Harrisburg Jewish federation collapse leaves community rebuilding from the ground up

The Jewish Federation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has undergone a complete collapse, culminating in the layoff of its entire support staff and plans to sell the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life. This downfall follows months of public decline, impacting the infrastructure that has long supported Jewish communal activities in the city, home to approximately 9,000 Jews.

“

While well-intentioned, there were clearly mistakes made that have set back Jewish life in Harrisburg and caused distress and division.

The federation's financial difficulties have resulted in program cancellations and the relocation of Jewish institutions. The Alexander Grass Campus, purchased for $4.5 million in 2022 with the vision of becoming a central hub for Jewish life, is now slated for sale. The situation prompted an unusual intervention from Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the national umbrella organization.

“

Despite all that has transpired in recent years, I am confident the members of the Greater Harrisburg community can come together to repair what has been broken and build a bright future.

JFNA dispatched a former federation leader to assist with financial decisions, acknowledging that the Harrisburg Federation's business model was "not viable." In an April letter to the community, JFNA President and CEO Eric Fingerhut noted that "mistakes were made" that have negatively affected Jewish life in Harrisburg, causing distress and division. However, he expressed optimism that the community could unite to rebuild.

“

What people are saying is, ‘Well, now what’s our opportunity? How can we come together?’

Despite Fingerhut's earlier hope, Harrisburg's Jewish residents face a challenging reality as core federation functions have vanished. Gila Ogle, head of the Silver Academy, a local Jewish day school, expressed a strong desire for a vibrant Jewish future but lamented the absence of a supporting federation. The Silver Academy, no longer able to operate from the Grass Campus, will move to the educational wing of Beth El Temple, a Conservative synagogue, which is also hosting senior programs previously run by the JCC. Ogle attributed a recent small decline in enrollment to the "unsettlingness of the whole situation" for families.

“

Families have a lot of concerns, and I think that’s fair. We’ve really done our best to communicate transparently and keep families looped in and