Annual Report 2007-2008/5768 - The Rashi School

Building for the Future
On the Move to Dedham
12
What an outstanding year we’ve had! The Campaign for Rashi has raised
$24,682,480 (as of July 31, 2008) toward our $30,000,000 campaign goal to fund
the building of a permanent home for The Rashi School in Dedham.
With the commitment of strong lay and professional leadership – including close to
three dozen solicitors – we’ve nearly doubled our Campaign total in this fiscal year.
Showing its leadership, every member of the Board of Trustees has supported the
Campaign, with commitments totaling more than $6,000,000. Eleven major donors
were inspired to either significantly increase or double their prior commitments.
One of the most exciting opportunities and successes occurred when Dr. Miriam and
Sheldon G. Adelson invested $5,000,000 in our Campaign as a challenge grant. This
generous grant significantly increased Campaign momentum, motivated donors to
support the Campaign, and affirmed community confidence in our ability to attain
our goals. To date, donors have pledged $3,272,672 (or 65%) toward the match
promised by this grant.
In addition, an anonymous donor made a $500,000 challenge grant to increase
support from our parent body. The challenge was not only met, but Rashi families
responded in unprecedented numbers – 94% of our parents have demonstrated
their excitement for the Dedham project by supporting the Campaign.
The Campaign for Rashi crossed another exciting threshold this summer as the
school sought to secure a debt financing package. We were in the enviable position
of choosing among four bank offers, and we selected Century Bank because of
its long and solid relationship with Rashi and the Boston area Jewish community.
We are satisfied that, pending due diligence, we will have competitive terms from
a stable institution.
Our new building will truly be magnificent. We revised the plans this year, hiring
a new architect and revising the project to save costs, yet retaining a plan that is
functional, elegant, and reflective of Rashi’s mission and values. The plans for the
82,000 square foot state-of-the-art building are nearly complete and we expect to
break ground this fall. For more details about the building design, including the
most recent floor plans, please go to our website at www.rashi.org.
Our Campaign continues. We encourage parents, grandparents, alumni parents,
community members and friends of Rashi to make an investment in this permanent
home that will nurture the next generation of Jewish leaders.
Jill Goldenberg
Lisa Wallack
Campaign Co-Chairs
For more information, contact Barbara Gold,
Director of Development, at 617-969-7300
x235 or bgold@rashi.org.
Critical Minds