Detroit Federation Probes Fiscal Woes at JCC
Detroit’s Jewish federation has hired an accounting firm to investigate possible financial irregularities at the local Jewish Community Center.
In addition to hiring tax and auditing firm to conduct a “forensic investigation” of the center, the federation retained a separate firm to take over the center’s financial operations of the center, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and Jewish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit allocated $950,000 last week to the JCC, which has an annual budget of $13.2 million. The center has been struggling to deal with $6 million in legacy debt. The JCC’s controller was fired in December.
Scott Kaufman, the CEO of the Jewish federation, told the Free Press there is “no indication at this point” of criminal activity.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.

