By Shepard Englander, Chief Executive Officer and Hermione Gilpin, Chief Development Officer
Five years ago, the Brandeis University community study that our Jewish Federation commissioned revealed a huge unserved need and opportunity. The study showed that there are close to four thousand Jewish children in our area.
Unfortunately, the study found that they had few chances to learn about Jewish traditions and culture and make Jewish friends. Over sixty percent of those children don’t participate in any Jewish camp, youth group, or other type of informal Jewish education, and less than twenty percent of families currently belong to local synagogues.
The good news is that the majority of families with children in the study said they want more connections. However, these families are spread out across Sarasota and Manatee counties, making bringing children together difficult during the school year.
All these findings made clear that the best way to give young families and children a chance to be part of our Jewish community is to provide a great Jewish day camp. Market research shows that to draw a critical mass our camp needs to be recognized as the regional Jewish day camp of choice, which won’t happen without a pool.
Providing countless children with this immersive Jewish experience is now possible because of a monumental $4 million donation from philanthropist and entrepreneur Ronnie Shugar. His generous gift will enable us to build the Shugar Pool Club, a multifunctional aquatic center on the Greenspon Campus for Jewish Life.
Even beyond the day camp, the Shugar Pool Club will be a vibrant hub all year round, offering a range of opportunities such as swim lessons, including for children from lower income families, who are most at risk of drowning. The aquatic center will also be designed to accommodate low-impact fitness, such as water aerobics and water Zumba.
Shugar’s commitment to this project is deeply rooted in his upbringing and family values. He grew up in Los Angeles as the son of two immigrants. Shugar’s mother fought in Israel’s War of Independence, modeling resilience, leadership and devotion to the Jewish world. The Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles played a pivotal role in his upbringing as it is where he forged lasting memories with his two brothers, Michael and Danny, and his sister Dahlia.
“The connection with the Jewish center was instrumental in my growth and development as a youth,” said Shugar, “It was such an incredible place to be. I recall going there playing basketball, swimming, lifting weights, with my brothers and friends. It was there where I took my first steps into adulthood, and I hope this pool club will be a similar rite of passage for others.”
Deb Kabinoff, Federation Board Chair, commended Shugar’s leadership, noting, “Ronnie is a creative entrepreneur and brand disruptor who has taken his vision for our growing community to new heights through philanthropy. His investment in the Federation will create an amazing destination for all through the Shugar Pool Club.”