Running Head: THE SIEGEL JCC.

Cultural Immersion & Agency Assessment Report

Latasha Brown
Wilmington University





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THE SIEGEL JCC.
Abstract
The Siegel JCC is a nonprofit agency that has been around for over 100 years servicing
families and children in a positive matter. While completing this Cultural Immersion and Agency
Assessment Report, The Siegel JCC, I was able to learn some new and interesting information
about the culture of the agency. I have the opportunity to watch a movie on the history of the
Jewish Religion and attend a youth Shabbat Service. That information provided me with me a
better understanding of how the Non-profit agency operates while considering the Jewish
Religion and respecting the non-Jewish members. I will discuss this information throughout this
paper.














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THE SIEGEL JCC.
Population, History and Major Milestones
The origin of history, for Jewish People trace back many years to Abraham. Jewish
people have been present for over 3,300 years. Most Jewish people live in Israel. The capital of
Israel is Jerusalem. The population as of 2010 is outline as: 6 million Jews in Israel, 5.3-6.8
million in the United States and the reminder in Europe and Canada. A major milestone for the
Jewish was the 1948 War of Independence, in which, the Jewish won against the Arabs. Some
other notable milestones for the Jewish were the 1956 Sinai War, the 1967 Six Day War and the
1973 Yom Kippur War. The Holocaust was also significant for the Jewish because 6 million
Jews were Killed between 1941 and 1945.
Assessing the Field Work Agency
My field placement agency is The Siegel JCC. The Siegel JCC is located at 101 Garden
of Eden Road in Wilmington, Delaware. The Siegel JCC sits on a thirty-acre family campus that
offers preschool, childcare, summer camp, a state of the art fitness center, an indoor pool,
gymnasium, racquetball courts and recently added volleyball sand courts. There is a wide variety
of outdoor recreational services available as well. (The Siegel JCC, 2014)
Agencys Community
The Siegel JCC is located just off of a major shopping route, Route 202, in North
Wilmington. The routes 202 cordial is several miles long and consist of many shopping centers
that include Concord Mall, chain restaurants such as Red Lobster, Applebees, Burger King and
McDonaldss. Other area stores include Marshalls, Old Navy and Target along with multiply
gas stations and Wawas. Shoprite, Super G and Acme are a few grocery stores in the area as
well. A. I DuPont Childrens Hospital is nearby and is located off of the 202 cordial. There are
residential neighborhoods located in this community for both the middle class and the upper
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THE SIEGEL JCC.
class. AstraZeneca is a major corporation that has many employees. Law Offices, Physician and
Dental offices are examples of some small businesses in the area.
Access
Accessing The Siegel JCC can be done in various ways. Individuals looking to come to
The Siegel JCC can come by personal vehicles, public transportation, walking, jogging, bicycles,
and taxi cabs or by the transportation van for the Senior Center, if you qualify. Members,
nonmembers and employees come from all over Delaware and right over the Pennsylvania line
to The Siegel JCC. The members who attend The Siegel JCC come from a variety of
backgrounds, income class and religions. There are both Jewish and Non-Jewish members,
wealthy and no wealthy individuals along with a diversity of ethnicities involved with The Siegel
JCC.
The membership at the JCC is made up of about sixty-five percent of non-Jewish
members. The Siegel JCC inspires and connects with people of all ages, faith and backgrounds
through social, educational, cultural, fitness and recreational opportunities. The Siegel JCC
services kids, families, teens, singles, seniors and those in between. (The Siegel JCC, 2014)
Currently if a family or individual is not a member and would like information about The Siegel
JCC, they can access the information from the agencys website, advertisements done through
mailings, community events and brochures.

