Wellington Jewish Community Centre (WJCC)

If buildings could talk, our community centre would tell stories of weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, family simchas, festivals filled with dancing, shows, spring dances, community meals, visits by Chief Rabbis, local politicians, even the Israeli football team. This building reflects a glorious past.

If buildings could talk, our community centre would currently say ‘drip drip drip’, as 50 years of cost-cutting and undermaintenance has finally left our building in need of some well-deserved tender loving care.

A year ago we had hoped that we would be able to sell our building, so that we could move to a new location that better suits the needs and activities of the current community membership, whilst also ensuring financial stability. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to sell the building – a city recession and changes to council zoning laws meant that we only received offers far below acceptable. We will still need to make some hard decisions in order to cover rising maintenance and insurance costs and decreasing income, but we are staying here. And frankly, this decision and has allowed me to breathe out and smile a bit. Because even though selling the building was the sensible thing to do in many ways, I also have so many happy memories in 80 Webb St.

So we are staying in this building. It will continue to be the place where we celebrate simchas and support each other in hard times. A building where new immigrants feel welcome. Most importantly, we want to make sure this is the building that our children or grandchildren can have their Bar and Bat Mitzvah in, their Purim parties, their Shabbatons, and create their own joyful memories. If our building can talk in the future, we want it to be the sound of kids running through the hall, singing in shul, laughing, learning, and belonging — that is what guarantees our future.

Now that we’re staying, we need to fix every leak that is currently dripping or threatening to start dripping soon. We are aiming to raise $250,000 to fix the roof in this building so there are no more leaks. I know we ask for money every year at Kol Nidre, but this year the appeal is essential. Please dig a little deeper than you have in past years, and please let your overseas family and friends who still hold our community dear in their hearts about this appeal so that they can contribute too.