Tucson JCC

I have been coming to the TJCC for 25 years now. I have been seeing a tremendous decline in cleanliness and quality of services, in the past few years. The «old» JCC felt like home, while the «improved» JCC lost that feeling for me and people I know. It used to be that I could use the pool any time I wanted and now most of the time I have time to swim, after work weekdays and early in the morning Saturdays, the pool is closed to paying members because of a swim team or a party of some sort. Unfortunately, it seems as I am paying more for less services/​value today.

We have been bringing our child here for the past 3 years and it has slowly been going downhill. The turnover rate for teachers is extremely high and you can tell a lot of the faculty isn’t too happy with their jobs. I don’t see much structure in the classes and it seems more like a babysitting service then getting my child prepared for kindergarten. I plan on moving my child to a daycare that follows a curiculum and cares about the children more. If you are looking for a good daycare, this is definitely NOT the place to take your children. While they offer some great health and fitness facilities, their Early Childhood Education program leaves a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, the good teachers leave for greener pastures and the Tucson JCC retains the ones that can’t make it anywhere else

Huge.
Beautiful Place.
It offers so very much.
Great location, depends on where you live.
I want to go back. I hear the cafeteria food is good and offers some affordable options.
I went to one of the Jewish films — great film.
Everyone seemed so nice.
A wonderful community resource.

We just joined the JCC a week ago and have already used it more than we did our previous gym. Though it’s under construction right now, everything is still useable. I took a power yoga class this evening and the instructor was excellent! I love being able to exercise in so many different capacities, including the lap pool, tennis courts, and various group fitness classes.

We put on a yoga rave at the JCC. What a fabulous event we had! Everything went smoothly and they were really great to work with. Its a great space and we are looking forward to seeing how the children’s yoga program goes. The Above and Beyond Children’s Foundation, Lululemon, Session Yoga and Abud Entertainment rocked this event! Thank you JCC for having us.

We were in a pinch and the JCC saved us.
We had to plan a last minute work event that needed to take place off site, be nice enough for a high ranking public official and accommodate 100 people. JCC to the rescue! Seriously, they were able to set us up in the Heritage Room and cater the event as well with under two weeks notice.
The Heritage Room is lovely and we were lucky enough that the walls were adorned with gorgeous western artwork on display for a month long fundraiser for Empire Ranch. The catering manager, Gwen suggested the menu after I told where the general direction we were taking and set a gorgeous spread, matching the overall colors of the paintings in the room by using fabric and serving plates.
This was my first time at the JCC and the place is incredible. I saw lots of families and children using the facility for childcare, fitness and other classes. What a great place!

Always a great place to host an event, I have been at many events here and have had quite a few events here. The staff is always helpful and at the times I have coordinated events there Shelley Fitzgerald is the one that everything flow smoothly.
Centrally located a screaming deal for a shindig.

There are so many wonderful aspects of joining the JCC. Fortunately, it is good to get old and enjoy the few good benefits of aging. No. 1 is having Silver Sneakers. The «J» is like my second home. Stay well and make new friends. Not to mention keeping your bodies in tip top shape. The many choices of classes they offer keep getting better and better. The fun for me begins with Tuesday’s dance party led by Rhina G. an amazing energized lady who is a joy to be around.. Also the Zumba classes with Brenda are cardio as well as choreographed with finesse and class. Can’t get enough of them. Thanks JCC for being a part of my life.

This is a great all around place. They have an amazing early childhood education program that goes all the way from 6 weeks — K. The campus is great, there is a huge gymnasium for multiple basketball games, clay courts (it’s kind of an astro turf), great pool that’s heated year round and an array of fitness classes and equipment. They will be undergoing a remodel and hope to see some of the equipment updated and that point. All in all, a great place for a family membership.

I must first establish the small conflict of interest in writing this review. I am periodically an employee here as I’ve worked as a camp counselor for the summer camps. That being said, every time I visit Tucson from college, I’ve bought a membership so I can use the facilities.
The people here are amazing. Whether it is the staff or non-​staff, you’ll find plenty of very nice people. You get the feeling that you are welcomed, and the JCC is great at creating that atmosphere for Jews and non-​Jews alike.
The facilities are great. There is plenty of cardio equipment, including a separate theatre for speed cycling. They could use more weight machines but is enough to get a good workout. They offer many different classes that members have access to for free. They have two basketball courts, two racquetball courts, two squash courts, and about a dozen tennis courts. The swimming pool is gigantic and is perfect for lap swimming. The locker rooms are very professional-​friendly.
The JCC is also a perfect place to send your kids for per-​school, summer camp (I say this one objectively), or during the day when you need to use it’s babysitting facility. The JCC only hires highly-​trained and kid-​friendly employees who know how to work with kids.
One unique quality the JCC has that a lot of other places do not is a program for special needs individuals. For youth, they hire highly qualified individuals during summer and winter break to be with a special needs kid in camp. For young adults, they have a separate program that has been constantly reviewed as the best in Tucson. Not only does the JCC do a fantastic job with this program, but you can tell these young adults really enjoy it.
No matter what you are looking for at the JCC, it has something for the whole family. Great people, great facilities, great programs. What more could you ask for?

