Jenny Sacks was already a busy woman. Between raising two kids and working full-time in the world of professional basketball as a marketing agent at Excel Sports Management, there wasn’t much time to spare. So, why did she decide to take on another role as co-president of the Har Zion Temple Home and School Association? She said that, ultimately, people are responsible for bettering more than just the lives of those closest to them.
“It just goes back to supporting your preschool and community, which is something that is really important to me,” Sacks said. “That’s something that’s always been important in terms of strengthening the Jewish community. As you do that, it helps ensure children really begin their journey with a strong sense of identity and tradition and values.”
The Home and School Association is essentially responsible for helping maintain the financial viability of Har Zion’s preschool, as tuition fees don’t completely cover the cost of operations. But it’s about more than just numbers. The HSA helps create and plan events that bring the Har Zion family together, from annual fundraisers to holiday celebrations.
“We’re always looking into what the future holds and what type of social events we can include for the next year,” Sacks said. “Something that’s obviously very important is considering the community — we want the parents to get to know each other. We want the children to be connected after preschool.”
Sacks has been co-president of the Har Zion HSA since 2023, and she will continue in that role for at least another year, although the end date is up in the air. Just like her day job in the world of sports, leading the HSA means filling in the cracks where needed to get the final result that everyone is aiming for. Before this school year is over, the HSA will help host a Shabbat event that draws more than 200 people, as well as graduation for the preschool and last day festivities.
“It all depends on where we are in the calendar. The next few weeks are a little bit hectic, and then we look at the calendar for next year and fundraising for next year and what the school and synagogue need,” Sacks said.
Elsewhere in the calendar, the HSA will take on the Chanukah Bazaar, teacher appreciation, school holiday events and the Spring Gala, among other duties. It’s always busy at Har Zion. That’s one of the reasons that Sacks and her family like it so much. They also appreciate the values taught at the synagogue, which Sacks said she tries to replicate by serving as a leader.
“Building a legacy, giving back and investing in the long-term future of the school, especially as sensitive as things have gotten in recent years, it’s really important,” she said.
“I’ve been giving back in many ways in the community going back to college and I think it’s just really important for our children to also see that, since they learn about being generous and getting involved in the community by observing their family members.”
The Har Zion community is large and loving, but that doesn’t mean the job is easy. Sacks said that education, just like everything else in the world, has gotten remarkably more expensive in the last few years and that the HSA has to be sensitive to that. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Sacks said that the fundraising team at the synagogue has had to pivot to especially creative methods, including special events or drives centered around different themes. Regardless, people have understood the importance of preserving Har Zion’s preschool, Hebrew school and grounds.
“At the end of the day, this is a really great cause,” she said. “You’re benefiting a school and your children, but you’re also helping kids down the line.”
Sacks knows all about working toward a common goal as a member of a team. In the past, she spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers as a player development and rehabilitation consultant.
Her primary job with the Sixers was to help star center Joel Embiid recover from a devastating second navicular injury in 2015, but she ended up working with the team and Embiid beyond that — through 2021. Embiid won the NBA MVP award for the 2022-2023 season. Even though Sacks had moved on to Excel at that point, she said it was wonderful to see him earn the league’s top individual award.
“It’s always rewarding to see your clients do well, and he deserved it,” she said. “I think the most memorable [part] was just seeing him play for the first time [after the injury] and seeing him grow and succeed.”
As for her work at Har Zion, Sacks will be around regardless of what her title is.
“I will always be involved somehow in the community,” she said.
