by Jill Huber
NJJN Bureau Chief/Monmouth

February 17, 2009

Finding that “the best person for the job was right here all along,” the board of directors of the JCC of Greater Monmouth County announced that Aaron Rosenfeld had been appointed to the position of executive director.

Rosenfeld, who was serving as interim executive director, received his new appointment at the 70th annual JCC board meeting on Jan. 29 at the Ruth Hyman JCC in Deal.

Last year, Rosenfeld’s predecessor, Jess Levy of Ocean Township, became head of programming and endowments at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center, the 550-seat theater that is housed in the Ruth Hyman JCC. Rosenfeld, a West Long Branch resident, was the JCC’s associate executive director since 2007; after he became interim executive director in January 2008, he said he planned to apply for the permanent position.

Following the work of the JCC board’s search committee, board president Dr. Brian Krost of Oakhurst said, “We are pleased to report that after an extensive review of candidates for the executive director’s position, we found that the best person for the job was right here all along.

“We are looking forward to working with Aaron and taking our agency to the next level.”

Rosenfeld was a practicing attorney and commercial litigator with Carton, Witt, Arvanitis, and Bariscillo in Neptune and served on the JCC’s board of directors and executive committee before joining the staff. He left his law practice in 2001 and became the JCC’s assistant director. In 2005, he completed the two-year JCC Associations Executive Development Training Program and was promoted to associate executive director in 2007.

“As a lifelong member of this community, I am intimately familiar with the dynamics of our unique and diverse Jewish community,” Rosenfeld told NJ Jewish News. “I have a passion for, and a commitment to, this community. There is no organization that is better suited than the JCC to unite and serve that community.”

His passion for serving the Jewish community is what prompted him to leave the practice of law to work full-time for a nonprofit Jewish agency, he said.

“The JCC is a safe, welcoming facility for Jews of all backgrounds, ages, and interests to meet and engage in programming that strengthens the mind, body, and connection to Jewish life,” said Rosenfeld.

Changing needs

He and the JCC staff will conduct ongoing evaluations of the changing needs of the county’s diverse Jewish community, and Rosenfeld said he plans to establish a task force to develop and strengthen the JCC’s relationship with area synagogues and other Jewish institutions. He also plans to establish Jewish communal programs, such as a Mitzva Day and special events for Yom Hashoa, Yom Ha’atzmaut, Hanukka, and Purim that will engage the entire Jewish community.

Rosenfeld has earned the confidence of his colleagues, according to Donald Epstein of Oakhurst, cochair of the JCC’s board of governors.

“Aaron has a proven track record and has demonstrated his longtime commitment to the JCC and the Jewish community,” Epstein said. “He has the intelligence and high energy to carry out the challenging tasks that lie ahead.”

Throughout the year, Rosenfeld will meet with board members and committees to develop strategic plans.

“Changes and challenges are constants, particularly in a growing organization like the JCC,” he said. “There will be many challenges in 2009, especially considering the economic climate, but there is a real sense of energy among the board, staff, and lay leadership, and they are ready to face whatever lies ahead. They are a solid team that is committed to expanding the agency, despite the uncertainty of funding sources because of the economic crisis.”

The JCC’s contributions to the community are additional motivating factors, Rosenfeld said.

“We touch people’s lives on a daily basis, from infants to senior citizens,” he said. “There is no better feeling in life than to play a part in that kind of contribution. The JCC has a wonderful 70-year history in Monmouth County, and the sense of history and accomplishment will encourage us to continue our work.”

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