Dear JewishAkron Community,
We are writing to you at a pivotal moment for our community and for the future of the Shaw Jewish Community Center, The Lippman School and the many programs and services that share our campus. We want you to hear directly from us, as openly as possible, about where we are, what we know now — and the decisions that lie ahead.
We know that what follows may be difficult to read and, for many, will come as a surprise. You may feel concern, frustration or even anger as you absorb this news. We understand and respect those reactions. At the same time, we believe the most responsible and courageous step we can take now is to align our spending with our mission and our realistic revenue so that Jewish life in Akron can remain strong for generations to come.
First, we want to be clear: nothing is changing immediately. The Lippman School and Shaw JCC facilities remain open, and all programs will continue for the near future.
At the same time, we must acknowledge that change is coming.
Over many months, our lay and professional leadership have reviewed detailed financial analyses, engaged a professional demographics study, gathered community input and studied examples from other Jewish communities facing similar realities. Those conversations have led us to some hard truths:
The JCC has operated with a budget deficit for years, with annual revenue not keeping pace with costs.
Those deficits have been covered by unrestricted endowment funds and a generous donor base that includes a number of donors who’ve given significant support, but as our population has decreased, so has our donor base. Neither of those two sources are dependably sustainable.
The JCC once had more than 4,000 membership units; today, membership is about 1,250.
The Jewish community alone cannot maintain this campus.
The Lippman School, founded in 1965 as Hillel Academy, currently educates 103 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. The expenses to run this school far exceed the revenues that we need to run the school.
At its meeting on March 19, the JewishAkron Board of Trustees approved a resolution in response to recurring operating losses, significant capital needs in our aging facilities and an ongoing cash flow deficit that has been depleting our unrestricted endowment. These realities, together with shifting demographics and an unsustainable business model, require us to refocus how we deliver programs and services so that we can honor our mission for the long term.
Given these realities, we must shift our emphasis from buildings to people — from maintaining square footage to investing in meaningful Jewish experiences that will endure.
The Board has therefore authorized our organizational leadership to begin developing a viable and sustainable plan for the future of JewishAkron. Effective immediately, our leadership is charged with exploring a new strategic vision that includes, but is not limited to:
Developing a smaller, mission‑consistent operating model, which may include the sale or other divestment of our property on White Pond Drive.
Pursuing partnerships with synagogues and other local or regional Jewish organizations to continue delivering core, mission‑driven Jewish programs.
Engaging appropriate transitional advisors and consultants, conducting real estate and financial analyses of our campus, and beginning preliminary discussions with potential partners or buyers.
Identify opportunities to provide school students with educational opportunities that are based on Jewish values.
As this work unfolds, all significant plans, contracts, and operating agreements will be presented to the JewishAkron Board of Trustees for review and approval before any final decisions are made. Throughout this process, our focus will remain on two priorities: ensuring financial sustainability and safeguarding the mission of JewishAkron in partnership with the broader Akron community.
Going forward, the Board has emphasized that our core mission is to ensure robust financial health in support of:
A vibrant early childhood education center that continues to provide a rich Jewish experience for all students.
A large, welcoming gathering space for the Greater Akron Jewish community.
Creative, forward‑thinking programming for youth, teens, and young adults.
Thriving overnight and day camp opportunities.
Expanded opportunities for cultural and social exchanges with Israel.
Vigorous programming from babies to seniors and everyone in-between.
Continue to provide and improve security for the Jewish community.
To plan for this future, we need your help.
We are committed to honest conversations about our options. We will listen carefully to your questions, concerns, and ideas. No final decisions about our campus or our agencies will be made without clear, direct communication with you.
If you would like to be part of helping define our future, we are forming a number of committees right now. To learn more about how you can participate, please reach out to me at judi.shapiro1943@sbcglobal.net or any other JewishAkron board member. You can find a list of board members at www.JewishAkron.org/about-us
We plan to hold a community meeting before the end of April to share more about the steps ahead and to give you an opportunity to ask questions and offer your input.
For too long, our community has delayed the hardest decisions. We cannot delay them any longer. If we simply keep things as they are, we risk losing the ability to make any choices at all because we will have exhausted the financial assets intended to sustain Jewish life for our children and grandchildren. That would not be responsible stewardship.
In facing these challenges, we remain guided by the principle of l’dor vador — from generation to generation. We cherish the memories of what this campus has meant to so many of us. Now, we carry the responsibility to ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit not only our stories of what was, but the resources and programs they need to create their own warm, vibrant, and heartfelt Jewish memories here in Akron.
Sincerely,
Judi Shapiro
Board Chair