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THE SIEGEL JCC.
Receptivity
The lobby of The Siegel JCC is an open area with a mix dcor. The building has many
large glass windows which allows for natural lighting and the ability to take in the site of the
campus. There is furniture such as chairs and couches. A complimentary water cooler and a
coffee/tea bar that charge a minimum fee. When you walk into the building you are greeted by a
reception sitting at the receptionist desk. As you go to the left of the lobby you can view an art
exhibit which features work from local artist and children from the attached school. Sometimes, I
sit in the lobby together my thoughts because it is very welcoming and relaxing. I do see myself
reflected in the staff; however, I view myself as a minority amongst the staff, brochures and in
photos throughout the agency. The Siegel JCC use the English language to communicate to the
community but there are times when I hear staff use Hebrew language such as when answering
the business phone.
Administration and Staff Training
I have been interning at The Siegel JCC since May and I have not heard of or seen any
information regarding the employees attending trainings. I know the staff is made of up of both
members and nonmembers of the population that is serviced by the agency.
Funding
The Siegel JCC is a nonprofit membership organization, so membership and program
fees such as childcare and ECC tuition make up majority of the funds for the agency. The Siegel
JCC also receives funding from United Way of Delaware, The Jewish Federation of Delaware,
and the State of Delaware. The some funding that is received is designated for a specific group
within the agency should as the Senior Center. The Siegel JCC also receives individual
donations. (Kashinsky, 2014)
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THE SIEGEL JCC.
Staff Sensitivity
Having had the chance to attend several special events, I have learned that The
Siegel JCC is sensitive to certain needs of the Jewish members for example, the kosher dietary
rules. The agency has a kosher kitchen and the classrooms in the Early Childhood Center
acknowledge the kosher rules as well. The agency also incorporates some aspect of the Jewish
religion into the programing at the center. On Friday mornings, the agency holds Shabbat service
for the school age children in the agency. I have observed staff being interactive and positive
during the service. I have heard staff answer the phone using the term Shalom I have never
noticed any staff member being insensitive to the population served at The Siegel JCC. In fact, I
like the longevity of amongst the staff and its members. To me, the staff is always welcoming
and a pleasure to be around.
Cultural Immersion Activities
Film
I had the opportunity to view the film Faith & Fate, directed by Ashley Lazarus and
produced by A Berel Wein Destiny Production during the year of 2007. The film was a little over
an hour in length and talked about the history of the Jewish population and some notable events
during the 19
th
and 20
th
Century, The Dawn of the Century. The filmed began with discussing the
population of Jews in the world. The world population of Jewish was 10 million (1%). Russia
and Eastern Europe had 7.5 million, 1 million in North America, 500, 000 in Germany, 200,000
in England and 500,000 in Arabic countries, 50,000 in Palestine and 300,00 to 400,000 Jewish in
the rest of the world.
Between 1891- 1912, 1.89 million Jewish left the Russian empire and headed to the
United States of America, 2% went to Canada, 4% went to Palestine in search for a better life.
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THE SIEGEL JCC.
This was the largest migration created after the riots the Jewish were faced with some tough
times. Ninety five percent of the population was living in poverty. They faced economic
problems because they were unable to own land at a time when other was making a living by
farming on land they were able to purchase. Forty percent of the Jewish population was
unemployed. Families owned only one pair of shoe and the children had to take turns wearing
the shoes. Each member of the family only had two outfits: one for Shabbat service and one to be
worn during weekdays. Women were raped and housing/shops were destroyed. There was also a
high infant mortality rate; one in five infants did not live to age five.
The film highlighted how the Germans had dominated the power and set to rival Great
Britain because of their dissatisfactions with Great Britain size and accessibility to diamonds.
Also, discussed was the Russian and Japan was. Russian had suffered a defeat, which caused
then to weaken and lead into the Year of Shabbat. The year of Shabbat was when the Jewish
began to create a new state. During the year of Shabbat the Jewish had goals to better
themselves, create new Jewish and have impactful scholars. Intellectual scholars began
manifesting from Ushaba (school where Jewish attend for knowledge). Scholars such as Rav
Isser Zalman Meltzer (Rosh Yeshiva Etz Chaim), Chaim Nachman Bialik (Poet) and Rabbi
Avraham Yitzhak Kook (Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem) all came from the Ushaba. Not all scholars
who attend the Ushaba had positive impacts on the Jewish religion.
Direct Immersion Experience: A Culture-Specific Event
On May 16, 2014, I had the opportunity to attend a Shabbat service held for the Early
Childhood Center. Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest and the seventh day of the week on which
Jewish remember the Biblical creations of the heavens and the Earth in six days. Shabbat is
observed before sunset on Friday evening until three stars appear in the sky on Saturday.
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THE SIEGEL JCC.
At the Siegel JCC, they hold a Shabbat services for the Early Childhood Center from
