Highlights of my time at Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, part 2

In the last issue of the Jewish Journal I shared many of the significant dates during my tenure at the Federation, dating back to my arrival in Youngstown in 1985 through 1999. This Liptalk column will highlight the years 2000 to the present.

October 27, 2000 - Grand opening of the Jewish Community Center’s brand new state of the art fitness center. This $2.3 million renovation project began in March of 2000 and included new administrative offices, Men’s and Women’s Health Clubs and Locker rooms, a new Library, a Welcome Desk, and other areas. Dr. Stephen Barolsky and Sam A. Roth were appointed co-chairmen of the Renovation Task Force by JCC President Susan Sokolov.

September 23, 2001 - Prior to the September 11 terrorist attacks between 50,000-100,000 North American and supporters of Israel, including a contingent of at least 50 from the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys, were expected to converge in New York City on September 23, 2001 for “Standing Together: A National Solidarity Rally for Israel.” Instead, on that same day nearly 500 from throughout the community were on hand for “United We Stand for America: A Red, White and Blue Rally” on the grounds of the JCC. The tragic events on September 11 changed all of our lives forever, as Americans and as Jews.

January 19, 2011 - Creation of the Thomases Family Endowment of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation upon the death of philanthropist Irwin Thomases. During his lifetime, Irwin was generous to both the Jewish and secular communities and it was his hope to better the world in which we all live. Over the years, the Endowment has granted non-profit organizations in both the Jewish and general communities (locally, regionally, nationally, and in Israel) with millions of dollars of support. Much of the credit for securing the endowment must be given to my predecessor Sam Kooperman, of blessed memory, who helped Irwin realize his dream and establish this fund which has benefited so many people over the past 13 years, and will for generations to come.

May 31, 2015 - The community celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of Heritage Manor. When Heritage Manor was built in 1965, it included 48 rooms, with another 24 rooms added in the early 1980’s. Today, Heritage Manor has all single rooms. Our 5-star rated facility provides the highest standard of home-like senior care in the Mahoning Valley. It has a growing Adult Day Services program and a Rehabilitation wing. (Read more about our $4.7 million renovation in the Winter 2023 edition of the Jewish Journal). We are proud to say that Heritage Manor is the only Jewish not-for-profit independent nursing home in the State of Ohio.

February 13, 2017 - Hiring of the Federation’s first Security Director, Rob Elston. It is sad to think that our community had reached the point that necessitated the establishment of a full-time security director to oversee the Federation’s 18-acre campus 24/7. We were one of the first Federations our size over seven years ago to make this hire a priority. Rob and his team of law enforcement professionals also consult with our synagogues on their specific security needs. When we first hired Rob, we began to target harden projects campus-wide, including camera systems, access control key fobs, and panic buttons. In 2018, Rob conducted active threat training for Federation and its Agencies staff, as well as professionals and lay persons representing our temples. In 2019, we started partnerships with local and federal law enforcement agencies to assist with protection at times of heightened security and also with the exchange of intelligence sharing. In 2020, our security department worked with other Federation professionals focusing intently on security grants which were becoming more available due to the rise in antisemitism throughout the country. To date, we have received more than $1 million for target hardening, training, and personnel. Our security officers continue to consult with the synagogues, including assisting with temple security as the number of officers for Federation has increased. If I could highlight one specific incident that demonstrates the importance of our security team led by Rob Elston it was in 2018 when there was an arrest of a local man who made threats to attack the JCC. Through Rob’s vast network of contacts in the law enforcement community locally the man was arrested within eight hours of the threat being identified, and subsequently sentenced to 41 months in Federal prison.

May 27, 2017 - The grand opening of the JCC’s Logan Campus, formally known as the Logan Swim and Tennis Club, a 6.5 acre parcel on Logan Way in Liberty. Logan had been in existence since the 1960’s, and was an opportunity for the JCC to expand  its services and increase membership. Today, the Logan Campus is available to all JCC members at no extra charge. Since 2017, the JCC has invested in many capital improvements at Logan, and today includes much more than a pool, tennis, and basketball courts. Now, members can play pickleball, sand volleyball, or visit the Snack Shack or the Dive Bar, and new this year is an aquatic climbing wall and new diving board (check out the new summer JCC Program Guide for everything Logan-related this summer). During the first year of COVID, Logan was a welcome respite for many members, as the JCC was closed for two and a half months prior to the summer, and families found a friendly and safe outdoor activity to enjoy.

