It is 4:00 p.m. on December 31, 2026, one year from now, and I am sitting at my desk. 

The JCC has quieted in that familiar end-of-year way — the hum of the fitness floor fading, a few last goodbyes exchanged at the front desk, staff slipping out into the cold to begin their New Year’s Eve plans. Before shutting down my computer, I pause. I let the stillness settle. And I look back on the year we’re closing.

Yep, 2026 was a really good year for our JCC. Not because everything came easily — it didn’t — but because we found new and powerful clarity. Clarity about who we are, who we serve, and the kind of future we are building together.

I’ll be honest: it started off a little tense — with Indiana and Alabama squaring off and my Crimson Tide-loving husband in overdrive. But as the months unfolded, our momentum grew. As 2026 moved through winter on into spring it was clear that — just like the Indiana weather — new and beautiful things were about to bloom.

2026 was marked by our efforts to define ourselves and our path forward as the center of our community. 

I am thinking back to April, when we presented our strategic plan. We weren’t sure if the community would be interested enough to attend the presentation. And then scores of people showed up. They filled the room with curiosity, pride, and thoughtful, honest questions about where our JCC was heading. I remember standing there and thinking, “This is what it looks like when a community believes in its future.” That night didn’t just launch a plan — it deepened trust. And trust changes everything.

That trust carried on into the fall as the Jewish holidays again enveloped and united us, bringing to our community a powerful sense of spiritual renewal. We saw this reflected in our philanthropic support — in the number of people who raised their hands and said, “I believe in our JCC.” Their generosity allowed us to strengthen access, invest in programs that matter, and make decisions with intention rather than urgency. 

Every gift reflected a story: a childhood memory of playing basketball at the JCC; gratitude for wellness programs that made it possible to go off medication; a quiet desire to ensure our community home remains strong for the next generation; appreciation and support for all we had done in 2026.

We expanded our partnerships — within the Jewish community and across greater Indianapolis. With neighbors like Hooverwood Living and Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis, we imagined what could be possible when institutions choose collaboration over silos. Together, we looked for ways to enhance lives while honoring the responsibility of stewarding community dollars wisely. We also birthed new levels of partnership with our Jewish Federation. 

Through all of 2026, even as I anticipate the dawn of 2027 — Wow! — we have kept our focus on our members. We listened more closely. We asked better questions. We made changes — sometimes small, sometimes significant — based on how it actually feels to walk through our doors. 

We thought about the parent who comes in each day, entrusting us with their most prized possession. The older adult arriving for a SilverSneakers class. The new member pausing at the entrance, trying to find their way. Again and again, we made choices that said: you matter here.

As 2026 closes, what stays with me isn’t a single headline or highlight. It’s a feeling — that this building holds more confidence, more care, more connection than it did a year ago. That we didn’t rush the work, but we didn’t retreat from it either. That together, we built something honest and sturdy. Enduring and eternal. 

Best wishes and love from our family to yours for a wonderful new year. And thank you for making 2026 (and 2025) a great year for our JCC!

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO – JCC Indianapolis