I have to agree with previous reviewers — the JCC is amazing! I love how much they have to offer: from cardio equipment to weights, classes, etc. They have childcare available (both as «babysitter» and as full daycare) and offer so many activities: lectures, rotating artwork collections, sculpture garden, etc etc etc. So much to do! I almost *almost* wanted to give 4 stars just because the price (a bit pricey), but considering all that you get, I had to give ‘em the whole 5 stars

Incredible facility with a mixed bag of whatever you’re looking for be it kids camp, gym, café or auditorium!

I love the JCC. Everyone is super friendly and accommodating. There are many convenient classes and the equipment is great. I never really ever have to wait for a machine. Heated lap pool, sauna, steam room, whirlpool, etc. Great community center!

After quitting my old gym that shall not be named but can be found in previous Unilocal reviews, I was on the search for something that filled one need and one need only — CONVENIENT CLASSES. While Bally (oops!) was just fine in terms of quality and location, their class schedules were too inconsistent or at bad times and quite frankly, I have grown to hate the elliptical.
I looked at almost every fitness center in town before realizing that the JCC is just a 5 – 10 minute drive from my house. What’s more? They offer more than 100 classes a week, and several of them align beautifully with my schedule. Zumba, Body Pump, Pilates, you name it, they have it!
The employees are WAY nicer than the typical gym staff. The weight machines are newer and nice to use.
As far as price, it isn’t as cheap as some of the bigger chain gyms, but I think that for the classes alone it’s worth it. I’ve also heard that they offer a sliding scale for those who can’t afford their rates. Definitely worth looking into!

Great work out!
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (of blessed memory) said «I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.»
That’s exactly what the kids are taught in the Pre-​School.
The «Jewish Values» that the kids are taught are really «Universal Values»: love, justice, creativity, learning, compassion, charity, diversity, achievement, tradition, friendship, curiosity.
The J is a place where a wide range of people come together. Where else can you see Muslims, Buddhists, Baha’i, Hindus, Christians and Jews; people from Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe; Democrats, Republicans, Independents; Men and Women; young and old all able to get along so well? One of the great strengths of the J is its diversity of members. Anyone who has ever worn a skullcap, a turban or a kufi knows that in many places, you may get stares! At the JCC you get understanding and sensitivity.
Sometimes I don’t like what’s on the TV in the weight room. But that’s why there are so many TV’s and why you have to plug in headphones to listen to them. Usually, if there is breaking news, all three cable stations are on, so that everyone can have their favorite. If the worst complaint about the J is that someone don’t like KGUN9’s News Anchor or KOLD’s commentator, or KVOA’s meteorologist, then that’s great!
If you want more than a gym– if you want to meditate in the sculpture garden, attend a lecture or film festival, swim, play tennis, take a painting class, learn Hebrew, mourn the tragedy of the Holocaust, listen to kids singing joyful songs, get a kosher lunch, or see the closest incarnation of Dr. King’s dream– visit the JCC

This is one of the top community centers in the State of Arizona. They have an excellent sports and fitness center. The have a top notch Early Childhood Education Program and out standing Arts and Cultural events and exhibits.
The Tucson International Jewish Film Festival is also presented there. I just can’t say enough about what a great place it is for everyone. And you don’t have to be Jewish to join or attend any of the events. It’s truly a «community center» for all the citizens of Tucson

For the last few years I thought it was worth paying the extra to go the gym at the J – supporting a good cause, and all… But the center TV in the workout area is ALWAYS on FOX News. I asked to please change it to something non-​political. Or put MSNBC on another one of the side TV’s to give some balance. Asked staff several times and was told that FOX News had to be on all the time because it’s what «the people” want. «What people?», says I. I’m a person too, aren’t I? «Sorry. Can’t change it.» Who says so? The staff? The management? The members? Who is it who insists that they need to have Glenn Beck screaming at me while I try to work out? Do they think my blood pressure isn’t high enough already? After 2 e-​mails went unanswered and staff refused to change the channel — repeatedly — I quit and found a happy new workout home at Bally’s for half the price, and a wide range of TV stations to choose from. So much for my fantasies of a progressive, a-​political, welcoming Jewish environment. Yes, they might have good day care — can’t comment on that. But be damn sure they aren’t raising your toddler to be a little fascist. The management is apparently 3 steps to the right of Genghis Khan.
PS – I’d be interested to know if FOX News is still the «must watch» TV in the gym. After quitting, I was assured by the management they would change, but don’t know if that’s really happened or not.

hevenu shalom aleichem (oo! aa!) aleichem hevenue shalom (shooby dooby dooby do wop do wop)
the TJCC goes down in my life history as the best day care ever. and trust me, i went to my fair share of daycares growing up. NONE of them even compete with the JCC.
Gosh, I wish I could still go to daycare at the JCC. it was so much fun.
After school this is where I went and I filled my afternoons with challa, swimming, jewish music lessons (ask me to sing for you in hebrew), raquet ball, basketball, lanyard-​making, games, and fun.
There was even this amazing smoothie chef in the café, i’d be surprised if he’s still there but he made the worlds best strawberry peach smoothie.
ALL, and i mean ALL, of the people working there were the nicest people possible. They all really loved kids or were super good at faking it.
it was SO clean, so friendly, so family-​oriented, and everyone loved it.
enroll your kids and enroll yourself and go have fun! even if you’re not jewish, you should still go here. it was such a blast.