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It wasn't many years ago that the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center was the crown jewel of JCCs in the Bay Area.

But after 17 years, that is no longer the case. The Marin JCC, which opened in 1991, now is the most modern facility. In September 2001, the Peninsula JCC plans to open a new building in Foster City. A year or two after that, the proposed new JCC in San Francisco will eclipse both of them.

Meanwhle, the old ALSJCC in Palo Alto needs costly repairs and upgrading.

No wonder that Sandy Blovad, the ALSJCC executive director, is dealing so well with the prospect of losing his building to the Palo Alto school district, which is eyeing the former school site for a new middle school. For Blovad there is no crisis.

While it could cost upward of $40 million to build a new JCC, this is money well worth spending and Blovad knows that. Because the JCC will remain in the high-tech wonderland where 60 new millionaires are reportedly created each day, Blovad shouldn't have too much trouble raising funds for construction.

Of course, some naysayers will question the need for a new JCC. They will say that there are enough health facilities in Silicon Valley.

But a JCC is not just a health center. It serves the Jewish community, especially our youth.

The JCC is home for many kids and their parents who have no other Jewish exposure, who do not belong to a synagogue or who go to synagogue only three times a year. The JCC gives them regular exposure to Jewish events and holiday celebrations, giving them the opportunity to meet other Jews.

With the increasing intermarriage rate, any place where Jews can easily meet other Jews is worth the time and money the community must spend.

The Jews of Silicon Valley can afford a new JCC. And they need one. Even if the school district didn't want to reclaim the present site, millions would still have to be spent to update the center. As long as the economy is rocketing, it makes more sense to erect a state-of-the-art facility.