June 19, 2017 - The Youngstown Area Jewish Foundation was organized and became operational on January 1, 2019. The Foundation provides a safety net, so that even in the most challenging and unpredictable times, our Federation and agencies can provide immediate and essential assistance. Thanks to the Foundation’s wise investment strategies and spending policies, meaningful amounts are distributed as needed, always with an eye to the future. Endowments are critical to our Federation’s growth and sustainability, and are made possible because of the generosity and foresight of those who came before us, as well as individuals and families today who are driven by a belief in the future of the Jewish people. Our Foundation is now staffed by Financial Resource Development Director Lisa Long, who will succeed me as CEO in 2025.

April 9, 2018 - In addition to hiring Lisa Long in the newly established position of financial resource development director, we also hired the same day Elise Skolnick as Federation’s first director of communications. Since my arrival in Youngstown, I’ve heard thousands of times that the Federation and its Agencies are “The Best Kept Secret in Town.” I have always known we provide excellent services and programs for the community, but we weren’t terribly successful in getting our message out! Elise took the mandate to get the word out about the Federation seriously. In 2018, we received at least 100 positive media mentions, including a front page Vindicator article about the honors ceremony held at Heritage Manor for veterans, a wonderful event with no publicity that helped us realize the need for a communications director. In 2023, there were over 460 positive mentions. Today, the media regularly reaches out to her. She also became the newest editor of the Jewish Journal Monthly Magazine. In 2019, when the JCC marketing director left for a new opportunity, Elise became the director of communications  and marketing for all of the Federation and its agencies. She’s built a team that handles all print, graphics, communications, and marketing needs, as well as the Jewish Journal. They’re also working with the Youngstown Area Jewish Cemeteries Association to create a logo, website, and annual appeal.

May 17, 2018 - Steven Stoyak received the Marvin and Sara Itts Award at the Federation Annual Meeting for his efforts to restore the Knox Street Cemetery. The cemetery was given to the Federation approximately 60 years ago, and was established in 1897 by the Order of Benjamin David Lodge 58, and is located at the dead end of Knox Street on the southside of town and is not easy to find. When Steve first saw the Cemetery, it was almost completely overgrown. Restoration began in 2016. Dead trees and downed branches were removed, the land regraded, seeded, and fertilized, and some of the tombstones that had toppled were reset. This was a tremendous undertaking by Steve who coordinated the entire clean-up process.

October 27, 2018 - The horrific massacre of 11 Jews at prayer at a Shabbat service at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. This tragedy virtually in our own backyard illustrated the alarming increase in antisemitic activity in our country which continues to this day. Within the first 12 to 24 hours of the event, the Jewish Community Relations Council and Federation responded to countless local media inquiries, engaged in outreach to the Pittsburgh JCRC, took part in national consultations, and fielded a myriad of calls, texts, emails, and other messages from a wide range of community leaders. Our JCRC was the primary architect of a large, interfaith community vigil in memory of the victims at which 600 people were in attendance. On a personal note, my daughter Rachel worked at that time for the Pittsburgh Jewish Federation and had many responsibilities following the shooting, including planning shiva meals and distributing checks to families and survivors of the victims. Our community approximately two months later travelled on a Saturday morning to participate in Shabbat services with the Tree of Life Congregation which had relocated to Rodef Shalom Congregation in Pittsburgh. This was such an emotional experience as one of the injured people in the shooting returned to services for the first time since October 27.

