View source for Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst

{{Short description|Jewish community organization in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn}}
{{coord|40.6064|-73.9898|type:landmark_region:US-NY|display=title}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                    = Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst
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| logo                    = Logo of JCH.jpg
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| nickname                = The "J"
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| merged                  = <!-- any other organization(s) which it was merged into -->
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| formation               = {{start date|1927}}
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| type                    =  [[501(c)3 organization|501(c)3]]
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| purpose                 = <!-- or |focus = --><!-- humanitarian, activism, peacekeeping, etc. -->
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| headquarters            = [[Bensonhurst, Brooklyn]]
| location_city           = [[New York City]]
| location_country        = [[United States]]
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| parent_organization     = [[UJA-Federation of New York]]
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| website                 = {{URL|http://www.jchb.org/|jchb.org}} 
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The '''Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst''', sometimes shortened to "'''the J'''" or "'''the JCH'''",<ref name=theJCH.NYT2013>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/nyregion/after-losing-his-mother-and-his-health-a-man-takes-shaky-steps-to-recovery.html |title=After Losing His Mother and His Health, a Man Takes Shaky Steps to Recovery |first1=Ewa |last1=Kern-Jedrychowska |date=December 17, 2013}}</ref><ref name=theJCH.NYT2004>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/13/nyregion/the-neediest-cases-comforting-children-whove-had-a-devastating.html |title=The Neediest Cases; Comforting Children Who've Had a Devastating Loss|first1=Stephanie |last1=Rosenbloom |date=November 13, 2004}}</ref> was incorporated in 1927 and has helped over one million [[Jews]] in the [[Bensonhurst]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn, New York City]].<ref name=theJCH1927.NYT1992>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/14/realestate/postings-fall-opening-71-units-for-the-elderly-poor.html|title=Fall Opening; 71 Units for the Elderly Poor|date=June 14, 1992}}</ref>

The JCH initially served as a community center for Eastern European Jewish immigrants and their children. As the complexion of the Jewish community in Bensonhurst changed, its community center changed in accord.  During the 1940s and 1950s, a large influx of [[Syrian Jews]] immigrated to the area. In the 1980s, a third wave of immigrants, this time from the former [[Soviet Union]], once again shifted the focus of the community center.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holloway |first1=Lynette |title=NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: SOUTHERN BROOKLYN; Restoring an Old Friend |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/06/nyregion/neighborhood-report-southern-brooklyn-restoring-an-old-friend.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 6, 1994}}</ref>

==Services==
The JCH offers a number of social service programs. Included in those programs are:
* Nutrition Outreach and Education Program.
* Financial and mental health counseling.
* Citizenship application aid
* Family Violence Prevention Program
* Hurricane Assistance Center
* LGBT Refugee Center.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.jchb.org/social-services |title=Social Services, Counseling, Citizenship - Brooklyn, NY {{!}} JC H|work=Brooklyn, NY {{!}} JCH |language=en-US}}</ref>

For the third wave (from Eastern Europe), much of their work with adults focuses on housing and job search.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/nyregion/brooklyn-man-loses-job-and-sight-but-not-spirit.html|title=In Brooklyn, Surviving Loss of Job and Sight|author=Jed Lipinski  |date=November 30, 2011}}</ref> Many of these beneficiaries came with training, education and valuable skills, but in some cases age and new health issues created new needs for help.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/22/neediest-cases/cold-life-above-arctic-circle-fighting-cancer.html|title=She Had a Cold Life Above the Arctic Circle. Now Community Keeps Her Warm|first1=John|last1=Otis |date=November 22, 2018}}</ref>

At times they assist in end-of-life situations.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/11/nyregion/a-final-tribute-for-a-daughter-who-died-from-a-secret-illness.html|title=A Final Tribute for a Daughter Who Died From a Secret Illness|first1=John|last1=Otis |date=November 10, 2014}}</ref>

The community center focuses a lot on children and teens; establishing after school aid programs, tutoring classes, summer camps, Farber-Bruch early childhood center, Zehut teen center, and a Cammarata youth sports center.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.jchb.org/children-teens/|title=Children & Teens Programs, Activities - Brooklyn, NY {{!}} JCH|work=Brooklyn, NY {{!}} JCH|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notable former members==
* [[Harvey Fierstein]] - [[Tony Award]]-winning writer of ''[[Torch Song Trilogy]]'', and [[gay rights]] activist
* [[Gary David Goldberg]] - creator of television series such as ''[[Family Ties]]'', ''[[Spin City]]'' and ''[[Brooklyn Bridge (TV series)|Brooklyn Bridge]]''
* [[Sandy Koufax]] - Member of the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]]; he played basketball as well as other sports as a teenager.
* [[Larry King]] - award-winning talk show host

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Organized Jewish Life in the United States|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Jews and Judaism in Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1927]]
[[Category:Jewish Community Centers in the United States]]
[[Category:Bensonhurst, Brooklyn]]
[[Category:1927 establishments in New York City]]

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