In an unusual show of bi-partisan cooperation since Obama became president, the U.S.Congress agreed upon and passed a budget that they say will prevent government spending and still provide for America’ s immediate needs. In the Jewish community, however, many organizations already hampered by cuts stemming from the January 2013 sequester and the nose-dive in middle-class donations, had to pull out their red pencils again and cut already greatly diminished budget lines.
The Murray-Ryan budget deal establishes about $90 billion in spending and deficit payments spread over a ten-year period—but allows some increases in both military and domestic spending through 2016. While the budget does not include dramatic cuts in many areas, it proposes an extension of the 2% Medicare cuts through 2022 and 2023.
Had the budget agreement not been reached, the sequestration cuts scheduled to hit in January, would have been much harsher, forcing community agencies that care for the poor, the sick and homeless to cut their budgets even more. Bergen County has a changing demographic because many of its middle-class families can no longer pay their bills and mortgage defaults are at the highest they’ve ever been. Especially hard hit are Orthodox families who have been trying to provide their children with yeshiva and day school education and be members in good standing at their synagogues and local organizations. Those schools and institutions are suffering, too.
JLBC spoke with Rabbi Lawrence Zierler of the Jewish Center of Teaneck about the effects of economic climate on one of the county’s oldest congregations. At 80, the Center is re-inventing itself, becoming a place not only of prayer and classes, but one of events and exercise, of meetings and marketing.
At one point, the center had as many as 1500 families. Now they number in the low hundreds. The effects of the budget cuts, combined with the local effects of the housing crisis are strongly felt.
“We have to be very careful in terms of programs,” said Rabbi Zierler. We have to create programs that are free to the participants but come from the generosity of a provider. We do a lot of things in creative ways.”
Zierler told JLBC that he has to “act like a CEO” to make sure the bricks and mortar remain viable while assuring that the basic spiritual needs of his aging congregation are met. “We need business and revenue streams to do programming.”
Like many in the philanthropic community, the rabbi is working harder longer hours. He is trying to expand use of the Center’s space to house meetings and conferences “to carry us over the other revenue streams” that are missing.
“Making the center more reachable for people at every level is important…For the last five years there has been a pattern of a strained philanthropic community. ..I’m not afraid to be a holy beggar, I am not too proud to ask, and I’m always ready to try to educate. In a tough economic climate an institution must justify its existence. On the organizational level it’s a hard thing to say an institution may no longer serve a purpose.”
Suggesting that organizations must “de-professionalize,” work harder, and aggressively develop a more focused volunteer culture,” said Zierler, who came to the Teaneck Jewish Center seven years ago “It’s not just about being a synagogue. We need to become a mini JCC – to serve the 5000 families in our our reachable community—to survive, we have to have a lot of moving parts.”
Zierler told JLBC that the situation is not unique. “Rabbis tell me they have requests they cannot meet—help with tuition, emergencies, even mortgage payments. Here, we have two populations: the worshippers and those using our other services. Some can’t afford membership dues.”
Even with dues cut in half, an amount more in line with the local population’s current finances, many cannot afford even the adjusted dues. “No one gets turned away,” he emphasized, “if they make a good faith effort, we will find a way.”
In Bergen County, some rabbis are dealing with hardship cases. Many older members are managing, but only based on depleting their savings. Many have left congregations because they could no longer afford dues.
“We have moved from a generation of joiners to a generation of consumers. We have tried to create those experiences which are compelling as portal experiences.” He noted that people over a certain age, even with a strong Jewish identity, no longer belonged to a synagogue.
“The numbers of people who drop synagogue membership later in life is staggering. People are facing impossible sustainability problems, especially in young families. I hear conversations about which bill gets paid which month.”
Bergen County has established a network of Tomchai Shabbas food pantries, And Project Ezra has become indispensible. “In some places in Monsey, they run their food pantries like factories, the need is so great. He also said that centers for food action are “always running out of food. I have to talk to a lot of people.” In addition, Project Isaiah has a clothing collection to assist those in need. Project Ezra provides all kinds of assistance, from teaching people how to maintain their finances, offering job training, resume writing courses, job hunts and they also offer advice on how to dress properly, and the clothing to do that.
“The whole issue of relief needs to be analyzed,” says Zierler. “Centralized planning is needed. There is too much replication….We have huge buildings that are empty on Shabbat. The Jewish community must aggregate resources. We can’t make mistakes like leaving the lights on.”
At the Teaneck Jewish Center, the Jewish tradition of ain shoalim al mizanot—not asking about need when there is a request for food, is followed. “Every person is entitled to a one meal equivalent. I keep gift cards for local markets to give to people in need.”
Joy Kurland Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Bergen County generally concurred with the rabbi’s assessment. She told JLBC that “the economy is such that people are impacted all over. We need to act as an advocate for the vulnerable.”
By Maxine Dovere
