Fate of Jewish center is decided

To the editor:

The Riverdale Press has had coverage of the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center’s plans to sell its building in several issues. 

On May 19, a special member’s meeting was held to discuss alternatives for the future of the Jewish center. It was called at the request of a group of members who disagree with our selling the building, despite the fact that we cannot afford to keep and maintain it without a likelihood of going bankrupt.

I am writing to inform you about that meeting.

I presented our current plans so that the members present understood what the board has been working on. The direction taken by the board was based on a 29-to-5 vote by the membership to sell the building taken several years ago.

The underlying facts that led to that vote have not changed. They have, in fact, become more compelling.

Until now, we have tried to keep the details of our plans confidential to maximize the chances of success. We felt that we are close enough to an agreement that discussing them with the membership was acceptable.

Presentations were also made by those who had requested the meeting.

The presentations from those in opposition did not provide any plans that are implementable in the short term to relieve the financial pressure on the Jewish center. Several suggestions were made that would have required the Jewish center become its own real estate developers. 

That is not practical. Several items were suggested, as had been suggested in small group meetings, that involved reaching out to community group specialists, non-profit oriented law firms, etc. 

I had, in fact, already reached out to most of those.

Jack Kleinfeld

The author is chair of the board of trustees of the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center