Arthur Schechner is the Founding President of the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan NJ (JCHC).  He was also the architect of Hebrew Free Loan of New Jersey, serving as its chairman from its inception in 1996 until 2020.  Previously, he was President of Daughters of Israel and served on its executive committee for 50 years.  He was the first chair of MetroWest CARES, a network of services for community seniors and twice chaired the MetroWest delegation to the White House Council on Aging. 

 

In 2006, to honor his late wife, Judi, Arthur Schechner raised over $2 million dollars to build the Judith Ruback Schechner Recreation and Wellness Center at JESPY, better known as “Judi House”.  Judi House opened in 2012 with new and innovative programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

 

Arthur is an active member of his synagogue, Oheb Shalom, where he is a lifelong member. Thanks to a recent generous donation from the Arthur Schechner Charitable Foundation, Oheb Shalom’s Zeman Religious School is tuition-free, believed to be the first free Hebrew school affiliated with a Conservative synagogue in the US.  Arthur has also served on the Board of Trustees of the Oheb Shalom Cemetery Association for over 50 years, 25 of them as President.

 

He is a member of the Hill Society of his alma mater, Syracuse University, and holds a Doctor of Laws degree (honoris causa) from the Rabbinical College of America.  He was the inaugural winner of Jewish Federation’s Bamberger Award in 2017.