Search continues for CJL director

After naming an interim director to succeed Rabbi James Diamond, the executive search committee of the Center for Jewish Life (CJL) has convened to find a permanent director.

The successor will follow Diamond's nine years of leadership that helped transform the CJL.

Diamond resigned as CJL director last spring, capping a 36-year career. "His legacy is that we now have this thriving, pluralistic Jewish community on campus," said Henry Farber GS '77, professor of economics and chair of the CJL board.

Arlene Pedovitch '80, a financial services executive and active volunteer in the alumni community, was asked to serve as executive director on an interim basis, beginning Sept. 1.

"I accepted the position because it is important to me to focus efforts on strengthening the Jewish community at Princeton," Pedovitch said.

Pedovitch, who had served as chair of the board of the CJL, was named interim director after consensus proved elusive on a new director, she said.

"We were unable to agree on a permanent successor for Rabbi Diamond," Pedovitch explained. "It was unclear how we were going to go forward."

Responsibilities of the executive director include managing staff, organizing events and fundraising. Pedovitch especially enjoys her contact with students. She hopes to "reach out to Jewish students literally and figuratively" and provide outlets for students to "express their Judaism, not necessarily in the Center for Jewish Life."

Pedovitch is not involved in the search for a permanent director. That task falls to a search committee consisting of students, alumni, faculty and other University staff.

Farber, who is serving on the search committee in an ex officio role, said he felt the next director should be "someone who recognizes the special nature of Jewish life at Princeton. We are a university that does not have as large a Jewish population as some of our peer universities, yet still offers a full selection of Jewish programs."

Farber said the new director would need to value pluralism and enjoy working with students.

"Fundraising is and will be a big issue for us," he said. The executive director promotes the CJL and solicits donations. "Our finances are on a sound footing," Farber said. "Fundraising is not a particular problem, just a particular responsibility."

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Farber said rabbinical certification will not be a requirement. "We want to cast a broad net to try and find exciting applicants," he said. Both Pedovitch and Farber stressed that if the new executive director were secular, the CJL would not lack spiritual leadership. "We always have a rabbi on staff," Pedovitch said.

Farber said the CJL would tailor the staff to best support and complement the skills of the new director. The new director will have the responsibility and "the opportunity to set the direction of the organization," he said.

Construction of the CJL was finished in 1993. Prior to its creation, decentralization of and division among Jewish students were the norm. A kosher kitchen served the dietary needs of observant students, and Jewish groups used shared space in Murray-Dodge Hall.

"We didn't have one place for the Jewish community on campus," Pedovitch said.

According to Pedovitch, even after the construction of the center, the organization lacked direction until Diamond's appointment in 1995.

"While the building had been built, he created the community we have today," she said.

Diamond brought with him "a lifetime of experience as a Hillel director," Farber said. Hillel is a worldwide network of organizations for Jewish college students.

Diamond also fostered interaction among diverse Jewish groups. "We run three active minyans [prayer groups] — reform, conservative and orthodox. And on Fridays all three groups come together after prayer for a common dinner," Farber said.