View guidelines for submissions, criteria and FAQs for the Lay Leadership Excellence Awards.
Zahav Award (Gold Standard)
Truly outstanding, visionary initiatives with maximum impact or potential for change.
Lay Leadership Excellence Awards
C – STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT
JCC of Greater Washington, Rockville, MD
President: Scott Cohen
Executive Director: Michael Feinstein
Title/Description: Strategic Direction Entering the Next 100 Years
The culmination of a strategic visioning project, which established new statements of mission, vision and core values, as well as the strategic priorities and programmatic initiatives for the JCC of Greater Washington as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2013.
York JCC, York, PA
President: Stewart Weinberg
Executive Director: Randy Freedman
Title/Description: Utilizing JCC Excellence: Benchmarking Data
After an extensive analysis of benchmarking results, a series of meetings were held with select board members and staff to establish the mission statement, vision, strategic values, long-term objectives, and tactical objectives. This is the first time JCC had as much outstanding comparative, quantitative and qualitative data to work with.
Kol Ha Kavod Awards (Honor to You)
Exemplary initiatives that can be replicated by other JCCs.
A – PHILANTHROPIC LEADERSHIP
Rose & Max Rady JCC, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
President: Eric Sawyer
Executive Director: Gayle Waxman
Title/Description: Sports Dinner – Ken Kronson
For 40 years, Ken has chaired the Y Sports Dinner Committee and served on Rady JCC’s board. He has raised over $1M. Recently, he revitalized the dinner, increasing net revenue from $60K to $200K, growing attendance to 1400 and making this a premiere event in Winnipeg. He did so by embarking on an ambitious strategy that took calculated risks, but resulted in a renewed infrastructure and significantly increasing profitability.
Jewish Community Center, St Louis, MO
President: Jonathan Deutsch
Executive Director: Lynn Wittels
Title/Description: Michael Staenberg – Visionary, Philanthropist
Through the leadership of Michael Staenberg, the St. Louis JCC has transformed itself from a struggling agency to one that can serve as a model of success for others. Through the development and implementation of the board’s strategic plan, Michael Staenberg led a process of renewal and revitalization that benefits the entire St. Louis community.
Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, Houston, TX
President: Sam Stolbun
Executive Director: Joel Dinkin
Title/Description: The Continuity Society
The Continuity Society honors donors who annually contribute $10,000 or more to support the programs, services and scholarships of the ERJCC. Members are recognized in the annual report and event publications; receive invitations to special receptions, executive briefings, performances and programs of personal interest. Donors may designate their gifts or provide general support; select to receive benefits (tickets) or have the gift 100 percent deductible. Donors are asked to consider a multi-year commitment.
B – LAY/PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
JCC of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
President: Sheldon Hirst
Executive Director: Ira Jaffee
Title/Description: Program Evaluation
This board/staff endeavor developed a process to easily track departmental performance over time. A one-page instrument was created that illustrates for each program multiple years of budgetary performance and participation, as well as successes, opportunities, threats, and challenges. The program evaluation committee was charged with making recommendations on how to implement changes based on the results of the individual evaluations.
Jewish Community Center, St Louis, MO
President: Jonathan Deutsch
Executive Director: Lynn Wittels
Title/Description: Vice-Chair Portfolios
In an effort to strengthen the JCC and to develop a stronger collaborative effort between the lay leaders and the professional executive staff, newly created portfolios were developed and assigned to selected executive committee board members and corresponding staff. Portfolios included volunteer engagement, governance, agency advancement, and Jewish mission programming. Each lay/staff pair is tasked with thinking strategically and providing reports and recommendations for discussion, development and implementation.
Barshop JCC of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
President: Eric Pullen
Executive Director: Saul Levenshus
Title/Description: Board / Staff Retreat
Both board and professional staff participated in a variety of activities at a board/staff retreat to provide a big picture concept of all that happens at the JCC. This initiative was developed to provide all members of the board and the staff with information that they may not be aware of so that they can be better informed about the JCC.
C – STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT
Lawrence Family JCC of San Diego County- Jacobs Family Campus, La Jolla, CA
President: Melissa Bartell
Executive Director: Michael Cohen
Title/Description: Jacobs Family Campus Integration
Financial sustainability and growth that resulted from the groundbreaking integration of the Agency for Jewish Education to the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture and Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center.
Marcus JCC of Atlanta, Dunwoody, GA
President: Garrett Van de Grift
Executive Director: Gail Luxenberg
Title/Description: Outreach to Engage Those Yet to Participate in Organized Jewish Communal Life.
A new department was created to provide programming in public spaces, create innovative partnerships, and infuse all programs with a Jewish flavor. Shabbat experiences were held in the pool, a moment of Jewish reflection in a Pilates studio, and a rabbi/educator was hired to ensure that every program had a Jewish moment.
Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, Tenafly, NJ
President: Pearl Seiden
Executive Director: Avi Lewinson
Title/Description: Casual Conversations
JCC began this initiative so board members could be better ambassadors to the community, and members/community could have a forum to give feedback to the board. Casual gatherings are hosted at the homes of active JCC members. The host invites friends, members, past members and non-members who share feedback about the JCC in an informal atmosphere.
D – BOARD CULTIVATION
JCC of Greater Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA
President: Jeffrey Markel
Executive Director: Brian Schreiber
Title/Description: JCC LEAP (Lay Engagement Action Program) i
A hands-on experience for emerging young leaders in Pittsburgh, LEAP focuses on leadership development and social connectedness, as well as education and opportunities for input and engagement in key JCC and community issues. A strategic thank tank, which is a group that conducts research, incubates ideas and provides perspectives and insight, engages in advocacy in areas such as agency policy-making and strategy development.