The Oshry | Kipnes Jewish Community Centre represents the return of a central gathering place for Jewish life in Edmonton. While the community has long been supported by synagogues, schools, and a myriad of other organizations, many families have felt the absence of a shared community hub for years. 

That feeling resonated deeply with David and Janet Aaron. 

“When I heard that this building was going to be it, I was all in,” David says. “I used to go to the old JCC in Rio Terrace when I was younger, and I have a lot of memories from that place.” 

Like many in Edmonton’s Jewish community, David remembers this JCC as a place where friendships formed naturally and community life happened in everyday moments. 

“My friends and I would go there all the time,” he says. “There was a rec room upstairs where we would just hang out and spend time together.” 

Those memories have stayed with him over the years because they reflect how meaningful simple gathering spaces can be. Not every connection comes through formal programming or organized events. Sometimes community grows through casual conversations, shared experiences, and simply having a place to spend time together. 

The teen lounge in the Oshry | Kipnes JCC will function as a similar space where todays Jewish youth can connect, grow, and later look back on space with the same fondness David has described. 

Building an inclusive community space 

One of the things David values most about the Oshry | Kipnes JCC is the sense of openness it can create within the community. 

“I strongly believe we need a place for Jewish people to meet in a way that’s not religious,” he says. “You can be Jewish without feeling pressure around denomination or affiliation.” 

David and Janet have an interfaith marriage and strongly support each other's beliefs and values. Supporting a space that welcomes people from different backgrounds and experiences felt like a natural decision for a pair who are already accustomed to a culturally and religiously blended household. 

“One of the reasons I support this project is that both Jewish and non-Jewish people can attend and participate in a non-religious way,” he says. “That’s really important.” 

The vision for the Oshry | Kipnes JCC includes creating a welcoming environment where people can gather comfortably, participate in community life, and build relationships across generations. 

Investing in stability and the future 

David also sees the Oshry | Kipnes JCC as an important investment in the future stability of Jewish organizations in Edmonton. 

“We need a stable place for our Jewish organizations,” he says. The Oshry | Kipnes JCC is expected to be home to a number of Jewish organizations. Prospective tenants include Jewish Federation, Temple Beth Ora, a Jewish Family Services satellite office, and the Jewish Archives and Historical Society of Edmonton and Northern Alberta. 

It's a need David and Janet feel have been growing since the old JCC was closed and that has only grown in recent years. 

Once plans for the project became concrete, supporting the campaign felt like an easy decision for the Aarons. 

“Once we heard the project was officially happening—that they were purchasing the building and moving ahead with the renovations—we said yes right away,” he says. “This was something we knew we could get behind.” 

Their support comes from a shared belief that strong communities need spaces where people and organizations can grow together over the long term. 

Looking ahead 

The Oshry | Kipnes JCC will create opportunities for people to gather, attend programs, celebrate milestones, and strengthen relationships across the community. 

For David, many of those moments trace back to his own memories of the JCC in Rio Terrace and the sense of connection that space created for so many people.