A Celebration 100 Years In the Making

In 1906 a group of respected Omaha professionals gathered to discuss the logistics of building a meeting space for the local Jewish population. Public interest was great, but the challenges were many. The group faced numerous setbacks including the tornado of 1913 and World War I.

By 1922, a generous donation from Morris Levy, president of the Jewish Welfare Federation, solidified the plans to build a Jewish Community Center in Omaha. In 1924, a ground-breaking ceremony was held near 20th and Dodge street. After countless hours of constructing and preparing, the Jewish Community Center of Omaha dedicated its cornerstone in July of 1925. Doors opened to the public in 1926. The new facility included an auditorium, basketball gymnasium with running track, tile swimming pool, showers, steam baths, handball courts, meeting rooms, library, and modern kitchen.

The JCC remained at its 101 North 20th Street location for decades. In 1967, a committee was formed to look for a new site. As the population moved westward, the need to relocate became obvious. Several locations were considered, but it was decided that a property off of south 132nd street (a horse farm that was for sale) would be the best fit. The committee believed the size of the property would not only fulfill the present need, but also allow for expansion to accommodate future generations.

On November 2nd, 1972, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the construction of the new JCC at 333 South 132nd Street. By April of 1974 the building was complete and open to the public. The new 105,000 sq. ft. facility was state-of-the-art and included a basketball gymnasium, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, meeting rooms, theater, fine art gallery, offices, kitchen, and playground.

In 1998 the “new” JCC, now 26 years old, announced a campaign to renovate and expand the facility. Expansions included the building of the Pennie Z. Davis Child Development Center, a new front entrance, and the construction of the Phil Sokolof Health & Fitness Center. By June of 2000 all construction was complete.
In 2017, with the generous support of donors, the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus Transformation Project began. The goal of the project was to enhance the facility to meet the needs of its 21st century visitors. This would be accomplished through updating aging spaces and utilizing the facility to better align with the demands of JCC programming and membership. The project began with a refresh of the Phil Sokolof Health & Fitness Center. The rest of the facility underwent a major renovation soon after.

In 2020 the facility changed its name to The Staenberg Omaha JCC, in recognition of Michael Staenberg’s generous contributions. Staenberg, an Omaha native, echoed the sentiment and spirit of the JCC’s founders when discussing the motivation behind his donation. He cited the continued importance of building community and the significant value of having a central gathering space.

By 2024 the JCC portion of the project was complete. The Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus Transformation Project ushered in the creation of the new Goldstein Family Aquatic Center (outdoor), Baker Family Leisure Pool (indoor) and Alan J. Levine Athletic Facility. Massive renovations were also made to existing JCC spaces including the indoor lap pool, locker rooms, group exercise studios, health spas, front entrance, theater, and dance studios. The project also included major updates to campus meeting spaces and the creation of the Milton Mendel and Marsha Kleinberg Jewish Omaha Heritage Center.
As before, each renovation has been done in accordance with our mission of building and maintaining a vibrant Jewish community – not only for today, but for generations to come. We are fortunate to play a part in this engaged and caring community and we’re excited to see what the next 100 years will bring.

Special thanks to the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society for providing records and photos from the last 100 years.