This August will be life changing for Orly Lewis, who is retiring from her position as CEO of Weinstein JCC at the end of the month.
The JCC has been part of her life for the past 27 years, and leaving that work will be a major adjustment, as Lewis knows.
“I can’t stay still for a long time,” she says of retiring from being the JCC’s only female CEO in its 79-year history. “I will look for professional and volunteer opportunities and consulting on my terms. I love non-profits, and I am looking forward to continuing to give back in some way.”
She is also going to take a few months to rest and then go to see family in the South of France and Israel who she hasn’t seen in many years. “I’m looking forward to being with my mother who is 90 and spending time with my husband, children, and grandchildren,” she says.
The Road to the JCC
Lewis grew up in Beer Sheva, a city in the south of Israel, and served in the Israel Air Force before coming to the U.S. in the late 1970s. Even though she didn’t have a complete command of English when she came to Richmond, she wanted to become part of the community as quickly as she could.
With that goal in mind, she began playing volleyball at the JCC. That gave her the chance to learn more about the organization as well as the community.
“I started working at the JCC as a young mom,” says Lewis, who has four children and 13 grandchildren. “All my kids grew up at the JCC in some way, shape, or form.”
Her work at the JCC started as happenstance. She was walking down the hallway when the executive director asked her if she wanted a part-time position to help resettle over 700 Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union into the Richmond community.
“I started working 10 hours a week, and year after year, my responsibilities grew,” she says.
By March 2020, when she became CEO, she was well-versed on the JCC, what it does, how it helps the community, and what the future will hold for the organization.
“Because of my history and love for the center and the community, I was excited to embrace the opportunity,” Lewis says. “I could step up my community service and impact bigger decisions. Plus, there was the opportunity to fundraise and get involved — contribute, but in a very different way.”
Lewis began her duties during COVID. Her first major decision as CEO was to close the JCC. But, that didn’t stop her from helping the organization move forward.
She has always encouraged and supported the Arts + Ideas Cultural Arts program, which has a focus on Jewish history, culture, and traditions. “We are the only ones that do it,” she says of the program.
Lewis understands that the arts bring people together, create conversations and debates, as well as spur ideas. “It’s important to me to expand perspectives in a positive, open way,” she says.
She also started the Israeli Film Festival to create awareness for Israel’s people, history, and culture through film. “It’s exciting to connect with people who are different than you are,” she says, adding that “Israel is a melting pot. I was first generation, born after World War II. My parents came from Tunisia.”
Growing up, she experienced an atmosphere where people found joy in eating and talking together. “That’s something I have tried to recreate here,” she says.
Helping to Reimagine the Footprint of the JCC
In looking back over her time as CEO, Lewis says she’s proud of the organization’s successful capital campaign, which reached $11.8 million. “It exceeded our wildest dreams. We are in the final stage of reimagining space usage in our center,” she says.
The reimagining includes additional classrooms for preschool, being able to accommodate more after-school and camp families, and reimagining the fitness center to provide more space for recovery and stretching after exercising.
“We want to stay relevant to the community,” she says. “I’m most proud of the hard work that went into the campaign.”
The JCC is for everyone, she stresses. “Most people don’t know that 80 percent of our members are not Jewish. The majority of people who belong are not Jewish. They come for our programs and services. We really have quality programs in the city — after-school, preschool, fitness, etc. They bring people here.”
People enjoy the atmosphere, she adds. “We work hard in training our staff on the language that we use. It’s all about being respectful and cheerful. We want the vibe of being welcoming and respectful, no matter where you come from. Inclusiveness is one of our top values.”
Lewis draws her daily inspiration from her parents and grandparents who came to Israel to rebuild their lives. “They had practically nothing but their resilience,” she says. “My parents were optimistic even though they lived in poverty.”
Working at the JCC has been a privilege for her. She’s gotten to know many Holocaust survivors who are sadly no longer alive. “A lot of my fond memories over the years revolve around how we as a community help people get through life, help them rebuild their lives, and stay healthy. What I will most remember is the impact we have on people and the people I have met,” she says.
“Orly’s 27 years of visionary leadership have shaped our beloved Weinstein JCC into the vibrant community it is today,” says Weinstein JCC board member Sara Villalona. “Her passion, dedication and heart will leave a lasting legacy.”
