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December 6, 2002
New TTHS needs more
The high school has until spring to raise $4 million.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
Fund-raisers for the proposed new Talmud Torah high school have
until spring 2003 to come up with another $4 million before construction
can begin.
Jody Dales, who is co-chairing the fund-raising campaign with her
husband, Harvey, told the Bulletin that a parlor meeting took place
Nov. 27 in order to inform community leaders of the urgency of the
campaign.
The project, which would see a new Talmud Torah high school built
on a lot next to the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
(JCC), has a budget of $18.5 million. It was given a head start
by the Diamond Foundation, who pledged the entire $6.2 million cost
of the property, but stated that they would only contribute the
funds if the remaining $12 million was raised by the end of the
two-year campaign this spring.
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation also offered a $3 million
matching grant and Dales said they expect to secure another $2 million
in the next couple of weeks, leaving them with $4 million still
to be raised in a short period of time.
Dales said that while similar projects might have started construction
before all the required funds were raised, the Diamond Foundation
was wise to set strict conditions for their donation.
"In the past there have been organizations or new projects
that didn't have a strong financial start and the deficit ended
up destroying them," she explained. "[The Diamond Foundation]
were very clear that they didn't want to burden this community with
yet another albatross.
"If we could raise all of the funds, then this high school
will succeed because then we won't be canvassing for the next six
years hoping that we're going to get the money and while the interest
kills us."
According to Dales, the campaign will kick into an even higher gear
in January when up to 40 meetings around the community are being
scheduled.
"We're hoping that with the parlor meetings, advertising, hand-outs
and mail-outs, everyone in this community will have the opportunity
to know what the vision of the high school is and have the opportunity
to contribute from $18 to a million dollars and everything in between,"
she said.
Though time has become a factor for the campaign, Dales said there
is optimism that the community will support the high school's future.
"The staunchest supporters of the high school from day one
have believed with all their hearts that this high school is going
to happen," she said. "They are extremely optimistic that
this community will come up to bat and support it in the way that
it deserves to be supported."
Though optimistic, Dales said she is concerned about what may happen
if the community doesn't step up for the high school.
"If it doesn't happen now, it's unlikely that we're going to
see another opportunity like his arise for the next 10 to 20 years."
The high school has struggled for survival over the past five years.
Previously known as Maimonides Secondary, the school ran into financial
problems and was on the verge of closing its doors until a successful
community campaign, under the auspices of the Jewish Federation
of Greater Vancouver, saved it temporarily and renamed it the Vancouver
Jewish High School.
A year later, the school was renamed the Talmud Torah high school.
Though the high school and the Talmud Torah elementary school are
two separate societies, they share philosophies, educational programming
and promotions.
Currently, the high school's classes take place at a makeshift facility
on Baillie Street.
Reisa Schwartzman, president of Talmud Torah and a campaign cabinet
member, said the prospect of a new facility close to the JCC has
garnered a lot more interest from future students.
"We have over 30 Grade 7 kids wanting to come [to the high
school] for Grade 8," she said. "That is massive. It's
a whole different mindset.
"The kids want to come and they are excited," she continued.
"We just need more money."
The new school's proximity to the JCC would allow students to use
all of the centre's facilities, like the gymnasium and pool. The
JCC would also benefit from the influx of youth and the ability
to use the school's classrooms for programming as well.
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