We are excited to announce that this year and moving forward, our annual celebration event will be named Todah, the Hebrew word for “thank you,” which expresses how grateful we are for the impact you have had on our community.
The Todah event will be held at the JCC next to our beautiful pool on Sunday, September 18 from 6:00-9:00 pm. The evening will include music by Paul Shapiro’s Rib’s and Brisket with a special musical arrangement from the hit Amazon television series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Sponsorship packages and event tickets to Todah can be secured by contacting Beth Hornstein at bhornstein@jccdenver.org or 303.316.6382.
A Brief Look at Our History
In December 1922, the doors opened on “the Center”, at 13th Ave. and Decatur St. At that time, the neighborhood of Lower West Colfax was once described as the Jewish Township on the scenic Platte River.
In 1932, with a gift by L.H. Guldman, “the Center” moved to an old mansion at 16th and Irving Street and became known as the Guldman Community Center with workshops, clubrooms, a library, assembly, and dining halls. The Center was the heart of the Jewish community, and as such created a sense of “instant belonging”.
Over the next few decades, programs and services of the Community Center expanded with the addition of a pre-school and day camp, while also serving as the meeting place for AZA and BBG youth groups. A gymnasium, donated by the Strauss Family Foundation in Chicago, was added to support athletic activities like those of the Young American League called the Hawks. In 1947 as the Jewish community continued to grow, and the needs of the facility were under increasing demand, the Community Center filed articles of incorporation and became known as the Jewish Community Centers of Denver with the first official President being J. Leonard Berman.
In 1957 and 1958 the decision was made and fundraising commenced with plans to buy and build a new JCC, which is the location where we still reside today.
