The Soloway JCC (SJCC) is inviting the community to discover everything it has to offer at its upcoming Open House Week, taking place from November 1 to 8. From pickleball to the pool, there will be an activity for everyone during the week’s festivities.

While the SJCC’s draw is often its fitness facility, saltwater pool, and gymnasium, its offerings extend far beyond physical health. With a variety of cultural programs throughout the year, such as Israeli dance, Yiddish and Hebrew language classes, and the Jewish Book Festival, there are also ample opportunities to stimulate the mind.

For Karin Lindsay, the SJCC’s Membership Experience Director, that welcoming atmosphere is what makes the SJCC special. Having been a member for more than decade before joining its staff, Lindsay brings the perspective of someone who has experienced the facility to its fullest extent.

After moving nearby in 2008, she and her family have been members since 2010. As her family grew, so too did the offerings at the SJCC. First joining with a young family membership, she said that the SJCC has been there for her throughout the years.

“It felt like the SJCC was following my life around and offering me things that I needed, right when I needed them,” said Lindsay.

Now in her new role, she hopes to draw on that experience to help the centre continue meeting members’ needs.
“I’m still able to put that member hat on and think, ‘What would I want as a member?’” she said. 

Open House Week will offer an opportunity for prospective members to experience that atmosphere firsthand, explore the facility, and learn about the breadth of programming available.

Lindsay said that while the fitness amenities are excellent, the people who fill the building are a major part of what makes it distinctive.

“From my perspective, 95 percent of the amazing part of being here is the people, both staff and members,” she said. “They’re standout people with an enthusiasm that doesn’t always exist outside of these walls.”

Open House Week will kick off on Sunday, November 1 with Member Health Appreciation Day, featuring some of the most popular fitness classes such as Pilates and yoga with instructors Ann and Holly, Chair Zumba, and Tai Chi. There will also be healthy snacks available.

Throughout the week, visitors can explore the SJCC’s regular fitness schedule, including aquafit and spinning classes. The week will conclude with a pickleball tournament, which is open to all, regardless of skill or experience with the sport.

Furthermore, some classes that will be taking place during the week include Israeli dancing, bookmark-making, plus a class on how to fall safely. There will also be classes geared towards kids held throughout the week, including Lego robotics, dance, and karate.

Lindsay says these offerings help demonstrate that the SJCC is about more than its name might suggest. Although the centre provides programming specifically for Ottawa’s Jewish community, its doors are open to everyone of all backgrounds.

“I think you’d be hard pressed to leave here and think that the SJCC isn’t for you,” she added.

For more information about Open House Week and what to expect, visit the SJCC’s website here.