The following information is a summarized overview of the nearly-four-years-long process of establishing and opening the Joan S. Beren Wichita Jewish Community Campus (or JSBWJCC or WJCC). The campus is home to both of Wichita’s established, traditional Jewish congregations as well as their shared Jewish Community School and will serve as the home of Judaism in Southcentral Kansas moving forward.
WHY FORM A WICHITA JEWISH COMMUNITY CAMPUS?
For more than a century, Congregation Emanuel ((the) Temple or C-E) and Hebrew Congregation ((the) Synagogue or H-C) have provided services, faith and education for the Jewish families in Wichita, inspiring community engagement and supporting Jewish life and learning.
Separately, our congregations have helped build families that connect and engage Jewishly throughout the years. The Temple and Synagogue have been proud to represent the Jewish people to build bridges to the Wichita community at large for many years. Together, we have built a Jewish family. Unfortunately, since 2009, our numbers for both congregations have dropped significantly, and therefore in order to build on our past strength we must come together to build a strong foundation for our future.
The Joint Campus Committee has, since late-2017, looked at all the challenges and opportunities facing each congregation and our Jewish family and fully supported moving toward a common campus in Wichita, Kansas with two congregations under one roof. Through committee conversations - discussing and finding solutions to myriad issues - we verified that working together paves the way for a healthier, more satisfying, and stronger future for each congregation and our Wichita Jewish community.
While sharing a “community” campus will certainly present challenges, the joint committee believes these concerns are outweighed by the benefits - improved financial outlooks for each congregation and a more hopeful, spiritual, energetic, and rewarding Jewish life in Wichita - of being together on a single campus. We, collaboratively, intend for a Joint Campus to be the hub of Wichita’s Jewish community on which we, collaboratively, will build and sustain a strong, vibrant, local Jewish community.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE CONGREGATIONS APPROVING THIS CAMPUS?
Following a two year discussion that included both congregations and their Boards of Trustees, an independent consultancy specializing in shared religious campuses, a professional architecture firm, and other groups and individuals with relevant experience - a “final” Joint Campus proposal was put before both congregations for a vote in November 2019.
Both congregations overwhelmingly voted to approve the move and the process of making the campus “real” began.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF FUNDING THE CAMPUS?
Both Congregations have met and maintained their financial requirements and contributions to the joint campus including securing a substantial donation (that carried naming rights for the campus) from the Joan S. Beren Foundation in late-2019/throughout-2020 (there have been several benchmarks and phases for funding). Efforts including Congregation Emanu-El selling its campus on E. Central Avenue and Hebrew Congregation signing over its campus to the new, joint campus entity (formally chartered in early 2020).
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE CAMPUS?
Due to COVID-19, both congregations and their shared Jewish Community School have been celebrating and honoring services and traditions remotely/digitally for the bulk of 2020. This has been good for the opportunity for work to be done, belongings to be reviewed, packed, removed, stored, etc. but has also had its challenges regarding permitting, construction, moving, and other logistics relevant to finalizing the joint campus.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GRAND OPENING OF THE
JOAN S. BEREN WICHITA JEWISH COMMUNITY CAMPUS
December 4, 2021
