Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, the nation’s first pluralistic Jewish secondary day school, has purchased its portion of the Schwartz Campus in Bryn Mawr, Pa. The purchase was made possible through a $10 million gift from the Barrack Family Foundation, representing the largest gift from a single donor in the school’s history.
On the site of a former arboretum, its portion of the campus, to be renamed the Leonard and Lynne Barrack Campus for Jewish Life, encompasses two buildings, tennis courts and a soccer field. Since September 2008, Barrack has been the largest tenant on the 35-acre property owned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
“Owning our campus is a huge milestone in our school’s history, and it bolsters our ability to deepen our impact today and to achieve our strategic goal of building a stronger Jewish community in Greater Philadelphia for future generations,” said Jonathan Zabusky, co-president of Barrack’s board. “This significant accomplishment would not have been possible without the vision and generosity of Len and Lynne Barrack and the Barrack Family Foundation, and we extend our profound thanks to them for this gift.”
The academic institution recently launched a strategic plan to guide its work over the next three to five years to strengthen the school, as well as the experiences of its students, now and in the future. Purchasing its campus is a critical element of the plan, allowing Barrack to better respond to the evolving needs of its growing educational community. Barrack is planning improvements (with dollars that have already been raised) to its facilities and its infrastructure, including customizing the space to accommodate planned growth and enhance student learning experiences.
Barrack’s head of school, Rabbi Marshall Lesack, said that “the Barrack Family Foundation, representing Lynne and Len Barrack’s values and priorities, shares our commitment to educating the next generation of Jewish leaders. We are truly humbled by the foundation’s generosity and have the deepest gratitude to them for making this milestone possible and ensuring that we are well-positioned to chart our own future.”
The Barrack Family Foundation’s new gift brings its total investment in Barrack Hebrew Academy to more than $25 million over time.
Leonard Barrack, of the Barrack Family Foundation, said: “Lynne and I, as an alum, have always felt a deep and meaningful connection to the school. The foundation is proud to make this gift on behalf of today’s Barrack students and for the many students who will benefit from the school’s unmatched, rigorous academic program for years to come. The future is bright as our students continue to forge their own path to become strong, kind and confident leaders, guided by Jewish values and learning, in a complex and ever-changing world.”
“Barrack Hebrew Academy and Federation share the same goal of ensuring Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish community thrives, now and in the future,” said Michael Balaban, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. “We are delighted that we could reach an agreement with Barrack to acquire their portion of this beautiful campus, thereby securing their future in Bryn Mawr. At the same time, the sale frees up more of Federation’s resources to advance our mission to enrich Jewish life across the region, making it a win for both organizations and for the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community.”
