When I was a young boy growing up in Toronto, Ontario, our world was much smaller than that of youngsters growing up today. Not one of my friends had a car, and we went only where we could either walk or go on bicycle (there were street-cars). About two blocks from my home was a Jewish Centre – diminutive compared to the one we now have in Phoenix – and it was my world. There, all the young Jewish boys would meet often, (at least three times a week) and play basketball, swim, have ‘meetings’ discussing nothing of any importance. We all looked forward to spending time there, and soon recognized the face of every other Jewish boy in our small town. In short, it was our entire social world, and we all loved it. Toronto was a small town at that time, and the Jews lived in a very small area. I don’t know if the youngsters today need or want such a set-up – I hope they do. There is so much more entertainment choices open to them. Still, I am thrilled that this wonderful Jewish Community Campus is available to them, and I want to make a contribution to its continuation, so that they too can derive some of the pleasure I did at their age.
