The Jewish Community Center (JCC) was established in 1951 following the merger of the Jewish Young Men's Association, the Jewish Young Women's Association and the Alliance for Jewish Education. The JCC Association is the organization that brings together the continental level of the Jewish Community Center movement, which includes more than 350 JCC, YWHAS and camp sites in the U. S. and Canada.
The Hebrew Youth Literary Association was the first created in 1854 in a building on the corner of Fayette and Gay Streets in Baltimore, Maryland, to provide support to Jewish immigrants. The well-maintained building had a balcony for women and a beautifully painted ceiling, with a large Jewish star in the center and clouds around it. In recent decades, several incidents that have occurred in the JCC and other places related to Judaism in the United States and Canada, as well as the September 11 attacks, have led JCCs in all areas to increase security at their facilities. Although most of the JCCs are located on the East Coast, with 17 sites in Florida, the JCCs operate in many other communities.
The JCC building is located on the campus of the Jewish community of Eugene and Marcia Applebaum, along with several homes for the elderly and mentally disabled and an Alzheimer's treatment building. The JCCs promote Jewish culture and heritage through Christmas celebrations, programs related to Israel, and other types of Jewish education. There are nearly two dozen Jewish community centers in the New York metropolitan area, offering a wide range of social, cultural and educational services, ranging from conferences, concerts, theatrical performances and dance recitals to health and fitness classes, job training workshops and citizenship classes. An example of the objectives of Jewish community centers can be seen in the Constitution of the New Bedford, Massachusetts branch.
Agency accredited by the government to address the religious and social needs of Jewish military personnel through the JWB Council of Jewish Chaplains. A Jewish Community Center (JCC) is a general recreational, social and fraternal organization that provides services to the Jewish community in several cities. These services are available to both members and non-members alike. Examples include health and fitness classes, job training workshops, citizenship classes, conferences, concerts, theatrical performances, dance recitals, programs related to Israel, Christmas celebrations and more.
The JCC Association supports the largest network of Jewish early childhood centers and summer camps in North America. It is also an agency accredited by the government to address the religious and social needs of Jewish military personnel through its JWB Council of Jewish Chaplains. The Hebrew Youth Literary Association was established in 1854 as a way to provide support to Jewish immigrants who had recently arrived in Baltimore, Maryland. Since then, many other JCCs have been established across North America with varying objectives but all with a common goal: to provide services that promote Jewish culture and heritage. The services offered by JCCs are vast and varied.
From health and fitness classes to job training workshops to citizenship classes; from conferences to concerts; from theatrical performances to dance recitals; from programs related to Israel to Christmas celebrations - there is something for everyone at a JCC! Additionally, many JCCs offer special programs for seniors or those with disabilities. The JCC Association also provides support for military personnel through its JWB Council of Jewish Chaplains. The mission of a JCC is to provide a safe space for members of the Jewish community to come together for socialization, education and recreation. By providing these services, they help foster a sense of belonging among Jews from all walks of life while also promoting their culture and heritage.
