Partnership Is Working

We applaud the sentiments voiced in the Opinion article by Allan Finkelstein, president of the Jewish Community Center Association (JCCA) calling for “belonging without barriers” to Jewish community (“Belonging For All: A New Approach,” Dec. 12).
As Mr. Finkelstein may be aware, this vision is no longer a pipe dream. In Bergen County, New Jersey, the Kehillah Partnership — a collaboration between the JCCs, the synagogues, and UJA Federation — is actually happening. Now in its second pilot year, the Kehillah Partnership of Northern New Jersey has proven that this vision — sharing resources, collaborating on innovative community-wide programming, and building a “one fee” entry model to Jewish community — has real impact and enormous potential to excite, inspire, and engage Jews across the spectrum.
/>In fact, thanks to its track record thus far, the Kehillah Partnership has just received a multi-year Signature Grant from the Covenant Foundation to continue to pursue a collaborative educational program that crosses denominational lines and will have a major impact on the curriculum and resources available to congregational schools, while opening portals of connection for the unaffiliated.
What was expected to be the hardest part of the process, namely, the building of trusting relationships between the institutions, has proven to be a huge success, with significant dividends for our community schools and synagogues.
The Kehillah Partnership is proving that the traditional model of a united kehillah – community – can and must work for American Jewry. We invite others to learn as we learn and share our excitement as we work together to strengthen our Jewish community. For more information, please see www.kehillahpartnership.org
Harold Benus
Executive Director
Bergen County YJCC
Howard Charish
Executive Vice President
UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey
Rabbi Neal Borovitz
Temple Sholom
River Edge, N.J.
Rabbi Arthur Weiner
Paramus Jewish Center
Paramus, N.J.