improvement Tax Credit Committee
The Jewish Federation has been an approved scholarship organization of the EITC - Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program of the state of PA since 2001.  Businesses apply to the state for approval of donations up to $300.000.00 (annually) and receive tax credits from 75% up to 100%. The EITC Committee meets annually to distribute the funds from EITC donations to local Jewish educational institutions to assist with the scholarship needs of their students.

Some businesses that participate in the EITC program through the Jewish Federation are:

A. Rifkin Company
Almo Corp.
Phillip Ball Company
Benco Dental
Louis Cohen & Son
First Liberty Bank & Trust
First National Community Bank
Frontier
Guard Insurance
Hillcrest Produce
KNTB-National Penn Bank
Luzerne Bank
M&T Bank
Medico Rental
Penn Footwear
PNC Capital Markets LLC
Race West
Sparky’s Transportation
Town Business Center
The Woodland’s Inn & Resort

How to Apply:

Complete the one-page application (SO or PKSO) and mail to the address listed or send your completed application to the Federation office for delivery in Harrisburg on the opening day for submissions.

Important Dates to note:
First year SO and Pre-K application submissions will be accepted beginning July 2, 2012.
Pass-through application submission will be accepted beginning July 9, 2012.
Second year applications for 2 year approved applications can be submitted beginning May 15 through June 29, 2012.

For more information on the EITC program, contact the Federation office at 570-822-4146.

Click Here for the EITC Form

 

Our local PJ Library is made possible through the support of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Center. For more information on our local PJ Library, please contact Barbara Sugarman, Adult & Cultural Director,  PJ Library at mrsshugs@aol.com or call 824-4646.

The PJ Library Registration - sign up your child age 6 months to 8 years

JCC Market Study

Dear Community members; 

     Attached are the results from the survey that was distributed to the community back in the fall.  The results of the  surveys were used to assist the JCC Programming Committee in understanding the optimal mix of programs and services for current JCC members and potential users. Your responses were helpful in helping us to build the best business model for the JCC.   In the next few weeks we will have a final report that we will share with the entire community in order to help us move forward as a JCC. 

Sincerely,

 Stephen Rosenthal

JCC Marketing/Programming Committee Chairman


Click here to read the Market Study Report
The Jewish Federation Campaign

Each year, the Jewish Federation runs a campaign to generate funds for the support of local, national and international Jewish philanthropic purposes.  Super Sunday is held each year, with the goal to contact every member of the Jewish community to support our community needs.

Professionals Committee
Rabbis and community organization executives meet on a monthly basis in order to foster unity within our local community and assist in the planning of community-wide programming.

This year, join the Jewish Federation of NEPA Israel trip with our optional extension in Budapest!

Click here for more information
Support Local JCC Businesses
To support our local JCC business members we will be creating an area in the JCC where you can display flyers and business cards relating to your business. Please contact us at 824-4646 to find out more information. Develop business contacts through networking that will facilitate growth in each JCC member's business.