Marking a historic milestone in its 47‑year history, the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of the East Bay will realize a long‑held vision with the opening of the East Bay Jewish Community Campus—the first of its kind in the East Bay region—in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood.
Anchored by an expanded JCC and home to a network of Jewish nonprofit organizations, the three‑acre campus will bring together early childhood education, arts and culture, wellness, learning, and community all in one place. Rooted in Jewish values, the Campus will offer a welcoming, inclusive space for all to gather, experience, and celebrate—strengthening belonging, resilience, and connection across generations.
The Campus is generously funded through grants and individual support, including founding donors and visionaries, Moses Libitzky and Nathan Petrowsky. Building on this momentum, we continue to reach towards our $125 million campaign goal to bring the full vision to life.
The JCC East Bay’s Early Childhood Education Center will open its doors in late August 2026, while the Campus’ Grand Opening is slated for early 2027. The JCC East Bay will continue to offer its afterschool and Edah (Jewish and Hebrew experiential) programs at their Berkeley location on Walnut Street through the 2026–27 school year, and is exploring options to continue operating some programs at an alternate location in Berkeley.
For over 30 years, Moses Libitzky envisioned a vibrant, centralized destination for Jewish life in the East Bay. That vision came to life when he and his business partner and brother-in-law, Nathan Petrowsky, discovered an extraordinary property in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood—the former Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream headquarters.
With proximity to BART, private parking, and walkable amenities, the 83,000-square-foot, nearly 3-acre site was the perfect canvas. Libitzky describes the moment as “love at first sight,” and together with Petrowsky, they purchased the property in December 2019, laying the groundwork for what is now becoming home of the East Bay Jewish Community Campus.
From the very beginning, the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay has played an instrumental role in co-creating this vision. As one of the East Bay’s leading Jewish institutions, the JCC East Bay brings decades of community trust and innovative programming. JCC East Bay leadership has collaborated closely with Libitzky and Petrowsky to design a campus that meets the evolving needs of Jewish households across our region—from early childhood education and youth programs to adult learning, wellness, and a vibrant cultural life. Their partnership reflects a shared commitment to Jewish continuity, inclusion, and impact.
This isn’t just real estate—it’s a legacy. A future-facing campus built on entrepreneurial philanthropy, where Jewish organizations thrive together, and where every visitor feels a sense of belonging, celebration, and possibility.
The expanded JCC East Bay, along with up to 20 other Jewish organizations, will be housed on the Campus, benefiting from a wide range of amenities and meeting spaces designed to foster co-creation and innovation.
The Campus will feature a kosher café; an event center showcasing new arts and culture programs; a catering and teaching kitchen; a health and wellness studio; an intimate library; classrooms for adult learning; a spacious early childhood education center with outdoor play areas and sensory room; and a dedicated teen center.
Anchored by a central courtyard with a meadow, reflection garden, ball court, and seating areas, the Campus will offer inviting spaces for people of all ages to experience Jewish life together in an open and welcoming environment.
A highlight of the new Campus will be the thoughtfully designed performance venue, with capacity to entertain more than 200 patrons. Events will center on arts, ideas, and Jewish culture, featuring local, national, and international artists and thinkers.
The Campus is our collective generational promise—a commitment to belonging, to pride, and to a joyful Jewish future. The groundswell of community and donor support for the Campus is already creating a new home for identity, memory, and hope in the East Bay.
We are building a place where children can grow up immersed in a joyful community. Where new ideas take flight. Where older adults share stories that shape tomorrow. And where people of all ages find unexpected connections through inquiry, arts, and culture.
L’dor v’dor—from generation to generation—we’re building this future, together.
The Jewish Community Center of the East Bay is building a new three-acre campus, the East Bay Jewish Community Campus, at 5957 Chabot Road in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland between College Avenue and Claremont Avenue. Rooted in Jewish values, it will be a multigenerational hub that brings together community from across the East Bay.
The entire Campus, including all programs, activity spaces, and a multi-use pavilion, will open to the public in early 2027. The Early Childhood Education Center will open on the campus in August 2026, and is now accepting registrations.
The expanded JCC East Bay, along with up to 20 other Jewish organizations, will be housed on the Campus, benefiting from a wide range of amenities and meeting spaces designed to foster co-creation and innovation. The Campus will feature a kosher café; an event center showcasing new arts and culture programs; a catering and teaching kitchen; a health and wellness studio; an intimate library; classrooms for adult learning; a teen center; a spacious early childhood education center with outdoor play areas and sensory room; and a dedicated teen center. Anchored by a central courtyard with a meadow, reflection garden, ball court, and seating areas, the Campus will offer inviting spaces for people of all ages to experience Jewish life together in an open and welcoming environment.
Programs will include preschool and childcare, teen programming, young-professional events, adult education, health and wellness classes, holiday celebrations, summer camp, and arts and cultural performances featuring local, national, and international artists.
To learn more about preschool and family offerings, including our new dual language Hebrew-English classroom, visit our Early Childhood Education Center page. To sign up for news and updates, visit our newsletter registration page.
The JCC East Bay’s Berkeley Afterschool and Edah programs will continue operating at the Walnut Street site through the 2026–27 school year, ensuring a smooth transition for current families. The organization is exploring options to continue operating some programs at an alternate location in Berkeley.
Yes, the Campus is open to all. We are proud to offer a welcoming and inclusive space where people of all backgrounds can connect to Jewish life and culture and participate in shared community activities.
The total project cost is $125 million. If you are interested in learning more about the Campus, naming opportunities, or donating to the Campus capital campaign, please email campus@jcceastbay.org.
Visit jcceastbay.org to learn about programs, sign up for the newsletter, or register your child for preschool.
With 15+ organizational residents on campus, we can provide for our community in a way no one organization can alone. In addition to below-market, all-inclusive rates, peer networking convenings, shared professional development and training, the campus is a new model for engagement and collaboration on every level: intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and social. The Hub will maximize the impact of organizational members, the sharing of ideas and resources, and the development of an inspired network of Jewish professionals and organizations to further invigorate our communal landscape.
Potential Organizations on Campus
Ayin Press
Base Bay*
Camp Tawonga
Foundation for Jewish Camp*
Gather Bay
JCC East Bay*
J Weekly
JCRC Bay Area
Jewish American Hall of Fame
Jewish Community Federation
and Endowment Fund*
Jewish Family & Community
Services East Bay
Jewish LearningWorks*
Jewish Studio Project
Jews of Color Initiative*
JIMENA
Keshet*
Moishe House*
New Lehrhaus
OneTable
PJ Library
Shalom Hartman Institute
UpStart*
Wilderness Torah
*already on campus
If you are interested in learning more about the campus, naming opportunities, or donating to the campus capital campaign, please email campus@jcceastbay.org.
