Drive Launched to Save Jewish Center

Trying to keep the Sherman Oaks Jewish community center open, 150 people who attended an emergency fund-raising rally Wednesday were urged to help collect $120,000.

The center’s advisory board hopes raising the money will prompt the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles to keep the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center open for at least a year after the slated June closure.

The umbrella group announced in December that it would close five of its seven facilities, including the Sherman Oaks location.

‘We Cannot Sit Back and Wait’

“We cannot sit back and wait for some angel to do it for us,” said Michael Brezner, an advisory committee member at the center. “We’re trying to get people to think forward rather than pointing fingers.”

Those attending the meeting received donation envelopes.

The centers have provided adult education and teen programs for area families for more than 40 years.

The West Valley center in West Hills will remain open, as will the Westside facility on Olympic Boulevard, where officials have promised an $8-million renovation.

Financial woes and a 30% drop in membership have cut available funding, prompting the federation to use the other centers’ deeds as collateral for its $3-million loan to their program.

The Sherman Oaks center’s committee hopes to sign contracts to run the after-school program and some educational programs and raise another $120,000 throughout this year.

The center, which has 80 children enrolled in its child education, is licensed to handle 150. Committee members hope bumping up enrollment will provide much of the needed funds.

Protest Against Jewish Federation

A Wednesday morning protest drew a dozen people to the Wilshire Boulevard headquarters of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, an umbrella group that supports the centers and 14 other Jewish agencies, said David Novak, Jewish Community Centers spokesman.