Agudas Achim North Shore Congregation in Uptown has faced many challenges in recent years. The Jewish congregation’s membership has dwindled, its historic, ornate synagogue has fallen into disrepair and no one knew whether the more than 75-year-old congregation had incorporated as a not-for-profit. But all that is starting to change with the help of DePaul University students who are using their business planning skills to map out a brighter future for the congregation.

Students and synagogue leaders have worked since December to create a bold strategic plan to revitalize the congregation. Part of the plan has already been realized with the April launch of an English as a Second Language program that has attracted 40 adult students from the congregation’s large immigrant population. Golden Diners, a senior hot lunch program, has been proposed and funding is being sought. Meanwhile, students are researching Agudas Achim’s nonprofit status and investigating grant opportunities to fund building repairs and renovations. Additional renewal plans call for the conversion of the congregation’s school building into a community center and library and the establishment of long-term strategic and fund-raising plans.

The project, overseen by DePaul Management Professor Harold Welsch, is designed to give students real-life experience in planning, financing, business implementation, leadership and communication while providing an opportunity to make a difference in the world.

"Projects such as this one are an excellent example of the application of DePaul’s Vincentian mission to serve the community," said Welsch, the Coleman Chair in Entrepreneurship. "It’s a synergistic opportunity to assist the urban community and train our students at the same time."

DePaul, the largest Catholic university in the country by enrollment, was founded on the principles of St. Vincent de Paul, who advocated community service.

About 40 entrepreneurship students, independent study students and members of a campus group called Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) have contributed to the project in several rotations so far. The initial students met with Agudas Achim leaders to learn about the congregation’s needs. They produced an overall plan that divided the effort into various projects. Subsequent student teams have worked with the congregation to research and produce detailed plans for implementing each project. Welsch expects extensive student involvement to continue as more programs are launched.

Synagogue president David Levine said he is excited by the prospect of meeting the needs of his largely Russian-immigrant congregation as well as neighborhood residents while building a future for the synagogue.

"In traditional Jewish life, a synagogue is more than a place to pray," he said. "It’s a place to take care of people, and that’s what we’re working to do."

"Dr. Welsch has been a valued asset on our advisory council, and the students have served well as the planning arm of our project," he said.

Edward Papabathini, a DePaul senior and the president of SIFE, said students are gaining tremendous experience through the project. He acknowledged the special challenges in working with a nonprofit project. "It’s not like a regular business plan where you can just design and implement it. There are so many needs that it’s hard to know where to start, and there’s no pre-existing funding to back up the plan."

Alex Barza, a DePaul senior studying for his undergraduate business degree in

entrepreneurship, said working on the project taught him that "even as a student, you have a

tremendous amount of power to work toward positive change in the community. We’ve begun to

make a measurable difference for the congregation," Barza said.

Note to Editors: Welsch can be reached at 312/362-8471. Levine can be reached at 773/328-9700 or 312/328-9700.