VICKI ZELL…will lead the community relations agency. Vicki Zell will be installed as president of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), the Jewish Federation's agency dealing with issues of public policy, social advocacy and community outreach, announced David Farber, president of the Jewish Federation. The Annual Meeting will also honor Alan Respler on his recent retirement as executive director of the JCRC after 32 years at its helm.

The cocktail reception and meeting will be held in the Social Hall of the Weinberg Jewish Community Campus on Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, on Tuesday, May 26, at 6:30 p.m.

"The Jewish Federation is very pleased to see Vicki assume the presidency of the JCRC at this critical time. Our public policy agency will benefit from this strong, capable leader who understands finance and the importance of a vital Jewish Community Relations Council," said Farber.

JCRC operates the Goodwin Holocaust Museum and Education Center of the Delaware Valley and created and operates BookMates-the South Jersey Interfaith Coalition for Literacy, which it now co-sponsors with the Catholic-Jewish Commission. The JCRC created the Catholic-Jewish Commission and the Catholic-Jewish Institute for Understanding together with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. The JCRC receives funding from the Federation Annual Campaign.

"When Vicki moved to Southern New Jersey from Maryland with her husband Brian and their three children in 1999, she went from a high power professional to a high power volunteer," said Janine Sobel, former Federation president, of her close friend.

Zell came to the JCRC through her involvement with BookMates, JCRC's early childhood literacy program. She served on the program's steering committee and chaired its grant writing and book distribution activities. She was invited to join the JCRC board, where she rose to vice president and then president-elect. She was honored as the JCRC's Volunteer of the Year in 2006.

In addition to her role in JCRC, Zell has been active on the board of the Jewish Federation. She has served on many committees, including Super Sunday (Chair 2007), Planning, Funds Development, Major Gifts, Washington Mission, Budget Panel, and as co-editor of the Jaffa Gate publication. Previously, Zell served as a board member of the Jewish Federation's Department of Jewish Education & Continuity.

Zell is an active leader at the Katz JCC, where she is a member of the Board and Executive Committee. She was chair of the Festival of Arts, Books and Culture in 2007 and 2008. She received the JCC's Sidney Levy Volunteer of the Year Award in 2008.

Zell lives in Cherry Hill with her husband, Brian, who is a partner in the medical practice of Sobel and Zell Orthopaedic Associates. Vicki, Brian and their children, Shanna, Adam and Alyssa, are members of Temple Beth Sholom. Prior to moving to Cherry Hill, Zell was director of administration at The Biostatistics Center, George Washington University.

In addition to the installation of Zell, the JCRC will install other officers and board members. There will then be a special tribute to Alan Respler, who recently retired as executive director. Many Jewish and interfaith community leaders have been invited to participate in the event, including Congressmen Rob Andrews and John Adler and retired Congressman Jim Saxton. Leaders from national Jewish agencies and local civic and other organizations will also be in attendance.

Being renewed for another term as vice presidents will be Ann-Linn Glaser and Myra Gutin, who also serves as chair of the Annual Meeting. Being installed as new vice presidents will be Robert Feist and Jonathan Korn.

Board members being installed for another term include Joan Bloch, Rabbi Lewis Eron, Gloria Fischel- Gilbert, David Oberlander, and Howard Simonoff. Board members to be newly installed include Pamela Benedon, Robin Sue Landsburg, Rebecca Levy, Chaim Respes and Donna Silverman. JCRC Associates will be Karin Elkis, Richard Goldstein and David Shevrin.

Registration for the Annual Meeting is $36 per person and $18 for JCRC Patrons, who are annual supporters of the JCRC. Registration can be through the JCRC web site, www.JCRCSNJ.org or by sending a check to the "JCRC" at 1301 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ 08003. Reservations are requested by May 18.

For more information, call the JCRC at 751-9500, ext. 203. .