Building our new home

Jane Schiff, Federation Board Chair

For the past two years, we have planned and worked tirelessly to make our dream of a new home for Federation a reality. To house and benefit all of our affiliates, including Women’s Cultural Alliance (WCA), Men’s Cultural Alliance (MCA), Jewish Book Festival, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), Israel Advocacy Committee (IAC), Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, Young Families with Children, Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance (JRCA),

Jewish War Veterans, Mix & Mingle and Young Jewish Professionals as well as BBYO.

Getting to this point has not been easy. The trajectory of this task has been accomplished by a small group of dedicated lay and professional people. Marc Saperstein, JFGN Vice Chair, has been the Chair of Project 2021, this Herculean effort, with Merlin Lickhalter, a JFGN Board Member, as his cochair, and James Knafo as our architect.

With full disclosure, James was a Federation Board member before he was hired to be our architect, going through a process of bidding against three other firms before being awarded our nod. However, I promise you, dear reader, that he has gone above and beyond, more than any other architect would have done.

These three men have spent countless hours working on this project. They meet with our construction and engineering companies, as well as advisors on our Building Committee, who have generously donated their time and expertise on every detail and facet, from security to rezoning to decorating to HVAC to plumbing supplies to furniture, etc. They do this to ensure that we will have the best, most efficient, beautiful, cost-effective and practical building possible.

Where are we in the process? In October and November, we will have our final rezoning hearings with the Collier County government. October 1 is the date for the Collier County Planning Commission hearing, followed by our final hearing with the Board of Collier County Commissioners on November 10. The project has been overwhelmingly welcomed by the surrounding community, with whom we have met. We will continue to be transparent in moving forward.

While we are awaiting the final nod from the county, we have begun asking for, and receiving, some of the numerous building permits needed to start the project. If all proceeds as planned, we will break ground in either January or February 2021, with occupancy, hopefully, in January or February 2022.

The new building, a rendering of which is pictured on the cover, will be a welcoming place for all Jews in the Greater Naples area. The floor plans are on pages 18 and 19 in this Federation Star. Our building will welcome you to be dropped off and picked up in our covered portico area. Once you meander down the loggia, through the vestibule to our secure entrance, the inviting and dramatic lobby area, with a stained-glass wall, player piano and receptionist desk area, will greet you.

The program wing will have three rooms of various sizes, to be used for meetings, classes, games, activities (yoga, tai chi, meditation, etc.), study groups and youth activities. There will be a large hall that can be divided and set up in various configurations, accommodating up to 400 people theater style or 250 people in a roundtable event.

Three usable outdoor spaces as well as covered and large, uncovered patio areas will be surrounded by 12 palm trees in the back of the building. A plaza and sculpture gardens in the front of the building will be lined with 12 royal palm trees. There will be a caterer’s kitchen, which can also be used for cooking demonstrations. The second floor will house the executive suite of offices, including offices for MCA and WCA. There will be a lounge area to sit and schmooze with friends while noshing on some food in our café.

By building from the ground up, we will incorporate into the design many upscale amenities and beautifications that will make this a welcoming and visually exciting building. Walls with Judaica and artwork will be visible throughout the building. We want everyone to feel safe and secure in our building, so we have taken the steps necessary to create the most up-to-date security. Some will be noticeable—gating, fencing, cameras and badge/buzz-in entry will be what you will notice first and foremost— and some will be unseen.

There is, of course, the issue of raising the funds needed for the building. As of this writing, we have raised $7 million. The cost will be in excess of $8 million. In order to not use Annual Campaign donations, that are needed as grants to beneficiaries we support and for programming, we need to raise at least $14 million. That will also allow us to create an endowment to help cover the yearly maintenance costs for now and the future. This is where you can help us. In your mailboxes, soon or possibly already, you will be receiving our Capital Campaign brochure, which will provide you with more detailed information and a plea for you to join us in creating a new home for us all!

You can make our dream to create a warm and welcoming place for our Jewish community become a reality, now and for future generations. It will be the central location for meetings, classes, being with friends, enjoying games and just to hang out. Entertainment will be plentiful.

We can only create this with your help! Please join us. Make a donation or pledge, today! Call Marcy Friedland, Capital Campaign Director at 239-263-4205 or email her at mfriedland@ Jewishnaples.org for details.

We are looking forward to seeing you in our new building in a mere 16 months!