On giving and being a part of the JCC community Lisa and Jonathan Marcus My husband Jon and I live in Squirrel Hill with our two children. Jon is a JCC board member and we were co-chairs of the 2025 Big Night Olympics. All of us use the JCC facilities. While I’m not originally from […]
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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 Thursday, May 21. 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 of
Cheesecake – The Taste of Shavuot Read More »
Another Passover Recipe My husband’s Grandma Cele often talked about making her Passover specialties for her sons – carrot candy and something she called “borcas.” I did not grow up in a home with Old Country food traditions, so I had no idea what she was talking about. After she’d passed away and I wanted
"Borcas" — Grandma Cele's Beet Preserves Read More »
I used to joke that I chose our synagogue because I liked the cookbook. There was some truth to that although as far as recipes go, the very best one was not in the book. Every year, some of us volunteered to do a mass bake of Matzo Brittle for members, using a recipe that
The Secret to a Sweet Passover: Matzo Brittle Read More »
The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans were recently released, and whether you love them, hate them, or haven’t thought much about them, they matter more than most of us realize. First, I’d like to offer a little grounding. The Dietary Guidelines are not meant to be a personalized nutrition plan. They’re not telling you exactly
Digesting the New Dietary Guidelines Read More »
Skip the Cleanse. Rethink the Resolution. Refocus on what works! By the time we reach New Year’s Eve, many of us feel a bit off — puffy, foggy and inflamed! From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, we collectively master the art of sitting more, sleeping less, and consuming extra. Add in cookies, cocktails, treats, late nights,
Recently, our South Hills Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) was awarded a generous grant to launch a new, yearlong initiative: Elevating Nutrition in ECDC: Learning About Food from Seed to Table. This multi-dimensional program deepens our commitment to nurturing healthy bodies, curious minds, and joyful learning – both in the classroom and beyond. And we’re already off
JCC State of Mind December 12, 2025 – Elevating Nutrition in ECDC Read More »
When people hear the word wellness, they usually think about their physical health. What we eat, how much we sleep, and how often we hit the JCC fitness center immediately enters our minds. These things are all important and have a direct impact on our health, but wellness is actually much broader than this. Research
Whole Health Insights Chanukah Edition: The Eight Dimensions of Wellness Read More »
This past week brought us the first snow of the season, and with it, the kind of joy that only a Pittsburgh winter can deliver. There is something uniquely heartwarming about watching children in our Early Childhood Development Center and in our school-aged programs press their faces to the windows, rush outside in their boots
JCC State of Mind December 5, 2025: Moments of Joy and Connection Read More »
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 »
Please note: We’re very excited to be once again hosting the JCC Classic Swim meet at the Family Park in Monroeville June 12-14. With nearly 240 swimmers, this will be the biggest meet in history! Due to the meet, Family Park pool and locker rooms will open at 1:30 pm on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14