We have developed a number of beneficial partnerships with
other nonprofits in the community, including but not limited
to: • This year and for years ahead, we will continue to grow
our programming for people with disabilities. Diversity and
inclusion are at the cornerstone of the Tucson J.
• International rescue society
• Sonoran Glass School
• Community Synagogues
• Tucson Museum of Art
• Tucson Symphony Orchestra
• Jewish Community agencies • The Sarver Tennis Center is experiencing a rebirth. With
thanks to a generous leadership gift from the Penny and Robert
Sarver Charitable Foundation and Betty Anne Sarver Family,
and broad community support, we have been able to renovate
the entire tennis center and create a space for gathering.
New programs will of course benefit J members, but we have
also intentionally designed programs to help teach tennis to
underserved youth in our community. The Tucson J is truly a
community asset.
We also appreciate the continued support from JFSA and JCF.
The Tucson J is a wellness center, where wellness is defined
more broadly than physical fitness; there are 14 aspects of
wellness that inform our programming.
The wheel below shows the platform we use to create
programming:
At the 2018 JCC Association Biennial, a new continental
program, J Response, was created. An opportunity for one JCC
to help another during times of need. It models the response
that IsraAid has, to help in world disasters, and The Tucson J
looks forward to helping other JCC’s in times of need.
In 2012, the JCC Association adopted a statement of principles
and the Tucson J followed suit. Today, when designing
programs, we work to ensure these principals are brought to
life. They are:
• Creating a Jewish identity is a unique and individual life-long
process.
• Respecting and supporting diverse Jewish opinions, beliefs,
and practices are essential for strong and enduring Jewish
communities.
• Interaction between diverse groups of Jews is critical for the
well-being and future of the Jewish people.
• Jewish living and learning sit at the heart of the JCC.
• Israel is an eternal birthright of the Jewish people, linking us
to our past and to Jews around the world today.
• Strong Jewish communities benefit, and benefit from, their
larger communities.
We ask ourselves, how we can be more attractive to the next
generation. Together, we have to make an institution seem non-
institutional to a generation that does not embrace joining.
The J looks to provide intentional programming that benefits
not only our membership but also the entire community.
• Our Sculpture Garden, which in many ways is the center of
our town square, not only enhances the beauty of The J, our
desire is for the garden to be part of the public art scene, a part
of conversation and an inspiration for our members and all of
Tucson.
No one department or agency can do this alone; to achieve real
success we need to work together within the J, in partnership
with the other Jewish agencies and in the broader community.
The Tucson J is truly a place for ALL. Generations have
inherited the history of The J and reshaped it in their own
image. As generations come together, we need to ensure the
generation of today does not lose touch with the generation
of the past. Our community is at its best when we are working
together.
When Jewish life transcends differences anything is possible.
At The J, we believe anything is possible.