Thanksgiving is basically the national holiday of gluttony. It’s that special time of “excessive indulgence.” And we’re not just talking turkey! This is the week when many of us suddenly feel wildly inspired to cram in one more recipe, one more store, one more house cleaning, one more errand, one more visit, and one more […]
Thanksgiving Challenge: Take One Thing Off Your Plate Read More »
This weekend we set our clocks back. While many celebrated an extra hour of sleep, I cringed at the thought of darker days ahead. Changing the clocks and shifting toward winter seems to throw many of us off track. Why does setting the clocks back just one hour cause so much havoc — igniting a
Whole Health Insights: Synchronize Your Internal Clocks Read More »
This past Monday, we marked the seventh commemoration of the 2018 synagogue attack. Hundreds turned out at the JCC to gather in community and to hold the memory of the eleven lives taken from us with love and faith. As my colleague Maggie Feinstein, Director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership recently told the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, there is an important reason for remembering tragic events. “Carving out
JCC State of Mind: October 31, 2025 – Commemorating 10.27 Read More »
Today, as the world absorbs the news of a newly signed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, we join our community in holding a collective breath – with deep emotion, reflection, and with cautious hope. We await the return of every hostage – both those who are still alive and those whose families await the dignity
JCC State of Mind: October 10 – A Message of Hope Read More »
By Jordan McGinnis, Personal Trainer and Fitness & Wellness Coordinator, JCC South Hills It’s common nowadays, when I talk to clients, members or just scroll through social media, that I see preaching about Progressive overload. “The only way to get stronger is to progressive overload and add more weight.” Yes, progressive overload is a
Personal Best: What is Progressive Overload? Read More »
During the Jewish High Holidays, one of the most powerful and sobering prayers we recite is Un’taneh Tokef. The traditional text reminds us that so much of what will happen in the year ahead is beyond our control. It is a prayer that confronts us with uncertainty and vulnerability. While at Temple Israel in Natick, MA
JCC State of Mind: The Power of Moments September 26, 2025 Read More »
I’m not a dietitian. I’m not a metabolic scientist. I haven’t spent years in a lab, but I have spent years reading, coaching, experimenting, and trying to translate the ever-changing world of nutrition into something that actually makes sense and can make a difference in people’s daily lives. Recently I’ve been reading a ton about
Whole Health Insights: Why Protein is Having a Moment Read More »
This week, I decided to talk about an essential aspect of training called “Transference”. Transference is the degree to which your workouts stimulate adaptations that transfer towards your goals. This is commonly heard in sports training because it is the job of the strength coach to ensure that their gains in the gym are directly
Personal Best: Understanding Transference Read More »
The games are upon us! The JCC Maccabi Campus Games, which are being proudly hosted this year by JCC Pittsburgh in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, have begun. This incredible event brings together Jewish teen athletes from across the country (and beyond!) to compete, connect, and represent their communities. It’s electric. It’s inspiring. And, it
Winners Keep Score—But Not the Way You Think Read More »
2025 JCC Maccabi Campus Games highlight the power of partnership As it appears in the Pittsburgh Business Times Guest Viewpoint By Jason Kunzman, JCC President and CEO, and Kevin Washo, Senior Vice Chancellor, External Relations, University of Pittsburgh Next month, 2,000 Jewish teen athletes representing 51 delegations from around the world will parade onto the
JCC State of Mind: July 25, 2025 – The Power of Partnership Read More »
Learn all about The JCC Maccabi Campus Games 2025 HERE After Iran war forces Maccabiah delay, JCC Maccabi Games welcome teens from US delegation Over 3,000 teens will attend the events in Tucson, Ariz., and Pittsburgh — more than 60% of whom aren’t connected to other Jewish programs or organizations By Jay Deitcher, ejewishphilanthropy.com July
JCC Maccabi Campus Games Pittsburgh 2025: In the News! Read More »
In the first release of the “Learning to Lift” series, we discussed the benefits of resistance training. In the second release, we discussed why exercise is a stress. Today, in the third release, we will be discussing the nuance of training. Training variables! Training variables are aspects of our training which we control and manipulate
Learning to Lift Part 3: Training Variables Read More »
You’ve probably heard the advice: “Get 10,000 steps a day.” And if you’ve ever found yourself pacing your kitchen at 9:48 pm to make that happen, you’re not alone. But here’s the backstory, the 10,000-step goal wasn’t created in a lab or backed by scientific consensus. It was launched in 1965 as a marketing campaign
10,000 Steps a Day—What’s Really Behind That Number? Read More »
This is my favorite time of year—there’s a buzz in the air as parents and kids alike joyfully anticipate the last day of school and that first day of summer camp. There’s a lightness and energy that’s hard to resist! For me, June also marks the return of one of my favorite routines—a weekly visit
Summer Plant Challenge Read More »
I’ve studied leadership and organizational performance and spent years trying to put that knowledge into practice as a leader in health care. Over time, one thing became clear: energy matters. Not just in a “rah-rah team spirit” way, but in a very real and measurable sense. Positive energy fuels performance. Negative energy drains it. Team
Energy Matters: The 3-to-1 Rule Read More »
Exercising isn’t always easy, but that’s the point of it. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do – for brain health, to help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and all this can improve your ability to do every day activities. Matt Hunter, Personal
You might hate to do these exercises, but you’ll love the results! Read More »
Holidays, especially Jewish Holidays, are not the best time to enforce a weight loss diet. Take Shavuot, which this year begins on the eve of Sunday, June 1, 2025. For reasons that some attribute to parsing of Jewish law and others, to a tradition that evolved amongst Eastern European Jews, dairy – cheese and one
Cheesecake – The Taste of Shavuot Read More »
Did you know there are no actual potatoes in Pringles? That’s right—just a mash-up of potato flakes, starch and additives shaped into chips. And Pringles aren’t alone. Next time you pick up a blueberry muffin or a cereal bar with berries, check the ingredients. Many of those “blueberries” are just flavored sugar bits dyed blue.
There Are No Potatoes in Pringles! Read More »
Labor Day – Monday, Sept. 1: Fitness Centers Open 8 am-2 pm; Family Park Open 11 am-7 pm