The Jewish Community Center of Atlantic County will hold its Annual Gala Saturday, August 20, 8:15pm at the Milton and Betty Katz JCC, located at 501 North Jerome Ave., Margate, NJ. This year’s Community Leadership Award winner is retired Margate JCC CEO, Jack Fox, who dedicated 32 years to serving communities in an energetic and selfless manner – working tirelessly to help individuals in the Jewish community and the overall community.
“We’re excited to finally honor Jack Fox for his many years of dedication to the Margate JCC, at our annual Gala. Jack helped transform the J, utilizing his many skills and talents to be an inspirational leader, executive and chief negotiator. Most importantly, Jack is a great friend of many and we are thrilled to be holding this gala in his honor”, said Marc Neumann, Committee Chair.
Jack’s JCC journey began when he became associate executive director of the Leo Yassenoff Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus. After five years of service to the Columbus community, he moved up to become director of the Harold & Sylvia Kaplan Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches, where he served for six years. He briefly branched out from the JCC movement for three years to assume the directorship of the Colorado Association of Family Childcare, but in 1999 he returned to his true calling by assuming the position of CEO at a struggling JCC near Atlantic City, New Jersey. For more than 20 years, since 1999, we at the Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center in Margate City, New Jersey, were lucky enough to have Jack save us from a financial challenge by raising 8 million dollars and reconstructing a brand new JCC.
Jack Fox is legendary throughout the breath of JCCA of North America’s professional leadership as a consummate
professional and a consummate mensch, someone to seek out in a crowd to ask for advice or to share some laughs from days gone by. Over the years, he has been a mentor to many, including JCC staff throughout the country. Throughout his service, he has proven a true friend to the members of our community here in Atlantic County. “To say ‘Jack will be missed’ is an understatement. Not only our JCC but our entire community is better off because of who he is and what he has accomplished. As sad as we were to see him go, we’re happy that he has started a new chapter of his life, one where he finally has time to do for himself what he has done for the rest of us for decades,” said former Katz JCC Board President, Eric Share.
Jack Fox is well known throughout our local community. The Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties presents the Jack I. Fox community leadership award every year, evidence of his impact on the Jewish community. He also has the respect and the ear of local politicians, community leaders, and clergy of all faiths within Atlantic County. He has led the Katz JCC to provide services to the greater community that most would not have had the vision to attempt or the cleverness and management skills to succeed at. Fox spent two decades helping this entire community grow and shine – including stepping in to become the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Atlantic & Cape May Counties during its time of need, while simultaneously continuing to lead the JCC as the CEO.
The Katz JCC Annual Gala is presented as an opportunity for the organization to recognize individuals who have had a positive community impact and to celebrate their business, political, philanthropic and personal achievements. Jack Fox is the ideal honoree and deserving recipient of this year’s Community Leadership Award.
The Annual Gala helps the Katz JCC raise funds to further its mission to provide the children and seniors of Atlantic County, as well as the community as a whole, programs and services that enhance and enrich lives. The Gala is also an opportunity for attendees to support the Mitzvah Auction benefiting the Jeremy Fox Endowment Fund for JCC Parent & Child Drug Awareness Programming. The Jeremy Fox Fund was created by his father, Jack, mother, Marcia, sister, Jamie and brother-in-law, Josh, along with the members of the community. This endowment provides funding and support for families and children that are experiencing trauma and challenges due to substance abuse. The Milton & Betty Katz JCC is grateful for the support of Jack, Marcia, Jamie, Josh and all the donors that helped establish this fund after Jeremy’s
passing. All donations to the Jeremy Fox Endowment Fund are appreciated by the Fox family, the JCC and the entire community.
The evening will include cocktails, gourmet kosher hors d’oeuvres, carving stations, an elaborate open bar plus live music with the Eddie Morgan Trio and SideStory. Attendees will also participate in fun “Jack-Tivities” throughout the night.
For more information on the Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center, visit www.jccatlantic.org. For Gala sponsorship or ticket information, contact Brian Adler, Margate JCC Development Director and Associate Executive Director, at (609) 822-1167, extension 159.