11:00 am until 11:30 am. The Staff use toys props, song and an interactive approach to engage
the children in the service. Staff set the table with two candles, grape juice and two loaves of
Challah. They children sang songs in between the three blessings. Parents are welcome to attend
Shabbat with their children.
Agency Programs and Services
The mission statement of the Siegel JCC is to be the hub of Jewish life in our region. We
strengthen the greater community by nurturing Jewish belonging and encouraging social,
physical and intellectual growth in an environment guided by Jewish values and culture. (The
Siegel JCC, 2014) The Siegel JCC offers childcare services (summer camp, daycare and a
school), a Senior Center for older adults, a state of the art fitness center, an indoor/outdoor pool,
a gymnasium, racquetball courts and volleyball sand courts. They also offer a wide variety of
outdoor recreational services.
Effort
The Director of the agency is open to suggestions for programming and improvements to
the facilities that will enhance the level of service for is members and employees. I have
personally designed and distributed surveys to both parent and employee of the summer camp
program. The goal of the survey was to measure the level of satisfaction from both an employee
and the parent/camper views. This information should help the agency learn what is and is not
working for the program.
The Siegel JCC has a Board of Directors that help keep things rounded for both the
Jewish and Non-Jewish the Board of Directors is made up of 13 Executive Committee members
and 27 board members. They board is made up of Jewish members. The Board of Directors
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THE SIEGEL JCC.
responsibilities include overseeing the Executive Director of the agency, fiscal responsibility and
setting policies for the agency. The Board of Directors also has other commitments such as the
Jewish Practice Committee who decide Holiday closure and membership rules. There is one
president, four Vice Presidents, two treasurers, two secretaries and three at large members.
(Kashinsky, 2014)
Quality
The Siegel JCC use surveys, questionnaires, comment and suggestion boxes to gather
feedback from its members. By using these methods, it allows the members to become engaged
in assessing the quality of the services offered. It allows the agency to take in the members
opinions, feelings, concerns and beliefs to make changes. The results can also measure what
things the members feel are working well for the agency, as well.
Effectiveness
I believe the Siegel JCC programs effectiveness speak for themselves. Most of the
members who join the facility or send their children to the programs housed at the center are
referral based. Word of mouth experience is always great because it can be seen as someone
living the experience and sharing with others in the community. The fact that the Siegel JCC has
a working relationship with the YMCA is a bonus too because it shows the Siegel JCC takes an
interest in meeting the needs of all their members.
Efficiency
The Siegel JCC coordinates other services with its sister agency, Jewish Family Services,
who offers mental health services and counseling in the community. The Siegel JCC also has a
working relationship with the Brandywine YMCA. The JCC and the YMCA share facilities. For
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THE SIEGEL JCC.
example, When the YMCA is closed for Easter or Christmas the Siegel JCC will all the YMCA
members to use their facilities and vice versa.
NASW Standards for Cultural Competence
The two standards I have selected for review were statements fifty-three and twelve. The
Agency in which I have applied the standards to is the Siegel JCC. The program I feel statement
fifty-three applies to is the Early Childhood Center. Statement 53: Human service educators are
aware of all relevant curriculum standards, including those of the Council for Standards in
Human Services Education; the Community Support Skills Standard; state/local standards, and
take them into consideration in designing the curriculum. I believe statement 53 applies to the
Early Childhood Center at the Siegel JCC participates with in the Delaware Stars program. The
JCC has been a participant in the Delaware Stars Program since the program began and the JCC
has earned a star rating of level 5. Level 5 is the highs rating you can achieve. The Siegel JCC
Early Childhood Center has made a commitment to continue to meet the high standards thru the
Delaware Stars Program.
I believe the Mission Statement of the JCC applies to statement 12. Statement 12:
Human service professionals understand the complex interaction between individuals, their
families, the communities in which they live, and society. The mission statement of the Siegel
JCC is to be the hub of Jewish life in our region. We strengthen the greater community by
nurturing Jewish belonging and encouraging social, physical and intellectual growth in an
environment guided by Jewish values and culture. I believe the mission statement and statement
12 go hand in hand because the Siegel JCC mission is to strengthen the greater community and I
believe the Siegel JCC do so by opening their doors to both Jewish and non-Jewish members.

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THE SIEGEL JCC.
Final Thoughts
I am happy that I completed my internship at the Siegel JCC. It has been a true learning
experience and has allowed me to walk away being diverse in another culture. It has also
awarded me with an idea of the population that I would like to better serve in the human service
field. I would like to work with seniors in and senior center.

















References
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THE SIEGEL JCC.
Kashinsky, J. (2014, June 20). Interview by L Brown.
The Siegel JCC (n.d.). Retrieved on June 24, 2014, from http://www. siegeljcc.org