New JCC president wants a center that meets community’s needs
After Dr. Brian Krost is installed as the new president of the Ruth Hyman Jewish Community Center in Deal at the JCC’s annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 11, he plans to infuse the center’s mission with his own spirit of enthusiasm.
“The spirit of all those who have devoted their time and energy to the JCC over the years is infectious and is reflected in the types of programs and activities that are available here,” he said in an interview. “The JCC has striven to meet the needs and interests of the people who come here; many of the things the center offers came into being as a result of community interest and desire.”
Krost said he will cultivate that interest and desire, carefully considering community input about programs new and old. Such input, he said, has been responsible for the loyalty and support of members, many of whom represent second and third generations of family participation.
Krost, a partner in the Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery whose offices are located in Hazlet, Freehold, Ocean Township, and Jackson Township, has been a JCC board member for the past 10 years, including a term as senior vice president. He also has served as a sports coach at the facility for many years and is proud of the center’s expansion in size and programming.
Krost succeeds Jeanne Epstein of Ocean Township, who has served as the JCC’s president for the past two years. Epstein will continue as a cochair of the JCC Maccabi Arts Festival, a national teen arts program that the center will host this summer.
“The JCC has become the hub of Jewish community life in eastern Monmouth County,” said Krost. “It’s earned its place as a vital part of the community — it offers programs and activities that are of interest to all age groups, from preschool-age children to the oldest members of the Jewish community. And it provides a safe haven for all.”
Krost’s own family involvement in the Jewish community is a case in point. His wife, Dr. Gayle Elbaum Krost, an endodontist, is chair of the board of education at Hillel Yeshiva in Ocean Township. Their three oldest children — Daniel, 18; Jacqueline, 16; and Sammy, 13 — have all been involved in the JCC’s organized sports activities, and the couple’s youngest child, Sarah Bella, three, will most likely follow the pattern, Krost said.
The Krosts have lived in Monmouth County since 1994; they are members of Congregation Brothers of Israel in Long Branch.
“Religion is one of the most significant parts of family life,” said Krost. “It provides the foundation, morals, and ethics that enable people to go through their daily lives in the proper manner. And, we believe it gives children a solid foundation on which they can build their own lives.”
The JCC’s own foundation is a reputation based on responding to the needs of the community, as well as the hard work and dedication of the center staff, board, and volunteers, said Krost.
The JCC, with a $6 million operating budget, includes a state-of-the-art exercise facility, an Olympic-size pool, a nursery school, and summer camp programs. It sponsors tennis, basketball, volleyball, and swimming leagues.
The many cultural and entertainment programs offered by the JCC take place in the Herbert and Evelyn Axelrod Performing Arts Center, which opened in 2005.
Developing programs that meet the needs of community members sounds simple in theory, Krost said. However, a series of extensive surveys and planning sessions required a huge outpouring of time, effort, and energy by center board members, staff, and volunteers, he said.
“But I think we all realized that this was the way to make sure that you have a Jewish community center that accurately reflects what the community needs and wants,” he said.
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