The Jewish Community Center (JCC) formally opens its doors in Seattle under the strategic leadership of first president Norman Davis and secretary Harry Ash. Alfred Shemanski also serves as an early leader of the organization.
The JCC reflected the mission of Jewish Community Centers throughout the United States. It was conceived as a place for Jews to come because they did not have anywhere else to go, due to restrictions prohibiting Jews from many non-Jewish social and recreational clubs. It was a place they could participate in activities with a particular American twist and style: basketball, arts classes and lectures, summer camps, and social clubs.
Sources:
Michele Rosen "Fortieth Anniversary of the Jewish Community Center," Stroum Jewish Community Center, Seattle, 1988.
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