Building a Community: Stories from the Ground Up
What does it take to build a community?
Ask Yakov Polatsek in Houston. Or Dr. Deena Davidovics in Memphis.
Or Shaun Tuch in Phoenix.
One night they’re sweeping the floor after a kollel fundraiser; the next they’re at the grill for the shul barbecue. One week they’re planning a shul carnival; the next they’re making sure the local day school makes payroll.
In the articles ahead, we meet some of these builders—men and women whose steady efforts have shaped the rhythm of Jewish life in their cities. Who are they? And how did they do it? Read on.
In This Section
Building a Community: Stories from the Ground Up
Getting It Done, and Doing It Right, in Houston: Yakov Polatsek by S. Schreiber
Warmth Beyond Sunshine in Phoenix: Shaun and Gary Tuch by Sandy Eller
Living Together in Linden: Andy and Samantha Van Houter by Sandy Eller
Putting Springfield, New Jersey, on the Map: Ben Hoffer by Judy Gruen
How a Shul Rewrote Its Story: Yosef Kirschner by Judy Gruen
The Accidental Activist: Avi Apfel by Merri Ukraincik
Modeling Leadership in Memphis: Noam and Dr. Deena Davidovics by Rachel Schwartzberg
Where is Tennessee? By Rachel Schwartzberg
Snooker and Second Chances: How OU Israel’s Teen Center Is Changing Young Lives in Ariel by JA Staff
Inside Ariel’s Jewish Campus Scene by JA Staff
Building a Community: Pointers from the Pros