by Scott Cohen
JCC Executive Director

The Vine Family Auditorium, long the home of cultural arts programs, communal events and family programs, is in the midst of a facelift and a major technology improvement.

Through the generosity of Barry and Hyla Vine, a major investment in new technology will improve the quality and the accessibility of any event held in the Vine Family Auditorium. The improvements begin with a new projector and screen for movies and presentations. The powerful projector and ambient light-rejecting screen will improve the quality of all presentations with a brighter and sharper image. The new screen will support the wide-screen format of new films and make subtitles easier to read. In addition, connecting to the projector can be accomplished wirelessly and seamlessly. A ceiling-mounted spotlight will allow for a better audience experience by highlighting our presenters.

New speakers and microphones will guarantee sound quality and distribution, ensuring that wherever you sit, you will be able to hear a speaker, musician or movie. The final upgrade to be installed is a hearing impaired system to allow audience members to listen to the audio through earphones connected to their smartphone or a device provided by the JCC.

All of these upgrades were possible because of the generosity of the Vine family and their interest in helping the JCC better serve our community. This is the theme of our Capital Campaign, Building Memories. As we look to the future, the JCC was rebuilt after the fire with many new features, including new program spaces and accessibility improvements. The JCC is seeking generous community members to help fund the improvements. If you are interested in building memories for the current and next generation of JCC users, contact Amy Holtz, Chief Development Officer, at x254 or aholtz@jewishnewhaven.org.