JCC Association of North America President and CEO Doron Krakow speaks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Dell Jewish Community Center on May 15, 2023. Courtesy: Shalom Austin.

By Allison Teegardin 

On May 15, Shalom Austin held a special invitation-only ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of its newly renovated and expanded Dell Jewish Community Center (JCC). The well-attended event included remarks from Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Council Member Alison Alter, JCC Association of North America President and CEO Doron Krakow, and Susan and Michael Dell. Before the ceremony, Krakow visited with community members who have shown unwavering support for the Generations capital campaign for more than a decade, aiding in the project through generous donations of time and money. Welcomed by Shalom Austin Chief Operating Officer Janet S. Elam, Krakow thanked her for her hard work stating, “You have built an extraordinary JCC that is clearly the heartbeat of the community. This is a showcase in so many ways.” Acknowledging that the project broke ground and so much of the build took place during a global pandemic, Krakow said to Elam that it speaks to the determination and dedication of the leadership, the generosity of the donors and the extraordinary talent and commitment of the staff.

Krakow continued with a reflection on the rich JCC history and concluded with questions and answers from attendees before everyone convened outside for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

The Dell JCC is one of the 170 JCCs in North America which are collectively visited by 1.5 million people each week. Of that, 500,000 visitors are friends and neighbors of the Jewish community, illustrating that JCCs welcome the entire community.

During his remarks at the ceremony, Krakow noted the significance of the date. “Here we are, 75 years after the establishment of the state of Israel, inaugurating the benchmark for JCCs today and for JCCs to come,” he said. “May you with the help of the Dells, the leaders gathered  here, the civic and community leaders continue to build today with your eyes on tomorrow and may you go from strength to strength.”