Success Stories / Sephardic Community Center

— Sephardic Community Center — Sephardic Community Center — Sephardic Community Center

— Sephardic Community Center

Sephardic Community Center increased online registrations by 2.5x and reduced front desk workload by 45% with Amilia

24% → 63% Online registrations increase in 2 months

45% Front desk workload reduced

2.5x Online registrations in 60 days

“Our mission isn’t to manage a CRM, it’s to serve our members, and Amilia allows us to do exactly that. It feels like we’re moving forward together with a true partner.”

- Norman Mandel Associate Executive Director, , Sephardic Community Center

JCC Sephardic transformed a failing registration experience into a growth engine, increasing online registrations from 24% to 63% in just two months. With Amilia, they reduced front desk workload by 45% and shifted focus back to delivering exceptional member experiences.

About Sephardic Community Center

Sephardic Community Center is a community-first organization serving members for over 40 years. Founded in 1982, the center operates with a clear mission: to be “everything to every member.” From early childhood education and summer camps to senior programs, sports, and recreation, Sephardic Community Center delivers a wide spectrum of services under one roof.

With nearly 9,000 members today, the organization continuously evolves its programming to meet community needs in real time. Their operating philosophy is simple but demanding: plan by the year, pivot by the minute.

To deliver on that promise, operational efficiency and member experience are not optional. They are foundational.

The challenge: Growth was being held back by broken systems

Before Amilia, Sephardic Community Center relied on a legacy CRM that couldn’t keep pace with their operational complexity or growth.

Online registration, a critical workflow, consistently failed at peak demand.

Systems would crash within 20 minutes of registration opening
Staff had to do heavy manual setup and workaround processes
Members experienced failed registrations, frustration, and drop-offs

To compensate, staff shifted toward manual processes, including phone-based registrations and deferred payments. This created operational strain and directly impacted revenue.

“We did all the work on the backend just to have the system crash. Then the phones start ringing, members are frustrated, and we’re redoing everything manually. Instead of moving forward, we were moving backwards.”
Norman Mandel, Associate Executive Director, Sephardic Community Center

Why Amilia: A platform that checked 98% of non-negotiables

After evaluating CRM platforms for five years, Sephardic Community Center made a deliberate decision: only switch if the impact was meaningful.

They prioritized seamless member experience, reliable online registration, real-time access, automation, and a true partner approach.

“After evaluating CRM solutions for five years, we came in with a very critical eye. We weren’t willing to make a lateral move; it had to be significantly better. Amilia checked virtually all of our non-negotiables."
Norman Mandel, Associate Executive Director, Sephardic Community Center

The transformation: From manual workarounds to automated growth

The shift to Amilia delivered immediate, measurable impact across both member experience and operations.

Online registration, once a major point of failure, became a growth driver almost instantly.

From 24% → 53.3% in the first month
Reaching 63.1% by month two

This shift directly improved conversion and revenue capture. With a stable, seamless online experience, more members completed registrations instead of abandoning them or delaying payment.

Operationally, the pressure on staff has dropped significantly.

Front desk workload was reduced by 40–45%, eliminating the need for constant manual intervention, troubleshooting, and phone-based registrations.

This shift enabled the team to refocus on delivering value to their members instead of managing systems.

"Our front desk staff’s workload has been diminished by a good 40 to 45%. Our mission here is not to get the CRM working. Our mission here is to serve our members."
Norman Mandel, Associate Executive Director, Sephardic Community Center

What made the difference

Automated payments that drive revenue
Recurring billing and installment plans run automatically without staff intervention, improving both accessibility and cash flow.
“The recurring payments and installment plans are a game changer. It just works smoothly automatically without any intervention.”

Registration experience that converts
A stable, real-time registration flow eliminated system crashes and reduced drop-offs.
“When you’re online, you register and you pay. It’s a different dynamic.”

Operational automation at scale
Processes like failed payment notifications, waitlists, and registrations are now automated and time stamped. This improved both efficiency and transparency for members.

Real-time analytics without effort
Reporting that previously required hours of manual work are now instant.
“What used to take me hours to prepare is just a push of a button.”

Guided onboarding that drives adoption
Amilia’s onboarding and support ensured Sephardic Community Center could transition confidently and drive adoption across teams without disruption. Hands-on training, ongoing consultations, and self-serve resources like Amilia University helped staff quickly navigate the learning curve and fully leverage the platform.
“We had extensive training, consultations, and support. Cecilia was extremely helpful, and we continued using Amilia University even after going live. There’s always a learning curve, but with the preparation and support we had, the transition went smoothly.”

A partner that evolves with you

Beyond functionality, Amilia stood out for its commitment to continuous improvement.
This contrasted sharply with other vendors evaluated. “I saw the same demo four years later. Nothing changed. That said it all.”

“It’s not a destination. It’s a continuous journey. No matter how good you are, there’s always a next level, and I think Amilia is always seeking that next level.”
Norman Mandel, Associate Executive Director, Sephardic Community Center

If you are interested to learn how Amilia could help you and your organization succeed like it helped Sephardic Community Center, just reach out to our team. We would be happy to discuss it with you!