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Friday January 24, 1997

Jews must pump life into JCC

In theory, San Francisco's Jews want a JCC. If there were an essential time to act on that theory, it's now.

Less than two years ago, the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco appeared close to shutting its doors forever.

But last week, a major piece in its gradual recovery fell into place. The health club, which had been closed since June 1995, reopened as the privately run Pinnacle Fitness at the JCC.

JCC officials should be commended for their creativity by becoming the first JCC in the country to test the concept of renting space to a for-profit health club in order to boost revenue.

JCC officials have acknowledged they never would have had the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to renovate the dilapidated health club in order to attract members.

During the past 1-1/2 years, the JCC didn't stop offering preschool or after-school activities to kids. It didn't shut down its senior center. And it never quit operating its emigre services.

But a major component of the community was missing -- average adults from their 20s through 50s. By allowing the health club to reopen, this important segment will return to the center.

JCC officials hope that Pinnacle's already more than 2,200 members will include a good number of adult Jews interested in signing up for JCC classes, lectures and events.

The center shouldn't have to rely solely on Pinnacle members, though.

The JCC has begun offering regular nighttime programming once again, including a Jewish film series, Torah study and discussions aimed at young professionals.

It also has established a branch of the prestigious Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, a Hebrew University-affiliated program.

JCC officials are doing their best to rejuvenate the center. While the question of whether to renovate or replace the JCC building is still open, the future of the JCC is being shaped now -- by local Jews who decide whether to show up.

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