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In an effort to pull together resources in tough economic times, as well as create a stronger sense of community, 25 Jewish institutions have recently partnered to form The Western Monmouth County Joint Programming Committee.

Spearheaded by the Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth County (JCCWM), the committee is tasked with developing joint programming for participating groups as well as helping to advertise an institution's own programs.

Members of the committee include Jewish day schools, synagogues, beneficiary agencies of the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, and other local Jewish organizations.

"The JCC had a vision to join agencies in the western part of Monmouth County and bring them together to collaborate," said Ian Feibelman, program director of the JCCWM. "It's a difficult economic time for everyone and we offer a lot of the same programs."

Partner organizations, Feibelman explained, can pick and choose which programs they want to participate in, depending on what best suits their own needs.

"It's not an all-in-or-nothing mentality," he said.

Feibelman said that the committee will focus on programming for youth, teens, 20-somethings, singles, young families, couples, and seniors.

Already, the committee has established several joint programs, including a youth basketball league and "Leisure Learning Lunches," where hot, kosher Shabbat lunches are served at area synagogues on a rotating basis with a different featured speaker each week.

Howard Gases, executive director the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, said that the committee has applied for funding from the federation, which will be determined at the upcoming board meeting.

"We're very interested in collaborative ventures and we're glad that the JCC took the initiative," Gases said.

Linda Glickstein, director of admissions and marketing for Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth County in Marlboro, called the school's participation in the committee "an obvious, natural choice for the school."

Glickstein recounted how the committee has already helped the school promote an upcoming event.

"I was able, through the committee, to send it to Ian (Feibelman) -- send an email about the event -- and with the push of a button, he was able to send it out to 25 agencies," Glickstein said.

"It brings the community together more effectively and efficiently," she added.

Glickstein said that she hopes the school's involvement in the committee will bring more local Jewish students to their events.

"We hope that we can continue to expand our Jewish programming for the community, specifically for children, but also for adults -- that Solomon Schechter of Western Monmouth County is a central place for Jewish youth in the area," she said.

Rabbi Kenneth Greene of Freehold Jewish Center/Congregation Agudath Achim, said that while the committee will help local Jewish institutions financially, the benefits of the joint programming initiative "goes beyond just the economics."

"As supporters of the committee, we felt that the idea of joint programming was an excellent one, in order to promote Jewish identity in Western Monmouth," Greene said. "It allows congregations like ours to expand our programming, but at the same time it allows the Western Monmouth Jewish community to create a true community by sharing programs and bringing programs that a single institution couldn't do alone."

Greene pointed to singles programming as one area that will particularly benefit from such a partnership. The committee, Greene said, will help draw in a larger number of people for singles events, including those who are not affiliated with a synagogue.

"It's a win-win for the individual, the congregation, and the community as a whole," Greene said of the committee.

Members of the The Western Monmouth County Joint Programming Committee:

-- Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth County

-- Rutgers Hillel

-- The Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Center at Brookdale Community College

-- Young Israel of Aberdeen

-- Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth County

-- Marlboro Jewish Center

-- The Jewish Federation of Greater Monmouth County

-- Freehold Jewish Center/Congregation Agudath Achim

-- The Friendship Circle

-- Congregation Sons of Israel

-- Congregation B'nai Israel

-- Chabad of Western Monmouth County

-- Congregation Ahavat Olam

-- The Jersey Shore Jewish Academy

-- Temple Beth Shalom

-- Temple Shaari Emeth

-- Temple Rodeph Torah

-- Hadassah

-- Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Monmouth County

-- Temple Beth Ahm

-- Jewish Heritage Museum

-- Shalom Torah Academy

-- Temple Shalom (Aberdeen)

-- Congregation Kol Am

-- Special Strides