February 19, 2020 - Hiring of the newly established position of Development & Community Relations Manager, Nicholas (Nic) Bush. In addition to working with the JCRC’s Social Action Committee, Nic is our “Go To Guy” in terms of applying for all types of state, federal, and local foundational grants on behalf of the Federation and its Agencies, including Akiva Academy. Nic is also available to consult with the temples on state and federal security grants. To-date through Nic’s efforts, along with other Federation professionals, we have raised approximately $4.5 million in grants since 2020, with significant funding for security across our campus.

March 12, 2020 - The beginning of COVID. Governor DeWine issued a stay-at-home order and closed businesses to all but essential workers on this date, which happened to be Hilari and my 37^th wedding anniversary. While my wife was preparing to teach remotely, our senior management team worked mostly remotely to ensure that Heritage Manor and Levy Gardens had everything they needed to operate safely, and to safeguard our residents and tenants. We should be so proud of the staff at Heritage Manor because we went approximately 18 months without a resident case of COVID, one of the few nursing homes in the state that could make that claim. The JCC was shuttered for two and a half months but we did not lay off one full-time employee, but rather redeployed many of our workers to our newly established mobile meals program, as well as day care for “essential workers.” Our new mobile meals program began feeding individuals in Trumbull, Mahoning, and Northern Columbiana counties, with over 111,000 meals served in 2020, and over 120,000 served in 2021. When COVID funding finally ended in March 2022, we made a strategic decision to continue the mobile meals program. Today, through efforts to secure additional grants, we have built up our JMeals program and anticipate soon approaching the number of meals delivered during the peak of COVID.

August 27, 2020 - Unveiling of the Paul and Yetta Gluck School of Visual Arts Studio at the JCC. Through the generosity of the Glucks, the JCC converted one of its racquetball courts into an arts studio offering classes for all ages that foster creativity, personal growth, and community through hands-on learning. From adults to the very young, including our ELC Children, Akiva Academy students, and JCC Campers, we have classes for everyone. I have known the Glucks since the time I first arrived in town, first playing racquetball with Paul and his “gang” in the early morning, and working with Yetta on activities of the Women’s Division. The Glucks remain pillars in our community and wanted to make a donation in their lifetime to see the good that their generosity would bring to the JCC. Yetta was President of the JCC Board for the year 1983. 

May 21, 2020 - Groundbreaking for the three-phase renovation of Heritage Manor. The first phase was the construction of the Schwebel Family Wing and converting 12 “Jack and Jill” style rooms into fully private rooms with their own bathrooms. The second phase added a 2,000 square foot therapy gym, rehabilitation solarium, Veteran’s Courtyard, therapy mock apartment, and therapy office. The third phase converted 16 rooms with 18 bathrooms into 11 private rooms, with plans to add hospice suites, while maintaining the licensed 72 bed count. The three-phase project cost $4.7 million, of which we raised $1.2 million from the community, including local foundational grants. It was successfully inspected by the State of Ohio in December 2022. While many individuals were involved in the construction and fundraising campaign, one person stands out: Marc Rubin. Marc’s family’s history at Heritage Manor inspired him to chair the Renovation Committee, and I have to be honest in saying without Marc, this project would not have gotten off the ground.

November 1, 2021 - Establishment of the Youngstown Area Jewish Cemeteries Association. Prior to the formation of the YAJCA, all of the Jewish cemeteries in Youngstown and Sharon, Pennsylvania were run by their respective synagogues and maintained with the help of volunteers. However, some of the cemeteries were starting to fall into disrepair and the need for an organization to oversee the community’s cemeteries became apparent. Federation leaders Sam A. Roth, Bill Benedikt, Gary Clayman, and the late Paul Schwebel approached each of the temple boards to see if there was an interest in coordinating with the Federation to combine the cemeteries. The temples agreed and made a recommendation to the Federation to form a Cemetery Association. The Federation agreed to coordinate the creation of the Association and match funds that each synagogue put into the Association. The YAJCA took ownership of the cemeteries on November 1, 2021.

There is much more I could have written in these last two Liptalk columns, but I hope I have captured the highlights that have been most meaningful to me in my almost 40 years with the Federation. As always, I would love to hear from you if you have any memories to share.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy summer!

Andy

Andrew Lipkin, Federation CEO