It has long been recognized that there is a need in the community for additional daycare spaces which cannot be accommodated in the Kaufman Daycare centre at the Asper Campus.

Sources have told The Winnipeg Jewish Review that the Rady JCC has entered into a tenancy agreement to rent space in the Herzlia Synagogue Building on Brock Street.

This past year the Ohr Hatorah day school ran a daycare, nursery, and kindergarten out of the Herzlia Synagogue building. Unfortunately, Ohr Hatorah, which has serviced those in the community who wanted a traditional Torah education, will be closing its doors. The Ohr Hatorah school has been a long time tenant of the Herzlia Synagogue for a good many years. The Rady JCC will be running a daycare in the space that Ohr Hatorah has been using up until now. They have received government licensing for an extra 24 daycare spots in additional to the already existing spots in the daycare as itwas run by Ohr Hatorah.

It is not intended that Herslia Synagogue will be the permanent long term location of the Rady JCC daycare. Sources tell the WJR that the Rady JCC had been eying the purchase of a post office on Kenaston and Willow, very close to the Asper Campus. But that did not come to fruition as the building was sold to another buyer (The post office’s loss is the Herzlia Synagogue’s gain).

The Rady JCC will be acting strictly as a tenant and will not be investing in extra upgraded infrastructure for theaging Herzlia building. The issue that the Herzlia Synagogue will have to grapple with is what to do with the space in its building that has been used for the purpose of a daycare/school over the years once the Rady JCC finds a permanent location for the daycare. This will depend on what the Synagogue decides is its long term plan and vision.