17th South JCC

In 1957, the Hogle family donated five acres at the corner of 17^th South and Foothill Drive, resolving the question of where a new JCC should be located. The land was to be split evenly between the Episcopal Church and the Jewish community. The Hogle’s gift was readily accepted and the two communities lived in harmony as neighbors. 

With a site identified, the Jewish community shifted its focus to building their new home. Dal Siegel led a building committee, which gathered input and worked with architect Robert A. Fowler to produce a plan for the building. Bids were solicited from a number of contractors but all were far in excess of what had been expected and beyond what the community expected to be able to raise. Salt Lake United Jewish Council head Abe Bernstein met with his friend, contractor Joseph Howa, who modified the plans and suggested postponing certain features so that the building could be completed for $350,000, an amount acceptable to the community.

The proceeds from the sale of the Covenant House were used to pay for the construction of the new building. In addition, a $150,000 mortgage was taken out and personally guaranteed by the dozen or so signing individuals. A new board of directors of the Jewish Community Center Corporation was elected and led by Dal Siegel. Ads were sold for a souvenir Dedication Book producing $13,000 to purchase furnishings, office, and kitchen equipment.

The family of the late James L. White furnished and decorated the James L. White Lounge, the adult lounge. They employed New York Artist Alfred Van Loen to create two pieces — a bronze and copper tree of life which hung on the wood wall in the lobby of what became affectionately known as “17^th South” and a free-form Menorah to be a fountain whose waters would appear like white lights of burning candles to sit in front of the building. The James L. White Jewish Community Center opened for business in March, 1958.

A nursery school was started at the new JCC by Suzanne Goldsmith and Rosanne Gordon. This became the premier early childhood center in Salt Lake City and among the very first to be accredited by the NAEYC. Members of the larger community sought out the JCC’s preschool and kindergarten as they searched for the best programs for their young children; programs which opened up a larger world to children, encouraging them to wonder and explore, learn of Jewish traditions, and see themselves as part of something larger than themselves.

The dream of a swimming pool was finally realized in 1973 when the family of Max Siegel made a donation for a Jr. Olympic pool to be built in his memory. Increased opportunities now available to children on Salt Lake’s east bench brought in more families to the JCC. People from all walks of life often say that they learned to swim in the pool at 17^th South.

Fashion shows, musicals, boys scouts, BBYO, Jr. Jazz, summer camp, afterschool programs, basketball, swim meets, preschool, kindergarten, the first first grade class of the JCC Elementary School (later to become the McGillis School), and the very first Shalom on the Range all were held at 17^th South. The notion of Tikkun Olam, of making the world a better place, took on an immediate and local meaning.

By the mid 1990s, the aging and heavily trafficked James L. White JCC was almost completely taken over by children’s programs, underscoring the need for these programs in the community, while leaving few opportunities or space for adults. The elementary school had grown and moved to Congregation Kol Ami which also needed additional classroom space.  A new community building committee was formed initially with the idea of a Jewish community campus adjacent to Congregation Kol Ami. Competing needs resulted in the community campaign being broken into three separate campaigns.

Learn About the First JCC

Learn About the Current JCC